• is the co-founder and lead developer of Pownce
• acquired a Computer Science degree from the University of Minnesota
• created the Teddy Bear Remote Control
• was a Software Engineer at iLoop Mobile, Inc
• was a Host at CNET Networks

Despite her successes, she admits to past failures and even being rejected by Google. But these minor setbacks only proved to be stepping stones to her greatest accomplishments.

[interview]

The Interview

Name: Leah Culver
Location: San Francisco, California
Occupation: Co-founder of Pownce, techie

What challenges did you face in your line of work, and have you ever felt like giving up?::

It’s very difficult to keep a large site running performing well and that is probably my biggest challenge. I really believe in the concept behind Pownce so I’ve never really considered giving up on the project.

The other challenge deals with information overload and management. Lots of email, news to keep up with and so on.

What does your work environment look like?::

Like this:

What do you consider your greatest failure and why?::

I’ve failed at so many things! I never became a supermodel

Actually, my greatest disappointments have probably been not qualifying for National Honor Society in high school and getting extensively interviewed by Google and rejected. It’s funny because instead of National Honor Society, I joined a group for doing weekend volunteer work which was great. And if Google had hired me, Pownce probably wouldn’t exist.

What do you consider your greatest achievement and why?::

Pownce is definitely the best thing I’ve ever built. I’m very proud that Pownce supports open standards and that so many great people are part of the Pownce community.

How have you thrived despite negative comments from others?::

If you do anything interesting, you’ll get criticized. If people aren’t saying anything negative about you or your work, that’s actually a bad sign.

Who (and or what) inspires, motivates you?::

I’m very motivated to be a great developer. I’m certainly not very good now, so there’s plenty of room to grow. I’m inspired by a lot of people who are doing cool things on the internet like the Django developers.

Do you have any favorite quotes, pictures, internet links that you would like to share?::

http://pythong.org

Ping Pong at work:

What are the most important things you have learned in your life so far?::

Bravery, ambition, and resilience matter more than pride.

What are your strengths and weaknesses?::

I’m very bad at answering email in a timely manner. I’m quite good at crossword puzzles.

What are you goals for the future?::

Play around with CouchDB, Erlang, GIT, and Beanstalk… those are on my list of odd projects to check out in the near future. In the long term I’d like to play a small part in changing the way people interact online. Certainly it’s a lofty ambition.

What are some things that people might not know about you?::

I love black licorice.

[sources]

“Leah Culver” – jdlasica on Flickr [Online Image]

[/sources]

[/interview]

• Interview with Noah Kagan – The Amusing Entrepreneur
• Interview with Saul Colt – Marketing Magician
• Interview with Paul Stamatiou – The Passionate Technologist
• Interview with Zack Domes – Disciple of Simplicity
• Interview with Jimmy Wales – The Knowledge Benefactor

[interview]

The Interview

Name: Laurie Henry
Location: Texas
Occupation: Teacher, Entrepreneur, and co-founder of Trinity Science Solutions

What challenges did you face in your line of work, and have you ever felt like giving up?::

The challenge I have faced while being the science coordinator was feeling free to fully be who I am in my working environment.  I am a very creative person.   I am also very animated and love living out loud.   I felt that I was stuffing my creative side and who I am to fit into the mold I was supposed to be while being science coordinator.  That is why Terri and I started our business.  It allows us to do what we love and what we do best while being true to ourselves.  It has always been a dream of mine to have my own business.  Now with Terri as my business partner, I am able to do just that. I have never wanted to give up, just change directions.  Changing jobs is not giving up.  My dreams are beyond a job.  I will not give up on my dreams.  I can, however, change routes to get there.

The challenge I currently face is being disciplined to keep moving forward in the new business venture.  I have no boss to watch over me now so I am working because I want to develop the best business Terri and I can.  We are excited to see how far we can take it.  Since this is new to Terri and me, we have to educate ourselves on running a business, marketing, following all of the laws, etc.  But it is exhilarating and we’re learning a great deal.  The future is so bright we can’t help but shine!  

