Amy Martin [interview]

Amy Martin

Founder - Digital Royalty
I first noticed Amy Martin's work while she was with the Phoenix Suns. Notably, during her successful career as the Suns digital strategist, Martin put in motion a triumphant twitter campaign for Shaq. In my opinion this campaign not only soared Shaq's own brand into greatness, but also propelled Twitter into it's current intergalactic ridiculousness - I know that is a bold statement, but I fully stand behind it. Martin revamped the simple communication tool so she could reinforce and rebuild brands. Simple and effective. Her foward thinking inspired me and I looked to her projects for inspiration during LFP's found art project, SEEK. Martin has since founded Digital Royalty, a digital sports branding company. We caught up with her to ask her some not-so-random questions.

Who is Amy Martin?
A fearless gypsy-like girl who is very lucky to have lived in several eclectic places as kid because she learned to accept and embrace change. And, she’s a gummy bear connoisseur.
What did you want to be when you were a kid?
A marine biologist until I learned I had to study amoeba for way too many years before I could even get in the water with dolphins. Last week, I had a brief desire to be a ghost chaser. Often times, I think it would be rad to deliver flowers all day.
How did you get to where you are today?
By having very high expectations for myself, being super passionate about whatever I do and never really learning how to sit still to relax.
I enjoy your thoughts on business- specifically brand management and positioning. Which do you love more: branding, technology, business, marketing or advertising?
I tend to develop a real crush on certain brands that have human personalities – like Southwest Airlines & Jack-in-the-Box, for example. I enjoy making these types of brands a part of my life and helping them expose their personalities. As a numbers nerd who loves to socialize, I dig the combination of mixing science with social marketing. Because the digital space is relatively new and constantly evolving, it tends to jive with my Shiny Object Syndrome.
What do you do on a daily basis?
As a first-time entrepreneur, I wear approximately thirty-two hats a day. If you break it down, that’s more than one hat per hour. Good thing I have a passion for hats. I just hired my first employee. Her “welcome to the Digital Royalty party” gift will likely be a hat rack.
What is your favorite color?
Blue.
But I couldn’t help but think of the movie Elf, when Will Ferrell answers the phone and says: “Buddy the elf speaking, what’s your favorite color?” Magical innocence.
Which bear is best? I know it is a random question, it can be interpreted in many ways - just run with it.
Gummy Bears, of course! Especially the red and clear kind. Definitely not the University of Arizona “Bear” that served as the catalyst for inventing the silly “Bear Down, Arizona” song. Go Sun Devils, by the way.
What is something you had to learn the hard way?
To never let fear serve as my source of motivation.
Where do you see yourself in ten years?
Happy. Snowboarding often, helping animals in some fashion & enjoying my family.
Best advice you could give to someone coming out of college...
Scroll through your contact list, or at least a portion of it, once a week and make sure you’re making an effort to keep in touch with the people you care about and/or respect. Relationships are still everything. You never know who you can help or who can help you.
Your top 3 favorite movies:
Parent Trap, Old School & Pretty Woman
What is one thing most people would be surprised to know about you?
I have several REAL cowboys in my family and we have a Cowboy Christmas every year, which consists of an Annie Oakley Clay Pigeon Shooting Competition. I hold the women's 1998 championship title.
Also, I don’t know how to wink.
Who are some of your influences?
My parents. Who were the move instigators. See the first question. There are too many to list. People who have figured out the self, family, career balance. And, people who genuinely “chase the dream, not the paper.” I know, I know . . . cliché. But true.
How do you define success?
When you enjoy what you do so much that you never get the “Sunday Blues” and dread going to work on Monday morning. Yet, you don’t spend your entire weekend working because you enjoy it so much. To simplify, I believe achieving and maintaining balance is indicative of success.
Thank you Amy, you're awesome.

More about Amy Martin & Digital Royalty:
www.digitalroyalty.squarespace.com

Tony Hsieh [interview]

Tony Hsieh
Chief Executive Officer - Zappos
Left Field Project is about creativity, life, art, happiness, design and most importantly passion. When our book hits the shelves in 2010, I think most people will be surprised to learn that we have been interviewing people from a variety of industries and backgrounds and from every corner of the planet. We were really excited when Tony Hsieh of Zappos took some time out of his busy schedule to answer some of our questions.

When Tony Hsieh was only 24 years old he sold his company, LinkExchange, to Microsoft for $265 million. The year was 1998. It was only one year later when Hsieh met an entrepreneur named Nick Swinmurn who had an idea: a business that would sell shoes on the Internet. At the time investors scoffed at the idea, but Hsieh saw an opportunity and wisely invested. From the beginning, Hseih was very active in Zappos and his hard work has paid off. In 2008, Zappos hit $1 billion in gross sales and was featured as one of the "100 Best Companies To Work For" in FORTUNE Magazine. There is an obvious correlation between the emphasis on company culture at Zappos and their overwhelming success. The brilliance of the Zappos's culture has been thoughtfully fabricated by their passionate and humble CEO Tony Hsieh, which is why we felt he would be perfect for our project. As much as we'd like to share the entire interview with you, we're saving most of it for the book. Don't worry, we'll give you a sneak peek...

