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Perry came to us from a corporate setting but we don’t hold that against him. As soon as he wheeled his bike into the office, we knew it was a good fit. Of course the fact that he can keep up with most of the cyclists in the office also wins him points all around. From his casual demeanor (he loves wearing old-school Vans with no socks) to his good humor, Perry has been a most welcome addition around Lijit.
Perry’s official title is VP of Market Development, but since he seems to know everyone in Boulder, we also like to call him the Jaunty Man about Town. And don’t even get him started about his glory days in the 90’s when he rode mountain bikes with Dan Cortese or hung out backstage with Perry Farrell (who, believe it or not, shares the same first name. OMG.) Fortunately, Perry agreed to take some time out of his busy schedule to allow us a peek into his psyche.
What is your Lijit contribution?
A muddy bike in a no-bikes allowed building… I have worked for large and small companies – I like to believe that I bring the best perspective/practices from each (and left the shite at the door…well, mostly).
What is your least favorite sound and why?
The sound of a frisbee banging into a car. For any of you who have played the game, you will know EXACTLY what I am talking about. When I was a kid, we used to play frisbee in the cul-de-sac where I lived. Invariably, someone would either over-throw or miss and that unforgettable sound would echo through the neighborhood…thankfully is was (usually) less damaging than one would think.
What turns you on, creatively, emotionally or spiritually and why?
I am not sure if it is a paternal thing, but I get really fired up when my kids take an interest in a sport and get super excited about it. My girls both locked onto Lacrosse (I never played…and am horrible) and my son took to cycling right away. While they have miles to go to be “great” at their respective endeavors, it inspires me to learn or better myself so that I can enjoy their growth alongside them. Wish me luck.
What profession, other than your own, would you like to attempt and why?
As Boulder-stereotypical as it sounds, I would LOVE to own a bike shop. People need to remember that cyclists put the U.S. into flight first (Orville and Wilbur). A bike shop caters to every demographic and has substantial breadth when it comes to customer interests – everything from the recreational rider to the pro-level cyclist…and the revolutionary anti-gasoline commuter to the hardcore downhiller. Many different customers creates a hyper-diverse and interesting place to work.
Something you’re guilty of…
My body is really bad at processing sugar, which does not work well given my moderate addiction to dark chocolate. The pros tell you there are anti-oxidants in chocolate, but I still think that the sugar wrecks me…such is life.
But the greatest thing about Perry is that he is willing to represent Lijit in the manner to which we’ve become accustomed. On bikes.
I would normally wrap this up by encouraging interested parties to check out Perry’s blog and Twitter stream. However, in this case, all you’ll discover is that he is woefully negligent with both.
But then again, he does have a wonderful wife and three really cute kids…which speaks more about him than any social media platform ever could.
Tags: get to know Lijit, Lijit employee profile | View Comments
I never cease to be amazed at what Lijit publishers have accomplished and how cool they seem to be. Take, for instance, today’s profile about Lisa Lubin. She’s a three-time Emmy-award-winning Television writer/producer/editor. But that was before she decided to take a sabbatical to travel and work her way around the world. Lucky for us, she has written about the (mis)adventures that ensued as she traipsed around the globe on her blog, LL World Tour.
In addition to sharing stories from her time abroad, Lisa also posts about subjects closer to home like her love for Chicago and thoughts about her hometown in Jersey, along with tips for those women traveling solo and best practices for booking airline flights.
How long have you been blogging and what made you start?
I have been blogging since the summer of 2006. I had decided to quit my job, chuck all my stuff, and travel around the world for a year (which later turned into 2 1/2 years). I was going to simply send ‘email updates’ to friends and family. But a good friend of mine who worked in the crazy interweb world at what was once a small startup in Chicago called Feedburner (now owned by Google), convinced me to start a blog…and off I went into the blogosphere cringing at the awful name every time.
What has been the greatest thing you’ve received from blogging about your travels?
It truly has been amazing. I have ‘met’ so many new friends this way–some that were also traveling and others that were just living vicariously through my adventures. I truly loved helping inspire others and the feedback I received from total strangers was heartwarming.
In your world tours, what has been your top three destinations and why?
