GPWA Times Magazine - Issue 19 - February 2012

57 of understanding the human psychology behind it all. The verticals are merely nich- es within that psychology. What do you like about the industry? I like the challenge, and the changing legal climate makes it quite the rollercoaster ride. It keeps me on my toes and that has helped to fine-tune me as an entrepre- neur. Lessons learnt from this industry have been invaluable for me when I work in other, more stable industries. What don’t you like about the indus- try? Lack of technological change. Since its earliest days, this industry has relied too heavily on deals, banners, links and not enough on new technology. The adop- tion of fully automated systems to utilize technology like RSS, XML, social me- dia streams, database API and XML API hooks has been abysmal. As a result, this industry is falling behind as others gain prominence because they are investing in those new formats. What surprised you most about the industry? Strangely I think what’s sur- prised me the most is how old business thinking has had a chance to succeed in this marketplace merely because de- mand is always going to outstrip supply, which means that casino companies can be complacent with innovation yet still make a profit! How long do you give yourself for re- sponding to e-mail? And what e-mail tips can you offer? I’m terrible with e- mail and I know a lot of affiliate managers will agree with me on this! I’m afraid my e-mail tips are not worth listening to!! How do you manage your “to-do” lists? Do you use any special software to help you out? We use a combination of Basecamp for long-term objectives, Outlook task management for short-term tasks and I personally keep a handwritten daily task list which I compile each morn- ing to help me focus on the most impor- tant things for the day. Time management is one of the biggest issues facing affiliates.What time-man- agement tips can you offer your fellow webmasters? Work in solid blocks of 90 minutes so that you focus only on certain things during those 90 minutes. Have a 15-minute break in-between to relax and chill out. The human mind and body work well with the ultradian rhythms, which are natural biological cycles, so use them to your advantage. Break up the activities as well so you aren’t doing 90 minutes of SEO followed by a 15-minute break and then another 90 minutes of SEO. Mix up the types of work. This rhythm fits with breakfast, lunch and dinner, too! Howmuch time does it take to keep your sites updated? In terms of man hours it takes probably 35 hours per month. How much time do you devote to so- cial networking in order to drive more traffic to your site? Our traffic from so- cial media has grown steadily and hasn’t stopped since we started adopting it. It’s a vital long-term strategy for anyone in online marketing. Social media isn’t go- ing away; it’s not a fad, it’s a necessity, so learn it or get left behind. You’re coming up on your 10th anni- versary as a GPWA member. How has the GPWA changed over the past de- cade, and how has being a member helped you? When I first started, the GPWA was an incredible resource for me to learn about the industry and tips to do with conversion, marketing, SEO and everything else as well. The part of the GPWA I love the most is the friendly, col- laborative atmosphere. It is exactly that willingness to help each other that has kept it growing consistently. If you could have dinner with any five people, living or dead, who would they be? 1. Bill Gates – I want to meet the best busi- ness mind in the world. 2. Richard Branson – I love his attitude to- wards life and how it translates into the way he does business. 3. Alexander Graham Bell – the inventor of the telephone, but also of many other things that perhaps people aren’t aware of, including avionics, Montessori and National Geographic amongst many. 4. Margaret Thatcher – I want to find out how she dealt with overcoming what most people of the time deemed impos- sible and became one of the most power- ful people on the planet. 5. Jamie Oliver – I want to find out what drives him on his mission, which I find utterly inspiring. When you need to get as far away from work as possible, where do you go? St. Lucia. How do your family and friends feel about the way you make your living? My family don’t really get how any of it works. They understand the business component, but not the mechanics of the online world. My friends are pleased but at the same time envious. Unfortunately the friends who were close to me when I started out in 2001 are somewhat more jealous than happy for me as they did not see the same level of success in their lives. This is a story I’ve now heard over and over again from successful entrepreneurs, so if you are a webmaster reading this and you are planning to be a success, be pre- pared to leave some friends behind; it’s for the best. If someone were visiting you, what’s the one place you’d definitely take them to see? Hampton Court Palace – one of the most magnificent palaces in all of Great Britain. What’s your all-time favorite movie? There are too many! I guess a recent fa- vorite would be Star Trek (2009). I’m a total trekkie and this movie goes to show that no matter how old an idea is, if you can give it a brand-new spin for the pres- ent day, then it’ll be a success. In an age where many ideas are already done, it’s time to get inventive in business and bring old ideas back into the digital age. If you were a Star Trek (or Star Wars) character, which one would it be? Star Trek – Captain Sisko – commander of a space station! If you won $50 million in the lottery, what would you do with the money? First, I would ensure that my family was all taken care of for the rest of their lives, and then I would invest some in my new businesses to grow and establish them and the rest in property. If you were a brick in a wall, which brick would you be and why? Depends on the bricklaying technique. What are three things that nobody knows about you? 1. I was in the movie Love Actually . 2. I used to take vegetable deliveries from my parents’ restaurant to Pierce Brosnan before he was famous! 3. I want to set up a charity for sexually abused women. 57