Posts Tagged ‘We The Media’

Tell Your Story

Wednesday, August 25th, 2010

Our philosophy at We the Media up until now (possibly into the future) has been ninety-nine parts work to one part telling our story. If we were asked what we’re not good at, we’d probably say talking about ourselves. We just don’t do it.

It’s kind of like the interview question, “What are your weaknesses?”

“Some people say I work too hard.”

Absolutely true.

The mantra, “Tell Your Story,” has been coming up often in both our client work and in my own personal relationships. These are two totally different scenarios, but the effect of keeping quiet about triumphs and failures is the same none-the-less.

(more…)

Tags: ,
Posted in Article | 1 Comment »

Success and Failure

Wednesday, May 5th, 2010

Coming to the realization that those who spend most of their time trying to make things happen neither succeed or fail. There are small successes and failures on their paths, but it’s rarely finite and cannot be determined as success or failure until a finite end. However, when one stops trying to make things happen, then maybe they could say they  succeeded or failed.

I bring this up because of a necessity for the entrepreneur to hold both of these potential scenarios up and look at them honestly. What does failure look like? If it looks like giving up, then the term, “failure is not an option,” deductively means that giving up is not an option. I can live with that. What does success look like? I have no clue, one building block goes on the next and I don’t have any idea how many building blocks there are. So if I never quit, does that mean success is not an option either?

One might say we’ve had a fair bit of success with We the Media (WTM). It’s made of several building blocks, collectively making a house. But looking around, all I see are large buildings. If we ever become a large building, then all I will probably see are skyscrapers. Thinking this is like looking into the unending mirror vortex.

As I see it today, failure means quitting and success means never quitting, or maybe success is something I will recognize if it happens. Until then, it’s all building blocks over here at WTM.

Tags: , ,
Posted in Article | 4 Comments »

I am a horrible blogger AND a decent hustler

Tuesday, July 22nd, 2008

I’m always reading these “how to blog” lists, well not so much of late, but I was reading them.  They all say consistency is key!

“Blog on a consistent basis, if it’s one time a week, then make sure you do it…”

In reading that, it seemed easy enough – but nope! Anyhow, it’s retarded for me to even blog about blogging (no offense to the retards who read my blog). I’ve been so busy doing that I haven’t had time to really tell about any of it – so here goes.

(more…)

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Article | 12 Comments »

A Web Designer’s Education

Friday, April 25th, 2008

I’ve talked about education before, but yesterday I was blown away (again) by someone who decided to forgo school (for the most part) and forge on with a self-taught design career.  The first person I met that did this I worked alongside for a few years (at our first and only jobs) and was always blown away by his natural talent.  I suppose I can “lump” myself in the self-taught category, but I did go to college, just not for design.  I didn’t self-teach however, I borrowed, stole, and pillaged from a very talented design team.

(more…)

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Article | 13 Comments »

WTM Reblog – Building Carefully

Thursday, March 6th, 2008

It’s difficult to tackle any web project and avoid attempting to, “shoot the moon.” Ideas are plentiful and examples even more so. I rep We The Media – that is my sole position. Finding work and finding talent are what I do by day, by night I design, code, and fight crime. I get to wear many hats, which is both burdensome and rewarding. Variety is the spice of life – and a busy life goes speeding by.

Speed is a trait of the entrepreneur, we make things happen quickly, we all think “I can do this or that.” It’s what makes us quit our jobs, it’s what makes us just start things for no reason other than our own thoughts, it’s also, as time goes by, a huge weakness. It’s super tough to rely on anyone else, but it is also absolutely necessary. Often times we think up a strategy and execute without consulting those who have proven valuable. Often times a knee-jerk reaction comes across as a painful execution and an even more painful blunder.

With the WTM website – I could have just designed and built the whole thing. But I know someone who can do it better – and without his help, WTM wouldn’t be where it’s at. It’s been a very slow rewarding process building out wtmworldwide.com piece by piece. We have more that we would like to do – but we are not rushing it. Well, maybe I am pushing it, but have realized a slow marinade is just what the site needs.

