Q. What gave you the Idea to start a blog?

The same motive that prompted many other linkbloggers: Sending emails to friends with “See the cool site I discovered” got pretty old, and I wanted a central place to store all the many links that I wanted to keep.

Q. When you stared, was the intention for it to be a blog just about Real Estate?

I always strived to come up with unique concepts, and at the time a ‘real estate blog’ was an un-heard combination. It did make complete sense to me that a real estate practitioner will be able to get & promote new listings through a blog. I’m glad to see now, 3 years later, that many hundreds of such blogs are doing just that. I remember that in the beginning I had to explain to everybody I spoke with what a blog is.

Q. will you ever stop blogging?

Blogging has become too obsessive for me in the last year, so I really hope to get out of the cycle sometimes in the future. At the moment though I enjoy it so much, and it fulfills such a creative need for me, that I can’t imagine doing anything else instead.

Q. Does your business partner(s) object to the amount of time you put into the blog?

I do surf & blog a lot, but not during working hours. I work 9-5 Monday to Friday, and the two “jobs” don’t interfere with each other. My co-workers have some mild interest in Grow-a-brain, and read it occasionally. http://growabrain.typepad.com/growabrain/2005/06/tony_robbins_se.html

Q. Were you surprised by the take off in popularity of your sites?

Kinda… The other day I had over 35,000 hits on the site. If Grow-a-brain wouldn’t have become as popular, I probably would have already moved on to a different project.

Q. Has any posting on your blog generated interest from the media?

I had lots of feedback generated both online & off (See http://growabrain.typepad.com/growabrain/people_are_talking_about_growabrain/index.html for a long list of accolades). Recently, I’ve been interviewed by about a dozen outlets related to real estate, Realtor magazines, etc. During my first year of blogging, Grow-a-brain was mentioned on USA Today, MSNBC, Time magazine, and such old media. Some of the most glowing reviews of the site came from individual readers/bloggers, f. ex., http://blogconsultingpro.com/2005/03/your-business-blog-can-be-edgy-funny.html

Q. Have there been any posts that have sparked a backlash against you?

In February of last year, I had a post on “Child soldiers”, and as illustration I used a cute photo that I found on Google of a 3-year old girl proudly holding a machine gun. Sometimes after that, the post was displayed on some gun-nuts website, and in the course of a few days, I had dozens of abusive, intimidating & ominous comments from those morons. Eventually, the father of the girl contacted me too, and asked me to take the photo down, which I did.

Q. Do you have any rules for posting something?

I keep the blog PG-14, not because I have anything against adult themes, but because I have many future clients & customers who Google me & my company before deciding to do business with us.

Q. Do you have a subject that you go back to again and again because it's something that you are passionate about it in one way or another.

Somehow the blog shaped itself into the many different “Topics” (Over 100 - http://growabrain.typepad.com/growabrain/archives.html which gives it its unique style. Some of those subjects are things that I care more about, ( http://growabrain.typepad.com/growabrain/cinema/index.html ) and some just somehow ended up as a separate collection (http://growabrain.typepad.com/growabrain/archives.html - ?)

Q. Do you spend long looking for your material to link to?

Yes. I don’t chat or play online: Basically, all I do is just surf and link.

Q. Who does the groovy graphics for your sites?

Thanks for noticing. The original design itself was brilliantly done by Taz of “Citrus Moon”, http://citrusmoon.typepad.com/ , a lady friend whose aesthetic sensibilities & pitch are just perfect. As far as the graphics I use for to illustrate the posts, I just collect interesting photos in a file until I have a use for them.

Q. Do you get many real estate agents visiting your site?

Many new Realtor/bloggers write me when they start their own blogs, but I don’t know how many read Grow-a-brain on a daily basis…

Q. Has anyone bought property from you and mention that they read your site?

Yes, I did do many transactions following an exposure of the client to the blog.

About you in more depth:

Q. What age were you when you moved to the States?

I was 32 when I came here.

