This was back in a transitional period of my young adulthood, when nothing seemed to go my way. I’d guess it was around April 2011. The commonalities that were binding me together at the time were unsteady employment, steady unemployment and a broken heart.

Days before arriving in Boston, my home, I was in the midst of a highly unplanned and strangely thrown together last minute trip to Fort Lauderdale, then LA. Yes, epic indeed. Beaches. Babes. Booze. It was my very own cross-country adventure, from the (non) comforts of an airplane. This journey made little sense financially, since I had about $600 to my name. But fuck it, it felt right at the time. My best friends live in Ft. Lauderdale and LA. This was a good reason to escape the heartache and depression of the past few months and enjoy myself.

No money no problems. April 2011

I’ve always lived with a habit of spending money that I don’t have, and always entirely too quickly. So I was ready to have fun. You see, I was raised poor. I moved around a lot. I have an inkling that YOLO was firmly tattooed in my head as a baby, albeit subconsciously. So sure enough, by day 7 of my 10 day vacation, I involuntarily put myself on the Brokens Diet – a special meal plan consisting of Crunchwrap Supremes and McChickens. Anything left over was obviously saved for booze and hookers. Minus the hookers. Either way, we had the time of our life.

Found Captain America’s favorite hang out spot – he was rockin’ his USA G-String

While I seriously lack the grownup ability called saving money, I must have a sixth sense for limiting a budget. I started my vacation with $600 in my pocket. 9 days later, I’m on a red-eye back to Boston, not sure I have enough dough to afford the train ride from Logan back to my place. That’s $2.50. I was flying in at 6am with no Brokens backup plan. I figure that’s pretty pathetic from most peoples’ perspective. But that’s why most people are boring. I didn’t care because it would have figured itself out, either way, as life always does.

I did make make it back with a whopping $7 to throw around. I feasted on a dinner of pasta and beans in a jazzed up ketchup sauce, paired with a glass of Charles Shaw Cabernet. And a beer for desert. And I was winning.

Why? Because I always put myself out there. I treasure the story over the money. I’ll thirst for new experiences, unafraid of potential embarrassment or failure. I’ll celebrate life in the midst of craziness. It may come from my upbringing, but it’s my journey, personally and professionally. I value uncomfortable situations because they teach me something. I take incredibly outlandish risks that few seem to understand. And I make mistakes, but I also learn. Isn’t walking down a winding road so much more interesting and fulfilling than trudging along a straight and narrow path? Ultimately, I believe in unconventional wisdom rather than conventional wisdom. And it’s worked out, and it’s quite possibly the reason I am where I am today.

Drink your beer unconventionally – shotgun it! You my boy, Dylon

Saving the world one Bootstrap bucket at a time. BIG thank you to all our subscribers!

[puts on corporate hat] Hi my name is Igor Kharitonenkov and I am co-founder and Vice President of Bootstrap Compost (BSC). BSC is a residential and commercial food scrap pickup service founded in Boston in January 2011. Our mission is to collect organic material and redistribute it to area farms for the sake of composting. Every day, we divert hundreds of pounds of food scraps from landfills, and in the process, help create a valuable resource for the local food community by creating a safe, nutrient rich, all natural soil amendment. All told, we serve to empower individuals and families by building a community around composting. To date, serving over 450 subscribers, we’ve diverted nearly 200,000 pounds of compostable material from landfills. As VP, I spearhead business development.

[takes off corporate hat] You’ll have to excuse me, but I can’t explain the trajectory, even to myself. I went from an unemployed, grad-school dropout. I was a depressed blogger, a guy whose alarm clock was set to double digits, only so I could get up to write in my pajamas. In many ways, I was a bleeding-heart liberal looking for a solution in a society that seemed apathetic to solutions. And here I am, co-founding a popular, market-proven and growing green startup company, making a real impact in our community. And we’re really doing it. Our clients, the press, fellow entrepreneurs, they love us. The plants love us. It’s really too fucking much to think about. I’ll psychoanalyze later.

