a new beginning

Yes, I had big dreams for what this blog may be, but unfortunately I got caught up in life and as priorities and responsibilities piled up, writing my thoughts for the world to see no longer felt important. That said, I’m starting this year fresh and once again am optimistic about what I can do with this and what it may become.

A year ago I was confused, lost, and down on my life and the world. Things started looking up as the year went on (as they always do, once you snap out of it). A few months of unemployment, hundreds of cover letters, a handful of informational interviews, and two internships later, I landed a job at an ad agency in account management. I was and still am) thrilled to have a job in advertising and thought the ways of Madison Avenue would give me the right mix of creativity and strategy I was hungry for.

I’ve also settled down more in the City and do think of it as my home. I have friends that I care about and know I can count on. I know how to get from one place to the next and know where to eat, what to do, and how to get what I want, when I want it. It’s quite a love affair I have with the place and there’s a rhythm to my life here that works for me.

Enough about me  though, this blog is supposed to be more than that.

Here’s to a new beginning. A clean slate. A fresh start.

Is Online Advertising Dead? Not quite yet..

Heading into the next year, websites are going to have find new sources of revenue as advertising sales continue to decline. Is there a viable source of revenue for sites, especially social networks that can’t really solely on ad space? Some prepare for the worst and have already pronounced these sites dead, but I’m a little more optimistic. I mean Google was the leader in transitioning most website from a subscription-based model to ad-based, and now there’s an opportunity to innovate once again.

A partner at Khosla Ventures, David Weiden, said that ad space will still sell but websites, especially start-up seeking funding will need diversified revenue streams. The simple answer to this would be introducing premium subscription-based services, but who’s going to pay for something that they once had access to for free and especially in an economy like this.

Elvis' studded pantsuit, $4

An interesting concept that Facebook has tried, amongst others, is virtual gifts. One of the leaders in this space is Gaia Online, a virtual world that sells gifts like Justin Timberlake’s fedora for $2 or Elvis’ jumpsuit for $4. Even during the current economic climate, they have seen monthly sales of over a $1m. Obviously this can be taken to the next level with brands and retailers stocking their item at these virtual storefronts. From the point of a consumer, the real thing is out of their budget but buying a virtual gift is the next best thing and for the retailer the margins are great – so its a win-win. That being said, I can’t imagine myself feeling good about rocking JT’s fedora online.. I’m pretty sure I’d rather be wearing it in the flesh.

Hello world!

“A parti is the central idea or concept of a building and derives from understandings that are nonarchitectural must be cultivated before architectural form can be born”

The quote is taken from the book 101 Things I Learned in Architecture School by Matthew Frederick. Frederick goes on to give the example that the hub-and-spoke parti, with one spoke missing “suggests the philosophy that a loss invites opportunity”. That philosophy resonated with me and seemed to be the perfect fit for me, and my new blog.

I moved to New York City, a budding Berkeley grad with an Engineering degree under my belt, and ready for a new life. Little did I know what the coming months would hold for me – a new job, new friends, new parties, new hardships.. OK I’m starting to sound like the ad for the new Whitney Port reality show on MTV and will now stop.

In any case, I came here wanting to experience the world and had no expectations for what was to come. So far its been a whirlwind of a time, most notably being laid off. I know – it’s happened to a ton of people, I know – “when one door closes, many more open up”, etc., etc. But honestly, its not fun when it happens to you.

As I begin on this journey (well beginning this blog is the product of about 1 month into that journey), I hope to come out of it figuring out not what I am going to do or who I really am, but what I truly love. I was at the New York Public Library earlier today and was inspired by this:

“You don’t figure out life, you create it.”

So here I am, thanks for reading and let me know what you think. In the coming posts you can expect my musings on design, techonology, developing economies, and everything in between. Enjoy!