This is an interview with Wanda Shapiro, an indie author whom The LA Independent has labeled, “the next avant-garde literary find.”

Why did you choose to be an “indie” author?

The indie business model is about individual artists and entrepreneurs leveraging available technology to bring products or services directly to audiences and markets.

Indie ventures are having success across a wide variety of industries because they bring a level of originality and quality to otherwise homogenous markets.

No matter what you’re doing, the human learning curve happens naturally over time and with repitition – and writing is no different.

For me, going indie was a business decision made after a good deal of research and soul searching. It was not a decision I made lightly, and it was not a simple decision, but in the end it was not a difficult decision.

There were four basic reasons why I decided to go indie: because I realized I could; because the publishing industry is in shambles; because big publishing isn’t selling literary fiction well; and because readers are ready for indie literature.

You can read more about my decision here.

Where did your love for writing develop?

Long before I loved to write, I loved to read and books were a big part of my life growing up.

It’s hard to tell what part of that is nurture and what part of that is nature, but writing feels like what I’m supposed to be doing.

What advice would you give to an aspiring author?

Take responsibility for your own writing career and work very hard.

Whether you self-publish or traditionally publish, a writing career does not simply materialize and many aspiring authors have frighteningly unrealistic expectations. If your goal is to get rich, you might want to rethink your plan. And if your goal is to get rich quick, you need a serious reality check.

Being an author is something you do because you love it, and no matter how your book gets to market, it’s a lot of work.

Are authors currently harnessing the power of social media and online marketing?

Some yes, some no.

Some absolutely despise social media while others of us are embracing it and mining it’s connectivity potential. I was recently invited to participate in a panel discussion regarding the intersection of social media and publishing.

I recommend taking a look at the highlights from that discussion if you’re interested in this topic.

How does an author improve their writing, each day?

No matter what you’re doing, the human learning curve happens naturally over time and with repitition – and writing is no different.

However, that being said, I think it’s important for writers to have intelligent, honest feedback from readers in their genre. And it’s important that your early feedback readers be in your genre. If you’re writing literary fiction, for example, it doesn’t help to get feedback from someone who only reads romance novels and the opposite is equally true.

How do you generate interest and traffic for your work online?

My publicity model revolves completely around word-of-mouth which is generated using a few of the various social media platforms available today.

I primarily leverage Facebook and Twitter though I have branched out into Triberr and Google+.

I have never paid for advertising or reviews and I can’t imagine ever doing that.

My plan is all about readers are the ones driving traffic and generating interest.

What’s your favorite food (dish) and why?

Watermelon. Because it’s just perfect.

Do you believe in happily ever after?

Not really. Life would be so boring if everything was happily ever after.

About Wanda

The LA Independent called Wanda Shapiro, “the next avant-garde literary find,” and since the debut of her first novel she has been compared to Hemingway, Salinger, Hitchcock, Burroughs, Marquez, and Calvino. The level of quality Shapiro is bringing to the literary fiction market combined with her indie business model has fans calling her a one-woman Random House and according to one reader, “Sometimes That Happens With Chicken…blazes beyond what we have come to expect from modern fiction…” For more information regarding Wanda Shapiro visit www.onegirlonenovel.com.

Wanda’s Work (from Chapter 1 of Sometimes That Happens With Chicken: A Novel)

Theirs was a well-planned and well-executed secret life that neither of them minded keeping a secret in the face of their love. And their secret life resulted in a rather happy childhood for Ignatious Gillard. By the age of twelve, for having rarely stepped foot out of the renovated fortress at Al-Kharj where he lived with his mother and was visited by his father, Ignatious was quite mature, rather well-educated, completely un-neurotic, and speaking English in a strange accent that he would never quite lose and that no one could ever place. Now, Ignatious Gillard dreams about the happy days of his childhood but doesn’t remember his dreams in the morning. He was properly well-educated after he left Arabia, but he is no longer what you’d call completely un-neurotic. And he still has an accent which is thoroughly unrecognizable.

An interview with Rachel Taylor, who shares information about current social media marketing practices.

Why do some social media campaigns fail?

Not every social media campaign will be successful, so use failure as a learning experience.

Dig deep and figure out why it failed; you could have targeted the wrong audience, had disconnect between execution and desired results, or, failed to provide interesting and sharable content. Social media marketing doesn’t follow the same equation as traditional marketing.

You no longer push your product on an audience; you have human interaction, feelings, opinions and personalities to take into consideration. If you familiarize yourself with the needs of your audience and aim to provide a solution to their needs through your brand, you are more likely to run a successful campaign.

When possible, think of your audience first and your brand second.

Don’t get discouraged if and when a campaign fails, social media marketing is still relatively new and we are all learning as we go.

How should a business choose a social media manager?

Businesses need to understand that their social media manager is the voice of their company across multiple platforms, and potentially before a large number of people.

Don’t get sucked into a company that offers their own large following, a certain number of tweets or a certain number of likes/follows per month. An authentic and engaged following means more than a large number, so look for someone who emulates your brand well.

I highly suggest meeting with potential candidates to make sure their personality fits your company and brand.

If they fit well into your company culture, they are more likely to successfully communicate your brand’s message to your audience. When in doubt, ask for samples of previous work and/or referrals.

How and where did you train yourself in social media?

Being a “digital native”, I have used Facebook since it was for .edu addresses only and used Myspace in high school. It took a little time before I warmed up to Twitter, but now I’m not sure what I’d do without Twitter and Foursquare.

I think Twitter is an especially powerful tool for business.

I learned how to grow a business using social media tools while working for a startup social media platform. The platform itself was meant to help local business owners connect with customers, so I learned a lot about the value of social media based off our platform.

On top of that, I was the entire Chicago office (the rest of the company was in Silicon Valley) so I quickly learned the power of social media marketing. Instead of telling one person about our platform, I had the ability to interact and engage with a large group exposing our brand to a much larger audience.

Facebook and Twitter connections led to business meetings and sales, and proved to be the most effective way to increase brand awareness.

Since learning the ropes with this company I have worked with local businesses, online companies and non-profits.

I have had the pleasure of seeing how social media can positively impact each.

What’s your favorite style of food?

That is a tough question, because I LOVE food.

I recently realized that my favorite cuisines seem to be those that rely heavily on cilantro.

Mexican, Thai and Indian are definitely my favorite at the moment, and Mexican and Italian are my long time favorites.

How much time do you spend blogging?

Blogs are a great from of personal expression, and an invaluable way for businesses to communicate their message to, and with, consumers.

I have two small, personal blogs and am the food & beverage editor of a much larger blog, so I spend quite a bit of time blogging.

Between research, writing and editing, on a week when I write content for both of my blogs (if I’m short on time, I normally skip writing my food & beverage blog) I spend at least eight hours a week blogging.

Blogs are a great from of personal expression, and an invaluable way for businesses to communicate their message to, and with, consumers.

Why do you love social media?

What I love most about social media is the amazing people I have met.

Some people, that I now consider good friends, were met via tweet ups or just chatting about shared interests on Twitter.

I also love being able to keep in touch and up to date with friends who live across the country.

For business, I enjoy the positive impact that social media can have.

When used properly, a business is able to expose their brand to an entire new consumer base and has the opportunity to turn those consumers into customers.

Among other things that I love, social media enables a business to enhance customers experiences and gives businesses the opportunity to provide customers service in real time which can have a large impact on brand perception.

It’s easy to spend lots of time online. How do you find balance in life?

I don’t…(only kidding) but it is hard to turn off when you know there is always something you could be doing for a client or your own brand.

I try to spend an hour an evening away from the computer.

On the weekends, I aim to spend more time off the computer than on.

I can’t say that I’m always successful, but setting goals is key to finding balance for me.

About Rachel Taylor

I am a digital native with deep experience building brands and marketing companies via social media.

I founded Simply Social Chicago out of desire to help business owners who were being led astray by company’s claiming to be social media experts. I realized my true passion for social media marketing after helping these business owners understand social media and seeing its positive impact on their brand. In my spare time, I work with my favorite national non-profit, helping to develop and implement their social media strategy.

If I’m not talking social media I’m typically talking food, wine, sports or photography. I recently received my advanced certificate from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust and am the food & beverage editor of an amazing blog, 12 Most. I also enjoy blogging about my food & wine adventures on my personal blog, Mouth Glass Lens. I route for the Bulls, the Bears, the Cubs and the MIZZOU Tigers and some day soon, one of these teams will win a title!

Jeff Levy is an Author (Making the Jump into Small Business Ownership), National Consultant, and Coach to individuals interested in exploring self employment with an emphasis in franchising. In 2009 he was named Franchisee and Coach of the Year out of 250 coaches in the US. Maintains a client based focus while working with 200 different franchise businesses. In 2007 he was co-winner of the Top Performer Award at The Entrepreneur’s Source.

After guiding many businesses, why do you believe most fail? What seems to be the common thread?

When a company survives more than 3-5 years it is assumed they have passed the critical start up phase.

Failures during startup (1-3 years) can often be traced to some common elements.

Often times companies are undercapitalized and they run out of money. Surprisingly, a company can run out of money if they grow too fast.

Failure to plan effectively and to anticipate challenges often contribute to the demise of a company in its early stage.

As a general rule, the chances of failure increase if the company:  ignores their customers preferences and buying habits, uses inappropriate or overly aggressive assumptions for revenue and cash flow in the business plan, have a management team that is mismatched to the needs of the company and is confused as to their role (technician, manager, visionary) and forget that cash remains king.

It generally takes longer than planned to get a startup into the  “black” and founders need to be extremely focused.

A long operating history does not always guarantee success.

I write this as I am saddened by the bankruptcy filings of Kodak and Hostess. Two mega companies that seemed to be iconic and unstoppable. In the case of these two companies they failed due to changes in technology (Kodak) and changes in consumer needs (Hostess).