Bootstrap Compost took part in MassChallenge 2012 as finalists! Pictured at the reception.

Just today, I found myself on a panel at Harvard speaking about social entrepreneurship. I know what you’re thinking, but c’mon I gotta name drop, it’s Harvard. And they gave me a sweet pen for participating. Which means I feel like a made man, Goodfellas style. Anyway, I was asked about the mentality of succeeding as an entrepreneur. My advice? Fake it until you make it. It’s what I said and it got a good laugh. But I’m not selling myself short, this is relevant. I told the story of my friend who cheated on every test in college. He got a degree without putting in half the work. He’s now a successful businessman. I don’t endorse this by any means. I believe in an honest day’s work. But my friend has serious charisma and can sell you fire in hell. As for me, I’m not as naturally gifted. But maybe I was in the right place at the right time. Maybe it was my hard work. I think it was a combination, but mostly, it was good attitude and a hope that just one day, maybe one day, I’d be able to prove that yes, I do in fact have some talents to offer this real world. It was a fight and I had my doubts. I got depressed. But I knew a better day would come. I faked that good day, until I got there. I’m still, in many ways, getting there.

This pen? Gold. Totally worth sharing my opinions with undergrads at Harvard

To those who know me best, I’ve always been a believer in that cliche JFK quote, “to whom much is given, much is expected.” Living in the United States with a college degree in hand, I’m like in the top 5% of the global population. I pretty much have a golden ticket, no matter what happens, so I’m doing what I set out to do: fight the good fight in the name of mother nature. And I’m making a living doing it.

Easter Sunday. Rebirth.

I do have something to say now, I think. Over time, folks reading the blog have reached out and asked what I’m up to since dropping out of a Phd program. I didn’t make the time to respond and I’m sorry. Maybe I was waiting for the right moment to write again. 18 months passed by and here we are. I realize that I need to get back into this. This blog is who I am and I need to retrace my steps. It’s my foundation, and it’s not just about who I am, it’s the self-reflection and introspection that I’ve been lacking that’s beckoning to be unearthed and brought back. I realized this week, in rather harsh manner, that there are things in my brain that need to escape, otherwise I’m a deluded prisoner in the solitary confinement of my own thoughts. And that’s not a good place to be. Ultimately, I’m a writer, so I’m gonna write.

Hi my name is Igor and I get into weird situations. This is a New Year’s celebration in Miami.

Also, for those more interested in less of my own BS Psychology (I carry a Psychology degree) and more real world advice, I think I have a story to tell now. I say I think because you see, I’m very unsure about all this. I can’t make promises. It feels weird opening myself up again. I’m gonna take it lightly with the writing, one day or week at a time. I want to see how I feel and I won’t force it. I’m pretty busy these days, bla bla, but I’ll make time. I hate it when people say they are busy. There’s always time to make time for someone or something.

But for anyone expecting IGORoamandreport 1.0? Nope, this blog won’t be the same. I’m not who I was two years ago. Maybe none of us are. Expect the topics I write about to be more random. For starters, I’d like to add some comedy. I like funny. I’m not that bleeding-heart liberal preacher I was back then. Also, going against past convention, screw the squeaky clean shit. Yes, I’m open to cursing, so cover your eight year old’s eyes if they’re reading. Don’t worry, they’re probably too busy watching the Kardashians to read anything worthwhile. I won’t be cursing much because I don’t curse much in real life. But I will, a fucking little bit at least. You see, to me it feels like release. I’m over the politically correct bit. This is my voice. And fortunately, I have more freedoms as an individual to be able to publish this and get away with it. I’ll explain all that later.

I like to operate on instinct. This photo felt right in so many ways.

I won’t be self-editing like I used to either. A lot of this stuff coming out will be first draft. Maybe the quality will suffer, but the content will be rawer than before, which I see as a good thing. I might do some SEO, I haven’t decided yet. So what will I do, you might be asking?