What does your work environment look like?::

I work out of my home or Terri’s home.  We each have a home office.  Well…..mine is in process.  It was my son’s bedroom until he went away to college.  This summer I am painting and transforming it into a home office/creative projects rooms.  I also make stained glass things and wire and beaded crosses. So I will make a work table for that as well in the room.  We’ll present our program in school gyms.  So that will be my other work environment.  

What do you consider your greatest failure and why?::

My greatest failure would be the past year as Elementary Science Coordinator.  I consider it a “great” failure because if it weren’t for that experience I wouldn’t be starting this awesome business with Terri and I would miss my dream career!In this case failure was a great thing!

What do you consider your greatest achievement and why?::

A couple of things come quickly to mind professionally.  First I was the teacher of the year for our district in 2005.  That was a really wonderful thing.  There is nothing more special in a working situation than being awarded by your peers and your community. 

The second achievement would be, having a child that has never passed a single state test passing his first with you as his teacher.  I love my students.  They know I believe in them and love them.  Being loved and respected by them is a wonderful gift.

 I also believe that taking an idea and turning it into a business is a wonderful achievement.  Thanks to Terri, this is happening!

Personally, my greatest achievements are being married for 24 years to a wonderful guy Joe and having two sons, Cory and Cody that have great big hearts.  I also consider it a big achievement developing the mindset that dreams can happen and life can be an exciting adventure to journey through.  

How have you thrived despite negative comments from others?::

It really depends on the negative comment. If the comment has truth in it then I want to learn from the comment. I would rather have “truth in love” than empty compliments. I look at my journey as one where I want to be the best person I can be and experience the most I can from my relationships and life. Receiving constructive crtisism can help me get there.

If the negative comment is meant to be hurtful, I look at it with the idea that it’s not about me. They said what they did because of struggles they are having within themselves.

Looking at negative comments this way makes it much easier to either learn from them or forgive and move on.

Who (and or what) inspires, motivates you?::

I’ll make a list.

Inspires-

• Jesus Christ: He overcame the most intense difficulties to complete his mission of being the Passover Lamb for mankind.  He sets the direction of my life and gives me my purpose.
• A man at Wal-Mart: He was a double amputee walking on two prosthetic legs and a cane while pushing his cart.  I pondered all he had to overcome to be able to do that and thought, “Wow, if he can overcome his difficulties to actually walk around the store, I can overcome difficulties and accomplish my goals as well.

  Motivates-

• My husband Joe who thinks I’m the best thing since buttered bread.  He supports me and all my crazy ideas.  He loves me just like I am.  He motivates me to go for my dreams.
• My mom and dad: They believed in me and loved me greatly.  They taught me their great values and love for family.
• Corey Allan: Corey was my counselor who led me to realize that I can live life fully alive and enjoy the adventure I travel.  Life is a journey not a destination.   He helped me gain the courage to dream and then follow my dreams both with my personal life and with my professional life.  He changed the course of my life motivating me to truly believe in myself and that life can be full so go for it!   He has a great blog at www.simplemarriage.net.
• Josephine Merkle: My YA YA sisterhood friend.  She is the most encouraging person I know.  She has put the knot in my rope many times so I could hang on.  

Do you have any favorite quotes, pictures, internet links that you would like to share?::

“Take the first step in Faith.  You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

“You teach people how to treat you.” – Unknown

“We must be the change we wish to see in the world.” – Gandhi

“Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside themselves, dreams; who looks inside, awakens.” - Carl Jung

“For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” – The Apostle Paul

Links:

www.simplemarriage.net Great blog on marriage fully alive

www.trippingthemuse.com Super blog on writing creatively

www.manmailsite.com/ Great blog on being a manly man (I have learned so much about that mysterious creature!)

www.adaringadventure.com/blog/wordpress/ Tim Brownson is the Life Coach who hosts The Discomfort Zone.  He offers a great deal of insight on life and has a wonderful wit. 

What are the most important things you have learned in your life so far?::

• To go for your dreams.
• To live out loud, being who you are and letting others deal with it.
• Failure or criticism is an opportunity to grow.
• When others are hurtful, the problem, more than likely, is about something in them and not you.
• Trust in God because he has a plan for you.
• Love your spouse deeply but be your own person.  Be differentiated in your relationship with your spouse and others. 
• Live simply.
• Express yourself creativity.
• Give to others whenever you can.

