That’s your new mission.  My friend Eric Friedman and I recently started work on a new side project (what he likes to call a sandbox project).  I’ve been toying with the idea for a unique kind of content-based site for quite awhile – yet I kept stopping short of actually executing on it due to time constraints.  It’s funny, the premise had been staring me in the face for about four months – only now, as I come to a different crossroads in life (which I’ll share more on when I can) has the idea been boiled to the surface.  Eric and I flushed out the idea together and we’re taking a 50/50 stake in the entire process.

No details yet, but I’m really excited about working on it.  I think Eric knows this, but if not he’s going to learn quite fast that I don’t quit at something once I start.  Also he’ll learn that although sometimes I get enthused during brainstorming and love to create lots of drafts, the final product I bring to the table is always of the highest quality, even if what we’re working on is essentially an experiment.

The problem Eric and I were facing with creating a content-based site is that, well, we both have them.  You’re reading mine right now.  Creating fresh content with any degree of frequency is a monolithic task, however we brainstormed and came up with an idea that is going to let us create interesting material in an efficient way without sacrificing quality.  That’s all I’m going to disclose for now, you’ll have to wait to see the project (if you’re a subscriber here or to Marketing.FM, you’ll be the first to know more details).

Here are a few things I’m excited for on this project in particular:

Project management in an unstructured setting

Eric and I have both worked on formal web development projects during our professional careers from start to finish, however I’m curious to see how we work on a “volunteer” basis – we’re going to be collaborating and certainly will both be devoting time on our own rendition to the site to make it a success.  I know our energies play off each other, and I think he’ll do well to bring balance to the equation.  Hopefully some of it will rub off on me – it’s not that I’m unbalanced, it is that I tend to have a lot of raw creative energy.  I get better at directing it everyday, it’s an ongoing process and I think Eric is a positive influence on me in that regard.

A new avenue to apply my creative promotional ideas at-will

Right now my creative ideas have to be approved, except for my blog and as an artist.  It’s funny because I come up with ideas for real world problems while working on blog content or writing music (my mind works best while focused) which then I turn around and apply professionally.  I’m looking forward to having a new open-slate for ideas because the site concept is 100% creativity-driven.  With each new area in life I dive into it is all about developing fresh patterns in cognitive development.

Learning from a talented peer in a complementary industry

As the title of this post suggests, I think it is important for everyone – no matter where you are in the business food chain – to partner up with one of your peers as a learning experience and and make something you find interesting.  Find someone who fills in the pieces you’re missing and just go.  Figure it out as you move forward, don’t second guess.

New ideas to share with you at The Future Buzz

This idea may succeed.  It may fail.  The point isn’t either of those two, it is to learn – and I will share all learning experiences (and maybe even metrics) with you as we go forward.  Even if it’s a smashing failure – we will have a compelling story to share, and I know every single reader here is interested in that.

A different kind of challenge

Each web application, blog, community site, or marketing campaign I work on is exciting because while I can hypothesize, there is no way to 100% accurately predict the outcome.  If it was, it probably wouldn’t be much fun.  Even though we do have some proof of concept, I’m excited for the problems that arise so we can work through them.  Solving problems creatively and coming up with unlikely solutions is a fulfilling experience in itself.

Other things I’m looking forward to with this project:

  • Studying the analytics and growth from a project that is designed to spread 100% socially
  • Targeting a more mainstream audience than I do here
  • Seeing how far a simple idea can go
  • Branding a new site from scratch
  • Getting more efficient with content generation

Your call to action

We’re all connected to each other intimately, and if you’re not using those connections to make real action happen, you’re missing out.  I hope you’ll start something like this too – large or small, win or fail, it doesn’t matter – it is all about the learning process you’ll have together.  So in reality you’ll win no matter what, because you’ll grow.  Find a friend, start a project.

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