This is always a hard question to answer as what I love about traveling is the interaction with people all over the world and I was lucky enough to meet some damn fine people. But besides that, my favorite places were as follows:
- Berlin–hands down, a cool, progressive city of now. It’s a young city and Berliners are open and artistic. They look back and acknowledge their history, but at the same time are racing into the future. It’s an edgy city with great architecture and art pushing boundaries everywhere you look. I’d live there in a second and you’d find me at a cafe, drinking a beer in Prenzlauer Berg.
- The Galapagos Islands–Stunning. This was definitely a once in a lifetime place. Each island you visit is different and unique with its own landscape and flora and fauna. The animal life is amazing and with no predators, they simply could care less that you are walking right up to them. I loved my days there of learning, snorkeling, and drifting around at sea without a care in the world.
- Turkey–I went there on the recommendation of many saying it was their favorite country. I planned to stay two weeks. I stayed three months. The people are universally warm and generous. So many took me in and in a few weeks I was giving private business English lessons, cat sitting at a great flat near Taksim (the center of all nightlife/restaurants), and had a mobile phone with twenty new friends in Istanbul that I hadn’t even known just a few weeks prior. Besides that…the country has an amazingly diverse landscape-from the beaches of the Aegean and Mediterranean to the jaw-dropping ancient Roman ruins to the mountains, lakes and of course, tasty food-it’s a wonderful place.
What has been the greatest challenge you’ve encountered in your journeys?
The greatest challenge? Probably making time to ‘work’ and keep my blog updated. I tried to dedicate days to just hanging out and working wherever I was, but sometimes it was hard to spend the day on my laptop.
How has Lijit helped you to become a better blogger?
I have just started using Lijit (as recommended by that same cool friend who got me blogging in the first place) and am feeling my way around it. The wijit was easy to install on my sidebar and allowed me to remove a clunky section I’d put together of ‘where to find me on the web’ as Lijit already had this as part of their widget.
In addition to being recognized for her travel blog in various places online (like being a finalist in the 2008 Weblog Awards), her articles and photographs have been published by Sunset Magazine, The Boston Globe, Go Nomad and The Savvy Gal among others. She’s lectured on traveling solo and will be teaming up with Whole Foods, REI and Hostelling International for ‘Travel and Food’ seminars this summer. Keep an eye out for Lisa because if you have any questions about traveling, chances are she has your answers.
I love indulging my wanderlust by reading Lisa’s blog and am honored that she’s chosen Lijit as her blog search tool of choice. Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions Lisa and for inspiring us all with your adventures!
What’s buzzing around the Lijit offices, you ask?
Jul 9th
by Tara Anderson in Company, employees, events, fun
In case you were wondering where all the honey bees have gone…look no further.
According to eyewitness reports, the swarm “arrived in tight formation, surveyed the Rio Grande across the street, found it unsuitable and then proceeded to colonize our tree.”
The guy in the white shirt is Bill, a wonderful guy and Lijit employee who alerted us to the swarm’s presence yesterday. After others in the building caught wind of the news, a small crowd gathered to enjoy the spectacle of nature until some do-gooder beekeepers came by to collect the bees a little while later.
A final close-up shot of the swarm, so you can fully appreciate just how Lijit we can bee…
Many thanks to Zach Conger, our resident Systems Architect and honey of a guy for rushing out to document this extraordinary event.
And yes, this does constitute exciting around our workplace. No judging.
Tags: good times, Lijit employees, Lijit office, nature encounter | View Comments
There are four kinds of people that work here at Lijit*: those that race cars, those that run, those that bike, and those that do other things**. I’m of the opinion that bikers make up the second largest majority around the office, being slightly beaten out by the overall geek population. When I got word that there were a couple of self-proclaimed geeks that were riding their bicycles across the US to raise awareness about bike-commuting, I knew they had to be Lijit.
Meet Carlos and Joe, the two geeks behind Real Geeks Ride. They started their cross-country cycling adventure on May 20th and are chronicling their journey via blog, tweets and pictures. We’re honored that they’ve chosen to use Lijit on the official RGR blog but reading about their travels just wasn’t enough. After a few emails (and one phone call he took from the side of the road in Nebraska with big trucks whizzing by), Carlos was happy to answer a few questions for us.
