Me.

I like these guys a lot. If I were to organize a “World BBQ for Peace” I’d invite Shane and Peter. Not only are they seriously cool, they have smarts and have thrown out the idea to their readers to interview themselves. The questions from Shane below are in bold and the answers are mine. Here we go…

What’s your personal mission statement?

Have fun while it lasts (hey, nothing lasts forever so why bog down your business with negative vibes).

What’s the biggest mess you’ve dealt with this year?

Filing my paperwork to the point of obsession (I know I’m being literal about the idea of mess). Being organized is a no-brainer so don’t let the mess get out of hand and don’t work like a slob.

What current entrepreneurial efforts consume your time?

Doing things which make money. This sounds easy but isn’t. Many people lose sight of what they are working for and drift around spending time on stuff which is not connected to making money come into their company. All your interesting social ideas cannot be implemented if your company goes broke.

Why do you do what you do? What inspires you? When do you get most excited?

I’m a show off so speaking in front of people seemed like a natural thing to do. It gives me a kick and I feel almost giddy, it’s my own sky diving (although you would have to drag me kicking and screaming to really sky dive). After, I am the most excited when people disagree and I feel I’m on the edge of my capacities. If it is in a context of working with clients or with business partners nothing gets me going like pushing ideas until they come to something (I am secretly scared of being supported by yes men when I become a billionaire).

Boxers or Briefs? or as Naomi says, Bikini or Thong, duh?!?

Does anyone still wear briefs?

What do you do when you’re not [designing | programming | managing | writing | toiling for the wo/man]?

Roll around and giggle with my kids (and with my wife but that’s a different sort of rolling around).

What one thing made the biggest difference when getting started?

Understanding no one was going to do things for me. No one was going to hand me a high-octane business on a platter. All action needs to be generated by the company and push outwards like the hub of a wheel. If you are not the hub you are not generating business.

What’s your exit strategy?

Become a professional golfer.

What is the last thing that made you belly laugh?

The response to the last question.

Have you ever been in business before?

I have been in businesses before but Coote Libeau is my first business (with you Christophe).

At what point do you consider yourself successful?

When objectives are attained (to do this you need to fix objectives of course). I like the idea of being successful everyday and not working until I’m dead and never feeling the thrill of succcess.

What was your first experience with a computer?

My first real professional experience was working in design on an old Mac, which wasn’t old at the time (I don’t remember which one and this is after games and Commodore 64 when I was a kid right?). I wasn’t really one of the forerunners and I’m certainly not one of those who boasts about being on the internet when it was just three people in California and a guy in Sweden talking about dragons. I’m much more computer savvy now than before.

Steve Jobs vs Bill Gates in a jello wrestling match, where’s your money?

In my pocket (although Bill is probably tougher than he looks).

Where do you do your best thinking?

In my head.

What does your average daily work / life balance look like? How much time do you work, play and sleep?

It’s tipped pretty heavily on the side of work but this doesn’t mean anything. The opposite of play isn’t work for me, the opposite of play is depression, and if this is how you see your job I suggest changing jobs. However, I sleep okay.

If I could introduce you to anyone, who would it be?

My sister (I haven’t seen her in a while so that would be cool).

What stops you from giving up when you are frustrated?

Knowing we’ve found answers before and there’s only our capacity to adapt which is stopping us from finding the answer now. Things are not always where you think they are.

If Chuck Norris and Steven Hawking had a baby (hey it’s my damn interview), would you vote for her for president?

Sure, why not. If she had Hawking’s brains and Norris’ chest hair that would make for one hell of a woman (and my voting has always been pretty fickle anyway).

So, there you go. Me. If I understand the hi-concept correctly I need to throw back a question into the mix so here we go –

If you had the choice of making a million dollars by selling to a million people for a buck or selling to a hundred people for ten thousand dollars each which would you choose?