What are your strengths and weaknesses?::

Unique strengths:

• I love adventure and relationship
• I am a great teacher, kind of like Ms. Frizzle
• I am creative
• I connect with kids
• I am wacky
• I am a total science nerd – Science ROCKS!!

 Weaknesses:

• I struggle with organization
• I struggle with saying NO (but I’m better)
• I have an addictive type of personality.  I get hooked on things like computer, books, i-pod.  I have to watch it. 

What are you goals for the future?::

My goals are to buy some land at Beaver Lake outside of Eureka Springs Arkansas and build a log cabin to live in with my husband.  I want to kayak, canoe and boat around the lake, hike the land and spend the days playing pioneer with Joe and being creative.  Maybe open a shop in Eureka Springs. 

Professionally, I want Terri and I to take Trinity Science Solutions and our Big Canyon Balloon nationally. We want to develop other inflatable science experiences for schools as well as support science education with staff development and other products. We want to be known for excellence in our field.

I want to skydive in a couple of years to honor my 50^th birthday.  I want to white water raft down the Colorado River, scuba dive at the barrier reef, and see polar bears and beluga whales in the north.  I want to experience as much of creation as possible. I love nature.

I want to take my relationship with God as far as possible on this side of eternity and continue it on the other.  I also want to take my relationship with my husband to its limits as well.  I think we only skim the surface of life with our relationships and with living fully.  I want to go deeper.  

[/interview]

• Interview with Professor Walter Lewin – The Physics Magician
• Interview with Zack Domes – Disciple of Simplicity
• Interview with Neil Patel – Internet Marketing Guru
• Interview with Paul Stamatiou – The Passionate Technologist
• Interview with Leah Culver – The Social Networker

His accomplishments include:

• Graduating from UC Berkeley
• Working for Facebook
• Working for Mint Software

If you want to see the rest his credentials, it is displayed here. His latest project is Kickflip Inc. and it is still under construction. But if you’re in anticipation to know what it’s about, he reveals that “it’s a place where you make cool things.” His site Okdork.com provides you with posts ranging from high gas prices, to the creation of social networks. Check out this interview to find out what makes Noah so unique.

[interview]

The Interview

Name: Noah Kagan
Location: San Jose, California
Occupation: Blogger, entrepreneur

What challenges did you face in your line of work, and have you ever felt like giving up?::

The challenges are getting our next project out as soon as possible with realizing it needs to be high quality. I have felt like quitting many times and even took some time off to think about the work I am doing. I think people need to give meaning to their work in whatever way they can.

What does your work environment look like?::

White Macbook located at various free Wifi places across San Francisco.

What do you consider your greatest failure and why?::

Greatest failure. I never think about this, mostly think about the mistakes I have made and what I can learn from them. Now regrets are another story

What do you consider your greatest achievement and why?::

Greatest achievement: Community Next 1, I coordinated relatively large scale things and people didn’t hate it, Kickflip is my first real company with large potential. It’s nice that it can support 3 people and let thousands of people play our games.

How have you thrived despite negative comments from others?::

Almost everything I’ve done people said wouldn’t work. I think if people say it will not work or suck it is generally a good sign.

Who (and or what) inspires, motivates you?::

Don’t really have anyone or thing. It just comes in phases through things I read or people I see doing cool stuff. Most likely Max Levchin for his tenacity, focus, work-ethic and math based decision making.

Do you have any favorite quotes, pictures, internet links that you would like to share?::

Squeaky wheel gets the grease.

What are the most important things you have learned in your life so far?::

Make things meaningful yourself.

What are your strengths and weaknesses?::

Is this a date question? My strength is I do things. My weakness is I don’t think through things enough. I’m working on it.

What are you goals for the future?::

Work on this company, kickflip (kickflipping.com) travel, family, friends, simple.

