Get to know Lijit

Today I'm excited to introduce you to Walter. He joined Lijit in November and has taken on the role of COO. With the growth of our start-up, we are going to be tackling some big things in 2008, like how to generate revenue and keep ourselves on a budget (an unenviable but necessary job). Walter will be in charge of figuring out solutions to these problems, among others...

There is no doubt in my mind that Walter will be able to handle whatever challenge we might throw his way. For example, before Walter started with us, he had never considered writing a blog. He succumbed to office pressure, began to blog, and in the process, has won us over. (Maybe it's the pictures of his new puppy?) But before I say anything more about him, let's learn about Walter in his own words.

        1.  What is your Lijit contribution?

I’m here to be the voice of revenue and operations execution (i.e., get shit done and make some freekin’ money!).   

 

Todd and the Board position my role is as a “business partner” to Todd.  My job is to free him up from the day-to-day running of the business, and enable him to be the “rock star visionary CEO”.   Get him out in front of the market influencers, major publishers, and media organizations..  My job is to make sure the company is effectively creating a valuable and monetizable asset that can be a big company one day.

        2.  What turns you on (emotionally, creatively or spiritually) and why?

I really enjoy getting out on my bike(s).  I mountain bike, road bike, race road and cyclocross bikes.  On the weekends in particular, I try and get out for 2 – 5+ hour rides both days.  Some people may think that spending that much time on one’s hobby could be pretty selfish, but its super-important for me to remain “sane”.  I also really like spending time with my wife, friends and my dog.  Stuff like: hiking or going to the dog park is something I really enjoy (and I’m pretty sure our dog loves it).  My wife rides horses and spending time with them is really cool.  They’re awesome animals!

        3.  What sound or noise do you hate and why?

Car horns.  It’s amazing how much impact a horn has on not only the car in front of someone, but everyone else within earshot.  It’s a “selfish” noise..

 

Oh – the other noise I hate is repetitive kids music like barney-songs, or pretty much anything you might hear at Toys-r-us, FAO Schwartz, etc…

 

        4.  What profession, other than your own, would you like to attempt and why?

I think having a profession with a defined skill would be pretty comforting.  In the technology/business world you’re really only as good as your experience-level, knowledge, “smarts”, and ability to get the right shit done..  A career like “doctor” or “dentist” or “lawyer” is a specific skill that you can transfer to any location (assuming you’re any good at it).  That has a certain amount of appeal.

 

        5.  Something you're guilty of...

I had those records sealed…

We've done a good job of mellowing Walter out by forcing him to wear jeans into the office and holding Rock Band rehearsals right by his office door. I am glad Walter is on our team because he plays the part of the "grown-up" very well. (From what I understand, it's a position that every start-up needs to fill at some point.) His knowledge and sense of humor have already been proven and I can't wait to see what else Walter will accomplish in the upcoming year...

 

Hopefully, one of his goals is to utterly destroy the "that was easy" button. If you haven't seen or heard of this little gadget, consider yourself lucky. We have one around the office and while it provides moments of comedic relief, I predict we'll be completely annoyed with it by February. I'm sure the same does not hold true of Walter.