In answer to the question, companies can fail, no matter how big when they lose touch with their customers needs and stay too long with a product offering that is no longer contemporary.

Why do businesses succeed?

Business success is a very interesting concept and more difficult to define than failure.

As a person who has managed several businesses, I realize that success can only be evaluated  in terms of time.

Did you have a successful quarter, year, five year run? Did the company meet revenue, income and strategic goals? Does it have adequate resources to remain financially viable. Can management avoid the challenges that could stop the companies growth: technology, legislative, customer needs or economy related issues?

The general characteristics that gives a company the best chance for success would be:

• A solid business plan with conservative, realistic assumptions on revenue, margins and operating costs.
• A good team of management and operating personnel that have a commitment to the mission and goals of the company.
• A visionary that will help the company “see around corners” for potential problems and opportunities.
• A willingness to change as the needs of the market evolve.

Want to learn more? Buy Jeff’s Book!

Making the Jump into Small Business Ownership provides the information, encouragement, and insight you need to go from dream to reality.

As successful businessmen who have helped thousands of individuals begin small businesses, authors Jeff Levy and David Nilssen share their in-depth expertise.

Below you’ll find more information about the book, and a Free Excerpt beginning on page 5.

• Introduction (PDF Download)
• Media Kit (PDF Download)
• Entrepreneur Flaws and Weaknesses (PDF Download)

To purchase the book, click here.

Stay tuned! Next week co-author David Nilssen shares his thoughts on why businesses fail, and more free excerpts from the book will be provided!

Mikal has been creating in a variety of forms for several years. Once he picked up a can of spray paint and aimed it at a canvas, he never looked back. Sprayntings are a combination of canvas, spray paint and creativity. Mikal started spraynting an exciting world of space, planets and stars across the institutional white walls of his bedroom. That opened up the world and he has barely put the spray paint down since then.

Snowboarding, music and painting are all influenced by Mikal’s unique perspective. He is constantly experimenting with color and texture to improve his creations. You can follow Mikal on Twitter @MikalDavisArt.

Tell us about Sprayntings.

I like sharing it with people and hearing how it makes them feel and their interpretation of each painting.

“Sprayntings” is the name I’ve given to my style of abstract spray paint art.

My style of art and the techniques I use with spray paint set me apart from graffiti artists and other abstract artists in that I combine them both into a new form of art. I leave my paintings to be interpreted by those viewing them.

I’ll have my own idea of what I see when I look at them, for instance a Dragon breathing fire in “Aerosol Dragon”, and someone else will see something completely different.

I love that about my work.

I like sharing it with people and hearing how it makes them feel and their interpretation of each painting.

It drives me to keep creating new and more elaborate pieces just to hear what the next person will say.

How did you become interested in art?

I’ve always been interested in art from the time I was a little kid.

I owe a lot of my creativity to my aunt.

When I was younger she would encourage me to paint or to color. She took a lot of time in letting me explore things on my own and encouraged me to just create. When I was 7 I wrote a series of short stories about my stuffed animal Pup and drew pictures to go along with them.

I think having such a creative influence in my life drove me to where I am today.

The thing that really set me off in recent years was painting my room in the attic. My aunt and I wanted to change it from dull white walls into something more aesthetic. I took the opportunity to give myself the universe and pained it on my wall. I painted my entire room black and added variations of blues, greens, oranges and other colors to make planets and nebula’s pop out of the walls of my room.

I had so much fun doing it that I decided to take what I had done on my walls and continue with it on canvas. I started out making 3 canvases with the paint I had left over and one of my aunt’s friends said they were good so I bought more canvas and continued working at it.

I love it; I spend hours a day painting in my garage.

To date I’ve created over 100 paintings and sold a dozen.

Where do you find inspiration for your work?

I find inspiration in sets, most times.

The way the clouds blend together with different colors inspires me to blend colors together the way I do.

I also get inspiration on how I’m feeling at the time.

If I’m happy I tend to use brighter colors or use more subtle lines and blending than I will if I want a more aggressive piece with more emotion and energy.

Music also has an impact on how I paint.

The way you move your arm, the speed at which you move it and the angle all affect the paint as it makes its way onto the canvas.

Lighter sprays from farther away will produce a splatter paint effect while direct sprays from closer will produce thicker, more distinct lines.

The music I listen sets the mood for how I’ll attack each piece depending on the tempo and overall feeling of each song.

How do you use blogging and social media as a way to advertise your work?

I spend a lot of time on Twitter, Facebook and my website to promote my pieces.

I post pics to Facebook as I’m doing them, then I crop them and watermark them to put on my website.

My direct friends on Facebook are the first ones to see them and give me feedback. That gives me a general sense of how they will be perceived when they are in public on my website and for my twitter followers to see.

What’s the most difficult part of being an artist?

Apart from finding a name suitable for each piece I’d say supporting yourself 100% as an artist is the most difficult.

I’ve sold quite a few pieces but no where near what I’ve sunk into spray paint and canvas.

It adds up quickly.

What “feelings” do you put into your work?

From an overall stand point, not just each piece individually, I’d say there is a lot of feeling behind my work.

At the time I started painting my room I was going through a tough time with a loss of a family friend and the unexpected termination of my job.

I’ve also been dealing with depression for a number of years.

Everything culminated at one point where I felt I wasn’t going anywhere and I had nothing to hold onto. Once I started painting it felt like I’d been given a second chance; a reason to work for something, something to keep me happy, something I was meant to do.

Painting makes me happy.

Whether it’s finishing the edges of the paintings I did the night before or making a 32in x 40in painting that takes days to finish I love every minute of it.

I think that’s the most important aspect of it. The fact that I enjoy it makes it that much more free flowing to be creative and try new things I’m not sure will work.

It’s that way with everything in life.

The more you enjoy doing something, the better you tend to be at it.

If you were to give some advice to a beginning painter, what would it be?

My advice for someone who is just starting out in art is to find a style that you enjoy doing and want to improve on.

Make sure you’re painting because you want to not because you feel you have to.

If you feel you’re painting just for the sake of it you won’t take the time to think about how you feel about your piece which will detach you from it and it won’t be as good.

Also, make sure you paint every day.

Whether its for 15 minutes or 2 hours, make sure you find the time to do it everyday.

The more you surround yourself with your own creations the easier you’ll be able to create in the future; you’ll get better at with your techniques and it will also become a larger part of who you are.

What would you do with 60 minutes of spare time?

If I had 60 minutes to spare there’s no doubt I would spend it painting.

I’ve got a quarter of my garage made into a small studio; one wall is just a tarp hanging from a rope with another made out particle board.

I spend hours out there everyday.

I’ll purposely leave my cigarettes in the garage so I’ll go back in there and work.

It’s great; there’s cement patio stones on the ground where I try out new techniques and stencils to see how they look.

Some of Mikal’s Sprayntings

Holding degrees in both Post-Secondary Education and Communication, Ellen Bremen is a 10+ year, award-winning educator at Highline Community College outside of Seattle, Washington.  Ellen is an award-winning speaker, a competitively selected instructional designer for the Gates Foundation’s Open Course Library grant, and often serves as a subject matter expert in communication for nearly every major academic publisher. She can be found on Twitter @ChattyProf.

Why did you become a Professor of Communication Studies?

Completely by accident, but the most meaningful accident I could have ever imagined.

I started teaching part-time for my local community college in my former field of healthcare. I owned a successful business in medical transcription for seven years; the college needed an emergency hire for some night classes.

The second I stepped into the classroom, I was hooked! I loved the intellectual energy and the students.

Unfortunately, a full-time teaching career was far, far out of my reach: I needed a Master’s degree, at least, and I didn’t even have an Associate’s! I went back to school as a non-traditional student, took 20+ credits at a time, and finished a Bachelor’s degree in Post-Secondary Education.

I immediately applied to grad school, but knew I could not teach medical transcription the rest of my life. I was a member of Toastmasters International during my business years. I loved public speaking; I relished in the art of communication.

Teaching communication was my true passion.

It’s been 13 years and I’ve never looked back.

How has blogging benefitted yourself as a professor, as well as your students?

I started blogging as a prelude to a book I’m finishing called “Say This, NOT That to Your Professor:  42 Talking Tips for College Success.”

The goal of my blog and my book is to give students the right words to say to deal with common challenging class-related situations.

I teach interpersonal communication theory and public speaking in my day-to-day life, but I don’t teach these subjects in relationship to college success – odd as that sounds. Of course, college success comes up in discussion, but the topic, in and of itself, isn’t a primary focus.

The blog enables me to share interpersonal communication tips that solely relate to the professor-student relationship.

Likewise, I can reach not only my own students, but students everywhere.

Do you believe blogging makes you a better professor? What benefits have you seen from blogging?

I believe blogging will make me a better professor when I go back in the classroom next year.

Right now, I’m on my first sabbatical to finish my book, and that is a tremendous honor. Blogging has given me incredible access to students, faculty, staff, career experts, and other bloggers.

Due to the relationships I’ve built, I am far more relevant and updated in my own knowledge about communication, career trends, etc. I have so much more to share with my students in my daily instruction and I can’t wait to do it!

What do you hope to gain from blogging?

First and foremost, I wanted to blog to build a platform for my student-professor communication message, and I believe that’s happening.

I have been blogging for just about six months and the buzz has been very positive.

I’m receiving some comments and even questions.

My hope is to have more students regularly writing in with class-related challenges.

Too many students silently suffer in classes and don’t reach their goals because they are too embarrassed or frustrated to approach the prof – and they don’t really know what to say, anyway.

Unfortunately, lots of students also say the absolute wrong thing to their professors, and they don’t know how their words hinder their success.

I want to give students an inside peek of their college education.

For example, students have the right to know the intricacies of grading, what it means if a prof is never available during office hours, little known options available to students if a life tragedy happens while in school, and how absences really impact grades.

I believe that in the midst of all the texting, Facebooking, and tweeting, students are struggling with the foundation of real connection.

