What the heck is a Groupon?  It’s a way of leveraging group buys– check it out, they probably have something in your city. These people are clearly smart, as competitions are a great way to gain PR, traffic (eyeballs), and eventually new clients and business growth.  Their competition is called Live Off Groupon.

What you are supposed to do is live for a whole year off of nothing but groupons.  Be resourceful, figure out how to survive, and of course blog the whole time.  Sounds easy enough!  You start with nothing… like, no clothes even.  You wear a suit made of paper groupons!  I’d turn that into a whole photoshoot!

The audition requires you to make a 90 second video of why they should choose you. Because I only found out about this 3 days before the deadline, I had to shoot this to spec– as compared to adding graphics, editing ummms and uhhs out, etc…. No flashiness, just a video that could be uploaded.

I finished filming it (thanks Craig Allen for all your help!) at 11:20pm, with 40 minutes left to upload it, as well as write a 300-500 word essay on my experience with a Groupon vendor, which I had to videotape, and write a blog post about…. and a 400-500 word essay about why I should be chosen. I was typing it up at 11:58.  This felt like highschool again!  Doing the big project the day it’s due!

I was dancing for joy at 11:59pm when I received a confirmation e-mail saying my application was received!  I made it!

I think this would be a wonderful extension of everything I’ve been doing.  I truly believe these groupon things are a great business model for the participating businesses, and a wonderful deal for consumers who buy it.  Having infinite groupons sounds like fun, as does $100k, but the challenge of being constantly on the move… that’s exciting!

Wish me luck!

To learn more about the contest, check out the Live Off Groupon contest page.

Everyone wants to know how Mardi Gras was…. Find out on the podcast!

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I also talk about some killer ways to save money based on group buying, and how to use that for your own advertising and marketing.  What the heck a hackintosh is, and how that’s going.  And of course, the latest trouble I’m looking to get into

My first broadcast from a cell phone, and the longest I’ve been on an iphone. I recorded this on the drive to Mardi Gras with Jason Moffatt and Randy Primm.

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The themes are collaboration, networking and… well, you should listen and find out!  Some decent marketing ideas in there too, so take notes

Yesterday was Craig Allen’s birthday. There’s already many adventures with Craig, but I’m currently staying with him as my sort of HQ. I was designated driver, and we were going to hang out with Jason Moffatt. I’ve couchsurfed with Jmo in San Diego, and since then he’s gone on to get an RV, to go around the country.

Jason has actually teamed up with Randy Primm, the Road Bandit, who already was on the road in an RV for 2 years.  With Jason’s marketing and people knowledge, they should be a force to reckon with.

Another one of my couches, David Gonzaelz, has a marketing and networking event every month, the Internet Marketing Party. David had invited Jason to be the speaker at this month’s event, and Jmo agreed.  I was stoked, ’cause that meant we’d both be in Austin at the same time, and I’d get to meet Randy.

Craig and I made it to Freddie’s – the bar where we met up with everyone last night.  It was instant fun.  Lots of cool people there.  Micahel Lovitch was there, and I had just couchsurfed with him last week in Dallas (see Poker Night story).  I caught up with Jason a little bit, and then got to meet Randy… who is really tall (in fact, that’s what he wrote for his name tag).  We immediately got along, and spent the rest of the time at Freddie’s just chatting with each other about travel, about adventure, about the experiences that we can’t really share on our blogs Read the rest of this entry »

What did I do in Dallas?

Billboard climbing

Art fair

warehouse party

consulting

met new people

got a speaking and mc gigs for next month

played poker (learned to play poker actually)

There was more… and that’s why you need to listen to Episode 7.  You can hear what the listeners who got their consulting thought, and check out a funny conversation with Jason Moffatt.  That reminds me– this is the first episode to have the word “shit” in it.  I was wondering how long the G rating would last

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My friend Michael Lovitch has Poker Night every Tuesday.  I’ve wanted to make it to this for a very long time.  I finally got to attend. They also have “Night rider Sundays” which I’ll have to come back another time for.

Night rider Sundays are a bicycle bar-hopping event.  I don’t drink much (these days… when I’m not at events.  When at events, I let loose), but that sounds like a blast.  I did drink this evening.

I didn’t know it, but Michael and I were not allowed to be back at the house before 2AM.  His daughter takes after him in his night owl tendencies.  I have the same tendencies, and while Michael likes to joke around about everything, he takes the “5 year olds need to get their sleep” subject very seriously.

I’m on paragraph 4, and I still haven’t mentioned that I don’t really know how to play poker!  Ooops.  So here’s what happened: Read the rest of this entry »

If you want to meet up in Dallas, contact me. There’s a place that has all you can eat sushi, all you can drink sake… that should be a good place.

