Ad HustlerConfessions Of A Serial Internet Entrepreneur

If you know me, you know I like weird things.  I’m weird myself so it’s quite fitting.  A typical weekend in the life of Ad Hustler isn’t table service at the hottest club in NYC.  More likely it’s a freak show on the boardwalk in Coney Island.

A couple of years ago a friend introduced me to Roller Derby.  She got us track side tickets and it was pretty unreal.  If you weren’t paying attention a girl could very well end up in your lap (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing).

Fast forward some time and another friend told me that her boyfriend was in a local roller derby league and that I should come see the game.  Having enjoyed the last game that I went to, My wife, My Dad & Myself went to see the game.  Again, it was a blast and we went to see a few games after that.  At some point my wife mentioned or alluded to the fact that it would probably be fun to be in the roller derby.  In all the time I’ve known her she never really indicated interest in any particular hobby.  For a couple of weeks after that statement I encouraged her and told her I thought she could do it if she wanted to.  Eventually she grew the balls to show up at a Mans Ruin Roller Derby practice and they were encouraging to her as well.  One girl let her borrow skates and another girl let her borrow a helmet.  She came home really excited that the girls were nice to her because I think she expected to not be accepted.

She then joined the rookie program and for the next 3 months learned the basic skills and rules needed to play roller derby.

Along the way I mentioned to my wife that it would probably be fun to be the announcer for a Roller Derby.  The announcer is kind of like the MC and helps people know what’s going on in the game plus their job is to entertain when there is a lull in the excitement.  Apparently the team was looking for a co-announcer and when my wife heard, she told them that I may want to do it.  Since they knew me and knew my personality they asked me to do it and I agreed.

So, I am now a roller derby announcer.  I announced my first game on March 20th.  It was a pretty blehh performance on my part.  It started off super shaky but I improved as the night went on (you can’t just be good at something the first time you do it I suppose).  I am announcing another game this Sunday April 3rd.  It should be fun and hopefully better then my first time.  Then games are about once per month throughout the rest of the year.  If you’re ever in the area and want to make fun of my announcing skills come on down.

So what the hell is the point of this post?

• Roller Derby has been a positive thing in my families life.
• It’s good to have hobbies & interests outside of making money.
• Don’t be afraid to try something new.

If you’ve never been to a Roller Derby, do a search to see if you have a local team.  If you do, make some time to go watch a game.  It’s a fun time!

Support Local Roller Derby

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A wise girl once said:

“You know you love something when the idea of it being taken away makes you want to cry.”

So, do you love what you do?

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On tuesday night of Affiliate Summit Myself, Ian Fernando, Jonathan Volk, Jim Banks & DK were sitting around having a lot of laughs at the Parasol Bar at The Wynn.  DK pulled up my observations post from day 1 (since he’d never read AdHustler.com before) and laughed hard.  I mean really hard.  We decided to as a group come up with some observations about Affiliate Summit.  Some are mine, some are DKs, some are the groups.  Here they are:

• Even if you don’t have business cards you can still win 1000 in a business card drawing. (It Happened)
• If you are at an affiliate conference to market your network, don’t have a line of people, waiting to speak to you about the money you haven’t paid them.
• If you are going to have babes working in your booth, make sure they at least know what affiliate marketing is.
• If you are trying to impress a girl, don’t tell them “I have been with the same girl since I was 14 so I have had time to practice being “the creepy guy”. (Actual comment overheard).
• The Wynn and Encore are such a labyrinth that Jason Rubaky, covered in tattoos was seen riding a hover round (old people scooter) around the hotels and parking it in his room.
• If you want to want to lose money at a bar or make everyone at a party uncomfortable, invite DK and Ad Hustler and have them talk about how they don’t drink, smoke or take drugs.
• Don’t think that just because you spent $2000 for your hotel room for the week that you can use your cell phone without holding it against the window.
• While someone is peeing is not the appropriate time to introduce ones self.
• Shoemoney knows how to draw a crowd to a product launch.  He had Rob Hustle with Dancers introduce the session
• There is a huge difference between a good session & a bad one.  Not all sessions work, not all speakers are good
• I like people who can see the comedy in themselves – don’t take yourself too seriously
• Don’t ever ask someone how much they make.  If you do, you deserve your head dunked in the toilet
• Whether you are “big” in internet marketing or “small” be nice to everyone.  Small fish become big fish and big fish fall.  Make friends, not enemies.  Treat people with respect unless they prove they deserve otherwise
• Don’t talk to someone when they are on the phone
• I had the undying need to write my name in the blue pads in the Wynn urinals every time I peed.

What can you add?

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• Lots of old fogie corporate types seem to be infiltrating the affiliate space – they must have heard there’s money here
• Affiliates flaunt their money way too much – who cares what you have?
• The affiliate industry is smaller then people realize – people know a lot more about you then you may think they do
• Eric Nagel is extremely intelligent and enlightening to speak with
• If you are having dinner with one affiliate network & another affiliate network sends drinks to your table – i think you should turn down the drinks but thank them for the sentiment – what do you think?
• The Wynn has the worlds worst free pens
• Ready for the next HOT media source that everyone is talking about?…..SEO
• Speaking at a conference really isn’t very hard at all
• John Chow LOVES attention, even if it’s bad attention
• Amanda Orson & myself sound good on a panel together – it jives
• A lot of people have disappeared from this industry
• ShareaSale must BANK because they put on some serious parties
• I like the comrodery among people who have been in this industry a while
• Some companies that have tables at the Meet Market are awful at branding themselves
• The Wynn is a nice place for a conference but the size makes it a bit less intimate then the Rio was.

What were your observations for day 1?

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The time has come.  I will be speaking today at Affiliate Summit.  The details:

Local Lead Generation – Heaven & Hell
Session 4a
Location: Margaux 1
Time: 3:30pm-4:30pm

Learn about how local lead generation works as well as the positives & negatives to this often discussed “next generation” of affiliate marketing.

Experience level: Beginner, Intermediate
Target audience: Affiliates/Publishers, Merchants/Advertisers, Networks, Other
Niche/vertical: Local

• Ad Hustler, Chief Hustler, Ad Hustler, LLC (Twitter @adhustler)
• Amanda Orson, Managing Partner, Lacuna Group LLC (Twitter @phillian)

I hope some of my readers will come and check out the session.  It’s always more comfortable having familiar faces in the audience.

Hope to see you there and please spread the word.

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