Many students choose technologically mediated communication in their personal lives, but put them on a college campus, and you can’t Facebook or text with a professor.

Students have to deal with issues face-to-face.

I want my blog to give students the confidence to have those tough conversations and strengthen their grades/relationships with their professors.

Ultimately, students can use these interactions as examples to impress interviewers, and later, to interpersonally excel in relationships with superiors/coworkers.

Share with us some of your passions. What do you believe in?

Obviously, I’m very passionate about education and communication.

With communication, I’m a lover of real communication.

I’m a habitual telephone user, even though that seems to be very old school these days. I’m the friend who will call up just to catch up.

I refuse to let technology replace those precious interactions – or the richness of verbal inflection!

I believe that every student has the right to excel in college, but more specifically, every student has the right to know how they are graded and why they receive the grades they do.

I believe that, where necessary, students need to learn to take ownership of undesirable grades, look in the mirror and ask themselves what they could have done differently, whether it’s studying harder, getting help earlier, or working smarter.

What do you hope to accomplish?

I’m really lucky and have earned high recognition for my teaching – four national teaching awards to date! However, I’ve always dreamed of becoming a published author.

Before landing in medical transcription (Yes, that was an accident, too! I could type 110 WPM in high school, and it was easy to find and get sucked into well-paying work, rather than going to school!), I wanted to be a journalism major.

Writing fills my soul.

I like to think I’m a confident person, but I’ve spent a large part of my career contributing to other academics’ books. This is the first time that I’m putting every morsel of energy into my message – this message that represents my whole head and heart.

Through the blog and the book, I have a prime opportunity to use the subject that I teach to help students advocate and empower themselves…and possibly change their lives with their words.

The ability to share this information far and wide will feel like the next “accomplishment layer” for me.

So, maybe it’s rare, but you have an hour of spare time. What do you do?

With two young kids (8 and 3) and a very full-time career, I force an hour of “spare” time every day to exercise.

It’s absolute survival for me.

I’ve lost 90 lbs over the past decade-plus, and I know I can’t keep my weight off…or keep my sanity…without refueling myself through running or Zumba.

I am usually training for a 1/2 marathon to force my commitment, so the hour is necessary. I call it “physical therapy“!

Any other hours of spare time are spent in some form or fashion with my kids: I go to an indoor playground with my son (Seattle = icky weather!); I do Zumba with my daughter. We often bring others into the mix to have those important connections.

Downtime is spent with Thomas the Train or something Pixar/Disney-related.

Holding degrees in both Post-Secondary Education and Communication, Ellen Bremen is a 10+ year, award-winning educator at Highline Community College outside of Seattle, Washington.  Ellen is an award-winning speaker, a competitively selected instructional designer for the Gates Foundation’s Open Course Library grant, and often serves as a subject matter expert in communication for nearly every major academic publisher. She can be found on Twitter @ChattyProf.

Eugene Farber (@EugeneFarber) is a writer, entrepreneur and founder of Content Strategy Hub. He has created the Strategic Content Launch Pad to help businesses create a successful online presence through the strategic use of content. You can also visit Eugene at his blog, Reality Burst.

Strategic Content Launch Pad was recently unveiled. Tell us about the product.

Strategic Content Launch Pad is really a strategy guide.

There are some pretty crazy statistics on the sales page from a recent study by the content marketing institute. It shows that the vast majority of marketers know that they should be creating content for marketing, but most of them don’t have a strategy!

I was one of those people for over a year until I decided to have a focus, and act strategically. When I decided to do that, I reached thousands of visitors, hundreds of subscribers and a Google PR4 within a month of launching from scratch.

And it didn’t take long to begin receiving consulting inquiries.

This guide shows how to create authoritative content that puts you on the map fast.

Why do so many fail in growing their businesses online?

I think it’s because of that statistic I just mentioned – lack of strategy.

It’s pretty common knowledge at this point that you need to be creating fresh new content to be successful.

But it’s not as clear about what kind of content you should be creating or why.

It is very difficult to get a certain result if you don’t have one in mind to begin with.

At least that is what I have found from personal experience.

What edge does the Strategic Content Launch Pad package give new businesses?

With the majority of marketers not actually having a content marketing strategy in place, this guide will give you a competitive advantage because it gives you what the other guys are missing.

But, to be clear, just having any old strategy doesn’t guarantee anything.

These are strategies that are proven to work. I’ve either used them myself or participated a process where someone else was using one.

But I’m really hoping the real edge SCLP gives business owners seeking to build an online presence is a shift of mind set.

Teach a man to fish…

Some would say they’re able to obtain all the free information they need to grow their business online. A simply search suffices. What’s your response?

My response is “you are absolutely right.”

We live in a world where information is pretty free flowing and you can get your hands on most of what you need.

The question you really need to ask yourself is “how much time do I want to spend?”

Like I said, I used to be in those shoes. I spent over a year with no focus, no strategy and looking for free information.

The funny thing is I went through that same mind set change I hope readers of SCLP go through. I have actually purchased more products since creating my own than I have ever before.

To me it just makes more sense to purchase something in a nice package than spend a day or more looking for that same information for free. I could be spending that time doing something way more productive.

Plus, a good product will infuse the author’s personal experiences into the information. That’s something you can’t necessarily just get anywhere.

Should businesses and entrepreneurs consider hiring a coach or consultant to guide their online journey?

A coach is really the next [big] step up after a paid product. If you want to waste time trying to figure everything out on your own you can do that. A paid product will get you there faster. But a good coach will get you there the fastest.

So if someone is looking to build up a Twitter following, I think coaching from someone like you (@SmartBoyDesigns) who has over 150k followers, would be a good idea.

The added benefit of hiring a coach is the feeling that you have someone there by your side.

Trying to build up a business alone can be pretty tough emotionally on top of everything else.

What are your online marketing credits and expertise? How do you know what you know?

I decided that content marketing is something universal that can help any business in any industry…and I want to help.

Online marketing is really a passion for me.

I actually went to school for accounting (Bachelor’s degree…Master’s degree…the works). But after a few years of working in the field I decided it wasn’t for me.

I decided to jump into internet marketing and absorbed as much information as I possibly could.

I’ve tried it all…building niche sites, ghost writing for some pretty big marketers, etc.

And my journey has landed me here.

I decided that content marketing is something universal that can help any business in any industry…and I want to help.

I am now an Inbound Marketing Certified Professional w/ Honors Distinction, and have been helping people achieve their desired online business presence.

In such a changing landscape, how can business owners stay current on trends and best-practices?

We live in a world where businesses increasingly have to think like publishers. And the best way to publish great content is to create content that is new and up to date.

The best bet is to find individuals and companies you trust and see what they are saying. Read their blogs and follows them on social media channels.

Of course another good way to see what’s current is to see what other companies are doing and what’s working for them.

Reverse engineering can always be a fun exercise.

Are you a sports fan?

Absolutely!

I played basketball throughout high school and I continue to play as many sports as I can as often as I can.

Basketball…soccer…football…golf…you name it.

But really I am just a fan of competition in general.

I’ve been known to catch a curling match during the Winter Olympics.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

Watching movies, going out to eat, the usual.

I like to spend time with my girlfriend. She’s pretty good about letting me stare at the computer all day, so just relaxing with her is always a nice change of pace (although it’s hard to pull myself away from the computer).

I moved to NYC not too long ago so just going sight-seeing all over is always a good way to spend time.

What do you “visualize” for Strategic Content Launch Pad?

The more successful your online business is, the less time you have to work with people one-on-one.

So I am hoping to provide extremely valuable information to business owners in a more scalable way.

This is my attempt to help as many businesses as I can by teaching them what I have learned through my experiences. I’ve seen a few products that charge in the thousands that provide less information. And I think that’s a shame.

And of course you can get a copy, risk free. I genuinely want the information to bring business owners to the next level online.

If it doesn’t help, you don’t pay.

Eugene Farber (@EugeneFarber) is a writer, entrepreneur and founder of Content Strategy Hub. He has created the Strategic Content Launch Pad to help businesses create a successful online presence through the strategic use of content. You can also visit Eugene at his blog, Reality Burst.

This is a “guest interview” with Val Curtis of the food blog Mental Chew. There she works to bring seasonal gardening, food and fun to her island-style family (and the world).

How did you decide on the blog name, Mental Chew?

Originally, I liked the idea “Food for Thought” but, of course, it was taken.

I wanted something that would capture the idea of “think before you eat” since, as consumers, we really do drive the market.

I had been reading through various options in a thesaurus and making combinations and finally landed on it. I think subconsciously I had “Mental Floss” buried from the magazine a friend had given me a couple of years before my blog came into being.

It is so important to keep thinking about your thinking!

Where did your love for gardening and food start?

When I moved to San Juan Island the type of food, the quality of food and the community aspect of food created a shift for me.

Potlucks were 2-3 times a week during the summer.

Fresh caught salmon, oysters, crab, scallops, lingcod, prawns, homemade breads, salads and sides from personal gardens, friends who were like family gathering around fire pits with great wine, laughter.

It was addictive and why my “summer stay” in ’97 turned into a permanent move.

How do you generate traffic to your blog?

Currently I use Facebook, Twitter, StumbleUpon and several sites for moms who blog.

What’s been the most difficult part of blogging?

Finding my audience and staying focused have presented the biggest challenges for me.

I am an ideas person.

As a teacher, I thrived on creating new units that would fit my current students’ needs and personalities. With my blog, I can have variety, but I understand that there has to be a little predictability in order to bring people back.

Do you think photos are important within blog posts?

I believe that we are drawn to visuals over text.

It is why we use icons on our computer desktops and why my students would scan a page on a website and think the answer wasn’t there (because the question wasn’t about one of the graphics).