[/interview]

• Interview with Saul Colt – Marketing Magician
• Interview with Leah Culver – The Social Networker
• Interview with Jimmy Wales – The Knowledge Benefactor
• Interview with Alexis Ohanian – Leader of the Alien Social Revolution
• Interview with Neil Patel – Internet Marketing Guru

1. Started and maintained a successful tech news blog and managed to differentiate himself from the sea of monotony
2. Starred Nike commercial
3. Hosted events for General Motors – he ain’t stammering Stammy
4. Interned at Yahoo!
5. Started his own web company, Skribit – a great original idea which has taken off nicely (look in bottom right hand corner of this page) and most importantly
6. Interviewed by Tivate.com – nice plug huh? .

Stammy is a nice easy-going guy with a positive attitude. The most difficult thing about him is pronouncing his last name (Stam-uh-tee-you), hence the nicky Stammy. In this interview, Paul talks about his accomplishments, shows us his work desk, reflects on his public speaking skills and admires his idol Steve Jobs (with quote!).

[interview]

The Interview

[twitter::Stammy]

Name: Paul Stamatiou (Stam-uh-tee-you) a.k.a Stammy
Age: 21 years old – from Houston, Texas
Occupation: Blogger, entrepreneur, techie, programmer, public speaker

What challenges did you face in your line of work, and have you ever felt like giving up?::

I have three “lines of work” – being a student at Georgia Tech, writing on PaulStamatiou.com and working on Skribit.com. The biggest challenge is time management and just finding the time to get everything done. [pqr]I’ve never felt like giving up but I’ve had to re-prioritize things from time to time to get it all done[/pqr]. In the past few months Skribit has been growing considerably and a lot of my time has gone into developing for it.

The other challenge deals with information overload and management. Lots of email, news to keep up with and so on.

What does your work environment look like?::

I recently moved into an apartment by myself, which is a huge change from living in dorms and in an off-campus house with several roommates. It’s a lot easier to allot time to get work done without being distracted or having the urge to jump in on a game of Mario Kart Wii with my roommates. The best part of my work environment at home is the fiber Internet connection. It has changed the way I do things and I now rely more on online storage.

What do you consider your greatest failure and why?::

Hrm, that’s a hard one. I’d say not having gotten into programming sooner. I didn’t start really tinkering with web development until I started my blog in 2005. Prior to that I only had a bit of Java experience from a high school course and another computer science class during my freshman year in college. I know a few people my age that are just incredible developers and it makes me wonder what could have been if I had gotten into software much younger, instead of teaching myself to solder and build circuits. I spent my first year at Georgia Tech working towards a computer engineering major until I finally decided I was more interested working closely with the Internet.

What do you consider your greatest achievement and why?::

My greatest achievement is by far having maintained and built up my blog for 3 years to the point it’s at now. My blog has helped me meet many interesting people and learn from them. People at Yahoo! found me from my blog and got me my summer internship, Nike found me from my blog and put me in an online Nike commercial, General Motors found me from my blog as well and has flown me out to various car events. The Internet excels at aiding people in finding others with similar interests and my blog has tapped right into that.

How have you thrived despite negative comments from others?::

I take it all as constructive criticism. You gotta make your haters your motivators haha.

Who (and or what) inspires, motivates you?::

It is hard to pinpoint what inspires or motivates me as there are so many sources. I always pay close attention to others in my field to see how they’re doing things and what they’ve done. In the last year or so I have really embraced the startup culture. While I don’t exactly follow it to the letter, I love reading about it and things like Paul Graham’s essays. It has really shaped the direction I take when working on Skribit.

Do you have any favorite quotes, pictures, internet links that you would like to share?::

My favorite quote comes from Steve Jobs. It definitely aligns with the way I feel when working on new projects.

“Here’s to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes… the ones who see things differently — they’re not fond of rules… You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can’t do is ignore them because they change things… they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.”

One of my favorite pictures is of Steve Jobs at home in 1982. It shows his different style of thinking.

What are the most important things you have learned in your life so far?::

Whenever I start a new project [pqr]my goal is being able to look back on it and say that it was worth doing[/pqr]. Nothing feels better than getting things done and while I don’t live by the whole GTD craze, I enjoy being productive and having something to show for it. My blog is a great example of that and now it’s like a personal portfolio and resume. I only have so much time in my life, barring the long-awaited invention of some eternal youth potion, so I might as well make it count.

