Interview with Blogger Jens Lapinski
By The Pakistani Spectator • Apr 23rd, 2009 • Category: Interviews • One ResponseWould you please tell us something about you and your site?
I am a London-based entrepreneur. I originally come from Germany, studied in the UK, worked here and now I have my own company which is called aiHit. We are an information services provider. I blog about start-ups, investment and venture capital.
Do you feel that you continue to grow in your writing the longer you write? Why is that important to you?
It is the same as with all things. The more time you spend doing anything, the better you become at it. Blogging is no exception.
I’m wondering what some of your memorable experiences are with blogging?
People link to you and get in touch to discuss many different things. It is nice when people link to you who have a lot of traffic (e.g. Techcrunch UK) or when people from Pakistan come and ask to interview you
What do you do in order to keep up your communication with other bloggers?
I read and post on their sites.
What do you think is the most exciting or most innovative use of
technology in politics right now?
Some of the other people whom you have interviewed have already pointed out the Obama campaign. These guys knew exactly what they were doing. I thought they did a great job.
Do you think that these new technologies are effective in making
people more responsive?
Yes, this is undoubtedly the case.
What do you think sets Your site apart from others?
I just blog about what comes into my mind. I guess I am more data driven than most people.
If you could choose one characteristic you have that brought you
success in life, what would it be?
If you are doing the right thing and you do it well, you are frequently successful. Most people focus on the ‘doing it well bit’, but they neglect to think through the ‘doing the right thing’ bit in detail. I try to keep both things in a good balance.
What was the happiest and gloomiest moment of your life?
You ask tough questions! Many happy moments in my life, recent ones include getting married, successfully raising the funding to set up my company, or being asked to become the godfather of a friend’s child. The gloomiest period in my life was when I broke my back when I was twelve (it healed just fine, no problems now), but that is nothing I would wish on anybody!
If you could pick a travel destination, anywhere in the world, with no
worries about how it’s paid for - what would your top 3 choices be?
China, India and Pakistan, Australia and New Zealand.
What is your favorite book and why?
Tough question. Need to read another 1000 books before I can answer that question But seriously, there are so many that I like, not sure I could pick a winner. I currently read three books in parallel. One is a fantasy book by Neil Gaiman, then there is an investment book by Jim Rogers, and I also started reading the Black Swan by Nassim Nicholas Taleb.
What’s the first thing you notice about a person (whether you know them or not)?
The energy level. How energetic a person is. Some people are razor sharp and have a great deal of energy. I like spending time and working with these kinds of people.
Is there anyone from your past that once told you you couldn’t write?
I still can’t write well. My grammar is horrible! But that is what happens when a German guy is writing in English.
How bloggers can benefit from blogs financially?
I think there are three ways. First, you can make it your business and drive money via advertising that you place on the site. I guess only a few hundred blogs in the world can achieve that. Second you can drive a specific audience to your blog and either directly or indirectly to your company where you can sell them something else. Some people call this marketing with meaning. Third, you can increase your personal reputation. So, when you go somewhere, people may have read your blog and if it is good, they may respect you better and you may indirectly benefit from that financially.
Is it true that who has a successful blog has an awful lot of time on
their hands?
You need to choose what you spend your time on. The average person spends two hours per day watching TV. I don’t have a TV. Instead I read and write.
What role can bloggers of the world play to make this world more
friendlier and less hostile?
Bloggers can be journalists. And more. You write what you experience, learn, and think. The more transparency and thoughtfulness there is the world, the less hostile it will be, I hope.
Who are your top five favourite bloggers?
Michael Arrington HYPERLINK “http://www.techcrunch.com” www.techcrunch.com
Mish Shedlock HYPERLINK “http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com” globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com
Is there one observation or column or post that has gotten the most
powerful reaction from people?
Of the ones that I have written? There are two types of impact or reaction that I have witnessed. There are these articles that receive a big burst of attention and then they fade away. For example this one HYPERLINK “http://jenslapinski.wordpress.com/2008/03/09/elements-of-a-successful-start-up/” http://jenslapinski.wordpress.com/2008/03/09/elements-of-a-successful-start-up/ and then there are the articles that a lot of people find on Google, because they rank highly for certain specialized keywords. For example this one: HYPERLINK “http://jenslapinski.wordpress.com/2008/06/21/vc-fund-raising-manual-2-documentation/” http://jenslapinski.wordpress.com/2008/06/21/vc-fund-raising-manual-2-documentation/
What is your perception about Pakistan and its people?
Pakistan is a huge country with some very challenging problems. I have friends who are of Pakistani origin. I love your food! I will never understand cricket!!!
Have you ever become stunned by the uniqueness of any blogger?
Yes. Look at this one for example: HYPERLINK “http://www.trizle.com/” http://www.trizle.com/
What is the most striking difference between a developed country and a
developing country?
The level of literacy. When you go to a developing country, many people can’t read and write. This means their ability to learn is impaired. This has many consequences, but one is obviously that when you can’t read and write, your ability to carry out knowledge-based jobs is very limited. This is not only limiting what people can achieve in life, it is limiting what countries can achieve. I find it astonishing, that many developing countries pay so little attention towards this problem. I believe it to be the root cause of all economic problems in the developing countries.
What is the future of blogging?
The degree of specialization will continue. I think that connectors will focus on platforms such as Twitter, where they can connect people with content. I think the creators of content (e.g. bloggers) will increasingly forge relationships with specific connectors. Right now, successful bloggers are both content creators and connectors. I think these roles will part split in the future.
You have also got a blogging life, how has it directly affected both
your personal and professional life?
Some of my friends and colleagues read my blog. We discuss some thing sometimes, it is good fun.
What are your future plans?
Continue writing. It helps me clarify my thinking. Connect with more connectors.
Any Message you want to give to the readers of The Pakistani Spectator?
Stay in touch! You can find me here HYPERLINK “http://jenslapinski.wordpress.com” jenslapinski.wordpress.com and here HYPERLINK “http://www.twitter.com/jenslapinski” www.twitter.com/jenslapinski
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