One of my greatest pet peeves on blogs is when authors use graphics and do not credit their source when it is not one of their own originals. Perhaps this strikes a chord with me because I shoot all of my own photos and I have quite a few posts I never published because the photos I took were not worth posting.

When it comes to writing about food and gardening, a picture can be a wonderful expression of what my words cannot bring to the screen.

When it comes to my kids, there are moments that my words could never do justice. There is a moment, a feeling, an image.

What advice would you give to a frustrated gardener?

Think of each year as an experiment.

You try something out, there may be success or failure, a combination or surprising outcomes. Whether the weather, a mold, a raccoon or Towhee throw a wrench into your “plan”, it is all part of the experiment.

You learn, you alter.

I would also advise to start small, have some success and then build on your successes. Herbs will grow. Start there.

How do you stay motivated and driven?

Blogging is my mental release as a stay at home mom

It is where I can complete my thoughts and complete a task. My days are filled with 100s of incomplete tasks and with blogging I click on “Publish” and I am done!

Gardening is an important past time for our family.

It starts in the winter when all of our seed catalogs come in and we decide what we are going to grow and when. This is followed by planting starts and tending them, readying the soil, new projects and eventually our spring planting. Then it is all about tending, harvesting and preserving until October.

Watching my kids pick peas off the vine for their snacks and strawberries for their pancakes is incredible motivation. Knowing where their food comes from and what was or was not used to promote its growth is reason enough.

I do fear I am raising veggie snobs though. My four year old turns his nose up to “less than fresh” produce.

Where’s the best place you’ve ever traveled to?

We have an incredible love for Costa Rica.

It’s incredible biodiversity and the warm, welcoming friends we have there make us yearn to return.

I really want to go to Italy to experience agriturismo. The concept is close to my heart.

Perhaps the best trip overall, is the one that brought me to San Juan Island, home.

About Val Curtis

I grew up “behind the Orange Curtain” of the OC and now I have been living life on an island in the Pacific Northwest for the last 14 years.

Over the years, different avenues have allowed me to wear many hats, (Preschool teacher, SCUBA field researcher, marine biology camp instructor, legal secretary, grad student, tech geek, liveaboard, middle school science teacher) however; now I am blessed to be a Stay at Home Mom. said with pride and a sense of thanks.

Growing up, I was removed from my food and now I am in it.

Gardening and buying local meats is how we are creating meals these days.

I am not afraid of butter, but margarine makes me cringe. I am mindful of how much sugar we use, and refuse to open a packet of anything identified as a sweetener. I believe in healthy meals, real desserts and giving in to rib-sticking goodness occasionally (although those are the most fun to write about!).

Meal planning starts with produce in our house and at least two days a week, we have veggie-only meals. My blog, Mental Chew, is about appreciating seasonal gardening, food and fun for my island-style family.

In addition, my camera is frequently in front of my face, so I have a little fun posting pics there as well.

Overall, I am concerned about what is happening to our food source and through my writing, I hope to inspire moms and dads to get their kids outside, make great food from scratch with their families and get their hands in the dirt.

You can visit Val online at Mental Chew, WikiMommy (Contributor) and SJI Mamas and Papas (founder and facilitator).

The Art of Manliness- is a blog dedicated to uncovering the lost art of being a man. The Art of Manliness is authored by husband and wife team, Brett and Kate McKay. It features articles on helping men be better husbands, better fathers, and better men.

Tell us about The Art of Manliness.

The Art of Manliness is a 100,000+ subscriber blog started in 2008. The blog is dedicated to “reviving the lost art of manliness” and publishes articles on things like self-improvement, relationships, dressing and grooming, etiquette, health, finance, and manly skills. The goal of the site is to help men better themselves in all areas of their lives.

How did you build your blog to the stature it is today?

First, identifying an untapped niche was probably the most important thing.

There wasn’t a men’s magazine/website out there that appealed to the thousands of men who weren’t interested in the stuff other men’s magazines covered (hot babes, six pack abs, expensive cars) and earnestly wanted to learn how to improve their lives and become better men. Men who were interested in good old fashioned, wholesome manliness. We found success by filling that void.

Second, and I know it’s cliché, but writing interesting, unique, helpful, top-quality content was a major key. Almost all the content on the blog is “evergreen,” stuff that will be just as useful to people five years from now. We set ourselves apart from other sites in that we don’t just look at other blogs to get ideas and regurgitate what is already going around the web.

And we don’t just spout off some rambling thoughts or talk about what’s going on in our personal lives. Instead we do a ton of research for each article–we check out lots of books from the library and spend hours pouring through them. My wife and I each work 40-50 hours a week on the site.

I believe you have to really hustle to be successful.

Why have most men lost their manliness?

I don’t know if most men have, but a lot of men are struggling.

Several sociological and economic factors have contributed to the decline of manliness. First, while the feminist movement made great and needed strides in advancing the rights of women, it also had some unintended consequences. Men no longer knew what their role in life was supposed to be. And while women were being celebrated and empowered, men became stereotyped as macho brutes or boyish nincompoops.

Secondly, many Gen Y and Gen X men grew up with fathers who weren’t around due to divorce or demanding jobs. These young men lack male mentors, and all they see in the media as examples of manliness are the bumbling dads of television sitcoms and commercials, the violent meatheads of action movies, and the sex-obsessed lotharios of men’s magazines. Thus, in a culture where the typical rites of passage have disappeared and adolescence has been extended, a generation of men have been left without guideposts on their journey from boy to man.

Finally, ancient philosophers and our Founding Fathers warned that the biggest threat to a hardy and robust manliness was luxury. They argued that luxury and great wealth made men weak and soft. The past 40 years has seen an unprecedented growth of wealth and luxury in the history of the world. Consumer goods like electronics and food are cheaper than ever and accessible to most Americans. This is tremendously beneficial to society, but it also leaves men craving real challenge and looking for opportunities to create instead of just consume.

Men today have just as much potential as their grandfathers–they’re just saddled with low expectations and a lack of role models and mentors to help them find direction.

Tell us about your new book!

Our first book, The Art of Manliness: Classic Skills and Manners for the Modern Man concentrated on the how-to’s of manliness; it was a handbook on things like how to tie a tie, give a speech, be a good friend and father, start a fire without matches, and so on.

The new book, Manvotionals: Timeless Wisdom and Advice on Living the 7 Manly Virtues is about cultivating the inner man and bringing back the definition of manliness as a life filled with virtue, excellence, and honor. The book is an anthology of the best advice ever written down for men–quotes and excerpts from the letters, speeches, and writings of great men on what it means to be a man. The book is designed to give men some inspiration, direction, and purpose in their lives.

What are some of your passions?

I love helping men become better men, reading, spending time in the great outdoors, and most of all, being a husband and a father.

Favorite book? Movie?

Favorite book: The Great Gatsby.

Favorite Movie: It’s a tie between Back to the Future and Shawshank Redemption

Favorite quote:

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.” –Theodore Roosevelt

This interview is special to me. The owners of Kylerkraft Studio are my grandparents! They’ve always been, to me, great examples of living with positive intent. From their example I’ve learned that you can make a living doing whatever you love. Keep your passion strong – and you’ll be successful. I hope you enjoy the interview!

Tell us a little about Kylerkraft Studio. What do you create?

Kylerkraft Studio came into being in 1989.

I create original art dolls which are images of Father Christmas, Santa Claus, Belsnickel, St. Nicholas and santas by many other names and cultures.

How did you become involved in creating collectible santas?

Over 20 years ago I had a desire to make a santa figure to decorate my home. I had been admiring collectible art santas for many years prior but never could justify spending money for one.

I took a simple little santa-making class in which I made a rather primitive santa figure with a styrofoam ball for a head and a simple fabric robe for his costume. It was a cute figure but not exactly what I had longed for. Because of my desire for a collectible santa and my experience being a seamstress and crafter I recreated that simple little santa into a more acceptable figure.

I created a face by doing needle sculpture out of fabric and made a more intricate costume for the santa. I put the santa figure on display in my home and when people saw it they asked if they could commission me to make one for them.

I was thrilled that people liked my creation enough to want one for themselves and I was especially thrilled when I realized that I could earn extra money doing something I love.

Who taught you the art?

The first five years I was in the santa-making business I bought books on the history of santas in different lands, took a doll making class and practiced sculpting the heads out of a polymer clay.

For the most part I am self taught. I did take a two day class in sculpting heads, several years after I taught myself to sculpt, to fine tune my skills.

As a small business owner, how do you stay focused each day while producing your product?

I make the studio a pleasant place to be.

Early on my husband and I built a studio for me to work in.

Having a place to have all my supplies handy, and a place where I can go and work for a few hours and then leave everything where it is to go and take care of my family has been a blessing and has helped me to focus when I’m in a creative mode.

I think that another thing that keeps me focused is knowing that I have deadlines in which I need to be ready for art shows and special orders from customers. I allot time several days each week in which to work on my santa creations.

I make the studio a pleasant place to be.

You have 60 minutes of spare time in your day. What do you do?

I seldom have 60 minutes of spare time in a day but I do carve out time each day to take a brisk walk or ride my bike.

I find that when I’m outside in nature, enjoying the fresh air and my beautiful surroundings it helps me to sort out all that I have to do in a day. I also find that my creative juices flow when I am away from the phone, TV etc.

I consider my walks and bike rides to be a precious time when I can rejuvenate myself.

What inspires you?

I find inspiration in nature, in seeing a beautiful fabric that can be incorporated into a santa costume, in people’s faces and expressions, in the tender moments in life, in an object that I can use for a santa to hold, in the spirit the Christmas season brings.

I also get inspiration when a customer at a show asks me if I’ve ever thought of making a santa with a particular theme  or a santa in certain colors of clothes or a santa from a certain country.

Lots of times I will be doing a task and for one reason or another I will be inspired to create a santa in a certain way.

In a struggling economy what do artists need to do in order to continue making sales?

For one thing, I have created quite a following of customers who purchase a santa figure from me each year or so.