What are your strengths and weaknesses?::

I would say that I am good at getting my point across, whatever that may be. I was an editor on my high school’s yearbook staff and now with my blog I seem to have honed my communication skills. Although I will admit I make for a crappy public speaker and I generally talk very fast (see my Nike commercial for reference).

What are you goals for the future?::

My main goal for the near future is leading Skribit to success and being able to work on it full-time upon my graduation. Basically, just having a job I actually enjoy.

[sources]

PaulStamatiou.com – tech news/reviews/guides [Online Blog]

Skribit: Blog Topic Suggestion Application [Creative Venture]

“Paul Stamatious’s Yahoo Internship”- inju on Flickr [Online Image]

“Paul Stamatiou”- Laughing Squid on Flickr [Online Image] (LaughingSquid)

[/sources]

[/interview]

• Interview with Noah Kagan – The Amusing Entrepreneur
• Interview with Saul Colt – Marketing Magician
• Interview with Neil Patel – Internet Marketing Guru
• Interview with Jimmy Wales – The Knowledge Benefactor
• Interview with Rob Malda a.k.a CmdrTaco – Tech News OG

Okay, so now that you get that I love Reddit, let’s move on to one of the founders, Alexis Ohanian. He’s the guy in charge of drawing the the Reddit Alien and giving him his unique style and flair. In this interview [pq]he’s suprisingly candid about what motivates him – and it’s nothing less than a kick of negativity in the face[/pq]. I would have loved to see his “wall of demotivation” that inspired him during the early Reddit days. You’ll also find out that he’s a damn nice guy and what his goals are for the future. Enjoy the interview!

[interview]

The Interview

[twitter::kn0thing]

Name: Alexis Ohanian
Age: 25
Occupation: Entrepreneur, Graphic Designer, Musician

What are are your nicknames and why did you receive them?::

Actually, I insisted on not having any nicknames and always went by Alexis. But maybe I never heard any that I really liked.

What items do you always carry with you?::

If the day is going well, I’ll have my keys, phone, and wallet on me. I usually have a laptop and a book with me, too. It justifies the existence of my manbag.

What challenges do you face in your line of work, and have you ever felt like giving up?::

These days, the challenges are far less perilous than when we were a startup. Back then, I felt like giving up every few days — especially given some family issues that arose — but the thought of actually doing it never crossed my mind. I suspect it’s part of the delusion that comes with starting a company — that, and a very supportive family.

What does your work environment look like?::

That changes depending on where I am at the moment, but it almost always includes this laptop.

What do you consider greatest failure and why?::

Ahh, the advantage of only having a few years of experience on a large project that turned out to be a success…

Before reddit, I’d started a forum that grew to a few hundred members discussing world news, politics, etc. but eventually flamed out. It was a great experience in community management and my ambitions for that site certainly got funneled into reddit.

What do you consider your greatest achievement and why?::

reddit.com – a lot of people are better informed/entertained because of it and I think we’ve somehow contributed to a decline in the United States’ GDP (breadpig is a close second)

Who (and or what) inspires, motivates you?::

1. Since I was a child, my parents.
2. During reddit, it was typically any naysayers and trolls. [pqr]I even kept a wall of negative-reinforcement that had quotes and clippings[/pqr].
3. More recently, Barack Obama.
4. I’ve also long been motivated by rainbows.

What are the most important things you have learned in your life so far?::

• People matter, things don’t.
• Be skeptical — especially of any advice given by 25 year olds

Do you have any favorite quotes, pictures, internet links that you would like to share?::

• “Welcome to Earth. It’s hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It’s round and wet and crowded. At the outside, you’ve got about a hundred years here. There’s only one rule that I know of: [pqr]Goddamn it, you’ve got to be kind![/pqr]” — Kurt Vonnegut
• I also regularly look to this regularly for inspiration: http://despair.com/limitations.html
• And this, I start every day with this video to ease me into my morning coffee, then watch it an unhealthy number of times throughout the day: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5j2YDq6FkVE&feature=related

What are your strengths and weaknesses?::

Answering job interview questions (I’ll let you decide if that’s a strength or weakness)

Me: It’s definitely a strength. You did great on your interview – you’re hired! See on you Monday.