There’s also many Fun things to do in Dallas that I’d like to check out.  Many are free, or close to it!  Wanna go?

Why am I going to Dallas?  One reason is to keep traveling.  Another reason is because Couch 23 is having his first gallery exhibit, and I’m going to show my support.  Another one of my couches that I’ve surfed has his Tuesday night poker nights, and I’ve always missed those.  So, that’s getting done TODAY!

Exploring the Fun things to do in Dallas will be fun too!

Oh yeah!  There may be some crotch rocket riding, and definitely some motorcycle photography. Let’s hope for some awesome weather.  It’s been a long time since I rode a street-bike.  Used to have a Honda CBR 600 F2. It was a beautiful bike!

I got shot in the leg one time with a paintball gun, while driving 110 mph.  That sucked.  It was a fun bike, it was fun to ride.  That was in 2001 that it got stolen.  So, maybe there’ll be some riding this week

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It seems the show just keeps getting better. The topics are pretty diverse- bankrupcy, falling for scams, fighting back, photography, facial expressions, PR, Peter Shankman, various jokes, and more!

Have a listen, leave a comment!  You can download this, and take it with you.

Episode 3 was fun! This time I had a full-time guest on the show, Elizabeth Potts Weinstein. She had said that it’s on her bucket list to go on an adventure with me… so she came into town, and had an adventure!  You can hear many of the details on here, as well as learn some marketing, humor, etc… Enjoy!

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I’m thrilled to report that today, instead of me driving to California, I have someone coming to couchsurf with me in Austin, TX.  I had people stay with me while I was in Atlanta, but this time, I”m couchsurfing with soeone else, and someone else is coming to stay with me (Confused yet?).

Elizabeth has never had Sake, so we’re having a Tweetup tonight–  The Sushi/Sake tweetup. (Haven’t decided on the Where… just sign up, and we’ll tell you today)  Tomorrow morning, we’re going Zip-lining. Also, we’re going to shoot some fun pics, since I’m a photo-elitist, and her photos are too normal for my taste.

That’s a good amount of adventure for one weekend.  It’s also my monthly adventure (if you read my 2010 goals… I”m semi-settled in, but I want to make sure I get at LEAST 1 adventure a month).  I may squeeze in more adventures, but a lot of consulting work has come in, as well as design work, so we’ll see– but at least I’m going ziplining, and helping someone else have a very memorable weekend.

This could be the new model for me.  Come visit me, we’ll go adventure, get you some great pics, and come up with tons of solutions for your business.

I am extremely thrilled to report on the good nature of people, and on the benefits of having over 10,000 followers on twitter:  I wanted a specific video camera for Zip-lining… The Hero Camera.  I asked on Twitter who had one, and Marshall Haas not only has one, but he overnighted it to me!  Just so I can suction-cup it onto my helmet, and get great footage of the Zip-lining experience.  How amazing is that?

Marhsall has actually just developed an awesome Iphone app where you get to beat up your boss   Stress relief is cool… but… you also get a chance to win a bunch of money, recognition, and much more… in fact.. I’m going to have to interview him, and make a blog post about this.  It’s quite fascinating the big names he’s gotten involved, and maybe it will motivate you to develop an app… neat business model.

If YOU would like to go on an adventure with me, contact me!

Couchsurfing Radio Episode #2 was a fast-paced humor-filled, inspiration laced ride!  It’s hard to believe that just last week I spent an hour of going “uhhhhh”- and harder to believe that yet again, I threw it together!

At first, neither I nor my listeners could get on! I set the settings wrong, and we had to move the show to 11:30pm EST, instead of 11. But from that point, everything was on track.

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This time, I had two guests.  Hottie adventurer entrepreneur Ingrid Vanderveldt who races motorcycles, jumps out of a plane, is building up a company valued at $100,000,000, and knows the value of being unique, and seeking mentors. I find her inspirational, and she tries to empower women-entrepreneurs. Read the rest of this entry »

Happy anniversary to me!  Happy anniversary to me!  I’ve been couchsurfing a full 3 years as of today!  Happy anniversary to me!

That’s right, as of today I’m in my 4th year of Couchsurfing.  My parents thought it was just going to be a 1 year phase.  I didn’t know what it was going to be, but it’s everything I wanted it to be.

I’ve met the most amazing people.  I’ve done things that aren’t really on the tourist brochure.  I’ve expanded my mind and horizons.  I’ve seen and photographed things that are amazing.  I’ve helped lives and businesses.

It’s been a glorious 3 years, and I highly recommend it to anyone!  Thanks for being there with me!