I always keep in touch with past customers by sending out a newsletter each year.

The letter tells my followers what new designs I have created and what shows I will be selling at for the year. I also have a web site in which I post pictures of my santas on. In the early days of my santa making there used to be magazines devoted to the art of santa making.  I was featured in many magazines, on TV and in an art book. All this free advertising really made my sales soar.

Now there aren’t many magazines that feature santa making so I have found other ways to showcase my work.

If I am asked to showcase one of my santas for a TV commercial for one of my shows I jump at the chance. If I am asked to feature one of my santas at one of my shows in the artist’s gallery I also oblige.

One thing I know for sure is that if an artist wants to continue making sales they need to keep their name out there and change their product style a little each year in order to keep the customers interested.

How do you interact with customers in a positive way?

Our customers that have been buying from us for years have become like family.

We (my husband is my right hand man) always respect what our customers tell us and we listen to them.

We keep in touch with our customers.

When someone new comes into our booth at a show we always greet them and tell them about the product and how it is created.  I feel confident that everyone we meet and talk to feels welcome and respected.

One thing we never do is pressure anyone to buy from us. I make a “feel good” product that evokes love and the Christmas spirit–how blessed am I to be able to do that for people!

I’m a coach, consultant, trainer, and wikinomics facilitator. Over 17 years I have worked to help 1000‘s of individuals and organizations, delivering 1000’s of hours of consultation on  career choices/transitions and workplace performance I combine expertise in careers, training, branding and social media strategy with psychology, personality and emotional intelligence to provide those seeking to learn more about themselves and their options with the best advice and consultation. Visit me on LinkedIn or follow me on Twitter @CareerChatter.

Tell us about emotional intelligence.

When I talk about EI (emotional intelligence) I say the following.

“Emotional Intelligence speaks to your ability to recognize and understand emotions in yourself and others, and your ability to use this awareness to manage your own behaviour and relationships and manage the behavior of others.”

In 1995, Daniel Goleman’s work, “Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter more then IQ” (recently named by Time Magazine as one of the 25 top influential business management books) brought a popular awareness of the value of Emotional Intelligence. Goleman’s research in leadership and business demonstrated that for individuals of similar abilities and education as much as 80% of success in business can be connected to the development and ability to use emotionally intelligent skills. Research on performance success factors in over 200 companies demonstrated “that about one-third of this difference is due to technical skill and cognitive ability (intelligence) while two-thirds is due to emotional competence” and in “top leadership positions, over four-fifths of the difference is due to emotional competence” (Goleman, 1998).

Recent research has demonstrated that for individuals with similar ability and Intelligence (IQ) emotional intelligence becomes a better predictor of success in school, business and personal relationships when compared to other factors.

Goleman’s 5 domains include:

1. Knowing your emotions.
2. Managing your own emotions.
3. Motivating yourself.
4. Recognizing and understanding other people’s emotions.
5. Managing relationships (emotions of others).

The Bar-on Eq-i (that is the specific instrument I have certification on) includes the constructs of Self-perception, Self-Expression, Stress Management, Decision Making and Interpersonal skills.

I believe that your ability to read your own and other peoples underlying emotions contributes to your ability to make better choices and decisions and build better relationships. Of course, it is much easier said then done. One of the nice aspects of EI is that, unlike IQ, EI can grow over time. As you age and gain more experiences you can increase your EI skills. Not everyone does and it is not always easy to control your emotions in every situation. However, the more awareness you have of your own and others emotions the better able you are to make successful choices and decisions.

I find Emotional Intelligence an important awareness for career selection, management and performance and more recently, I have begun to explore it’s application within social media.

Why can’t some people make positive changes in life?

That is a good and complicated question.

Some people do not seem to have the capacity to see their best options, others do not seem to have the capacity to act on what they do see and for others it is a combination. I believe that there are many variables which impact on ones ability to make positive changes in life. Among these are a lack of self-awareness and emotional intelligence. People are not always aware of what they need to make a change, they lack insights into their own underlying motivations and needs and may lack experience and knowledge and support, to make changes.

I say it is complicated and I really do mean that. Many people, including smart and accomplished people and people with fewer accomplishments struggle with understanding and following through on their best options. I do not know if you have read any of Malcolm Gladwells books – (they are always interesting if sometimes a little selective in their interpretationsand inclusions), but I enjoyed reading his book  ”Outliers”. What makes some people successful is a combination of many factors, among them timing and opportunity but also ones ability to take advantage or recognize opportunities for success. As a career coach I often talk to people about the Planned Happenstance model of career planning. That involves putting oneself in a position to see opportunities and take advantage of them when you do. The opportunity for positive change is often waiting for people but they do not recognize it and are not prepared to take advantage of it when it comes. Sometimes that is because they can not recognize it – they can not see it, they do not understand what they see or it’s relevance to them or they do not know how to act on what they see. That is why sometimes it is useful to work with someone who can facilitate awareness and actions.

Being stuck in a pattern can be difficult to change. Recent research does demonstrate to us that our brains are not hard-wired and we can ‘change’ our brains and develop new patterns of behaviour and thought. But, that is a very difficult thing to do (have you heard about neurofeedback – a fascinating emerging area of study on the brains ability to re-wire). Once your brain is accustomed to a certain path it takes additional and sustained efforts to make a change. If you lack the insight, skills, opportunities and supports during the time you seek to make changes the positive change can be very difficult to sustain. It is important and necessary for most people seeking to make positive change that they line up as much awareness, opportunity and support during the process as they can. I think that social media can play a role in this -providing opportunity for insight, connection and support as a small step in the process of making change.

Have you seen the blog 1000 Awesome Things or the TED video featuring Neil Pasricha? I think this is an example of the way social media can have an small impact on peoples ability to re-think and make positive change.

What difficulties do you run into as a career coach. Do people always listen?

Aa a career coach it is difficult to stay on top of the huge variance in career and education options available to the diverse range of career seekers. That is coupled with the rapid change in the economy, technology, skills and needs and the increased competition in the job market.

It is very difficult to get the message out that always, from the beginning, consciously choosing and managing your career is important. People spend a significant amount of time in their careers and most people report they are only ‘somewhat satisfied’ or ‘somewhat content’ with their careers. I do not think everyone will find their “passion” in a career – for many their career can not or will not be a passion  – and that is okay. I think most people want and need to make a contribution with their lives and for some that happens in their career, but not for everyone. If your career is not your passion you still want to spend time doing what Fits well with who you are – your abilities, interests, preferences. It helps, then, if you know what these are. If you choose to forgo a job or career that best Fits and seek one that meets other needs like financial that is okay – as long as you go into that with an awareness of this choice.

Do people always listen – often they do hear what I am saying.  Perhaps that is because when they find me they were already looking for a change – either a self-imposed change or one imposed by others (such as a job loss). My process focusses on self-awareness. If they embrace the idea of self-awareness then they can listen to themselves and I just facilitate that process. The relationship with a client is about working through the insights, ideas and options until we arrive at potential solutions for the future.  Then, in a planned happenstance way ,the client moves forward able to see and decide what options to pursue as they arise. Being open to possibilities and able to recognize and embrace them is a core message I hope people hear.

How does blogging help to get your message into the public?

Blogging allows you to share your ideas and insights in a non-invasive way. You put it out there and others can choose to listen if it has relevance to them. It enables me to reach more people and talk to them directly – if and when they are interested and willing to listen. And, it is easy for them to share with others.

I consider comments I write in Quora, Linkedin and even facebook to also be blog posts. In his book Crowdsoursing Jeff Howe talks about the rise of the amateur expert. I think that blogs have given a voice to those with something to share who may not have had a platform for sharing – but they have  value to add to the conversation. Not everyone of course adds value to a conversation, but that is up to the listener to decide on what resonates with them. I share my blogs directly with my followers as a way of telling them what I am recommending and why so they can take what they want in their own time and on their own terms. It is a way of connecting people to a community if they are interested in joining.

I think you need to be thoughtful and demonstrate EI within your blogs and within your approach to promoting and disseminating your blog posts. You can impact on people, even unintentionally and it is important to remember to measure and consider the quality of what you have to say.

What do you do with spare time?

I have very little spare time – I have two special children so that occupies most of my time, watching gymnastics, soccer, swimming – my 10 year old daughter just ran her 1st 5 k a while ago – she was in at 26 min and 57 out of 500 women of all ages.  Reading a good book, learning a new technology or giving advice to someone on social media occupy most of the few hours I have left in a given week.

Who inspires you?

I am inspired by people who struggle every day and still keep going. I see people  (clients) who have come to Canada seeking a better life for their children. They may have been professionals or had good jobs and educations back in their home countries and here they may have almost nothing. Yet they keep going.  Both of my children are adopted and come from very difficult backgrounds. They will struggle their entire lives with many issues. Many families struggle to raise children with huge barriers to life and most of them keep moving forward, taking the small victories where they can. People who try to do what they can and make the small changes and small differences each day are inspiring to me.

Careers are often volatile. How does one “stabilize” a career?

I do not think careers will stabilize in the foreseeable future. I think the stable career was a temporary – although long running temporary – byproduct of the industrial revolution. In the post-industrial revolution -  A phrase I first heard from Seth Godin – I believe constant career change and reinvention will be the new norm.

I have been talking and blogging about the Protean Career. I worked with US author Jay Block and a small team to develop the 12 Protean career Principles earlier this year. The protean career – which is not really a new concept as it really also describes the pre-industrial revolution career – is all about constant adaptation and reinvention. I have talked about the pioneering spirit – doing less with more, seeking new grounds and opportunities. I believe that a ‘stable’ career in the future is one where you always see yourself as your own employer – even when working for someone else. You are in charge of your skills development, staying on top of the trends, making changes and managing your own constantly shifting career path. I do think that the millennia’s are better prepared for this career path – once they have the opportunity to get started on it. The struggle I see at this time is for the +40 year older Gen X’s and Younger baby Boomers to make the transition to the post industrial career world where ‘wikinomics’ (have you read Don Tapscotts Wikinomics and Macro-Wikinomics books?) – Openness, sharing. collaboration. Peering and acting globally are part of the emerging business model and where just in time hiring (not permanent but project, contract based employment) is becoming more common (of course we will have to see in a few years once this great recession passes what career path will emerge – though i believe the Protean Path will be around for some time).