How long have you been blogging and what made you start?
I have been in the blogging world on and off for the past few years. It tends to be event/travel oriented, rather than opinion or news based. I started blogging in high school but dropped it when interest was lost. I picked it up again when I traveled around the world with a ‘worldly singing and dancing group’ to keep my parents and friends up to date.
What has been the greatest thing you’ve received from blogging?
During this bike ride, blogging has given both Joe and I hundreds of people looking out for our safety and health. They ask about us and offer suggestions when we write about our health issues. Knowing that we have moms across the country expecting our safety is uplifting.
What has suprised you on your cross-country bike trip and why?
It is most surprising how different each state reacts to cyclists on the road. We are currently in Nebraska and receive a wave from every other car (not exaggerating). Our experience here is that people give ample room when passing, and are willing to help at any moment. This differs greatly from our experience in Iowa, where we were screamed at, almost hit a few times, and given the finger more times than waves.
What has been the biggest challenge you guys have encountered on your trip so far?
The biggest challenge has been keeping up with the blog. After biking 100+ miles and arriving at our destination at 8 pm, the last thing we want to do is edit photos and write about the past few hours. However, we gain so much push to do ‘work’ when people send us messages of inspiration. It has been the hundreds of messages we have received that allow us to overcome not wanting to post.
How has Lijit helped you to become a better blogger?
Lijit has allowed me to become a better blogger by making it easy to search for people doing similar things. The more I read within a certain field, the more it gives me the ability to see the different writing styles of that field.
If you’re interested, you can follow along with Carlos and Joe on their blog, on Twitter or through their Flickr pics.
Additionally, if you’re in the Denver/Boulder area, you’re invited to meet the guys this Friday, July 3rd, as they make a stop in Boulder. We’ll be meeting up at the Boulder Draft House, from 4-6 pm, to enjoy some happy hour beers with the guys. (Look for us in the back room!) Ride your bike, stop in, and let us show Carlos and Joe just how much we love our bikes around here.
*A very sweeping overgeneralization, of course.
**Other things include: rugby, hiking, parenting, photography, playing video games & tweeting.
Tags: bicycles, community events, Lijit publishers | View Comments
I don’t even know where to begin with introducing this one. Grace installed Lijit on her cute blog soon after moving to town and I reached out, via email, to thank her. Next thing you know, she’s working for us. Nice how things work like that in Boulder.
We’re so glad to have Grace’s youthful outlook and enthusiasm around the office. She’s a crazy mad tweeter and constantly blogs up a storm. With all of that Gen Y energy, how can she not help our company succeed? (Plus, she likes to pretend she’s tumbling for international judges.)
What is your Lijit contribution?
My title is Business Development, which means I help acquire new bloggers or publishers to understand and use Lijit while also helping to bring in any new business. I do a mix of customer support with our current users, account management, marketing and connecting with new bloggers not yet using Lijit. With that being said, I probably discover and talk with hundreds of bloggers each week!
What sound or noise do you love and why?
The sound of a wine cork popping open and/or a champagne bottle, then the fizzing afterwards. Not only is that sound related to celebrations and happiness, but I love me some wine.
What is your least favorite word and why?
When people (in real life) say out loud, “LOL”, “OMG”, or “WTF”. Why do you have to shorten and abbreviate? I’m right in front of you and you aren’t typing. Express yourself!
What profession, other than your own, would you like to attempt and why?
I’ve secretly been harboring this idea and I recently revealed it, so I’m going to keep going and see where it takes me. Drumroll…Traveling Food Critic. Let me tell you why. It combines all of my passions: I love to travel and explore different cuisines from around the world. I think that writing is a fantastic way to express yourself and I enjoy interacting with people, so if I could have all those bundled up to one profession I would love it. That is, I could still live-tweet, blog and v-blog my way around the world with my very own “Grace Happens” global culinary tour.
Something you’re guilty of…
Laughing at inappropriate times and busting into dance moves when no one else is dancing (ie: middle of a street, empty dance floor, in my chair at the office).
Grace is an amazingly unique individual and is doing wonderful things for Lijit. To get even more Grace in your life, be sure to check out her blog, Small Hands, Big Ideas (take my word for it…those hands are tiny), follow her on Twitter, or look for her traveling food show coming soon to either the Food Network or the Travel Channel. Thanks for all you do to make us smile every day Gracie!
