Some folks have expressed an interest in what I do when I’m not writing and podcasting; others have wondered why in the hell I drive eighty five miles each way five days a week to do it.
FastCompany’s latest issue has a very comprehensive profile on Mahalo.com and my boss, Jason Calacanis. The article is available on the web and includes a supplemental podcast and video.
This is something I’ve never done before — work at a start-up. I often said I enjoy computers so much I would never want a job that involved computers. While I sit in front of a computer for nine or ten hours a day at Mahalo.com, what I’m really doing is working with people, which is what I’ve done my whole life. It’s challenging, energizing, and fulfilling. I’m the Community Manager of the Mahalo Greenhouse, which is mentioned in the last quarter of the article.
How does this fit in with the DIY ethic? Remember my guiding principle of the DIY ethic: “doing it yourself should never mean going it alone.” Mahalo’s guiding principle is “we’re here to help.” The two dovetail nicely. Search is, after all, DIY research. Mahalo helps people search, helps people learn, helps people gather information that makes their lives easier and more efficient.
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Interesting article. Seems like Mahalo is doing a kind of “reverse-Yahoo!,” as Yahoo! began as a directory and eventually grew into a machine-based engine.
And it seems like a decent place to work, too. $35k for ‘net surfing? Nice!