Do you like to dance?

I only dance with my children.

Bruce Sallan, author of “A Dad’s Point-of-View: We ARE Half the Equation” and radio host of “The Bruce Sallan Show – A Dad’s Point-of-View” gave up a long-term showbiz career to become a stay-at-home-dad. He has dedicated his new career to becoming THE Dad advocate. He carries his mission with not only his book and radio show, but also his column “A Dad’s Point-of-View”, syndicated in over 100 newspapers and websites worldwide, and his dedication to his community on Facebook and Twitter. Join Bruce and his community each Thursday for #DadChat, from 6pm -7pm PST, the Tweet Chat that Bruce hosts.

How long have you been blogging, and why?

Call me odd, call me eccentric…but call me, Please! I don’t like my writing to be called “Blogging” or my website “a Blog.” Don’t ask me why but I prefer to be thought of as a writer.

I’ve been writing for 6 or so years but only writing online for about three. My writing began when I faced the incredibly shock of prejudice at being a SAHD (stay-at-home-dad). My marriage had ended, my boys were 6 and 9, and their mom disappeared. I was a 24/7 dad with two ailing parents. YET, all the moms at my boy’s Elementary School would ask me – knowing my situation – “What do you do all day?” CAN YOU IMAGINE the response I’d have gotten if I asked a mom that question? BUT, the dads asked their own insensitive question, “When are you going back to work?”

This made me realize that dads were the last group that could be disparaged with impunity. Looking around I saw it everywhere. Where once dads were put on pedestals, a la “Father Knows Best” and “The Bill Cosby Show,” now we have “The Family Guy” and Homer Simpson, preceded by The Bundys! I began writing about parenting, dads, divorce, marriage, dating, re-marriage, teens, and more. The rest is…lol…history.

Do you feel you have a unique message to share with the world?

I feel I’m a unique character.

I don’t know of ANY other dad or mom blogger who has ALL of the following: radio show, their own comic strip, published book, column carried worldwide, their own music video, successful Tweet Chat (#DadChat), successful Facebook Page (4,100 “likes”), speaking at major conferences (#140conf LA and NY and Blogworld to name the bigger ones), guest blogging everywhere, radio interviews everywhere, and someone who remains as modest and unassuming as MOI?

Why do some bloggers become successful, while others, perish?

The common answer is “quality content.” I’ll go further by declaring that content matters, but selling yourself, your content, and “working” Social Media is equally important. Good ideas are a dime a dozen. So are good writers. But, good writing coupled with good showmanship – that’s harder to come by!

Life changes unexpectedly. How do you deal with that?

I cry. I rant. I yell. No, I’ve learned that the ONLY thing that I can control is how I react to life’s changes. I’ve had my share of ups and downs and have reached a peace with my life so that the roller coaster has become easier. Of course I have my good and bad days, but EVERY day that I wake up healthy, that my boys are well, and that my wife is next to me is another blessing.

Gratitude IS the key to happiness. I live for now…not for what I hope will be or “when such and such happens.” My life is happening now, period the end!

You had a long career in the entertainment industry and then switched directions. Why?

Showbiz is like sports. You have a limited life. You can choose to hang on or you can choose to leave with grace.

I had 25 years of largely wonderful times. 9 jobs in that time. 30+ produced television movies, several pilots and series, and travel ALL over the world. I spent a night watching the sun rise in Jerusalem when I went to research the movie I’d sold about Golda Maier. I went to the Amazon and Carnival in Rio for “research.” I was in East Berlin, before the Wall came down, visiting while we were filming an escape from East Berlin movie in West Berlin. I shut down the Tower of Pisa for a chase scene in a pilot for ABC and, on the same production, became the first film or television company ever allowed to film in the museum that housed Michaelangelo’s famous statue of “David.” We were blessed to shoot there but “my” star and “my” director got into such a horrible fight that all the footage shot that day was unusable! I met the famous and the infamous.

BUT, when my son was born – four days after my 40th birthday – I knew my best productions were ahead of me. From that day until I left “the biz” a few short years later, nothing in showbiz could compare to being a father.

How does your past contribute to your blogging style?

Style. Pizazz. Showmanship. Good titles. Hooks into the story. Sales Sales Sales.

What makes a good father?

Being there! Time spent with the kids…a lot of time.

What’s most important to you in life?

My boys, my wife, my dogs…and doing good in the world. I want to leave the world better for my time on earth. THAT is my mission with this second career of mine. And, to have fun, and to model a successful working dad to my boys (who really never knew me from my showbiz career since they were so young when I left it).

Stan Faryna is working on an apocalyptic novel-mmorpg-movie that asks the big questions about why are we here, what shall we do, and what can we hope for. He is an author, design wonk, entrepreneur, online strategist, problem-solver, and servant heart. Stan is on Facebook and he’s @Faryna on Twitter. You can help him help Nisha Varghese here.

How did you end up in Romania?

Just before I came to Romania, I was down and out. A client had just stolen my development team and my software (software that saved one of their businesses) – not to mention they didn’t pay their bill. They laughed at me from behind the most expensive lawyers that money can buy.

They destroyed in one month a business that I had built from the ground up in five years. Did I mention the blood, sweat, and tears that went into those five years? [smile]

At the invitation of a college buddy, I came to Romania to help him with his advertising and marketing campaign. He was making snack foods. Working with various big name advertising agencies here on his project, I observed that these agencies knew nothing about advertising and marketing. They did, however, have intense design and technical talent.

I immediately recognized the significant competitive advantage of such talent. Nonetheless, I lacked the fierce ambition and opportunity to put such advantage to work. These would come in their own time.

After several visits to Romania to do small projects, I eventually fell in love with a pretty, young woman. I decided in my heart that I had to marry her and this meant that I would have to live and work in Romania. Now I had a fierce ambition!

As I was building my new client list, I paid special attention to my clients’ most mission-critical problems and objectives, their financial capacity to innovate, and their willingness to make big, bold moves. I spent time with the right people. I went to expensive lunches and dinners with them on borrowed money. I visited them at their homes on the weekends, played with their kids and pets, and built a strong relationship of trust with decision-makers and the people supporting those decision-makers.

I also served them better, faster, and cheaper than anyone else. I did sophisticated, complex things for them for free – again on money borrowed from family and friends. I made everything I did for them look easy and I made big name competitors look stupid. I even solved bugs in my competitor’s software. For free. And I helped my clients fire my competitors.

More importantly, I made decision-makers look smart, savvy, and deserving of ever more kudos and promotion. That’s job number one as a consultant and contractor.

Two years into the relationship with one of my new, big clients, I proposed an awesome mission-critical solution that would innovate the enterprise. It took me a year to imagine it, describe the technical solution, write the technical description, and design a user experience that made sense to people afraid of technology. I came with a 10 slide power point show, five copies of a 100 page proposal, and a bespoke suit. I walked away from the presentation with a bank check for one million dollars.

I bought myself a business class ticket to Bucharest, got on the airplane, and came to Bucharest to find my dream team and, more importantly, figure out how to get that pretty woman to marry me.

How do you believe the online landscape will change in coming years?

Change is what happens online and it happens fast. Rapid advances in the hardware allow increasing faster advances in software design and solutions. The break-neck speed of software advancement allows go-getters to try out new ideas and, ultimately, to fail or succeed fast in a highly competitive environment. It’s a feeding frenzy where no one knows where or when the bottom drops out or rises in any particular position.

It sounds exciting. And the online thing is exciting – do not doubt it! It’s the greatest show on Earth. Everyone wants a seat whether that means just a tweet, a video that goes viral, fans on Facebook, in the basement with a start up, or on deck in the big guns of the fleet a la Google, Facebook, etc. Some even want to be the next million-dollar blogger – some as in some millions of aspiring bloggers from all over the planet.

The names of the services and platforms may change. But the same investors behind the trends now will be behind tomorrow’s trending applications. For example, the same investors that backed Twitter are also backing Klout for all the right and wrong reasons. Therefore, the same motivations, imagination, and expectations for outrageous valuations will continue to fuel the madness, the wonder, and the excitement.

Influence, for example, has always dominated this online game of thrones. If you have ever played a tower defense game (desktop tower defense for example), you know that you have to build the most economically efficient path structure possible to kill the maximum number of incoming monsters.

That’s what the big boys have been doing for the last 15 years. Ever building and rebuilding the most economically efficient path structure possible where they have a force-multiplication of the most influence (fire-power) on the long tail of users coming through an elaborate labyrinth of trends, aspirations, and expectations.

Play a few rounds of Desktop Defender and you’ll get what I’m talking about.

That’s what social means to the machine: the Fortune xxx, governments, and black hat wizards.

This is not going to change. Can you game the game better than any of the heroes of the leaderboard? That’s tomorrow’s game. Beyond the game, however, is the possibility for online communities that have great influence, have impact, and change the world for the better. That wonderful possibility excites me.

You understand “community” in intimate ways. Why are some online communities successful, and others not?

The most successful online communities are game communities. They need each other. They honor, serve, and enjoy each other better than any other kind of community. There are gaming communities that pre-date the 1994 infant web which would become the wonderful wild web that we know today.

The least successful online communities are all about internet marketing, pyramid marketing schemes, and making lots of money. They rise and fall on a dime because they often represent people that tend to make the least investment (emotional, economic, social, etc.) in anything that they do.

Smart communities are the future. Smart communities will disrupt the game as dictated by the game masters. They will be taste makers, influencers, and forces of nature – human nature. Smart online communities will be change makers.

