Vox Fortis Communications

I pretty much look like that little skeleton right now. (Ok, I’m not that thin.)

But, I pretty much felt like death warmed over yesterday, after a whirlwind trip Thursday through Saturday. Many cups of coffee later, I resolved to answer the interview that Shane put up for us freelancers to try out. I can’t guarantee utterly witty responses, but I’ll do my best, feeling like a skeleton and all.

What’s your personal mission statement?

This has changed recently since being expelled from the bowels of corporate America. For the better, that is. My recently revised personal mission statement is: No more days full of dread, half-baked work, or time that’s obviously being wasted for too little pay. I choose to accept only projects that invigorate me, with people that make me smile and teach me new things…and hopefully I can teach them a thing or two along the way.

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

Probably every job I had this year until I struck out on my own. I’d like to pick just one, but now that I’ve come out on the other side, it’s hard to separate one thing from another. Mostly it looks like a burning car wreck with buzzards circling. I’m pretty sure there might be a circus with an evil clown somehow involved in that landscape. However, I’m still coming through the detoxification process of corporate America. Once the disinfectant is working to capacity, the single biggest mess may become clearer, but for now, it’s mostly snippets in my head.

What current entrepreneurial efforts consume your time?

I’m lucky that I don’t have to do much marketing anymore. A lot of my day is communication with current clients, and I’m happy to say they’re all really fun people. (Yes, they read this. No, I’m not kissing up. They really are that fun.)

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

Being master of how I spend my time is inspiring. As someone whose parents both were enslaved in various ways to large corporations, I feel inspired that things have evolved so much for my generation. That we have the ability to work anywhere, with people that appreciate your talent regardless of location.

I wake up most mornings looking forward to my day, with very few exceptions.

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

You should pay no mind to my skivvies.

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

I’m either face-planted into a book, or have an Xbox 360 controller in my hand.

What one thing made the biggest difference when getting started?

Other than the full support of The Man of the House, the freelancers I talked to before taking the plunge. Naomi was a hugely wonderful pillar of “you can do it”-ness, and has since become a very good friend. Freelance sites like Freelance Switch, Freelance Folder, and Shane and Peter kept me inspired that plenty of people work for themselves and succeed every day.

What’s your exit strategy?

I’m still working an entrance where I’m not tripping over my own feet. I’m a klutz.

What is the last thing that made you belly laugh?

Probably the dog earlier today. I can’t remember specifically, but most daily belly laughs can be attributed to her. (When she’s not teaching people marketing, of course.)

Have you ever been in business before?

Other than in high school, where I watched over-caffeinated, nannied-to-death rich heathens for way too little pay? No.

At what point do you consider yourself successful?

When I’m doing what I’m best at, getting paid fairly for it, and having a life outside of it as well.

What was your first experience with a computer?

My friend’s Macintosh. I can’t remember the game, but it was a rudimentary city skyline, with lines that would come down from the top of the screen. You’d have to position the mouse in its trajectory, and click the mouse button to detonate a something-or-another which would stop the line from colliding into the city.

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

Steve Jobs. Much as I love my Xbox 360, I tend to experience less frustration with my Mac and movies that come from Pixar.

Where do you do your best thinking?

In my robe with a cup of coffee. Location doesn’t seem to matter. It’s a highly technical experiment, obviously

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

Work has been eating up more time than it should the last week or two, but most of that has been related to an influx of clients where I’m trying to get up to speed.

Yes, that’s a disclaimer because the word “balance” in that question made my brain twitch momentarily.

I probably work 8-10 hours a day, play for 4-5 and sleep for about 8.

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

Do you know Johnny Depp? Then you’re of no use, Shane.

What stops you from giving up when you are frustrated?

I have an extreme aversion to failure. I will stick with things, projects included, far after my gut feeling about it is sending flashy red signs, red flags, red stop signs, and huge red middle fingers when I ignore it. I will get frustrated and say I’m giving up…but a few hours later, I’m there again, grinding my teeth and beint stubborn.

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

So it could perform the quart of blood technique while being a immobile in a wheelchair and solving the universe’s mysteries…absolutely. (You get bonus points if you can tell me what movie that technique is from.) Jeez, who wouldn’t with that kind of skill set on a resume?

And, as requested, the question I would add is:

When did you know it was time to stop accepting projects you hated simply to make crappy money, versus turning away a sure thing and waiting for a better fit?