BLERDNATION™

Websites

•   mananow.com
•   curtbrown.ca
•   blog.curtbrown.ca/

Favorites (hover / click to see name)

• music

  • The Winans
  • The Temptations
  • Michael Jackson
  • Stevie Wonder
  • Fred Hammond

• movies

  • Up
  • Crash
  • Donnie Darko
  • Ray
  • Friday Night Lights

• publications

  • The Atlantic
  • Inc Magazine
  • A List Apart
  • Fast Company
  • NY Times

• I am BlerdNation because...

  I am who I am I guess. I've been a nerd my whole life. As a kid, my mom really stressed that I read as much as possible, and I've always been an introvert, so I'd get lost in reading about anything and everything, or playing video games.

• Who is your blerd role model? Why?

  Not exactly my role model, but I have a lot of respect for Questlove. He's really good at what he does, yet doesn't lock himself in a box....he explores other parts of life. Plus, he doesn't try to be somebody he isn't, and conform to stereotypes.

• How do you stay connected to other blerds?

  Twitter.

• What’s your most awkward blerd moment?

  I was teaching a course at a college once, and because I look fairly young had some awkward interactions with students, and other faculty who didn't realize I was a teacher. When clean-shaven I look like a child.

• What’s your favorite word/phrase?

  Dem likkle but dem tallawah. It's a Jamaican phrase used to describe something or somebody that's an underdog, but has a lot of fight, heart, ability, etc.

• What are your goals/passions?

  Education, my faith (I'm a Christian), and are really important to me, so I try to use development skills and passion for design to educate, or help people in some way.

• What are you listening to, watching, or reading that impacts you or that is giving you a different perspective?

  James Altucher's blog is odd. He's definitely a contrarian when compared to most business bloggers.

• What advice would you give to other blerds?

  This advice that I myself need to follow: self-promotion is so important...for your career, for your business (or potential future businesses), and for others to look to for inspiration and motivation. You can blog, ask for bloggers to write about you, speak at conferences, etc. There's a lot that we can do to get our names, and our work, out there.