Tags: get to know Lijit, Lijit employee profile | View Comments
Lijit gets around. For some Friday afternoon fun, I wanted to share some of the Lijit sightings we’ve been sent….
If you happen to see Lijit as you’re out and about, be sure to snap a pic and send it our way. We love having photographic proof of where we are. Big thanks to everyone who helped make this post possible.
Tags: Lijit field trip, Lijit fun | View Comments
April 15th is a day that can strike fear into the hearts of many Americans. To show our support, we’re happy to share what some of our publishers had to say about today…
–If you’ve forgotten what today is, refresh your memory and check out the blog Don’t Mess with Taxes. Besides having an awesome name, they have posted a very handy to-do list which should help anyone still confused about what they need to do today. (When you’re done with the list, watch the tax propaganda video they’ve posted featuring Donald Duck.)
–Wondering why we pay taxes? MOMocrats has a post up that explores that very question and comes up with some good answers.
–Taking part in a tea party today? One of our publishers has a post up explaining his view of the tea parties happening all over the country and why ordinary Americans should be upset with out current tax system.
–Wondering if tax reality lives up to the media hype? One publisher has a post citing research that shows how Americans perceive what is fair when it comes to paying taxes, while another publisher references the very same research in his post to show that Americans are happy with what they’re paying.
–Excited to be done paying your taxes? The Foundry blog has a friendly reminder that everyday is tax day and provides a list of the taxes that you pay throughout the year.
–Curious as to how we might fix some of our current tax problems? The folks at Angry Bear say that the solution might involve taxing soda pop.
–Looking for a little poetry to brighten your mood? Check out The Moderate Voice and the lovely ‘Tax Day’ poem that they’ve posted. And yes…it rhymes!
–If all else fails, may we suggest three of our publishers that are certain to help out on a day like today? Headache and Migraine News posts about the differences between a cluster and a real migraine, The Happiness Project is an entire blog devoted to posting ways of being happier, and if all else fails, head over to Drink of the Week to try one of the many tax-relieving beverages that he shares.
We wish you only the best on this (somewhat) stressful day and welcome any taxing comments you may have!
[Photo credit: 427]
Tags: Lijit publishers, tax day | View Comments
Not soon after Ryan lost his kite, I told him he was the lucky next employee to be featured on our company blog. As you might imagine, this was enough to turn Ryan’s frown upside down. I was happy to return the favor since Ryan is continually bringing a smile to everyone’s face in the office. Whether he’s sharing his tea stash (seriously, it’s next to his desk) or teaming up to play foosball, Ryan is, as we like to put it around here, good sauce. Judge for yourself after reading his profile…
What is your Lijit contribution?
As part of Lijit’s Web team, I code some of the core components of our application that users see on a daily basis. 90% of the work I do involves some sort of acronym, such as “PHP” or “XML”, with the exception of “JavaScript”. I also contribute to foosball development in the office – being the “less skilled” half of any team I join – by helping to keep my teammate’s foosball skills sharp.
What sound or noise do you love and why?
One of my favorite sounds is someone asking me “Do you have lunch plans?” because I enjoy getting out of the office and getting to know my coworkers on a different level. And, by the time I’m asked that, I’m almost always very hungry. I also enjoy hearing “Let’s get some drinks” and “Yes, I will make out with you”.
When I work, I usually listen to downtempo music, followed by podcasts such as “This American Life” or “CastaBlasta”.
What turns you on creatively, spiritually, or emotionally and why?
Problem solving and overcoming challenges is extremely rewarding to me, and I’m lucky to be in a profession where that is essentially the job description. When coding through a problem, there are a few Zen moments, when everything makes sense and you know you are on the right track. It’s a good feeling.
Working out is awesome too – and can definitely get me going. I almost always feel great after a workout.
What profession, other than your own, would you like to attempt and why?
I’ve discovered that I enjoy teaching – not necessarily in an academic setting, but I enjoy explaining things and helping people learn and grow.
Something you’re guilty of…
Perhaps I make fun of Twitter too much. Or not enough?
I can be a heavier drinker – of caffeine.
