They're Talking Nerdy Baby: #NerdsUnite
Holy crap, woke up to a lot of emails this morning ... thanks guys. Alrite, here's a good one ...
Hey dude, first off - thanks for reaching out, and checking us out. Really really really appreciate it.
Secondly, I am going to be absurdly honest ... I am figuring all of this out. If on some days it doesn't make sense, rock on - I'm throwing so much shit against the wall to see what sticks its not even funny. Right now I am in a position where I have nothing to lose. I am milking that to build a pretty solid foundation. The movement isn't about being a product puppet, or even fully sustaining bartering - it was about recognizing my awesomeness. Anyone online can talk about products, and fuck, if they're a good sales person prolly sell a few ... thats not what this was about. My first job was just to launch this site, and brand. That lead me to having to go to some extreme lengths to survive (as anyone else in this space understands) ... so I've had to barter. I am a lifecaster. Period end of sentence. Right now, I am a ghetto ass hustler working in this space round the clock and sleeping in some really gnarly places, and coming up with some VERY clever ideas to get food. It is that simple. I don't receive income from Spirithoods - or any ads on the site. Those are people that support the movement. I came from money, and had a shit ton of it for a while. It bored me. Anyone can get money, but not anyone can have a truly epic adventure. I wanted to see how far I could get utilizing social media. Throwing myself at the world everyday enabled me to have the most INCREDIBLE experiences, and be able to relate to so so so many people in the most intimate of ways. Wouldn't change it for the world .... but I literally forced myself into it - none of it was natural. Also, do you know how insane it sounds to people who want to hire me and my first sentence is, you can't - I can't be bought. I haven't set a market price for anything, because I very honestly just wanted to see how good I was at doing it. Going about that route though, got me a meeting with every CEO that I wanted to. It was incredible, completely resonated with some really really really respectable people.
I don't seem like a real nerd? What does a nerd look like? IMHO nerds are like colors ... there are so many different layers, shades and complexities that the naked eye could never comprehend. Just gotta let it be, man.
I'm not really a spokesperson in the Dove soap ad kinda way; I've just always been this person. I get ABSURDLY passionate about products, or experiences and completely geek out to my friends saying OMG OMG OMG YOU HAVE TO TRY THIS!! I will then in my head break down all of the executable actions in order to get it done ... and then I just do. Super fucking nerdy. Been this way for 26 years. It's always been about the ride for me, and explaining what I am experiencing to as many people as possible so they can hopefully experience something similar.
I will tell you this, I am FASCINCATED by the fact that one person can be so WILDLY honest with the world, and even just by promoting the hustle you are doing anyway - someone, somewhere, is able to help, and then they TOO become a part of your story. Its WILLDDDD how fast things get done. The channels of communication are just WIDE OPEN. Blows my mind. Blows my mind. Blows my mind. That is what this has honestly been all about ... just the people. I really really really read every email, tweet, and facebook message. It takes a lot of time, but you all pour your lives out to me - it just continues to blow my mind how grateful I am for this experience as a whole.
I also recognize at the same time I am in a really really really super awesome position to not really have to monetize. I'm sure yes, eventually, I will want to, but I get free hosting thanks to Squarespace, and I run everything myself. We are a VERY lean operation. Literally ... one person. I do all the SEO, social media marketing, I created this site, did 3 redesigns, 2 domain transfers - its absurd, and I loved it. I built this brand with my bare hands, and I am so fucking proud of it, I get SO excited every day to be alive just so I can watch what I built grow. I don't pay the content providers, they are just happy to be a part of TNTML as a whole. That being said for it to be a sustainable entity I am aware that 2011 is going to have to be very different. I can't keep living like this. I just had to first figure out what worked, and what didn't work. I dunno ... shoot some ideas at me. I'm always game. But right now, I'm just waiting to see whats going on with this pilot. The Hollywood god gets back next week, and we pretty much go from there. I'm pretty excited. Who says I have to monetize this site? What is money? It's paper ... well technically speaking its a fiber ... all I have are people behind us that believe in what we're doing, and what we're about ... and that is celebrating our own awesomeness. I'm just going to go with that, and know that it feels really really really good.
And thank you btw, dude I'm not even kidding you ... the story, the concept, the marketing ... omg omg omg OMFFGGGGGG I am so proud of this pilot its not even funny. It is NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT going to be "Shit my dad says." Dude, all they did was take Willy Shatner and have him recite a twitter feed. I don't like that show, at all.
I have seen "We Live in Public" - and dude, that we are NOT!! I am just a lifecaster - I am telling a story of all these crazy little adventures I get into everyday. That's it. What that dude did with that community and such was just weird. There's no special water, I just really fucking LOVE what I do.
So there ya go! I really have no idea what I am doing because I can't see the entire picture just yet. I know its going to tell one amaaaazzinngggggggg story, but I'm still writing it ... the rad thing that I enjoy though is that everyday I can give you all a sneek peak of whats going on. It's like constantly looking over someone's shoulder. I don't need a job, and right now, I don't even need money; I have social media. I take products to help sustain the existence of it all - dude, spirithoods keep you INSANELY warm!! ... and I just kinda go with it all.
And #nerdsunite?? That's our official hashtag - and I'm a connector. I get really really really excited introducing cool people to cool people under the premise of them just being cool. I love meeting new nerds, and connecting them with other nerds that I know around the world - its my thing, I own it. I literally just hang out with people all day everyday and listen to their stories. Its incredible, and my favorite hashtag evveerrr!! =) =) =)
For real though, thank you for reaching out. I really don't know whats going to be the next step - I just know I have lawyers, and I'm wicked smart ... so whatever is presented to me, I'll just figure out how to manage and move about with my day. I just make myself as accessible to the world as possible, and leave the rest up to like minded individuals finding each other. Running the business of it all could not phase me less. I find it terribly boring, but its what I have to do. I have no doubt in this year I'll just hire someone to take all of that rubbish off my plate, someone who is clearly way more qualified for said business running than myself - I'm just an artist. My job is to show up for life and live it to the fullest every. single. day.
And today? I am moving! YAYY!!! =) Best part about being a minimalist, its really not that bad.
Cheers!!