History of Employment/Studies:
After graduating from the University of Colorado at Boulder with a degree in International Affairs and Geography, I realized I was fascinated by media and communication. I bought a computer and locked myself in my studio apartment and taught myself to build Web pages instead. I was fortunate to land a job at Majordomo's, a now-defunct Internet café in Denver, where I designed and maintained Web sites and learned a lot more about computers. It was at the café I met a woman who hired me to work for AOL's Digital City (now AOL's City Guide). There, I learned about ease of use and Web design for users, instead of designing for my own ego. It was fun, and I worked with great people. It felt great to be at the forefront of a brand new medium, where I could learn new things all the time and do things that had never been done before.
In time, it became apparent Digital City's days were numbered, and I knew I had to find something else to do. That's when David Lampe and I started Blue Ray Media. We didn't know much about running a business, but we dove in and learned what we needed to know about accounting, taxes, sales and marketing and continued to learn as much as we could about Web site development.
At Blue Ray Media, we create innovative Internet, multimedia, and e-commerce solutions for businesses and nonprofit organizations. My responsibilities include marketing, consulting, helping to close sales, managing projects, designing and updating sites and supporting customers. I enjoy learning about my clients and their businesses and the creative aspects of running my own company. Since starting in 1998, we've had our ups and downs, but it's always interesting!
Creating successful sites for our clients led David and me to create our own Web-based businesses, focused on the vacation rental industry. Global Vacation Rental Listings is where owners and managers can find travelers to rent properties. My Vacation Rental Site provides owners and managers with a way to create a Web site quickly and affordably and to take and manage reservations and payments online.
Personal Self-Employment Mission:
I work as a Web developer to use and improve my talent as a communicator. I enjoy it because it's a venue where I can always challenge myself and keep growing. The variety of projects I work on and people I get to work with keeps life interesting. Having my own business has taught me discipline. It also allows me to create my own opportunities. Best of all, I feel free. Of course I have clients, deadlines and bills to pay, but I like to work for my clients, meet my deadlines and pay my bills because they're mine and not someone else's.
You've just won $100,000,000. What are the first 5 things you do?
(Let's pretend that I had 100 million cash after taxes, just to make things simple. Otherwise, the first thing I'd do would probably be to pay taxes. The government wouldn't let me do otherwise, would they?)
First, I would give away 10 million dollars. Wow, what a great feeling that would be! And I would still have 90 million dollars left! I would spread the 10 million over various charities, non-profits and foundations, including Heifer International, Media Matters, The National Alliance to End Homelessness, Reporters without Borders, Reading is Fundamental and The Red Cross.
Next, I would help all my immediate family (and maybe a few other people) pay off the homes they're living in right now.
Then I'd buy myself three homes. One where it's quiet and wild (as in "wilderness"), one where it's sunny and warm and there's a beach nearby, and one in London, for the thrill of it.
Then I'd buy a few million dollars worth of Berkshire Hathaway stock. Past performance may not guarantee future success, but they've done pretty well and even without Warren (someday), I think the company will continue to do great!
Then I would travel - Africa, Tahiti and Bora Bora, Asia, and Europe - and ponder what to do with the rest!
If you could only listen to one song for the rest of time, what would it be? Why?
Madonna's "Vogue". It's so layered (over-produced you say? Nah!), I always hear something new in it. It's fun, has a good beat, and is great to dance to.
Favorite Quote:
"If fifty million people say a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing." - Anatole France
That quote says so much. It means think for yourself and be yourself. Don't follow the herd because they may be totally clueless. Stand up for what you think is right. I love it.
