Blog O' The Week - Written by Leslie Fishlock on Saturday, September 27, 2008 8:23 - 7 Comments
Blog O’ the Week: Jeff Pulver from JeffPulver.com
Okay, full disclosure here. When I first starting reading Jeff Pulver’s blog, I must admit I was a little miffed and somewhat disappointed. Why? Because I was searching for important people in technology to follow who were the fashizzle who knew all about tech and would live and breathe the Internet as I did. How dare this man write of his own introspection and idealism? How dare he write about sunsets? How dare he write about…the Mets? How dare he have a brain? I want tech!
But, as you can tell, I have a become a big fan of Jeff Pulver in the past years, of his blog and following him on Twitter. But I do love his blog posts; they are truly written from the heart. And experience. And they come from something very deep that makes you wish the posts were much longer.
And Jeff Pulver is an all-around nice guy to boot! He is of the same good stuff Chris Brogan and Chris Penn are; nice and knowledgeable. And he shows it. He’s not a tech snob when he writes and certainly is far from the egotistic tech blogger that permeates the Interwebs. He is accessible, approachable, and if I may dare to be so bold, a big teddy bear of a geek. I can say that as a chick. He has more street cred then most bloggers out there; more experience, more stories, more passion and a cornucopia of optimism. And in my opinion, he has an incredible brand - himself.
There is so much I am still learning with my conversations with Jeff, albeit my conversation is in the form of him writing his blog in New York and me reading it on Cape Cod. But that is still a conversation. And it is truly enjoyable. I know something delicious will be in his posts every time I see it appear in my browser feeds.
And I hope you will get to know Jeff by reading his blog as I have. And drop him a comment about how you like it. I promise you, he’ll read it….nice guys always want to know what others think.
Here is my quick interview with Jeff Pulver:
**********
Who are you, what is your blog and the URL?
I’m Jeff Pulver, my blog is my life and the URL is: http://jeffpulver.com
Back in July 2003 when I first started this blog, I had no idea that blogging would become a daily obsession in my life. To date I have posted more than 4,600 entries in this eclectic blog. I enjoy having a platform to share my passion for technology, tech policy, a sunrise or a sunset, Baseball, Poker, Entrepreneurship and a number of other topics.
I first started writing on a regular basis back in the summer of 1996 when I published my first “Pulver Report.” From 1996 through 2004 the Pulver Report was published mostly on a monthly basis and provided me with a way to share my perspectives about the emerging VoIP industry. While I shared personal moments from time to time, my focus was primarily communicating with the community that made up the self defining industry.
A number of months ago I was inspired to reach deep into myself and share with the readers of my blog some of the private conversations I normally have with only myself. These personal and sometimes inspirational notes might have seem out of context to some of the longer term readers of my blog, but due to my reflective posts, I’m happy to see the readership of my blog grow and I’m committed for this blog to continue to be eclectic and a place where I will share what’s on my mind and what I’m feeling from time to time.
For more details about the me behind the words.
Where did the idea for the blog come about?
I have been sharing my observations and life and technology in various forms since 1995. This blog was launched in July 2003 after I convinced myself that I should use a blog as a platform to share ideas and observations with the world.
What has been the coolest/funniest/most rewarding (or worst) thing that has happened since you started the blog?
Well, I once got a phone call from a US Senator asking me to stop poking fun of another Senator in my blog.
When I travel around the world I am always taken back by the people who read me whom I have never met before.
A number of years ago I was a fan of the band Stroke 9 and I asked whatever happened to the band. A few weeks later their former drummer posted a comment and told me he was working in the VoIP industry.
I accidentally started a meme that lasted about 18 months. Something known as “Blog-Tag.”
I have used my blog to help affect change of public policy in Washington DC.
There are a number of other cool things which have happened and I hope continue to happen because of my blog.
Why do you think your blog became so famous/successful?
It helped that I was a person who helped popularize the use of VoIP and people around the world took notice when I started to share my observations about the future of internet communications using my blog as the platform. These days you will more likely find my observations about social media as well as introspective stories about how I approach life.
My blog is part of my overall brand strategy. When you are your own brand, social identity becomes very important to it.
Where do you think you will take it in the next year? 5 Years?
Continue to use it as I do today. As an “internet reflection” of me.
What do you do when you aren’t blogging?
Spend too much time worrying about my next blog post. Sometimes I share a photo when I need time to complete my thoughts behind a blog post. Other times I share photos because they reflect a moment in my mind at the time I was thinking about what I wanted to say.
Ever been to Cape Cod?
Yes. Several times. :)
And I enjoy listening to Cool 102 whenever I visit the Hamptons.
**********
Thanks, Jeff!
Good fortune on all your new endeavors, especially the seminars. Wish I could go….maybe next time!
7 Comments
Carmen Villadar
Leslie,
Thanks for writing this post! Indeed. I’ve been following Jeff on and off since we had internet in our work “WHERE Magazines” in Toronto back in ‘94. I saw his online career grow - and I even ended up subscribing to VON a few years back.
Thanks to Twitter and Facebook I am now on Jeff Pulver’s contact list and he is on mine. You can’t imagine how tickled *pink* I was when I responded to his “Good Morning” and he @digitalfemme Good Morning to you! right back. I gasped. I was shocked. I was blushing. THE “Jeff Pulver” said, “Good Morning” to ME.
Thanks to Social Networking platforms like Twitter and Facebook, this NEVER would’ve happened.
I have come to see Jeff as a TRUE Social Networking Guru in every sense of the way because he really uses Facebook and any other platform as a way to connect with people and for others to connect with one another.
He has taught me many things and I am sure he has taught others as well. I love Jeff.
Gotta love social media and the internet. Makes pro’s and interesting people like Jeff accessible. Cool, to learn about a new blog I must start reading.
hi les-iee
well you just touched the surface go back and pick his brains some more - don’t stop now - keep digging
g-oh
I think he is doing a great job! I like his stuff
Chris Brogan from ChrisBrogan.com | @Bar
[...] getting sick of this - he’s a real nice guy. I know, I know - how can anyone be nicer than Jeff Pulver and Loïc LeMeur? No, I don’t just have an interest in interviewing nice guys, but in MY [...]
Aimee Davis
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Thanks for all the kind words. :)
And thanks for the opportunity to be interviewed.