What did you want to be when you were a kid?
A robot inventor.
What is something you had to learn the hard way?
Letting the company culture go downhill at LinkExchange. At LinkExchange, I remember when it was a lot of fun when it was just 5-10 of us working around the clock, sleeping under our desks, and having no idea what day of the week it was. But we didn't know any better to pay attention to company culture, so by the time we were 100 people, the culture of the company had gone completely downhill. That was actually one of the main reasons why we decided to sell the company.
I wanted to make sure the same mistake didn't happen at Zappos, so our #1 priority at Zappos is company culture. Our belief is that if we get the culture right, most of the other stuff, like delivering great customer service or building a long term enduring brand, will happen naturally on its own.
Where do you find inspiration?
I find people that are passionate to be really inspiring. It really
doesn't matter what they're actually passionate about, as long as they are truly passionate about it.
What advice could you give to someone coming out of college?
Ask yourself what you would be so passionate about doing that you'd be happy doing it for 10 years even if you didn't make much money from it. Then go do it.
What is one thing most people would be surprised to learn about you?
That I sit in a cubicle.

More about Tony Hsieh:
www.zappos.com
interview by duane fernandez

For Immediate Release: "SEEK"

I'm excited to announce Left Field Project's new art experiment titled "Seek." Four years ago Duane Fernandez, Creative Director of Left Field Project, was trying to figure out a way to create a zine based on completely random content. Two months ago he had a dream he was hiding large pieces of art in cities around the world. Fernandez awoke the next morning and started putting the pieces together. This can get complicated, so please follow closely:
1. Fernandez will be hiding 23 wooden jewelry boxes around the world in the next three months.
2. Each wooden jewelry box is hand painted by Fernandez and will feature a portrait of an American icon.
3. Each box will contain a handmade bracelet/cuff made specifically for this project by Spexton jewelers.**
4. Each box will be individually numbered.
5. Each box will contain a questionnaire. Fernandez will ask each person that finds a box to take part in a random and unique experience. Left Field Project will publish the experience in a limited edition magazine this fall.
6. Each box will have a personal message for the lucky individual who happens to track it down.
7. The boxes will be randomly hidden in public spaces around the world. After the art has been placed, Fernandez will publish a clue to the whereabouts of the box via twitter: www.twitter.com/duanefernandez. Additional clues will be added every hour for three hours and will include photos.
8. The first individual to collect five boxes will receive: [1] A hand-painted portrait by Duane Fernandez. [2] Seven awesome beer koozies. [3] Two handwritten letters and a birthday card. [4] A coloring book and a box of crayons - the really awesome box of crayons with 64 colors and a built in sharpener. [5] A $100 gift card to McDonald's - we recommend the breakfast sandwiches - yum. [6] Two-year subscription to Fast Company magazine. [7] Two-year subscription to ID magazine. [8] 50 issue subscription to Business Week magazine [9] Two-year subscription to Complex magazine. [10] Two-year subscription to Glamour magazine. [11] Two-year subscription to Vogue magazine. We love magazines and we think everyone should have more print in their lives. [12] A picture of Fernandez's dogs. [13] 3 Left Field Project t-shirts. [14] A box of records. [15] $250 gift card to Moosejaw.com [16] 2 year subscription to Modernism magazine. [17] 10 issues to Dwell Magazine. [18] One-year subscription to Giant Robot magazine. We really love magazines. [19] $250 gift card to Spexton. [20] A pair of really neat socks. [21] A real mix tape. [22] A board game of Fernandez's choice. [23] A journal or diary, depending on your perception of the feminine/masculine nature of the words describing a book in which to write your thoughts.
9. The purpose of this project is to have fun, be creative and find art. The random nature of the project will unite a group of people from around the world who otherwise would never have met. Hopefully this project will remind people to go out and seek things for the love of randomness. Life is far too short, everyone should enjoy a scavenger hunt around the world every once in a while. People are encourage to be resourceful and work with their friends across multiple platforms. Individuals can work with their peers in other cities, states and countries to hunt down these pieces. It should prove to be an interesting experiment.
10. Finally, not all of the details of this project can be disclosed at this time, but allow us to say this: It's very interactive. In many ways. As each box is found there are new aspects of the project that will unfold.

** Fernandez teamed up with Spexton [www.spexton.com] when he was asked to create a gift for Elton John, Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen.