1. The journey is the journey. There’s something to say there. I went from a vicious combination of blogging, unemployment and depression to co-founding and running an exciting startup company in my field of interest. For me, it’s already been a somewhat long and winding road. You’ll get a ticket to ride.
2. I will be more personal. I want to unearth a deeper psychology. I get happy about stuff. I get bitter about stuff. Maybe I get happy or bitter about the wrong stuff. I want to explore it. These days I have a bit of public figure status and maybe I need to be more careful. Whatever. Fuck it. I’m living a fast life and I want to talk about it. I talk about it because I don’t want to crash.
3. I will share career advice. Okay, the truth is that I’m really trying hard these days to stay humble. So let me preface this by saying, what the hell do I know? I have, however, at my young age, been published in magazines, been featured in the papers, I’ve spoken at conferences at the world’s leading universities. It’s all good. I’m not trying to brag. I’ll just share what I’ve learned and if you want to listen that’s cool too.
4. Environmental stuff. The answer is yes, I’m still concerned about the health of our planet. Look, it’s what I do for a living. I’ll write about it.
5. I should probably update my About page too. We’ll get to that. Patience is bitter but its fruit is sweet.

I can’t think of anything else right now. The above list is not a guarantee. These aren’t promises. This is just a rough sketch of what’s to come. Or maybe not to come. I hope this is the beginning of something. In many ways, personally and professionally, I was once a baby, and maybe I’m becoming an adult now. I’m hoping these are my first steps. We’ll see where I can go.

This is me on the right. A youngin’ growing up in Munich, Germany. Go FC Bayern!

igorkharitonenkov.com

conversing for hours
generation Atari
won’t forgive or say sorry
not mean, just not worried
slow living, no hurry

one focus – living for today
in time, patience is repaid
giving it your best, always
cop a trophy when it comes your way

-IK

Big ups to CatEyez for editing this video.

________________________________________________________

No Impact Man came out in 2009.  It’s a fascinating, multifaceted story.  Simply put, a man goes on a mission to see what it’s like to live a whole year without any negative impact on the environment.  In the middle of New York City, Colin Beavan experiments with a zero carbon footprint lifestyle, stringing along his wife and young daughter.  They give up driving, eating out, toilet paper, Pampers, coffee, plastic anything, etc.  As a family, they struggle and they fight, but they are ultimately brought closer together.  I finally got to watch No Impact Man last night (it streams on Netflix, fyi).

The root of No Impact Man is the journey of a family that tries to live a zero-impact lifestyle in our consumer world.  They give up air travel and driving, they compost and practice zero waste, they only eat local food grown within 250 miles, and they live without electricity for six months (minus one solar panel that power’s Beavan’s laptop).  But the conflicts behind No Impact Man run much deeper then a green lifestyle, and they provide for some serious eco-entertainment.  First off, Beavan questions the nature of his own experiment, and whether his extreme measures are something the public can actually learn from.  Is he going too far to be considered a legitimate resource?  The family deals with celebrity, and consequently, hate.  The project makes national news quickly, and before you know it, even environmentalists attack Beavan for being irrational and giving them a bad name, and the family is only left to wonder, “Why all the hate?”  And underneath it all, we see a conflict unfold in the Beavan family.  Can Beavan’s wife, Michelle, a self-proclaimed lover of take-out food, new styles, and all things consumption, survive a year without clothes shopping or her favorite latte from Starbucks?  Ultimately, the storyline of No Impact Man builds on itself, and the lessons the Beavan family learn from this experiment develop and unfold throughout their remarkable year.  No Impact Man is a documentary that will undoubtedly make an environmental impact on you and leave you appreciating the Beavan family for their struggles and successes.

For more on No Impact Man, visit Beavan’s blog here.

