Man Is The Media.
How TechCrunch, SXSW Interactive and Einstuerzende Neubauten changed my life in two days
March 9th, 2008 by Martin
I wrote this post almost a month ago, but because of a few formalities, I haven’t been able to post it until now. Enjoy.
I’m not one for thinking things are good for no reason, although I on occasion do feel like painter Francis Bacon, who claimed to be ‘optimistic about nothing’. I believe most of what we see and experience are coincidental; as am I, and so are you.
Having felt everything was mostly uphill the past month or so, it could seem as if I crossed the ridge last week. Read about two very busy and exiting days of my life:
TechCrunch
As some of you may know, I’ve been working with the web startup Issuu, that takes online publishing to the next level. I joined the project back in 2006, when Issuu had a different name, and enough ideas to last a century. Since then we narrowed it all down in what history undoubtedly will recognize as the most elaborated business plan ever made (investors were mostly speechless). We eventually secured the funding, worked our asses off for a year and silently launched the project December 2007.
This Wednesday, we were discovered by TechCrunch, the world’s most read blog on Internet startups. The plan was to get a few details fixed and contact them next week (they like to be first), but late Wednesday evening, the office was empty, except for me and our CEO Michael, who I suddenly heard rushing towards my office. I didn’t think I would ever see him run, so I expected nothing less than an impending gas explosion.
But it was the ‘crunchers’ with an unusual positive review, although a short one. The next looong couple of days, we managed to spin the story and rush a release, while frantically following the spin-off coverage, insane traffic increase and glowing inboxes. 95% was extremely positive and we *didn’t* crash. I always loved this product because it solves problems that are so deeply rooted in our online culture, but nonetheless it was extremely liberating to finally get proof that people from Irak to Alaska felt the same way.
SXSW Interactive
A few months ago we at Issuu decided to apply for the startup competition of this season’s biggest event, SXSW in Austin, Texas. Back then no one had really given us the thumbs up, so it was just something we did because, ‘hey, why not?’, and the entry fee was really cheap. But, Friday morning, we got news we had made the cut and was among the finalists.
SXSW is interesting because it’s not just a tech event, but also includes film and music. And it’s huge. “Hundreds and hundreds” of companies apply to join the so-called Web Awards, and it’s really an honor just having made it this far and being listed in the ‘Experimental’ category (read cutting-edge).
Einstürzende Neubauten
What is it in human nature that makes us so dependent on the judgment of others? One thing I’ve learned from this week, is that if you really believe in something (and it’s more that just a casual flirt), you have to *stick* to it, even if people shake their head.
So, Friday last week, I got a mail that I actually thought was spam. It wasn’t. Since 2000 I’ve been part of a musical duo, Stol, that’s existed in near total obscurity, apart from a so-so review and a gig on some underground festival, none of us had ever heard about. Nonetheless, we kept at it because we liked what we were doing.
We were recently joined by two more musicians, and can rightfully call ourselves a band. And the mail? It was from a Portuguese booker, who found us on MySpace (of all places) and wanted us to be the supporting act for Einstürzende Neubauten in Porto’s famous Casa Da Musica. Obviously I thought it was a joke, but now the contract is signed (and what I was waiting for to post this).
If you’ve never heard about Neubauten, their tech equivalent would be someone like Steve Wozniac; a true innovator and visionary within his field. Needless to say; we’re ecstatic. More about the gig at my band’s blog.
Finally, just to take the punch out of the heading: None of the above actually really changed my life, but I hope it made you read this far.
