Catching up on things is so peachy- so I've been working so frequently on client projects that I had to put the vlog on the back burner or lose more sleep. The first week back from Florida was about getting back home and hitting the ground running again.
Planning out the remainder of 2016 and planning ahead for 2017. You've got to remember that flexibility is a key when you work for yourself and Drive is #1. Without it your momentum is as good as dead because in a digital atmosphere one must consistently create relevant content to be relevant themselves.
This is easy if your goal is to be Genuine - you just create and talk from the heart.
If you're phony - it's more difficult.
I'm looking forward to wrapping up a few projects I did for non-profits and community activism groups I'm involved with and then a Parkour Documentary I shot earlier this year; I'd like to have that available before Christmas.
The next couple of weeks though, I'm interviewing more bald buddies, getting trained to become a wine company ambassador and finishing up a short film I've been working on basically all year.
So, much to come for those who keep track of 3Gins Media on Facebook and Youtube.
Yes, this blog was really about the work life because being bald is easy; showcasing it in an authentic/ entertaining way is not always so easy - I believe we call it hyper-reality.
Whats funny is that:
1. I'm used to being bald now
2. I do feel more confident (not certain I would have tried this If I hadn't made it a point to do so)
3. I had a dream last night that I had hair again (12/6/2016); and I was trying to get rid of it and it wouldn't go away - it became this ugly mop...hard to explain
(Oct.10 - Nov. 10)
I'm starting to get used to being bald. Isn't that interesting...
It's 11 days post-month one and I'm currently situated in Estro County, Florida on a job working with BD Global NCAA basketball as a contractor. I'm on what I like to call a work-cation (I'm carrying the local unfinished production jobs with me on the go to be edited in the hotel room and then during most of the day I'll be working with Prepspin to cover and stream basketball games.
Really it's nothing new, I was doing this kind of work as average as someone working their 9-5 job. The only difference being is that I have time-freedom and flexibility as well as a schedule to up-keep.
There are certain disciplines you have to set for yourself as a contractor/ independent business owner and having just recently tested the "Average" job field again - as a fear tactic to myself in regaining that passion I felt I was lacking/ lost sight of. But getting back to you is the key - remember ATTITUDE is everything and you have a choice every morning on how you're going to Choose to engage the world.
Today I'm bringing a positive - coffee filled super-me to the table. Once I get the coffee that is.
In the mean time, take a gander at my first month bald.
I'll be working on week 5-6 in the next couple days!
(October 27 - November 1)
I'm starting into my 4th week/ first month of being bald.
Surprising how I feel very much the same - yet psychologically I'm starting to feel as though I'm coming into a new presence-of-self.
It was difficult to decipher for about a week; something felt off (Between Business Changes, Moving, my First Marriage Anniversary, and Family Stuff + Issues). I didn't take much notice until I woke up one morning and looked in the mirror on November. 2nd I believe it was -
I felt a new sense-of-self and self-awareness.
My: id, ego, and super-ego (I, Me, and self - I believe is the translation).
I'm definitely transitioning into a new sense-of-self; I'm not ashamed once-so-ever to be bald, I'm not concerned to be seen. My head can't make up it's mind on rather or not I should wear a beanie (it's cold and my scalp demands covering, but then no matter how thin or think the beanie, profuse sweating ensues. This is a most daunting task to figure out).
I went and sat in a College class at the suggestion of a mentor; I did so and was pleasantly surprised how much more I retained now that there is no academic-demand that I do well, complete all the assignments on-time and put off social exercises in relationship management.
College 'is and was' a juggle of time, money and resources. I look back and realize that education is Important...But IF I had the sense of self-awareness and knowledge I possess NOW - THEN.
I'd have taken my money and started a business instead. Entrepreneurship is a much more valuable Life-Skill than learning to work for someone else for the rest of your life.
Some may desire to debate that - and to those who would bother I would say: I'm not paid to listen to opinions - talk to me about how you're going to help manage my book deal and you've got my ear friend.
Anyway, I've been re-evaluating many social principals and come to realize that I really don't need anything thats been sold to me over the course of my life. I believe between that and moving across town - I need more prestige and less shit. I grew out of hobbies - and never sold my stuff for
re-investable capitol. Don't be a pack-rat. Stuff will be a burden on you if you really want more out of life.
I plan on doing a monthly re-cap video versus a weekly vlog for the 4th week of every month. Then Once I get to my 1 year marker; I'll only have to sort through 12 Compiled Vlogs versus 52 weekly groupings.
The first month will also be when I start posting to Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and Digg to name a few. If you've got other ideas on where to post, shoot me a message.
going into 21 days bald with 4 head shavings now and a wicked sunburn on my head from playing archery tag without a hat on (Saturday Oct.29th) while working on a competition video concept. I've only once reflected upon this decision with some 1% remorse at the idea of jumping into it cold-turkey.
