6 ms·

Alexis is a good speaker. It's refreshing to see a founder talk about his startup in down-to-earth terms instead of being egotistical and speaking in platitudes

Alexis is a good speaker. It's refreshing to see a founder talk about his startup in down-to-earth terms instead of being egotistical and speaking in platitudes.

Nrsolis 13y ago
He's actually improved over time. I saw him on a panel and he was rolled over by a MPAA/RIAA shill. I'm glad he's grown more confident and poised on screen.
- kn0thing 13y ago
  I've been doing public speaking for a while now (e.g., my TED talk was back in '09 http://www.ted.com/talks/alexis_ohanian_how_to_make_a_splash_in_social_media.html http://www.ted.com/talks/alexis_ohanian_how_to_make_a_splash...) but live TV 'debate' is a whole 'nother beast. You're talking about my first 'debate' on MSNBC (it pains me to link to it but....) http://upwithchrishayes.msnbc.com/_news/2012/01/15/10161056-debating-sopa http://upwithchrishayes.msnbc.com/_news/2012/01/15/10161056-... Yeah, I was totally unprepared for that format (my first 'debate') and it was covered in failsauce. I just couldn't believe he'd so brazenly lie like that, interrupt, etc. The feedback on reddit and HN was pretty helpful, though, and the day of the blackout I was on literally every other network much better armed. (shameless plug: I write about all of this in great detail in my forthcoming book, Without Their Permission) http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2012/01/18/exp-point-ohanian-sopa-pipa.cnn?iref=allsearch http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2012/01/18/exp-poi... http://www.reddit.com/r/politics/comments/ol56z/reddit_founder_alexis_ohanian_on_cnbc_why_is_it/ http://www.reddit.com/r/politics/comments/ol56z/reddit_found... (never do an interview on a cell phone) http://video.foxbusiness.com/v/1400506693001/websites-go-dark-to-protest-anti-piracy-bills http://video.foxbusiness.com/v/1400506693001/websites-go-dar... http://www.bloomberg.com/video/83688294-reddit-com-opposition-to-stop-online-piracy-act.html http://www.bloomberg.com/video/83688294-reddit-com-oppositio... The next time I was invited for a debate (fast company conference in NY) it was a different story, imho: http://www.fastcompany.com/1834779/reddit-cofounder-bands-ex-tour-manager-debate-sopa-antipiracy-and-levon-helms-legacy-video http://www.fastcompany.com/1834779/reddit-cofounder-bands-ex...
  - bornhuetter 13y ago
    I was about to ask you a couple of questions about the book, but details are on your website. For the lazy - http://withouttheirpermission.com/ http://withouttheirpermission.com/
    - kn0thing 13y ago
      Oh silly me, forgot to link! Thanks. You can AMA here too :)
      - bornhuetter 13y ago
        Lol, ok I'll take you up on that. 1. You must have read a lot of books on the topic over the last few months/years. What are your top (5?) books to recommend to a budding entrepreneur (while we are waiting for yours to come out)? 2. Have you considered doing an Audiobook? (I'm a fan of non-fiction audiobooks and find they work particularly well for the sort of book you have written)
        kn0thing 13y ago
        1. I've actually tried not to read too many other entrepreneurship books -- something Zach Weiner taught me (he doesn't read many other webcomics) to encourage creativity. That said, some books that have helped me be he entrepreneur I am today are (in no particular order) Masters Of Doom, Founders at Work, The Lorax, Drive, and White Man's Burden. Oh and PG essays of course. I also really didn't want to waste my reader's time (my writing is pretty conversational and there are even some jokes in the book along with doodles) so I advertise on the back that the book can be read in 5 hrs (or a crosscountry flight). 2. Yep! They asked me to read it (I of course said yes, since Christopher Walken wasn't available).
        bornhuetter 13y ago
        > Masters Of Doom Yes! I listened to the audiobook version of this which was read by Wil Wheaton, great stuff. Thanks for the other suggestions - I'm going to start with Drive as I liked Daniel Pink's latest book but haven't read Drive yet. I like conversational style, and 5 hours is a good length for a book - I hate it when a 5 hour book gets dragged out to 10.
kn0thing 13y ago
Thanks btw! I wonder if it has something to do with not being in the Valley bubble... http://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20130219190155-4421225-made-in-ny-why-your-startup-should-be-too http://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20130219190155-44...