What are you goals for the future?::

1. Happiness
2. Working on interesting problems
3. World peace – Or at least 2 out of 3.

[sources]

“Monkey Steals Peach” – Gem #1 from his Flickr [Online Images]

“Best Haircut Ever?” – Gem #2 from his Flickr [Online Images]

alien artist blog [Online Blog]

breadpig [Online Bidness]

reddit [Social site]

[/sources]

[/interview]

• Interview with Zack Domes – Disciple of Simplicity
• Interview with Craig Newmark – The People Person
• Interview with Professor Walter Lewin – The Physics Magician
• Interview with Leah Culver – The Social Networker
• Interview with Jimmy Wales – The Knowledge Benefactor

In one of his recent posts on his personal blog, Quick Sprout, he says, “One thing I get asked frequently is how did you become successful. Usually when people ask this they are looking for 1 answer, but the truth is there are a lot of factors that caused my success.” His keys to success are no secret because he’s willing to share them with you.

[interview]

The Interview

[twitter::neilpatel]

Name: Neil Patel
Occupation: Marketing, Entrepreneur

What items do you always carry with you?::

I like to keep my pockets light, so I try not to carry much with me. I usually just carry a small card holder which fits 4 credit cards, a Blackberry cell phone, and chap stick. And if I am traveling I also carry a money clip.

What challenges do you face in your line of work, and have you ever felt like giving up?::

The main challenges I face is to keep clients happy. In my line of work everything is results driven and that is what clients expect. And even if results are provided some clients want more (which is natural). Due to this it is difficult to set costumer expectations from the start because even if a client says they understand everything, they usually do not. As for giving up, I never feel that way.

What does your work environment look like?::

My work environment is simple. I work in a small office with a handful of people. I have a macbook laptop, a small desk, and a small chair.

What do you consider greatest failure and why?::

As for the greatest failure in the world, I am not sure. But my greatest failure is when I first started out, I lost hundreds and thousands of dollars. I was young and had little knowledge in what I was doing. The bright side of it is that it taught me many lessons and because of that I am some what successful.

What do you consider your greatest achievement and why?::

My greatest achievement is helping non-profit organizations succeed. Such as the liver society which help kids get free liver transplants. There is nothing better I enjoy doing in this world, than to help others in need.

Who (and or what) inspires, motivates you?::

A lot of people inspire me. My parents always push me to do better and make more money. Other than that, my business partners always motivate me.

What have you learned in your life so far?::

I have learned a lot of important things in life and probably too many to list out. But a few of the things are:

1. Don’t always listen to others. Sometimes you just have to do what you want to do.
2. You should always take on risk. If you don’t you probably will not succeed in life.
3. Sometimes you just need to give up. Not all businesses are worth fighting for.
4. Always be willing to listen to others. Even if you think the advice is crap, one day they may tell you something useful.
5. You are never to big to help out others for free. The little guys are the most important people out there.

Do you have any favorite quotes, pictures, internet links that you would like to share?::

“Be careful of the toes you step on today, for they might be connected to the ass you have to kiss tomorrow.” – Christopher Rees

[sources]

Si1very on Flickr – “Neil Patel on Flickr” [Online Image]

labnol on Flickr – “Neil Patel on Flickr” [Online Image]

Quick Sprout – “8 Reasons Why I am Successful And You Are Not” [Online Article]

[/sources]

[/interview]

• Interview with Craig Newmark – The People Person
• Interview with Jimmy Wales – The Knowledge Benefactor
• Interview with Noah Kagan – The Amusing Entrepreneur
• Interview with Zack Domes – Disciple of Simplicity
• Interview with Tim Brownson – The Goal Specialist

As with any company of such magnitude, Wikipedia has had it’s share of critics and missteps. However, Jimbo has shown us that success is not measured by how we succeed, but rather, on how we learn from our failures. In this open interview Jimbo gives insight into his life, what drives him and his inspiration.

[interview]

The Interview

[twitter::jwales]

What are are your nicknames and why did you receive them?::

Online I am known as “Jimbo”. Early in my time on the Internet, I was on a mailing list which had a Jimmy, Jim, and James. To differentiate myself, I started signing “Jimbo”. It stuck.

