So what is this website?
Click here to skip to my professional bio.
This website provides practical advice and opinion on Internet entrepreneurship. I try to do this by talking about the topics I know best: entrepreneurship, technology, social media, and analytics. I’m not out to cover tech news on this blog, though – you can read my stuff on Mashable for that.
Instead, I am out to talk about practical solutions for entrepreneurship and what’s in store in the future for the web. There are many resources, ideas, trends, and opinions that can help you become a sharper mind and a better person. I want to bring all of that to you through this blog and my work. I will always try to provide you with a new perspective, sound advice, and a bit of my quirky charm.
So who is Ben Parr?
Instead of me trying to describe to you who I am and what I stand for, I’ll highlight a few traumatic experiences in my life that will give you a clearer picture of who I am. Who wants to hear about your entire life story anyway – why not skip to the action?
(If you’re looking for the professional bio, skip below)
- I didn’t talk until I was three years old. Honestly, I think I just didn’t want to talk. All of the psychiatrists and teachers thought I was possibly learning disabled and had speech problems. They were fantastically wrong. How they got it wrong, I’m not really sure, but it’s something that no longer interests me. I am who I am now, and that’s how I like to live.
- I was hit by a car in a parking lot when I was six. The man who hit me gave me a crisp $20 to never say anything. I was a kid who didn’t know better, so I happily obliged. This was my first experience in business and economics, and I should thank that guy someday for it.
- When I was about eight, I broke my collar bone. My babysitter decided it was a good idea to swerve off the road to avoid a bunny on the highway when she was taking me to my first T-ball practice. Two days later, she vanished, I had a broken collar bone, and our Jeep…well, that thing’s probably a cube of crushed metal by now. I blame my babysitter for my horrendous baseball skills. At least it didn’t affect my swimming or my football.
- I used to weight 201 pounds not so long ago. I decided to change it one summer, though, and dropped 40 pounds. I didn’t do it with with crazy dieting or weird workouts, but with discipline in my workouts and in what I consumed. It just goes to show what some consistent dedication and smarter eating can do.
- I am a man run by my principles and my philosophies. The overarching one is this: I have the ability and the duty to change the world for the better. Everything else I do stems from that belief.
- I tend to learn by jumping into the coliseum and then learning how to wield the sword. Or jumping into the pool and then learning how to swim. I am quirky and truly unconventional as a person and as a thinker. I’m fine with failure, so long as it leads to a bigger success later on. This is probably why I label myself as an entrepreneur. So don’t let failure deter you; use it as a stepping stone and an educational experience towards making your mark on the world.
- Finally, prove all your doubters wrong. They can only hold you back if you let them.
So who is Ben Parr? – The Professional Version
Ben Parr is a respected technology journalist, web entrepreneur, science fiction author, and aspiring world changer. He is currently the Co-Editor of Mashable, the world’s largest blog focused on social media news and web technology. With over 12 million readers and 20 million monthly pageviews, Mashable is the leader in reviewing new websites and services, publishing breaking news on what’s new on the web, and offering social media resources and guides.
In addition to his duties at Mashable, Ben is also working on a new, currently unannounced startup. He also recently completed his first sci-fi thriller novel, Desel. His previous experience includes project management for Facebook applications and content management in the web health space.
Ben’s work has been featured in media such as CNN, G4, the BBC, Wired, The Telegraph, Playboy, and The New York Times. He is a graduate of Northwestern University, majoring in Science in Human Culture and Political Science and minoring in Business.
Contacting Me
I love to hear from everybody about my writing, how much I suck, and everything in between. It’s how I get a lot of ideas for articles. I also love hearing about new services or new ways to use them, so let’s chat. Warning though: I get a lot of email, tweets, and messages though, so it takes time.
Here are the best ways to get in touch with me:
- Email: Ben@benparr.com
- FriendFeed
(Your best option)