The attached photo is of one of the cuffs - It will be hidden sometime next week on the east coast...
**Please forward to everyone you know and please repost via blog, your site, forum and twitter... I need you to help me spread the word. Email me for press release, images and additional info**

Eric Nakamura [interview]

This interview was originally featured in a Left Field Project zine published three years ago. I stumbled upon one of the zines this morning and I thought it would be interesting to share with you all...Eric Nakamura
Co-founder of Giant Robot
About a month and a half ago I started compiling a list of people I wanted to feature in this issue. The list started off with about 25 people. In a matter of only a few hours the list grew to 50. I needed to stop. Over the course of a few days I fine-tuned that list to 10 people. One individual that had to be a part of our inaugural zine was Eric Nakamura. Eric is the co-founder and publisher of Giant Robot. After graduating from UCLA in East Asian Studies Eric began working at Larry Flint Publications. During his time there Eric came up with the idea for publishing a magazine focused on Asian pop culture here in the states. Giant Robot's first issue was released by Eric and co-founder Martin Wong in 1994 in the form of a photocopied and stapled zine. Now almost 16 years later Giant Robot has grown into an internationally distributed magazine with boutique/stores/galleries throughout Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco. The success that Eric has received is well deserved. His integrity, vision and ideals are unmatched. It was a pleasure to sit down with Eric and talk about Roosters and giant robots.

One of the things I love about Giant Robot's success is that it started off as a zine. Have you ever wanted to put out a zine issue? Cut and paste, photocopied, black and white, scanned in the photocopied pages and still have the glossy cover and quality pages in between?
All the time. But scan it? The idea would be to submit it as is and let the printer deal with it. I don't know if that would be a goal, but making zines is one of the best things you can do. It takes little money and a lot of effort. The more soul, the better the zine.
Alright Eric, you win the Lottery, two million dollars right in your lap, but here is the kicker, you have to spend it all within the next 2 weeks. What do you do with it?
Difficult, it's not enough money. I think I'd just upgrade my work tools and work spaces. 2 million may not really cover that, but it would be a great start. I can buy stuff too I guess, but I have plenty of stuff already.
What’s the worst interview question you have ever been asked?
I hope it’s not the “you hit the jack pot” one I just asked.
There are no bad questions, just unresearched ones.
Years ago people would ask, for some odd reason, if we were associated or owned by the Beastie Boys. It was offensive then. Maybe it's because we were doing something new, did it on our own and then hearing that people thought we were owned by a band was a big let down.
Asian American students have asked, "how much money do you make?" It's an honest question and not a bad one, but why are they always Asian American?
The most tiring question is "why are you called Giant Robot?"
Where do you see yourself in 15 years?
I honestly don't look that far. I only hope I'm satisfied with myself then.
According to Chinese Astrology 2007 will be the year of the Pig. What is your sign?
Rooster.
What are the characteristics of a Rooster?
I'm not sure honestly. All I know is that growing up, it was referred to as cock and now it's rooster. I miss being known as a cock. Maybe that's a characteristic.
I found this online, "People born in the Year of the Rooster are deep thinkers, capable, and talented. They like to be busy and are devoted beyond their capabilities and are deeply disappointed if they fail. People born in the Rooster Year are often a bit eccentric, and often have rather difficult relationship with others. They always think they are right and usually are. They frequently are loners and though they give the outward impression of being adventurous, they are timid. Rooster peoples emotions like their fortunes, swing very high to very low. They can be selfish and too outspoken, but are always interesting and can be extremely brave. They are most compatible with Ox, Snake, and Dragon.> I just looked it up for our benefit."
Are any of these attributes true?
Probably all of them. It's a bit weird to read it and see myself in everything, however, if I look up any other attributes, I fit those too. I hear I'm a typical Leo, so I'm sure I'm the typical Rooster. I hope being "typical" is a good thing, I grew up thinking it wasn't.
Do you follow Astrology?
I don't follow zodiacs. But I have AB blood, and I hear I fit the profile of an AB blood having person. I guess I have two parts to myself. Most people don't know their blood type in America, but in Japan, it's important.
What do you wish more of in 2007?
More of the good parts from each year in the past. The bad will come with it regardless. I suppose this means there's no point in wishing, but it's fun, isn't it?
How did 2006 treat you?
This was a great year for me. A lot happened and I got to do many things. I think I took 20 roundtrip flights and flew around the world. Paris, Newcastle, Madrid, Tokyo, Hong Kong and more. I don't have a favorite memory, I think they all weigh in the same. I curated an art show at a university, did many cool speaking events, and met great people. If you gave me an hour I could tell you more about this year.
Which of the Voltron Lions is the weakest? I think the Black Lion would whoop the piss out of Optimus Prime, your thoughts.
I didn't grow up watching Voltron. I'm one generation or so back.
Mazinger Z would have killed them all anyway.

These next two questions were not in the zine but I wanted to include them here:
What did Eric Nakamura want to be when he was a kid?
I wanted to be a world champion pro tennis player with the style of Bjorn Borg and the heart of John McEnroe.
Why did you start Giant Robot?
Tennis wasn't going as well as I hoped, but making zines and putting projects together is something I've always been into doing. There were no magazines I was interested in, so GR is sort of everything I'd want in a magazine. Art, design, history, culture, travel, idiots, and more.

More information about Eric Nakamura here:
www.giantrobot.com
Eric's blog
** Warning about his blog: He always posts pictures of delicious food. Going to his blog will induce hunger.
interview by: duane fernandez