It’s Spring again and I’ve finally had a chance to take my Columbia Ravenous trail runners outside.  I’ve worn these shoes on road and light trail runs and on a treadmill in the winter.  I definitely recommend these running shoes and give them an overall rating of 4.5/5 – see my review below:

Look:  The design is okay.  It’s sleek and simple, but some of the graphics are off.  There are four color combos to choose from, which you can check out here.  3/5

Weight:  I was pleasantly surprised when I put these on my feet for the first time.  Cross trainers and trail running shoes can be a bit heavy and bulky, but the Ravenous, at 12 oz, have the weight of a typical running shoe.  5/5

Feel:  The padding on the heel is very soft, which I prefer.  It’s cushy and molds quickly to your feet, and provides excellent support when you’re running.  Plenty of room for the toes.  True to size.  Feels great on your first wear!  5/5

Breathability:  The shoe is mostly composed of mesh fabric, which provides excellent ventilation for your feet.  4/5

Overall:  I’m very impressed with Columbia’s Ravenous Trail Running Shoes.  I’ve worn them on roads, light trails and treadmills alike.  They are comfortable and light; they provide excellent heel support; and they keep your feet ventilated and dry.  I highly recommend these Trail Runners.  4.5/5

Two weeks ago I tuned into a webinar sponsored by The Integrated Media Association (iMA) and National Center for Media Engagement (NCME) called Tips, Tricks, and Tactics to Make the Most of Your Online Video.  The presenters were Kevin Dando, Director of Digital Marketing and Communications at PBS and Greg Jarboe, President and Co-Founder of SEO-PR, an Internet marketing consulting firm.  These guys are legit, so let’s get to the nuts and bolts of what I learned about bringing more traffic to your YouTube video.

Background on YouTube

More video content is uploaded to YouTube in 60 days than all 3 major U.S. networks have created in 60 years.  Only 10% of these videos get more than 1500 views in the first month and only 3% get more than 25,000.  How can YOU get more hits?  The first step is to know how to take advantage of titles, descriptions, and tags to optimize your video for search engines.

Optimizing Titles, Descriptions, and Tags

Titles:  Titles have a 100 character limit.  Use the title as a headline and try to use as much of the character limit as possible.  Include a brand name or a website if you have one – it should go last.

Descriptions:  Descriptions have a 5000 character limit.  Of these 5000 characters, you should use up as many as you can.  Stay relevant but try to be as detailed as possible.  Textual elements found in the description of your video are the terms that search algorithms pick up. What that means is that the details in your text help your video get discovered when somebody searches for related content.  If you have a website, include this link as the first item in the text.  Also include links to your twitter or facebook fan page, myspace, email, etc.

[Tip:  How do you know what your audience is interested in?  Try typing in related phrases in a search bar and see what the auto-fill comes up and which videos pop up.]

Tags:  Be detailed.  List brands.  List related topics.  List geographic locations.

Annotations and Captions

Annotations:  The annotations feature can have a variety of promotional uses.  You can use annotations to plug your website or ask people to subscribe to your YouTube channel. You can also use annotations to draw a viewer closer by expanding on related resources, such as promoting a similar video, posting a relevant update, or simply throwing in a catchy comment.

Captions:  Not everyone on YouTube speaks English.  Think of how much you can expand your audience if you include some captions in, say, Spanish?

Other Tactics to Help Promote Your Videos

Branding: Always bug your video at the beginning.  Use a slide or graphic to let people know where your video is from and who made it.

Cross Promotion: It’s a two way street.  Use your videos to promote your website and social media but don’t forget to promote your videos through your social media outlets.  Ask people to comment, to re-tweet, and to ‘like’ your stuff.

Statistics: Check your YouTube insights to figure out how your viewers are responding to your videos.

The webinar ended with Greg Jarboe giving a dramatic example of the power of YouTube optimization.  Voyage.tv, a travel company, got 1,510 video views in its first 8 months on YouTube.  After optimizing their videos, hits skyrocketed to over 1,000,000 views in the next 14 months!  This could be you someday.  Good luck!