Alexis is a good speaker. It's refreshing to see a founder talk about his startup in down-to-earth terms instead of being egotistical and speaking in platitudes.

Nrsolis 13y ago

He's actually improved over time. I saw him on a panel and he was rolled over by a MPAA/RIAA shill. I'm glad he's grown more confident and poised on screen.

kn0thing 13y ago
I've been doing public speaking for a while now (e.g., my TED talk was back in '09 http://www.ted.com/talks/alexis_ohanian_how_to_make_a_splash_in_social_media.html http://www.ted.com/talks/alexis_ohanian_how_to_make_a_splash...) but live TV 'debate' is a whole 'nother beast. You're talking about my first 'debate' on MSNBC (it pains me to link to it but....) http://upwithchrishayes.msnbc.com/_news/2012/01/15/10161056-debating-sopa http://upwithchrishayes.msnbc.com/_news/2012/01/15/10161056-... Yeah, I was totally unprepared for that format (my first 'debate') and it was covered in failsauce. I just couldn't believe he'd so brazenly lie like that, interrupt, etc. The feedback on reddit and HN was pretty helpful, though, and the day of the blackout I was on literally every other network much better armed. (shameless plug: I write about all of this in great detail in my forthcoming book, Without Their Permission) http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2012/01/18/exp-point-ohanian-sopa-pipa.cnn?iref=allsearch http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2012/01/18/exp-poi... http://www.reddit.com/r/politics/comments/ol56z/reddit_founder_alexis_ohanian_on_cnbc_why_is_it/ http://www.reddit.com/r/politics/comments/ol56z/reddit_found... (never do an interview on a cell phone) http://video.foxbusiness.com/v/1400506693001/websites-go-dark-to-protest-anti-piracy-bills http://video.foxbusiness.com/v/1400506693001/websites-go-dar... http://www.bloomberg.com/video/83688294-reddit-com-opposition-to-stop-online-piracy-act.html http://www.bloomberg.com/video/83688294-reddit-com-oppositio... The next time I was invited for a debate (fast company conference in NY) it was a different story, imho: http://www.fastcompany.com/1834779/reddit-cofounder-bands-ex-tour-manager-debate-sopa-antipiracy-and-levon-helms-legacy-video http://www.fastcompany.com/1834779/reddit-cofounder-bands-ex...
- bornhuetter 13y ago
  I was about to ask you a couple of questions about the book, but details are on your website. For the lazy - http://withouttheirpermission.com/ http://withouttheirpermission.com/
  - kn0thing 13y ago
    Oh silly me, forgot to link! Thanks. You can AMA here too :)
    - bornhuetter 13y ago
      Lol, ok I'll take you up on that. 1. You must have read a lot of books on the topic over the last few months/years. What are your top (5?) books to recommend to a budding entrepreneur (while we are waiting for yours to come out)? 2. Have you considered doing an Audiobook? (I'm a fan of non-fiction audiobooks and find they work particularly well for the sort of book you have written)
      - kn0thing 13y ago
        1. I've actually tried not to read too many other entrepreneurship books -- something Zach Weiner taught me (he doesn't read many other webcomics) to encourage creativity. That said, some books that have helped me be he entrepreneur I am today are (in no particular order) Masters Of Doom, Founders at Work, The Lorax, Drive, and White Man's Burden. Oh and PG essays of course. I also really didn't want to waste my reader's time (my writing is pretty conversational and there are even some jokes in the book along with doodles) so I advertise on the back that the book can be read in 5 hrs (or a crosscountry flight). 2. Yep! They asked me to read it (I of course said yes, since Christopher Walken wasn't available).
        bornhuetter 13y ago
        > Masters Of Doom Yes! I listened to the audiobook version of this which was read by Wil Wheaton, great stuff. Thanks for the other suggestions - I'm going to start with Drive as I liked Daniel Pink's latest book but haven't read Drive yet. I like conversational style, and 5 hours is a good length for a book - I hate it when a 5 hour book gets dragged out to 10.

kn0thing 13y ago

Thanks btw! I wonder if it has something to do with not being in the Valley bubble... http://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20130219190155-4421225-made-in-ny-why-your-startup-should-be-too http://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20130219190155-44...