It is with bursting excitement and gratitude that I launch the interview section of 'Your Project Me Story' by introducing you to the creator of MyScoop SA Blog Aggregator, Nick Duncan.
When I began the 'project me' blog, I knew nothing of stats, google rankings and aggregators, but I caught on soon enough and the personal challenge began. I am registered on countless blogging communities and blog aggregators, but none has been more impactful for my blog than MyScoop. It is one of the few aggregators where I can track my blogging progress daily. I have targets and challenges and am thrilled to announce that 'project me' has finally made it into the top 100 blogs on this massively popular site. My user engaged ranking is now happily floating in the top 5 and the challenges are only pushing me further.
Thanks to the power of Twitter and my gushing over MyScoop, I had the honour of chatting to Nick. He reminded me of a part of myself when I said how much I admired him for his brilliant concept and his excitement bubbled over. I clap my hands with joy every time I have an unexpected compliment from a stranger, because it doesn't matter what the rankings or the stats show ... it's the unexpected voice that makes it all worth while.
Nick, thank you for taking the time to chat to me and for your creating that is part of my daily growth and motivation.
Meet Nick Duncan and here his project me story through the official introduction of my 10 project me questions:
Nick is the co-owner and creator of myScoop, a local blog aggregator as well as the senior online marketing professional. As a dad of 3, Nick tries to balance work and play as much as he can but tends to spend most of his time in front of the computer, something his better half is not so keen about.? Apart from going into the steel industry straight after school, Nick kept his passion for the online world at his finger tips. He soon realised that like HTML and CSS, computers and steel don't really go together. In 2009 Nick decided to put it all out there (so to speak) and joined Talooma as an online marketer.
Nick started programming from the age of 12 where he developed the well known (m)IRC game, All-Out-War, which is still being played today. He started playing around in many different programming languages and later realised that PHP was the way forward and started developing online applications. Nick has learnt to mix his passions for both online marketing and programming and use them to ignite his innovative mindset to create new online applications that are a first in South Africa.
1. What is your definition of happiness?
Spending time with my family. Family is what makes us all tick, without them we cannot define ourselves.
2. If you could have everyone say one thing to themselves every day, what would it be?
?I'm going to get there? as clich? as that sounds ? saying it will make you believe it.
3. We all need someone to believe in us. Who is that person for you and why?
My fianc? Tamerah. Tam has pushed me in the right direction time and time again. Without her I would never have been strong enough to follow my dreams.
4. What quality do you believe we can never be taught because it is our birth right?
Patience.
5. Describe the moment when you realised that you could achieve anything?
I was 12 years old when my dad came home with my first computer. That night I spent 6 hours programming my own game in Edit in Dos which consisted of a few hundred batch files. From that moment on I knew that if I try hard enough and not give up, I could create almost anything I wanted and that the possibilities were endless.
6. What have you always dreamed of being or doing and have you reached that dream?
Inventing something that will change the way we all see the world. I have realised that the only way I can contribute to the world is through developing innovative websites. I have a great idea in mind and will be starting development of it in the near future.
7. When life gets in the way, what do you always remind yourself of?
Life is short ? make the most of it. Take it by the horns.
8. We all have something unique to offer the world, what is yours?
A mix of ambition, passion, innovation and crazy ideas. Watch this space.
9. How do you deal with the fears that could potentially hold you back?
Cut them off. Your mind is a powerful thing. With practise, choosing to ignore a fear or worry can eventually be as easy as flipping a switch.
10. What do you believe we have lost sight of in the world as a whole?
Kindness.
MyScoop is a real-time South African blog aggregator with limitless possibility and the ability to add multiple blogs to a profile.