BenSpark
Hi Christian thanks for sending me your answers to my long list of questions. There is some great info in here so to start off why don’t you tell the readers about yourself.
Christian
I am a serial entrepreneur, an artist and a wannabe inventor. I played some college Baseball, was a professional paintball player, have started many companies and have a short attention span. I’ve been in the web world for 15+ years as a jack of all trades and now help start-ups and businesses get mass exposure online. I am the prototypical jack of all trades. Most of my friends consider me an enigma, because I am really good at a wide variety of things, what most don’t know is that I am an Expert in very few.
BenSpark
Wow, you’ve got to me fascinating to hang with, so many diverse focuses. Could you tell us about your blogs
Christian
My blogs are like me, wide in content. I currently have too many, but the ones of significance are Mindzle.com and c-hammer.com.
Mindzle is where I and other writers talk about sustainable living. This in itself is a broad topic, it is meant to house the documentation of transforming my own home into a self sufficient abode, however it has become a wider resource as I and my various writers added articles on other projects etc. It has come to be a fairly useful resource for “green” topics.
c-hammer.com is my sketchbook and to some degree, portfolio site. I post everything I draw, even if it is on a napkin. Full disclosure in its purest form. From the feedback I’ve received, people like that aspect. For me it has forced me to sit down and draw more often. It has also given me several really good opportunities in freelance illustration.
BenSpark
Again some very cool diverse subjects. The posting of sketches is something I really like. With all these projects why did you take on even more and start blogging?
Christian
In 1995 I was working on several projects for the university I was attending, and I got tired of answering the same question. At first it took the form of a forum with questions and answers. Eventually I just started writing daily about what I was working on. In 1999 I was running an incubator for dot coms that was at the epicenter for Portland Oregon. Our blog just talked about starting businesses and the trials and success of the local “scene”. Then by 2002 I was asked by one of my paintball sponsors to write about the pro scene and product reviews etc. So why? I guess the short answer is, it fell into my lap. I do not consider myself a good writer, but people keep reading… Go figure.
BenSpark
So many factors lead to your blogging and from many different angles. That is very inspiring. Why do you monetize your blog? What are some companies besides IZEA that you work with?
Christian
I would say that I don’t for the most part regarding my current blogs. I have in the past, and am on the path to do so with my current blogs. Most of the companies I have worked with in the past were direct sponsors or clients for other companies. I am currently starting a new biz where all of my blogs and other sites bringing in revenue will be helpful, but the new blogs coming online will be where I put into effect all of the knowledge gained from the experimentation on Mindzle and C-Hammer.
BenSpark
So there is still a monetization factor because let’s face it as Chris Brogan says, “Baby’s got to eat.” What is your stance on Disclosure?
Christian
Full disclosure all the time. It is important to build trust, I try not to hide anything. Most artists only post their best work, but everyone knows they create crap too. I show everything, the shocking part is how much visibility this has gained me. One of my most popular posts on c-hammer.com is a wretched page of sketches. Other artists have been sharing it as interesting ideas for alien heads and such… Cool, I guess, I wish they liked a better page of sketches, but you never know what bit of content is going to catch people’s attention.
BenSpark
That is very true. One of my most popular posts is about Fry Sauce, very obscure thing that I work on all the time. What is your favorite feature of SocialSpark?
Christian
Honestly it is the whole package. The combination of Social Network with affiliate network was a brilliant combo and makes it far more useful than a service that focuses on only one or the other.
BenSpark
What should be improved on SocialSpark?
Christian
I’d like my rss feeds posted to my SocialSpark profile.
BenSpark
What Advertisers do you want to see on SocialSpark?
Christian
Nike, Keen, Columbia Sportswear, and Patagonia.
BenSpark
What is the Ultimate Goal for a blogger, in your opinion?
Christian
Find your Success in life, whether that is to comfortably work from home or change the world a little for the better.
BenSpark
Good Advice. Which one plug-in would you suggest all bloggers to have?
Christian
There are 10 must haves for WordPress, but the one I would recommend that is not well known is Zemanta. Look it up, you’ll love it.
BenSpark
That is one I don’t have much knowledge of but I want to learn more. What is the first thing you do when you fire up your browser?
Christian
Go to popurls.com and see what has happened since I last went online. Make sure I didn’t miss any major event in the world.
BenSpark
Another site that I am not familiar with you’re giving me some great information. If you could spend one year blogging about a particular thing what would it be and why? How would you keep it fresh?
Christian
Being a professional entrepreneur. It is such an important topic right now with the economic downturn and so many people out of work, it is also something I have been doing for the past 10 years. Last night I was talking a friend through his first start-up idea, and he was making the same mistakes everyone does, the same ones I made. And when you know the mistakes it is easy to avoid them. I’d want readers to ask questions to keep topics new and interesting.
BenSpark
What is your best blog post ever?
Christian
http://www.c-hammer.com/2009/05/killer-wabbit-painting/ In that I like the painting. After all what isn’t funny about a 20 foot tall fuzzy rabbit attacking a chick in leather on a custom Harley with a skull headlight? I wish I could track down some of my articles from back in the paintball buzz days, some of them were nuts.
BenSpark
What are some odd keywords people use to find your blog?
Christian
Vril… I don’t even know what it means but it is regularly the top keyword people find c-hammer.com with.
BenSpark
Outside of blogging what are your other interests?
Christian
Starting companies, hiking, biking, sports, drawing, painting, SCUBA diving, web design, and green technologies.
BenSpark
Not sure if you can nail it down because it sounds liek there is so much that is amazing about you but what is amazing about you?
Christian
I learn really fast, and I dig deep into a topic, which makes me an expert relatively fast. I also have no fear of failure or ego regarding my work. You like it cool, you hate it… cool. Am really good at everything I do, people think that means I am a natural at it, truth is I just don’t waste time. When something interests me I focus on it until I know it. I don’t watch TV and I work for myself so I have the freedom to act as selfishly with my interests as I want.
BenSpark
IPod or other music player?
Christian
Samsung mp3 player.
BenSpark
Pirates or Ninjas
Christian
NINJAS! They’ll kill you without even being noticed, pirates are all bluster and show.
BenSpark
Favorite Movie? TV Show? Book?
Christian
Favorite movie, pretty much anything by Focus entertainment. All are high quality, independent movies. Regarding a book, it changes regularly but I was fascinated with “Being Dead” by Jim Crace. I don’t really watch TV, but still a show I talk about is “Twitch City” it was a Canadian show about an agoraphobic who was addicted to TV and the schemes he ran to not ever have to leave the sofa. It was brilliant in this tiny little world of a sofa and a small apartment. Also I enjoyed Farscape.
BenSpark
Do you play Facebook games?
Christian
Hell no, I cannot even imagine the purpose.
BenSpark
What is the most motivational advice you can give other bloggers?
Christian
Focus on what you actually care about and you’ll never run out of ideas.
BenSpark
Favorite Blogs?
Christian
- http://aext.net/
- http://designm.ag/
- http://smallbiztrends.com/
- http://www.everyjoe.com/topic/business/
- http://www.creaturespot.com/
BenSpark
Favorite Podcasts?
Christian
I don’t really follow any podcasts. They tend to be too distracting for me.
BenSpark
How does someone connect with you online?
Christian
I am chammer and artisthammer on twitter but the best place is to follow me at http://www.c-hammer.com
BenSpark
Christian, What an interesting interview. I am very happy that you took me up on the offer to be interviewed, you have provided me and everyone else with some great information.