Why the entry then? We have carefully launched the We The Blog. WTB, I guess, is an aggregate of all We The Media member blogs. I’m already feeling the pressure because Nick Onken blogs way more than me – I need to keep up! It is just one more channel for us to spread our message of love for the creative souls out there.
We The Blog Screen
Check it out.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Article | 2 Comments »

SXSW 2008 – Pre-Trip

Sunday, March 2nd, 2008

As many people know, SXSW is coming up this week and as all should know – it’s pretty much the place to be for a geek. Where else can every random conversation be about topics like design, user experience, and community building – geekgasm!

Anyhow – I’m staying at the Hampton Inn with my good friend Jeff Reynolds – we will be kicking ass in one way or another (but mostly just representing the up and coming group, We The Media). I’m also looking to get invited to some really pretentious, exclusive parties – like I would be ok being the only one that is allowed to enter the room. That would rock. If you’re staying in the Hampton Inn or close – let’s greet up – it’s time to meet some geeks baby! Oh yea, be sure to get our grey (purple) buttons – they are pretty much fresh to death.

WTM Buttons

If you aren’t going to SXSW and are disgruntled, sulk the entire week at your current job so that your employer really knows how badly you want to go for next year – or – come to this site and I will be posting daily updates and pictures of all the crazy happenings.

Hope the world is treating you well.

Tags: ,
Posted in Article | 2 Comments »

Networking and the Creative Soul

Monday, February 25th, 2008

As a creative, I once looked wearily upon “networking.” Never because I thought the ideas generated between people or the relationships they had were inherently bad – I was skeptical of networking because it never felt natural to me. A forced relationship at most – brought about by people leveraging each other for personal gain – what good could come of that?

networking gives me tears

Moving from college where one has a pseudo-something to offer to a professional setting where one gains their real value – I have experienced some profound insight. No, nothing new or original – but my tendency to learn by doing and emulating has given me the real reward of what networking truly is – connecting others.

(more…)

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Article | 2 Comments »

Good, Cheap, and Fast

Friday, November 23rd, 2007

Theresa Tran, of Tease Marketing, once said something to me in a conversation that resonated heavily, “You have good, cheap, OR fast, you get to pick two.” After mulling it over in my head for a little while, it made perfect sense. And as I broke off to go start my own business, it’s something I chalked up as a cardinal rule.

“You have good, cheap, or fast, you get to pick two.”

I have been on my own freelancing (or running my own business) for nearly six months, a few things have occurred to me. Cheap is a relative term – relative to the client paying the money as well as relevant to what you’re making across the board for all projects. Good, when doing business for yourself, isn’t so much an option as it is a requirement. And lastly, fast is the speed at which we do business period – people want everything yesterday. So do clients really ever pick two out of three? Or do they just automatically assume to run the table. After all, the customer is always right.

(more…)

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Article | 3 Comments »

Eleven3 Version 3.0

Friday, September 21st, 2007

We designer types are a finicky breed. Rarely is something just right and we don’t really like the words time and budget. Good work takes time, a lot of it. That being said, when I launched version 2.0 of eleven3.com I was really excited, I felt I had achieved good work. I’m not sure if it’s just me, or if other designers do this as well, but when I design something I like; I stare and stare and stare.

With any creative work, the longer you expose yourself to it, the more stale it becomes. That’s why, about three months ago, I got the itch to redesign my site.

So here we are, one year ago and change I launched version 2.0 of eleven3. Today I launch version 3.0 – and yes I am just as excited as my last redesign. There are a lot of reasons for my excitement, but mainly it’s just a new look, a new focus, and more flexibility. Gone is the rigid and closed-source Movable Type and arriving is the flexible, fluid, WordPress.

Continue reading for the off chance of relating to the requirements of the relaunch, the design phase, the challenges of coding the front-end, and the use of WordPress and a plethora of plugins that now make up the site. A lot of work went into it, my hopes are that it is well received. (more…)

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Article | 15 Comments »