I feel like the difficult part is the documenting process where I am constantly reflecting on the video I shoot and looking at myself; I get really tired of editing my own self-image branded videos, I'm the farthest thing from a narcissist - And yet there I am putting out more and more material, living a bouncy life, doing new things and building something for myself.
I believe my end objective with this project is to show people whom are Balding to just OWN IT. Stop making the excuse, stop those ugly ass combovers, stop with the expensive creams, treatments and hair follicle stimulus. Just be Bald and Proud.
the days continue; the adventures have only begun:
Actually sitting down and hashing out daily Vlogs is work - I've gained so much more respect for people who can stay on this so frequently. However, I also have a deal about adding value into every project I produce; no matter how much work I put into it- The goal is always to inform, entertain or educate.
If you're not providing something useful to your audience I really want to smack the vlogger more than half the time.
I am actively seeking out people to interview and waiting for scheduling feedback from people with a knowledgable background on the topic of baldness. In due time my pretties!
as things seem to be either extremely hectic or calm on a day-to-day basis I'm working to distill the info in such a manner that it's Useful: Entertaining, Informative, or Educational.
Of course again, this vlog is not intended for the faint of heart; it's a personal journey and though I do bleep out a vast majority of what some consider to be cuss words, my criteria is not your criteria.
I'm going WAY outside my comfort zone everyday, and I encourage other people who aspire to feel the change in their routine to do the same thing. I can't encourage everyone to embrace being bald; I also can not encourage people to grow a beard, try a new wine, punch a hole in the wall, or meditate and do yoga. Being open to trying something new has to come from within; a desire to be more - be remembered, live a little and sometimes being called an asshole. That doesn't mean I'm going to cower in the corner, that means I'm on the right track to reinventing myself as a better man for tomorrow. I'm a Yes Man.
I'm going to start posting these vlogs to Facebook soon in case anyone is interested in watching from there as well.
So I'll keep it brief as today is set to be busy.
I've got the first few day vlogs together for "a year bald" and I've decided not to compile a daily vlog; that's more project introduction work than I'm looking for having just started this and it'll need to be shaped up a bit more - but that's not to say that I intend to give it a solid structure.
It's going to be all over the place as I'm also just living daily life and working to get ahead in the areas I'm seeking to advance; which also means - it's gritty, dirty, and I'm going to lose money and I'm not going to watch my language. IF you've got virgin ears, I'm sorry, but I'm not catering who I am to fit your tastes for entertainment purposes.
For those who've not read the first blog for this project; I'm looking to study the Psychological and Sociological aspects associated with being bald in society. There will be all sorts of styles used to document this one. I'm seeking to inform, entertain and educate people as I go about my life and discover what it is to be a bald man in society.
With that being said; welcome to my maritime project: a year bald
as Early Spring was peaking through Winter this year I was sought out to produce a Narrative Piece for a Fishing Charter in Port Clinton, OH. Travel isn't really a big deal for me; in fact, I really enjoy getting out and smelling the fresh air when I'm not behind a desk or sandwiched between 2 PCs in my home office. Not to mention the 2 additional PCs I've accumulated because people have given me the option to "Keep it if you can fix it". Thats actually an additional hobby of mine; When I'm not tearing parts out of discarded laptops from the recycling center. You'd be surprised how clean my office actually is - my wife's not killed me yet, so that's a plus.
So, I get invited to this Port Clinton, OH gig and after traveling from Richmond, KY - 7 hours and an overnight stay at the motel; there's no set expectations for what I'm going to be doing, in fact everyone else who was supposed to be on this gig with me has flaked out and I didn't get a notification. Honestly People, this is why communication is so damn important (however in retrospect when you take a look at the video, it's a wonder I even had the room to produce the video I did; I can't imagine 2-3 other guys on this boat with myself AND the Captain, 1st mate and the 5 guys I covered fishing).
So, while on this boat, one of the guys is talking about how balding is such a pain; investing in hair plugs, rogain, the delicious works of someone who can't accept that they're balding and embracing it like a Badass Mutha-Fucka! Nope. He complains.
Fast-forward 3 days later, I'm driving home in the middle of the night and I turn off the music to think for a bit. I've got coffee going cold, it's raining, I put the windows down for some fresh air and turn on the overhead light. I continue to look into the mirror and after a few moments and declare to myself: "you're going bald, motherfucker" figuratively of course, I'm not actually balding. But I made a Devoted-Point to myself to make it Happen This Year; I was about 9 months away from my birthday when I made the decision.
