The Interview

Taken from Shane and Peter.

What’s your personal mission statement?

No Regrets. So far that’s pretty true.  Or maybe “I’m glad I have tasted fantastical places” (which I am and I have).

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

The application I was working on at my previous employer. Over the years it had fallen in to a really bad state (and I fully take the blame for part of how it got that way). We folded the company, took the time to restructure a lot of the basic code and turned the product around. Then the company restructured and a lot of the good work (and staff good will) was lost.

What current entrepreneurial efforts consume your time?

3hv of course. I am a bit obsessed by it at the minute. I won’t stop until I feel like I know enough about business (whatever that may be). The same happened to me with coding - I devoured information on how to be the best developer until I reached a point where I felt that I couldn’t get much better. The same process has now started about business in general.

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

Because I’m good at it, because I hate being told what to do, because I hate living a 9-5. And I love writing Ruby code and watching my tests pass (sad I know). Business-wise, 37signals is an inspiration. Life-wise, Nottingham Forest gets me shouting.  And annoying my wife with my, frankly ridiculous, haircut.

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

Boxers

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

Spending time with the wife, kids, dog, cat and rabbit. Watching the spectacular shambles that is Nottingham Forest.

What one thing made the biggest difference when getting started?

My wife.

What’s your exit strategy?

Product Development.

What is the last thing that made you belly laugh?

Kath and Kim. It’s not really my kind of thing (I’m much more into stuff like the Mighty Boosh) but there was a line about “Koala Lumpar” that made me laugh out loud.

Have you ever been in business before?

Yes - when I was a kid, my friend and I ran “JORB Enterprises”. We wrote a magazine and came up with a subscription plan for it that would double our money. We were 12.

At what point do you consider yourself successful?

When I can afford to pick and choose for whom and when I work. And when my hair is so big I can’t fit through doorways.

What was your first experience with a computer?

ZX Spectrum. The power pack overheated and produced a load of smoke. It was soon replaced by a Vic-20 and I never looked back.

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

Bill Gates. He fights dirty.

Where do you do your best thinking?

In front of the TV on an evening.

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

Up between 5:30 and 6:30. Get the kids ready, drop everyone of at their various destinations. Back home by 9-9:30 to start work proper (sometimes cooking as I go). Off to get Lizzie at around 4 and back for dinner by 6. Lizzie in bed by 8, so either an hour or two of work in front of the TV or switch the computer off and chat to the wife.

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

Business-wise - Steve Jobs (boring I know). Otherwise Ian Brown, Terry Hall or Bez.

What stops you from giving up when you are frustrated?

I don’t like losing.

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

No

And my own special question: what did you dream of doing when you were younger?

Record producer.  Collect a load of prima-donnas, hear their ideas, pick of the best ones and then push them into a situation where they can transform those into a classic.  Hmm, sounds familiar.

Update: added the bit about my hair. You always forget the important stuff.

Updated again: added my own question to the end.

Posted on December 16th, 2007 | By: Rahoul Baruah | Filed under General

4 Responses to “The Interview”

1. Interviewing You: the Entrepreneur at The Shane & Peter Inc. Blog Says:
   December 16th, 2007 at 10:43 pm

   [...] The Interview Filed under: The Self [...]

2. Interview Yourself: Shane at The Shane & Peter Inc. Blog Says:
   December 20th, 2007 at 1:54 am

   [...] The Interview [...]

3. Interview Yourself: Final Chance to Win at The Shane & Peter Inc. Blog Says:
   December 21st, 2007 at 9:25 pm

   [...] The Interview [...]

4. James Chartrand - Web Content Writer Tips Says:
   December 22nd, 2007 at 10:34 am

   What did I dream of doing when I was young? I wanted to be a jockey. Realizing jockeys needed to be short put an end to that dream (I shot up to 6′ 2″). I wanted to be an Olympic jumper, and I realized that dream… sorta, if you replace Olympics with local competitions. I wanted to be a writer. That one, I made it.

   Kind of cool that I’ve managed to accomplish the goals of my childhood dreams. Thanks for reminding me.

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