The challenge in building smart communities is getting people to make a dedicated commitment to such endeavors, to driving change, and to making our world a better world. An hour a day is a lot to ask. And yet an hour a day to change the world seems such a small price to pay.

Stan Faryna is working on an apocalyptic novel-mmorpg-movie that asks the big questions about why are we here, what shall we do, and what can we hope for. He is an author, design wonk, entrepreneur, online strategist, problem-solver, and servant heart. Stan is on Facebook and he’s @Faryna on Twitter. You can help him help Nisha Varghese here.

What inspires and motivates you?

The Good, the True, and the Beautiful. I suspect that these three are the greatest inspirations.

The Good, the True, and the Beautiful. Without limit. These are the only things that will never bore us. These are the revealed nature of God, God’s creation, and all reality. Interestingly, Plato – who did not know the God of Abraham or Christ – was the first to reflect upon these three gifts. Certainly, Plato was divinely inspired (on several subjects) as the early Christians observed of the Greek philosophers.

Allow me to illuminate these three wonders through the person of Nisha Varghese.

Nisha Varghese, a 20 something South African woman, was born with cerebral palsy. She cannot walk unassisted. She has limited use of one hand and arm. Her father and mother consider her an embarrassment, a heavy burden upon them, and a despair. Her blog is here.

Yet Nisha is bigger than her physical challenges and her parent’s despair. We see that Nisha is bigger because she dares to change the world in her fundraising efforts to put a well in an impoverished community that lacks clean water. Or in her slow, one-handed making of sandwiches for the poor in her community. Or her blog posts about kids who are making a difference in the world. Truth is revealed to us in Nisha’s action. Nisha is MORE than the apparent physical limitations and powerlessness obvious to the human eye.

Truth is relative to reality as C.S. Lewis has explained. Truth is simply what the reality is regardless of illusions, misperception, and misunderstanding.

That Nisha struggles to raise money to put a well into an impoverished community that lacks clean water. That she patiently makes a sandwich, one by one, for the hungry with one hand. Her action does not simply reveal that she is more than her physical challenges and the misperceptions of her role (or lack of role) in this world, we know intuitionally, immediately, and without doubt that Nisha’s action is good.

Her actions serve others, her actions speak of her love for others, and her action is the right response to God’s desire for us to care for and uplift others.

Again, C.S. Lewis explains, goodness is relative to reality. It is the right response to reality. Human good is an approximation of God’s mind, love, will, and action.

Moreover, there is an unmistakable beauty in the revelation of the objective goodness of Nisha’s actions. Nisha is beautiful because of her consistent struggle to do good. Nisha’s beauty, I am thoroughly convinced, is more satisfying than the seductive tease of Dita Von Teese. Or the auto-eroticism inspired by Jenna Jameson.

I shall never get bored with Nisha’s beauty. In contrast to Nisha’s good works, Playboy’s sustainability as an adult entertainment business is urgently contingent on revealing the naked beauty of a new playmate every month.

Beauty is relative to reality. The more fully that beauty reflects goodness and God, the more beautiful is a thing.

The human body, of course, can be beautiful because, perhaps, it is made in the image of God. But if it acts, thinks, feels, and responds poorly to reality, truth, and goodness, it’s beauty cannot satisfy us but for a fleeting arousal.

Do you have a blogging schedule?

I’d very much like to publish three blog posts per week. One that illuminates my view of things as a human person, one that glimpses the voices of the blogging community, and one about my professional or personal interests (on my blog or as a guest blog post). It hasn’t sorted itself out yet. [grin]

Blog soup takes a lot of time. I’m a slow reader and slower commenter. Not all my comments are insightful, uplifting, or inspirational. But I wish they were!

A month ago, I started to dedicate five hours per week day for reading and commenting on blog posts. I’ve had to wake up earlier to do so to fit it into my schedule. However, I will soon cut this down to three hours per week days. My aim is 12 editions of blog soup and then we’ll see where that experiment has gone. [laughing]

It usually takes me an hour to write a blog post. Another hour to format it, add links, quick review, and publish it to my blog. If I make time to edit it, I’ll read it out loud twice. That’s another patchwork of an hour.

Whatever you do, do your best. Do it with passion. Do it with heart.

And if you do it with your heart that means doing it with a schedule.

Schedules reveal what matters most to the heart. In fact, I’m reminded of the dialogue about taming between the Little Prince and the fox in Antoine de Saint Exupéry’s wonderful little book.

The fox gazed at the little prince, for a long time. “Please–tame me!” he said.

“I want to, very much,” the little prince replied. “But I have not much time. I have friends to discover, and a great many things to understand.”

“One only understands the things that one tames,” said the fox. “Men have no more time to understand anything. They buy things all ready made at the shops. But there is no shop anywhere where one can buy friendship, and so men have no friends any more. If you want a friend, tame me . . . ”

“What must I do, to tame you? asked the little prince.

“You must be very patient,” replied the fox. First you will sit down at a little distance from me–like that–in the grass. I shall look at you out of the corner of my eye, and you will say nothing. Words are the source of misunderstandings. But you will sit a little closer to me, every day . . . ”

The next day the little prince came back.

“It would have been better to come back at the same hour,” said the fox. “If for example, you came at four o’clock in the afternoon, then at three o’clock I shall begin to be happy. I shall feel happier and happier as the hour advances. At four o’clock, I shall be worrying and jumping about. I shall show you how happy I am! But if you come at just any time, I shall never know at what hour my heart is ready to greet you . . . One must observe the proper rites . . . ”

If you don’t have a schedule, you don’t have a heart that pounds and races for something or someone.

What do you do to develop blog traffic?

My interest in blogging is about connecting with the world in general and, specifically, it’s about making meaningful connections with people. Friendship, in other words. Traffic in itself is not interesting, memorable, or awe-inspiring. That’s not to say that massive traffic can’t help you do whatever it is that you want to do. But until you get massive traffic (if that be written in your stars), it’s nice to make some friends along the way to whatever destination your heart and fate may decide upon.

In pursuit of friendship, I attempt to reveal the the Good, the True, and the Beautiful through my blog posts. [big smile] Hopefully, it makes you feel amazing. That’s how I give, I love, and I serve. Of course, I also fail.

1. If your blog doesn’t give, love, and serve – work on that. Does it do good? Is it true? Is it beautiful? Anything else is deeply counterfeit. If your blog posts are counterfeits, sooner or later, people will feel and sense the heartlessness, the emptiness, and taking-ness of your blog.

Online is the last place to want to ruin your name and reputation. A poor online reputation will follow you everywhere.

2. Blog by a schedule. I’m still working on this. Your heart should pound and race according to that schedule. As should the hearts of your readers and fans.

3. Proof-read, edit, and review your blog posts. I’m still working on this too. I find it difficult to edit my own writing on a quick turn around. If you have the same problems, perhaps, you can arrange to work with someone who will proof-read and give feedback if you do the same service for their blog.

4. Seek friendship, insight, and self-understanding in the world. Go to Twitter, blogs, or where ever. As much as possible, receive persons as the gifts they are. As graciously as possible, express the feelings that they have provoked in you by their 140 characters, their blog post, or their social signal.

Let people know you noticed them – as graciously as you can. I’m still working on being more graceful and humble in this regard. Sign your comments if you dare and leave a link so they can visit you – if they are so inclined.

5. Use Triberr. Get to know the triberrites and the triberrati. Read their blogs, comment on their blogs, and let them know you are out there.

6. If you have some money to throw at it, hire someone like Yomar Lopez (@yogizilla on Twitter) to drive engagement and inbound marketing. I haven’t done this but I see that Yomar and a few others negotiate results – not bogus promises. Unless you are an aspiring SEO or inbound marketing guru, leave this work to the pros. Your time is better spent working on 1, 2, 3, and 4.

7. If you want to go big, do not underestimate the role of design in helping you tell a story, making it memorable, and punctuating the take aways.

A good blog design will frame the value you bring to your blog posts. Again, design work is best done by a professional who understands brand, UX, and the fundamentals of design.

8. If you have a lot of money to throw at it, corporate-class online marketing and advertising may help. But if you don’t have 1 through 7 down like clock work, don’t bother.

Stan Faryna is working on an apocalyptic novel-mmorpg-movie that asks the big questions about why are we here, what shall we do, and what can we hope for. He is an author, design wonk, entrepreneur, online strategist, problem-solver, and servant heart. Stan is on Facebook and he’s @Faryna on Twitter. You can help him help Nisha Varghese here.

How did you choose what to study in college?

If you heard my confessions podcast, you know my mother ixnayed a scholarship to study art. She also ixnayed my alternative desire to go to St. John’s College to study the great books on her fist full of dollars.

Ironically, she spent a fortune sending me to the University of Southern California (Los Angeles, California) to study business, law, or pre-med. I agreed reluctantly as a dutiful son should do when someone else is footing the bill.

I figured that at least I could party hard at USC. And party hard I did. I quickly came to have a reputation for downing liters of vodka via beer bong in seconds. Unfortunately, I never liked beer. It fills me fast.

But I also fell in love with learning that first semester. I had a glimpse of the complete beauty of wisdom. And her beauty took my breath away. The courtship of wisdom began with much awkwardness as any courtship that involves a young man with great expectations.

Without intention, I took a course on Confucian thought. Professor Robert Nosco of USC’s East Asian Culture and Language school was teaching it. Professor Nosco illuminated the virtues and values that Confucius expected of a gentleman. He made the Confucian gentleman relevant to college kids in a world 2200 years later and a culture very different from Confucius. Professor Nosco appealed to our yearning for greatness, sophistication, and culture. He did so with considerable charm, grace, and insight into the problems of modern life.

We used Arthur Waley’s Analects of Confucius as a text book. There is no better translation of the Confucian ethic. However, Ezra Pound’s translation does help you understand the concrete nuances of Confucian wisdom.