When I felt myself kind of faltering only weeks away, I started telling people about my intended project. Which is interesting that it didn't turn into a self-documentary project idea until only a couple of months out. I gave myself the wiggle room to think about how I was going to address it. And Fastforward to 2 days after my birthday (Oct. 9th). I've been laughing at myself all day.
This morning, my wife made a comment about work stress and I was wearing a light beanie in my office. She comes in and wants to tell me about this detail I've heard about previously, maybe 1000 times. I just gave her a blank stare and start to pull my beanie off from front to back and act as if I have hair: "Babe, your work stress has made my hairline recede so far." (slowly pulling my beanie backwards like peeling an Orange Skin).
I made the decision. I told people so they would expect it from me and to hold me accountable.
And in the end, I stick to my word.
So anyway, that's the run-down for "a year bald". I'm looking to delve into the sociological, psychological, medical, and anything else I can dig up to look into and question for what it IS and MEANS to be bald in society (Past, Present and Future; as I make my way bald about the year).
I'll be deciding how I'm going to catalogue weekly Vlogs; probably via Youtube and then branch out the distribution channels. Youtube has the best video algorithms on the Web and Cataloguing Playlists with tag words for Optimized SEO.
So keep an eye out for those and more ShopTalk.
Also, if you read this and have ideas for ShopTalk; please, shoot me a line or ideas to pick through, or if you have questions you would like addressed. I held a couple of Summer interns and I realized how much I actually enjoy mentoring people.
As the Marketplace Playing Field is constantly fluctuating and ever changing from a constant static place to conduct transactions to an amalgamation of Digital Disruptors, Competitors, Cheap Alternatives and New Opportunities. I'm finding myself in both a Hard Place and feeling like a new barrier is about to give way - though it's a slow Wednesday and I've been plugging away at new markets, identifying new market needs and being adjacent to my own desires.
So what does all this really mean? It means that I'm doing more, sleeping less and juggling sanity.
Having break throughs as a Media Consultant & Entrepreneur is fucking difficult; but finding them is Amazing.
I've got myself a handful of new mentors, a couple mentees and I'm looking to broaden my Value: Doing all the things I've been doing for ages and getting more comfortable with, except now I'm incorporating talent and constructive criticism into the process.
Getting work that I can usher about and help get other people paid is just one of these benefits; maybe building other small businesses.
This helps you become a Value to others who are then interested in listening to the words popping out of your mouth as opposed to their cell phones because they have: FOMO (fear of missing out)
(ie. I'm only partly listening to what your saying because I've got interest in my other transactions as well, you might be here with me right now, but you don't have my undivided attention and therefore I'm not a sale because I'm only hearing key words and phrases that you'll have to repeat in just a moment).
OR EVEN BETTER: when you're with a client of prospect and they have FOBO (fear of better offers); God forbid they did business with you and made a connection with you versus the other guy who will do it cheaper, and I'll feel better that I didn't spend more money, but in a couple months I'll be regretting it and then in a couple years I'll be stubborn about fixing it even though it's really not helping my ROI....Fuck me....
So here's my delivery:
I do ShopTalk now because:
1. I'm not a fan of Cold Calling; but I do it anyway. Getting told to Piss Off is really just part of the process. Sure, I could use a sales funnel of a variety of methodologies, but they alienate people and based on my market, I'd rather filter out the turds myself. I believe in the Grind, not the sit back and let my automated system handle it for me.
2. Speaking on a variety of Topics helps keep my mind fresh on various subject matter; I don't cater everything toward everybody and I don't keep it Bright, Brief and Gone because people with the attention-span half that of a Goldfish will have no business watching info catered toward Business, Mentors, Speakers, Experience and Open-mindedness. I'm speaking to the people who want to better themselves; that's it.
3. Making it a new Goal to curate information into a palatable short talk for an audience is both refreshing and enlightening; to internalize information and identify fine points, how it's beneficial, and bringing that into new context is not verbal vomit - it's valuable to be able to bring a 2 hour gotoMeeting or presentations fine points, a 3 hour meeting, a 1.5 hour webinar. Always Collecting new information for redistribution is a palatable manner is enjoyable to someone like myself who loves spreading info to new audiences. As well, you become an authority in certain areas of knowledge and practice; and people tend to trust the opinions of someone with Evaluated Experience.
(Yes, I've filtered the Crap and here's your Diamond Ring back; don't let rover swallow it again, huh?)
This was inspired by Adam Michaels (Facebook)
ShopTalk 1:
fastforward - ShopTalk 6:
I leave it to you to fill in the gaps if you're interested.