Q. Where else in Europe have you lived?

I traveled in Europe for 11 years, and eventually ended up living in Denmark, where I obtained a Danish citizenship.

Q. Would you go back to any of these places?

Sure. In Europe, I’d like to return to Denmark & France, and visit Spain, Portugal & Czechoslovakia.

Q. How did you get into Real Estate?

I became a salesman after losing my business in 1990, and for about 6 years, I moved from one lousy deal to another. Even though I was very good “selling stuff”, I was always selling the wrong “stuff”. People kept telling me, ‘Get into real estate, you’ll be good at it’ but I always thought that it sounded too complicated. Once I answered a wanted ad for a telemarketer at a company that offered self-improvement seminars to Realtors. Working there, I realized that if our best clients could master it & thrive, I could definitely do it too. This was one of the best moves of my life.

Q. Inventor, What have you invented?

In 1987, I did invent a device & a system to stop the spread of AIDS. I filed for a broad patent in 22 countries, had over 70 trademarks, raised money, started a company to develop unique technology, and nearly sold our technology to a large Japanese condom company, before running out of funds, and losing everything.

Q. Have any of your inventions made it to the market place?

Obviously, no. In the late 80’s I was very creative, and came up with dozens of other products, but at the end of the 3 years, I just gave them all up, and started a new, simpler chapter of my life.

Q. The New Zealand trip, was this a pivotal moment in your life to want to make you move there?

I was thinking of moving to New Zealand now for quite a long time. After my 2005 December trip down under, I made the commitment to do it when I retire in 2008.

Q. I thought the post offering the free ticket to New Zealand to a woman willing to share your experience, was a bit "tongue in cheek" - but you are serious about this aren't you?

I am single now, and I am legitimately looking to hook up with a gorgeous, younger, smart & good-hearted woman. Do you know any?

(yes, and i'm keeping them for myself :) )

Q. You seem set on retiring in 08, why?

I decided to retire on May 2nd, 08, the day I turn 55, and my last years as a productive, tax-paying member of society are concentrated in building up enough equity to retire on!

Q. You list poetry amongst your interests, and as you've wrote a few poems,
have you had any published?

http://growabrain.typepad.com/growabrain/2004/12/buy_my_book.html

Q. How far on are your plans to move to New Zealand?

I haven't developed yet any concrete plans as far as my move, since I am usually a very impulsive person. I traveled to NZ for the first time in December 05, drove aimlessly for 4,500 km. around both islands, and met many people, to make sure that I will like it, once I move. Next winter (Their summer) I will go back, and start looking for more details, as far as where & what. The blog that I started http://www.movingtonewzealand.net/ goes over the information I'm gathering to help me decide of the smoothest transition into the new life.

Q. Once you've moved, will you continue with the blog.

I hope so. However, in internet time, 3 years is an internity. I hope though that by then, Grow-a-brain is one of the most popular blogs in the world, and functions for completely different reasons.

Interests:

(See the list above) http://growabrain.typepad.com/growabrain/archives.html

Q. Place (can be -location, town, state, country)?

http://www.pbase.com/kristofgeirnaert/20020208_wanaka&page=all
My future home on the South Island of New Zealand

Q. What makes you laugh?

This thread http://www.metafilter.com/mefi/41779 about this logo http://growabrain.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/best_logo_in_the_world.gif

Q. What makes you cry?

http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/20352/

Finally (stop cheering)

Q. if you had the influence - is there something that you would change?

That is too broad. I can’t think like this anymore. But thanks for the opportunity to chat with you, and your interest. Obviously, you read my blog before asking all those questions. It was lots of fun thinking about the answers.

What, I was supposed to do RESEARCH!!

Seriously, It's been an absolute pleasure, and honour to interview you Hanan. I'm glad that I had you thinking long and hard over the answers. (and you're still not having any of my women).

You can click on the pics for the full images.