madikarizma

I’m Thirty! Let’s Get Personal.

Today I turned 30 years old. So, what? I don’t look at this day as a beginning of the end or a number that will mess with my psyche until I lose drive to do something and be something great. Time is not limiting unless you keep telling yourself it is. And I have more mental energy now than I ever have. If you ask me, my time is now more than ever.

People keep telling me to take some time and celebrate me. Kick back and relax a little, open a bottle of wine, play some video games, etc. I love them for it. In fact, this morning got off to a wonderful start. I’ve received tons of love and support from my friends, family, followers on Twitter and Facebook, etc.

I love to celebrate. I believe it’s important (especially being an entrepreneur with long work hours, limited personal time, risk, etc.) to celebrate wins (big or small, personal or work-related) to keep positive energy in my life in tact. But I am not the type to celebrate me without celebrating the wonderful people who have contributed to a life worth celebrating.

Let me express some things, beginning with what you may not know about me:

• I was not “cool” when I was in school. Girls did not pay attention to me. I remember (easily) getting bullied and then picked on for it. I had no confidence in myself.
• I barely graduated high school. I earned my high school diploma during summer school my graduating year after sitting out my class graduation ceremony. I thought I was making a statement by wearing my cap and gown to the ceremony anyway. But really, I was just a kid who thought he deserved something he didn’t work hard enough for. It was a devastating experience, but it became a very prominent life lesson.
• I can hardly call my college efforts “me going to college”. To say I don’t have a degree would be an understatement.
• I wasted a few years of my life after high school making lame excuses for why I wasn’t actually doing the great things I would constantly talk about doing.
• I experienced personal relationships that messed with my head and made it very difficult for me to trust people. I became a complicated person to deal with.

As I reflect on the first decade of my adulthood, I realize I have been all over the place. I have been lazy, complicated, boring, miserable, ignorant and fruitless. But through it all, and despite these negatives, one positive I had from the beginning that made all the difference in my life: people (you).

I wish I had time to mention everyone, but there are a few messages I want to send to some important people in my life:

• My Family - I love you more than you will ever know. You’ve made me everything I am and no conversation I have about my life ever goes without that being noted. When I decided to leave for New York City (and then Columbus), it was the hardest thing to do. But I have been on a mission to make the Martindale family proud, memorable and set up for future success and happiness. You are my motivation. You’ve supported me the entire way, and I thank you. Life will not always be this way. I will be home soon.
• Lindsay Arnett - I can’t even begin to tell you how much you’ve brought to my life. I fell in love with you the day I met you (you were perfect). And I had it bad for you for months following. Then, just like that, you and I had a first date. There is no better feeling in the world than getting the girl of your dreams. You’re stuck with me. I’m going to marry you.
• Jeff Herbst - You changed my life. This train can’t be stopped. #hustle
• Cbusr Community Members - Do not change! There are many reasons this is the most inspiring and influential community in the city (hands down) in just over one year. The reasons are that you are curious, motivated, passionate, willing, caring, inspiring - and the driving force in this Columbus community. Thank you for all of your support. There’s a lot of work to do still, but stay with me. We are going to positively impact the lives of others, revolutionize local community and change the way we discover new people, places and opportunities forever.

Today, I am hard-working, simple, interesting, happy, knowledgeable and successful. I never stopped learning. I’ve learned the importance of discipline and how to be fearless. I’ve learned how to focus on one thing in order to make that one thing very special. I’ve learned how to succeed. And in case I ever want to do it again, I’ve learned how to fail, both quickly and inevitably. The list goes on and on… but I’ve learned all of these valuable life lessons from you… a person I have had the pleasure of being around, having conversation(s) with, listening to (or failing to listen to when I should have), witnessing, etc. You are a motivating factor in what I do. Without you, I am 30 years old and still dwelling on my past instead of evolving myself every day in order to do or become better for the world. I can’t celebrate this day without also celebrating and thanking you.

Thank you!
Cheers.

Quoted in (614) Magazine’s November 2011 Cover Story

Is Columbus the next Silicon City? (614) Magazine’s David Lewis asked me a few questions about the Columbus tech space for the November 2011 cover story “2011: A Tech Odyssey”. Below are my comments, but you can read the full article on (614) Magazine’s website.

Matt Martindale, a 30-year-old entrepreneur who moved to Columbus from New York City, had apparently heard that message. He echoed Pentland’s assertion that certain intangibles could come together and just make a place “work.”

“Philosophically, I believe if you build a great product or provide unmatchable service, it doesn’t matter where you are,” he said. “Where there’s more volume, there is also more crap. What makes the tech scene more attractive here than some other places is a 100 percent opportunity to become a great, influential company or individual in a large and growing city,” he said.

Martindale, who spent time at digital-marketing giant Resource Interactive (whose first client was a little computer company named Apple), worked for several start-ups in Columbus before founding the popular locals-only social-networking site, Cbusr.com. He now he has irons in even more fires, as he is in the works to expand the Cbusr concept to other cities under the umbrella of HelloNearby.com.

“What entrepreneurs do now in Columbus will have great impact on what defines the city’s start-up culture. For my company, we see an opportunity to become the greatest Internet-technology company Columbus has ever seen,” he said. “That’s pretty motivating to wake up each morning and imagine.”

For more insight, I’ve included the original interview transcript below:

Is Columbus destined to be the next “silicon city,” the next hub of high-tech innovation?

Absolutely. I’m personally involved in internet technology startups. I believe we are still in need of some more talent, innovation and competition within that space, but we’re heading in the right direction. Generally speaking, there are things happening in Columbus that are simply phenomenal.

You are from New York, and yet you are here, now. Why is that?

I’m asked this question often and it’s not only because I believe Columbus is the next “silicon city”. It’s because Columbus is a complete package and I would argue it has potential of becoming recognized as one of the great American cities. I haven’t committed to planting here permanently quite yet, but Columbus has changed my life to the point where it would be very difficult to leave.

What about Columbus’ tech scene did you find powerful enough to keep you here, rather than trying your luck in Silicon Valley, the 128 Corridor or other areas that are known for high populations of tech-based businesses? What makes this an ideal place to headquarter your burgeoning business?

This is probably naive and I don’t care. But philosophically, I believe if you build a great product or provide unmatchable service, it doesn’t matter where you are. Where there’s more volume there is also more crap. What makes the tech scene more attractive here than some other places is opportunity to become a great, influential company/individual in a large and growing city. What entrepreneurs do now in Columbus will have great impact on what defines the city’s startup culture. For my company, HelloNearby.com, we see opportunity to become the greatest internet technology company Columbus has ever seen. That’s pretty motivating to wake up each morning and imagine.

Do you think we are headed in the right direction, in terms of infrastructures, incentives and workforce?

I’d agree we’re headed in the right direction, though not quite there yet. Anything great comes from constant improvement. So it’s a good thing to never be quite there yet. It means there’s still life.

Can you identify any areas that could stand to be improved upon? Programs that didn’t (or don’t) work? Or opportunities the area should take advantage of if we want to attract and keep innovators like yourself?

I think the biggest challenge Columbus has is the ability to retain the types of people who make great programs happen, start promising new companies and so on. You asked me why I am here right now instead of San Fransisco or New York and I have a polished answer. But not everyone has had the experiences I’ve had and I wish for more education and push for young professionals to become involved in entrepreneurship here in Columbus. We should demonstrate how much impact their successes could have in Columbus as opposed to larger city.

I was also the subject of the magazine’s “PowerSuit” feature back in July.