In the meantime, I also do my best to work across:
Hey folks, thanks for tuning back in. With the warmer weather of course comes a surged wave of work opportunities and though I'm thrilled that my Independent Media Company (3Gins Media) is nearing in on it's first year; I'm also feeling the pressures that are associated when you get booked solid for nearly 2 months in advance + Family, Holidays, Events and Life don't just wait for you because you made the decision to chase down every opportunity and then some. I'll be traveling more, which is going to be fun. Just more work associated from my small town relocation since the past 2 years after college had me all over the place. I've been able to pick-back-up and dust myself off.
I've been planning on producing my first short film in some time since college; some of the challenges associated with that of course are the planning, coordination and facilitation of your goal.
It's ALWAYS easier when you're able to pay your talent for their time, however, in my case that's not really a possibility. Though I do plan on making sure their compensated with royalties if said short film garners any attention, profits, sponsorship, etc.
So the story-line of said short film has evolved from a basic scene that I had originally associated with a song that I heard.
I knew there was something going on with my creative angst; I listened to the song a handful of times until the dust settled and what I had was an opening scene with the action and drama and a log-line. for what I now call: LIVE from Baghdad.
Deriving it's name from "Live in Baghdad" - Cowboy Bebop OST track.
The story is about a group of Rock&Roll/ Metal band members who are discussing their off tour shenanigans backstage before they start the first show of a new tour. The Band being featured is Octalux out of Lexington, KY; I wanted a realistic band to play the parts I was seeking to fill and because I'd worked with their Bass Player in his previous band I reached out, things went well, and they fit the bill right away.
Next is to iron out the script between all of my other jobs going on, get the storyboard intact, round up releases, location needs, gear per shot, and insert talent. All the associated logistics and start giving orders...I mean directing.
I've actually got video rendering in the background and I'm trying to get another jobs draft video finished before I leave for Indianapolis...Like I said...a few things going on.
I've attached the first 2 Vlog videos for "LIVE from Baghdad".
Just a heads up to readers- my intention for this short film is to make it raw; it's not designed to be family friendly.
Hey Folks, today I'd like to briefly touch base on Citation Sites; as an alternative to Paid SEO
(Search Engine Optimization) - I've been there-done that and was not very pleased with my results twice around for many months.
In fact after attending a Thunder-in-a-Jar event (aka: Business Masterminding and such) in New York I came to understand that SEO algorithms are not something that general businesses are supposed to be able to measure; you just trust that those folks are doing their jobs and you dish out your cash! Sounds Good, lets hop on board!!!
I'm good thanks. Instead, I took to Skype with a mentor of mine from Houston, TX and we discussed favorable work arounds to the taunting idol that are SEO and their Good Boy Points.
Algorithms are an internal business affairs counting methodology (You pay someone for a Thumbs Up that you're doing Good).
I decided to openly discuss something I'd only been discussing with clients; hoping their networks would boomerang back to me. Most people don't consider Citation Sites to have much of an impact, but they really do; with Paid and Unpaid Profile Options which determines the ad release numbers.
Do you want your business to get discovered?
Build a Site. Get a Video Done. Market yourself Better. (I'll discuss that later)
Sitting on your hands won't speak to people.
Hey folks, so last year I came home from working as a technical support agent and found a door hanger for an MMA company that's based locally; after getting in touch with their primary representative and working out a deal to cover their event in exchange for sample work that they could use to advertise...which I'm pretty sure they didn't bother with.
Said Promotional Spot is actually located in the Portfolio section of my website: ThreeGinsMedia.com
So, following up a year later I was browsing through the drive to delete old project files to make room for new ones and I came across the MMA files I had held at bay; long story short I realized that there are a ton of MMA and variety style fighters looking to get noticed and I've worked video services in that area before, first it was actually a company a good buddy of mine was a part owner in called: PWF (Professional Wrestling Freedom).
Now I'd like to Revive that opportunity for individual fighters looking to get ahead. The video provided below is the new promotional ad for MMA Fighters.
I encourage you to share this with both fighters and sponsors.
Hey Everyone, I had a really solid Holiday Season and the Business Prospects that will keep 3Gins busy in the early quarter of 2016 have Great Capability indeed. I enjoy helping fellow businesses grow along-side my own; some are moving up, some moved to better locations and some are ready to create their online presence after shedding basic concerns upon where and when to start.
Never-fear, businesses with Good Leadership looking to Improve will always find a way.
I'd been wasting my time on an aspect of trying to incorporate other skilled individuals in certain areas of my growing business; hoping to offer more capabilities. That's not panned out very well as of current- Something about being Transparent and Consistent.
Anyway, without further adue I'd like to share a quick video thats really something for Small and Growing Businesses to Keep in Mind.
Making sure your Business has a Mobile Friendly Website and Why its important (in a nutshell).
There will be a follow-up to this video in the next few weeks; its not directly at the top of my current agenda.