Re-Learning to Learn

I have spent the last four days working with Butterfinger non-stop on the direction to take our advertising for the site. Right now, we are barely breaking even with the calls (if we do so at all), and we really need to get a couple revenue streams going so we can keep up all the positive momentum the past few weeks have brought us. In the spirit of keeping proprietary information classified, I am not at liberty to go into all the details of how we plan to make this work, just know that over this past long weekend, I have learned more about web-based advertising, and open source advertising software than some people ever learn about a subject they receive a bachelor’s degree in. I am absolutely positive I could tell you more about advertising zones, ad placement, and cost per impression, than I could about the out-of-Africa hypothesis, and I have a B.A. in Biological Anthropology.

I have been forced to re-evaluate the way I learn, and try to tailor my learning style to that of my ADHD partner in crime.  Instead of being able to synthesize text and/or concepts at my own pace (albeit a generally quick one since I read pretty fast), I am learning to be more “hands on” and go and read up on something as a question/issue arises. Survival of the fittest really comes into play when you are creating your own company, and as long as what you are doing is not hurting anyone or their intellectual property, you really need to go for it and worry about the repercussions at a later time

It is a completely different and almost surreal feeling when you are learning about something that you are going to be able to turn into a product that has the potential to create revenue to support you for the rest of your life. You get more excited, more in depth, and want to know everything there is, because you do not want to risk choosing the wrong software or layout, for fear it may negatively affect the campaign complementing the technology you have worked so hard on.

Being able to make your own hours to work is a dream straight from heaven, even though we do end up working on startup-related tasks for about 90% of any given day (it’s amazing what you can get done without someone glaring over your shoulder).  Sorry for all the jumbled thoughts this evening, but this is how things have been coming to me lately…  My brain’s attempt at mimicking Butterfinger’s style perhaps?

I have also learned that there is nothing that can not be done when it comes to coding and adjusting a program to work to your specifications. There are people all over the world that will do crazy amounts of coding and debugging for $50 a job! And do not think that these are slave-like people that are getting ripped off by Americans, using and abusing their talents – a lot of them are right here in the good ‘ol US of A and work on projects as a hobby or on a consulting basis. Check out rent-a-coder <dot> com if you are still skeptical (I know I was), you will be amazed at the amount for which these people are willing to do tasks that would be out of the realm of possibility for most of us.

Finally, I have learned how well Butterfinger and I work together and really are two complementary pieces (take that however you wish – works of art, pieces of “work”, hunks of garbage, etc.).  I really can not think of a better person to learn both from and with, as we strive to make something for ourselves.

I am not usually one for quotes, but you really can not go wrong with Gandhi:  “Live as if you would die tomorrow. Learn as if you would live forever.”