“A gentleman can see a question from all sides without bias. The small man is biased and can see a question only from one side.”

These are not just words. I felt that immediately. Nor can one fully appreciate the meaning immediately, but the wisdom of those words will be understood for their beauty and truth in time. And what sort of brute is it that one does not yearn to be a person that sees a question from all sides?!

I was also enrolled in classes related to business, law, and pre-med in my first two years, but I was greatly disappointed by the material as I was by my classmates. I considered the latter, immature and brutish. All that they knew is that they really wanted a lot of money. None had any good ideas about how to make it – not to mention I could outdrink them all. [laughing]

In the summers, I did pre-med sciences at Georgetown University.

But I also took other classes (electives) that spoke to my heart, mind, and soul. I took classes about the Bible, Buddhism, Hinduism, Homer, Islam, Nietzsche, etc. I started to think that I might pursue a career as a psychiatrist. As a healer. In the footsteps of Sigmund Freud. Or Carl Gustav Jung.

The game-changer, I must admit, was when my high school sweet heart and fiancé broke up with me.

We had gone to different schools. The quarterback of her school’s football team was interested in her and she wanted to give that a try. She broke up with me the night before my Organic Chemistry final. Uncontrollable tears fell during the exam and soaked the empty exam-answer book. I failed the course and that was the end of my pre-med slash psychiatry track.

Since there would be no marriage and responsibility at the conclusion of my formal education, I considered myself temporarily free from the worry about making enough money to support a family. Initially, I considered not returning to U.S.C. to start my junior (third) year. I spent three months of silence, unstoppable tears, and soul-searching in my bedroom to consider these things. I read Shakespeare, Jung, and Freud as consolation.

I returned to U.S.C. with the conclusion that a university (generally speaking) offered a unique opportunity to learn what I must lean about life, about what it means to be human, about what I could hope for as a human. If I didn’t figure things out now, I would never again have such an opportunity. That is how I chose what I wanted to study in college!

And once the decision was made, I took six to eight classes per semester. A full semester load was four. I also worked as a security guard, I did volunteer work, I served as a mentor at a local, inner city high school, and I served on internships. And I graduated 2.5 years later with a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies.

I should mention my mother’s surprise at graduation when she discovered that I was not receiving a BA in Business. Fortunately, my professors put on quite a show at the graduation ceremony. She was filled up with enough pride not to be heart broken over my little discrepancy. [grin]

The morale of the story: That love (and loss) ever steers us down paths of heart and destiny. Ignore love (and loss) at your own peril of greater misery and self-defeat.

Tell us about your college majors.

The Interdisciplinary Degree at USC was created to allow students to pursue a multidisciplinary track of their own determination subject to the approval of various academic authorities. Such a degree was considered important to the preparation of young leaders because leadership requires the ability to look at a problem from all sides. Thus the young leader must not only pursue knowledge across multiple disciplines, but they must also bring it together in a relevant and meaningful manner.

I was required to solicit one mentor that counseled me in my synthesis of all the disciplines I chose to focus on. Additionally, I had to solicit mentors in each of the separate disciplines that I chose to study. John Orr of the USC School of Religion was my Virgil. I was his Dante. Frank Fox of the Graduate School of Educational Psychology mentored me in Humantistic Psychologies, Robert Ellwood mentored me in Comparative Religions, Dallas Willard mentored me in Philosophy, D, Brendan Nagle in History, etc. There were also many other professors who took interest in my endeavor from the Schools of Neuroscience, Literature, etc.

Religion, as Mircea Eliade observed, restores us to an experience with the Sacred. It is about our deepest hopes, our greatest aspirations, and, perhaps, our origins, identity, and destiny. If you want to understand people at their deepest and their best, you have to understand religion.

Humanistic Psychology is about healing, growing, and negotiating our path through life and this world. “Know thyself,” Plato said. And Plato didn’t say it to be cool! In fact, we will never understand freedom, community, government, or happiness without an understanding of who we are and why we do and say the things we do (and don’t do). Regarding business, I might add that you can’t see what people truly need and why if you don’t know what you need and why.

Developmental and Modern Psychology is some kind of bad popular mechanics in my opinion. It offers very little insight into the human person.

History is to be studied to understand human and group behavior today and, perhaps, also to predict the future. Through history we understand the greatest and the worst things that people and peoples have done. History teaches us through stories. It connects us with the past. It connects us with those who lived in the past. History helps us understand the universals and recurring motiffs of human aspiration, triumph, kindness, disappointment, anger, cruelty, and defeat. No great strategist in war or business had disregard for History.

Philosophy, however, is the queen of sciences and learning – especially philosophical anthropologies. A study of Plato, Aristotle, and Aquinas contribute to our capacity to use reason to understand things in satisfaction of our curiosity, to decide upon a course of action, and come to conclusions about the things that matter most. Beyond the considered opinions of the great philosophers, philosophy shares with us the method to think independently, critically, and freely for ourselves.

Democracy and freedom, I would argue, can never be worthwhile without leaders (and their advisors) prepared by the great philosophers. The sciences, in general, are helpful in this regard. But they can’t help you see the bigger (human) picture.

Does going to school really matter?

In Sartre’s book, Naseau, the antagonist is a self-educating man. He reads the great books in alphabetical order. By the end of the book, he rapes and kills a small girl. Of course, this is a dramatic conclusion that exaggerates the problem of pursuing an intellectual life without formal education. But Sartre’s point is not lost on me.

Good professors will guide your through the narrative of knowledge, illuminate the important questions to be considered, and demand you to consider, reflect upon, and struggle with the things that should be considered. A good professor will give you a reading list that has been considered, reflected upon, and judged to be of intense and concentrated insight.

Great professors will do everything that good professors do. And they will make you feel strongly about the insights they illuminate in their lecture. The best of them will challenge you to ask questions from your heart, mind, and/or soul. Their insights will be so powerful that their insights and questions will live inside you forever. A few will change you forever.

Depending on your location and the professors serving your local college or university, going to night school or full time may (or may not) be worthwhile. I would recommend doing a little research about the professors teaching things that may interest you. If they are interesting enough to you, I would further recommend making an appointment and having a chat with them. Then, you’ll have a better idea about what to do.

As you may have guessed by now, I’m a great fan of the liberal arts education. And I share C.S. Lewis’ opinion that a classical education better serves a citizen and an aspiring leader than professional training alone.

Ben Lang is an 18-year-old internet entrepreneur.

His entrepreneurial journey began at age 14 when he started his own eBay business. He’s the founder of EpicLaunch a popular blog for young entrepreneurs. Ben’s also the founder of MySchoolHelp, a site for students to find and share notes from their school. You can connect with him here.

Tell us a little about starting your own eBay business at the age of 14.

It started off when my grandfather handed me some camera equipment to sell for him on eBay.

The sale went very well and I got a solid commission. I decided to try selling more of family’s items and from there expanded to neighbors and eventually anyone. The business grew as I learned how to market my services online by making a website, advertising on Craigslist and utilizing social media.

For more information, here’s a video on the business.

What difficulties do you run into as a young entrepreneur, and how do you overcome them?

At first it was difficult to build trust, especially at the age of 14.

Many people were hesitant about sending me their items or even meeting me in person. But once they realized that I could do the same job as someone double my age they were fine with it.

The older I got and the more businesses I got into, the more trust I was able to gain.

What do you enjoy about living in Israel?

I recently moved to Israel only about two months ago.

I lived here in 9th grade for one year and lived here another year when I was born. A few years ago I decided that instead of going to college upon finishing high school, I’d join the Israeli army. So here I am, preparing to join in March.

In the meantime I’m working at an awesome startup called Wibiya, which was acquired by Conduit a few months ago.

How do you believe the online world will change in coming years?

I think the online world is going to change primarily due to its devices over the next few years.

First off, data enabled phones are going to be dominant everywhere soon. Eventually tablets are also going to overtake computers.

We’re also going to see internet enabled TVs, cars, fridges and almost every gadget becoming more and more popular. Due to this phenomenon everyone in this world will have access to more and more of these devices changing the way we all behave.

How do you stay motivated each day?

I love working on startups which is how I stay motivated each day.

It’s a great feeling having users use your products and know that you’re making an impact.

What do you do with “spare” time?

I enjoy hanging out with my friends in my spare time. I’m also very much into running, skiing, tennis and biking. Working on a bunch of startups though doesn’t leave too much spare time unfortunately.

Thanks so much for the interview! If anyone has any questions feel free to reach out to me, I’ll certainly answer.

August of this year I had the opportunity of meeting a successful, inspiring entrepreneur in Bellevue, Washington.

His name? David Nilssen.

@Guidant Financial Founder. Youth Venture Advisor. Seattle Entrepreneur Org President. Wine Snob. Travel Addict. Foodie. Uncle. Movie Fanatic. Author.

Even just a quick look at this Twitter bio above shows how successsful this man has been in the business realm. His company, Guidant Financial, helps thousands of small business owners finance their ventures via the use of existing IRA or 401(k) funds.

After meeting David, I noticed from his blog that he had co-written a book. Making the Jump Into Small Business Ownership.

Naturally, I had to grab it.

In my opinion the book is beneficial to both seasoned Argonauts of the business world, as well as the newcomers interested in starting a home business. Skill is no matter when it comes to this read. Let it be a refresher, a learning course, inspiration or all combined. It accomplishes all said tasks.

The book was co-authored with Jeff Levy, of whom I have not had the opportunity of meeting. Regardless, I enjoyed the “from the desk of” sections explaining real-life business transactions, stories & learning experiences from both authors.

Those bits make this book very valuable.

The book gives a crash course in everything from small business financials to overcoming fear, and I honestly proclaim a better understanding of small business by reading it.

In short, I’ve grown. So to me, it’s a worthy read!

Grab your own copy of the book at Amazon by clicking here.