What items do you always carry with you?::

I carry my Sidekick LX phone with me everywhere. Everywhere. And my computer, of course.

What challenges do you face in your line of work, and have you ever felt like giving up?::

Recently, it has been very difficult and painful for me to discover that I am somehow a public figure and that people are bizarrely interested in my personal life.

What does your work environment look like?::

I travel constantly, so I don’t have a particular “work environment”. Reporters often want to take a photo of my at my desk in my office, but I have neither a desk nor an office. I wander the earth, doing email from wherever I happen to be.

What do you consider greatest failure and why? What do you consider your greatest achievement and why?::

I don’t often think in terms of failure and success. I simply try to do my work as best I can. Even some notable of my “failures” such as Nupedia have held within them the seeds of success.

Who (and or what) inspires, motivates you?::

My daughter and her mother inspire and motivate me a great deal. My daughter is being homeschooled by her mother, who is doing an astounding job of it.

What are the most important things you have learned in your life so far?::

It is important to have fun every single day.

What are your strengths and weaknesses?::

My strength is primarily that I am a very friendly person. It takes quite a bit of provocation before I give up on someone who could be a friend. I trust people… even though that does not always pay off, I still think it is worthwhile.

My major weakness is in organization. I have a hard time being organized.

What are you goals for the future?::

My primary goal for the near-term future is to have fun working on my search engine project, at http://search.wikia.com/ – I think about it, work on it, and write about it constantly.

Is it possible to have an open-source architecture and code for an industry-standard quality search engine? Is it possible to find a way to push the editorial decisionmaking of a search engine outside the company and into the general public, in the way that wikis work for text?

I hope to find some good answers to these questions… and have fun puzzling over it.

[sources]

10 Questions: Jimmy Wales- TIME [Online Image]

Joi on Flickr – “Jimmy Wales on Flickr” [Online Image]

Jimmy Wales – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia [Online]

Jimmy Wales [Online Blog]

[/sources]

[/interview]

• Interview with Professor Walter Lewin – The Physics Magician
• Interview with Rob Malda a.k.a CmdrTaco – Tech News OG
• Interview with Craig Newmark – The People Person
• Interview with Neil Patel – Internet Marketing Guru
• Interview with Vered – A Mother Knows Best

He truly is, along with his site, an enigma of sorts. How can a site that is free be so successful? How can someone so successful remain so generous and down to earth? Craig’s mentality is far different than what is the norm – something we all can imitate.

[interview]

The Interview

[twitter::craignewmark]

Name: Craig Newmark
Born: December 6, 1952 (age 55) Morristown, New Jersey
Occupation: Craigslist.org

What are are your nicknames and why did you receive them?::

No nickname, but people now kid me that I can go around with only the single name “Craig”.

What items do you always carry with you?::

Phone, pedometer, wallet, keys, the usual.

What challenges do you face in your line of work, and have you ever felt like giving up?::

For the most part, customer service is okay, but sometimes people are pretty abusive. No interest, though, in giving up.

What does your work environment look like?::

What do you consider greatest failure and why?::

In the past, taken far too long to get out of denial.

What do you consider your greatest achievement and why?::

Craigslist, it has helped a lot of people.

Who (and or what) inspires, motivates you?::

• Leonard Cohen
• Barack Obama

What are the most important things you have learned in your life so far?::

Treat others like how you want to be treated.

Do you have any favorite quotes, pictures, internet links that you would like to share?::

• “Brevity is the soul of wit.” – Shakespeare
• “If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise, they’ll kill you.” -Oscar Wilde

What are your strengths and weaknesses?::

I’m persistent, but try too hard to be funny.

What are you goals for the future?::

Enough sleep.

[sources]

“Craig Newmark (cnewmark)’s photos- powered by SmugMug” [Photo]

“Craig Newmark – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia” [Online]

[/sources]

[/interview]

• Interview with Neil Patel – Internet Marketing Guru
• Interview with Noah Kagan – The Amusing Entrepreneur
• Week 1: What I’ve learned so far
• Interview with Zack Domes – Disciple of Simplicity
• Interview with Rob Malda a.k.a CmdrTaco – Tech News OG