Sometimes people can’t tell when I’m sarcastic. And I was really happy to answer these questions.
Although Ryan can be an occasional rule breaker, as evidenced in the above photo, he’s generally an upstanding guy who writes a mean haiku when he’s inspired. Also, while he may say he makes fun of Twitter too much, you can find and harass Ryan on there if the desire strikes you. I appreciate him being a good sport and taking the time to help make our blog that much cooler. Plus, I can attest that he’s a good guy to have hanging around.
Tags: employees, Lijit employee profile, Ryan Peterson | View Comments
Today, we gathered as a company for one of our regular brown bag lunchtime meetings. The point of these brown bags is for different people to share their area of speciality at Lijit, helping to keep us all informed of what everyone else is working on. We also wanted an occasion to celebrate our newest publisher, a little site that you might have heard of, and there was really only one way to do that properly.
Cheeseburgers all around! Luckily, our CEO was feeling especially sentimental and did a great job of recording the event for posterity. Thanks for the pictures Todd!*
*Although if some of us had known you were taking pictures, we might have tried a little harder to look awake…no offense, Shawn.
The best part of Todd documenting our cheeseburger feast? Getting to watch Walter, our COO, really enjoy his burger. We’re talking edge-of-your-seat excitement here people.
See? We do know how to have fun without alcohol.
Tags: brown bag, Friday Fun, I can has cheezburger?, Lijit employees | View Comments
Get to know Lijit: Mark “The Money Guy” Chessler
Mar 20th
by Tara Anderson in Company, employees, fun
Before Mark joined Lijit, we were having problems with numbers. The kind of problems that only a really good finance guy can solve. Especially a really good finance guy with a real live calculator. So, we were really excited to have Mark (or Chess as he’s called by some around the office) come aboard. Not to mention the fact that when he started here, he had the added benefit of already working with a bunch of us in the past.
However, you probably don’t know him, so I managed to strongarm him into answering some questions for me. Those finance guys…they just don’t know how to arm-wrestle. Enjoy learning the ways of the Mark.
What is your Lijit contribution?
I am the OFG (only Finance guy)- I am responsible for the Accounting and Finance functions at Lijit, which involves producing timely and accurate financial statements, handling a variety of financial analyses, and managing company financial planning.
What is your favorite word and why?
Consistency – because it is a foundation for success both personally and professionally.
What turns you off creatively, emotionally, or spiritually and why?
Lately, I’ve been turned off by the overwhelming negativity of the mainstream media. I notice this especially in business and sport coverage because I follow those areas the most closely. As an example, sports coverage used to focus on individual and team achievement, now it seems like it’s all about manufactured locker room controversies, nasty salary negotiations, brushes with the law, etc.
I think there is some carry-over to our society in general or maybe society is driving the demand for negative news? Either way, I think the pendulum has swung too far to the negative slant in reporting.
What profession, other than your own, would you like to attempt and why?
College football offensive coordinator. There are a few reasons I would like to attempt this. First, it involves complex decision making based on analysis of both real-time and historical data for play calling – in a way, it’s very similar to business decision making. Also, the results of your decisions are known right away, allowing for a constant flow of new information that can be utilized immediately. I think the coaching/teaching aspect of it would be rewarding as well. On top of the specifics of the job, what could be more fun than being directly involved in college football?
Something you’re guilty of…
I am guilty of being a college football addict. (See answer to #4). I have gone to or watched on TV nearly every single University of Colorado football game for the last 15 years, including traveling to at least one away game per year.
Mark looks really happy in the above picture because just a week or so before it was taken, his wife gave birth to twins. So that smile is really a slap-happy grin due to lack of sleep. Whatever the reason, we’re all smiles around the Lijit office having Mark here. And when our company starts making large amounts of money, he’s just the one to trust to count it all.
(Side note: Don’t you enjoy the fine artwork that Mark has hanging in his office in the above pic? Yes, it is a post-it note with an outdoor scene of mountains drawn on it.)
(Last side note: When I asked Mark if I should link to his blog in this here profile, he said that it was less a blog and more a “static webpage”. That means he doesn’t update his blog. For shame, Mark…)
Tags: get to know Lijit, Lijit employee profile | View Comments