I'm not sure what it is, but since I started diving into crypto currencies and the Blockchain, it's been a deep descent. I can't shake it and I don't want to.
"The over-all point is that new technology will not necessarily replace old technology, but it will date it. By definition. Eventually, it will replace it. But it's like people who had black-and-white TVs when color came out. They eventually decided whether or not the new technology was worth the investment." -Steve Jobs
I feel that we're sitting at the edge of revolution, both technically and economically. I'm at a very specific age to have been too young for both the personal computer and World Wide Web era of innovation. I mean, I participated but mostly as a teenage observer. I'd always wanted to start the next Google, or in my case, the next Ask Jeeves. In the early 90's, I was too young to really do anything about my ambition.
Before I start this post, I just want to say, let's forget the past and live in the midst of what's happening today. Blockchain is today. It's our time to participate in widespread revolution.
But first, a little about me:
1. I started a company called, Sqwiggle. Raised 1.1 Million in Venture Capital, only to Have Failed 2 Years Later.
Yep. My first company failed. Elephant in the room. I'd never try to hide that fact because to me, I wear it as a badge of honor. I saw a problem in the world, and had the guts to actually do something about it. I was fairly young and naive so obviously my approach was flawed from the get-go. We spent too much money in areas that didn't require it, and didn't spend enough in other areas that were working. We botched the technology and couldn't exactly produce a working product. And the list goes on.
The key takeaway for me in this entire journey is to never give up. I will start another company and do my damndest to make it a success.
2. I haven't had a home in 3 years. I travel full time and live on AirBnB.
You read that right. I don't give a crap about material possessions, as long as my laptop is working and my brain is caffeinated. I live to travel. Currently I'm spending a part of the summer in my home state of Missouri but I've already spent 3 months this year in England, Scotland, Ireland, Norway and France.
The truth is, I'll probably never have a home and I'm okay with that.
3. Some of My Best Years Were Spent in a Touring Metal Band Called "Cries Hannah"
We were 20, rarely showered, had hair to our shoulders and didn't care about consequences. We'd sleep in parking lots and eat McDonalds cheeseburgers 3 times a day because they were cheap. I remember a specific night in a disgusting bar in Rural Louisiana. 5 people showed up to hear us play, and 4 of them had never heard of us. This was our reality and we simply refused to take "no" for an answer. I mean, in our minds, the journey was about paying our dues, grinding it out for long enough to justify our spot amongst the Myspace elites. (Yes, I'm old.)
These years were formative for me, shaping and molding the way I think today. Part of me believes that most of my nomadic way of thinking comes from playing 250 shows a year. I cherish these memories and wouldn't change them for a thing. Here's a clip of a few of our antics from the road. I'm the drummer:
4. I moved to San Francisco with $500 in the bank.
I was tired of watching the internet pass me by. I'd been coding since I was 13 (Started with QBasic) but up to this point, my career had been mostly spend building websites at various marketing firms and agencies. I'd never built anything of substance.
I'd always felt a need to be in San Francisco but never felt that it was practical to make my dream a reality.
<rant>Let me stop the post here and simply say: If you have a dream or ambition and genuinely seek to make the world a better place by executing your unique goals, you owe it to yourself and everyone around you to fulfill your ambition. Nobody will do it for you, and by doing nothing, you're cheating the world out of your incredible gift of creativity and vision. We..citizens of the world need you. You came into the world naked and you'll leave naked. It's what you leave behind that counts. </rant>
When I ultimately arrived in San Francisco, I'd made the determination that I WOULD NOT go home. I'd rather sleep in my truck than drive home in shame. Fortunately it never came to that.
I started applying for jobs on Craigslist. My first interview landed me a gig as a front-end engineer at a young, fledgling startup with a small team and good revenue. I think what impressed the CEO most was my answer to how hungry I was to make a difference in this industry. I said, "I'll do anything. I'll sleep on that ping pong table."
In fact, I did sleep on the office couch for one month because I simply couldn't afford an apartment. Since then, I've started other projects, sold them and worked at a number of fun companies building cool things with great people. My path has always been a winding one. In those bends and turns, I've found beauty in simplicity and a deeper understanding of what makes me happy. That's really all a person can ask for in life. Happiness.
The rest is history that's still being written.
Nothing is perfect and of course I deal with the occasional struggle. The key is to let it roll off your back and to never give up.
I've written this today to both encourage you to be scrappy and do whatever it takes to achieve your goals and ambitions. I'd also like to take time to acknowledge the fact that we're currently experiencing a major technological shift in how the world economy will function. Stop whatever you're doing and take part in building a world that's better than today.
The future will be built on Blockchain.
