rickyleepotts …an opinionated realist

I play video games.  I play video games a lot actually.  I play sports games, first person shooter games, racing games, and even role-playing games if the mood strikes me.  I am not into games like World of War Craft, but I probably spend as much time playing games like Tiger Woods PGA Tour Golf as some of you do playing WOW.  I take the game very serious and have purchased every copy of the game on the day of release since the 1999 version when it came to PC.  I recently have been going to Walmart at midnight the day of the release as that allows for immediate satisfaction of the updated graphics and the new game play.

I would venture to say that I play my Microsoft Xbox 360 about 95% of the time.  I am a console collector, as I have all three of the next generation consoles, but the 360 has a special place in my heart.  Perhaps it is the fact that I waited in line at Walmart for over twenty hours to guarantee that I got one the day it came out.  Or maybe it is because this is the first time that Tiger Woods was a launch title.  Actually, I think the real reason is because of the achievement points.  These points are a way for you track your progress as you play and beat games.  You get points for doing things like completing a season in Madden or for running a lap in Project Gotham Racing without hitting a wall.  Some of the points are easier to get than others, but with that comes smaller point totals.  I currently have just over 14,000 gamer points and from what I can tell that is a lot.  But again, I do play a lot.  Think of gamer points as bragging rights for the rest of the gamers out there.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2010 has been giving me some problems lately.  I have not beat the game, I have not completed the tournament challenge, and I have only received about half of the gamer points that this game has available.  However, with that being said, I do know what all of these achievements are.  And not only do I know what these achievements are but I also have researched them a little deeper to know not only how to accomplish these achievements but also some of the little innuendos that go along with each task.  Below you will see a complete list of the Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2010 achievements and a little more information on each one.  (These will go from the easiest achievements to obtain to the hardest and highest point valued ones.)

Team Work – Watch the Credits – 10 Points

This is a pretty simple task to complete.  All you have to do is head to the main menu, choose the My Tiger Woods -10 option, then select Extras, and then Credits.  Once you have watched the credits for the game you will unlock this achivement.  This is an easy way to jump start your list and to learn a little bit more about the number of people that went into making this game possible.

Blammo! – Earn the Bingo, Bango & Bongo point on a single shot in the Bingo Bango Bongo Traditional game mode. – 10 Points

This is another pretty simple task to complete.  Bingo Bango Bongo is a pretty fun style of play.  The concept here is that you and your opponent(s) tee off.  You earn a Bingo for the first person to hit the green.  Then, you win the Bango for being the closest to the pin once everyone is on the green.  The Bongo then comes as the lowest score on that hole.  So, for instance, if you hit in the middle of the fairway, stick it to three inches, and your opponent misses his putt and is a foot away from the hole, you would in theory win all three.  There are multiples ways in this game to achieve this task, but the easiest is to play you with two controllers.  Set up the game to be you versus yourself.  Hit the shots that you know will allow the first, or the second, player to win all three.  Is it cheating?  Sure it is but it beats trying to figure out a way to do this while playing in the exhibition mode.

Weather Report – Complete an online 18-hole round in the rain using the Live Weather feed. – 10 Points

Live Weather is new to the Tiger Woods franchise.  This is a feature that based on GPS and the constant connection to the web that your console has (assuming you invested in an Xbox Live account) to pull the actual weather conditions as they are in the city of where the course you are playing exists.  So, if you head over to St. Andrews to play a quick round before bed, have Live Weather set, and it is raining in Scotland you better believe that it is raining on the game.  This feature is cool because it gives you an accurate sense of what these guys truly have to deal with from week to week out there on tour.

The Comeback Kid – Come back from a +5 or worse to finish Even or better, in any Traditional or Online game mode round. – 15 Points

This is a very easy task to complete.  The idea of this is that you have to come back from being at least five strokes over par and finish the round even or under par.  This is not hard as most of these courses have the potential to shoot in the low 50s once you have figured out the putting.  The easiest way I know how to tell you to beat this challenge is to knock a few balls out of bounds on the first hole and start your next seventeen holes already at your target of five shots over par.  Then, once you have hit that magic number just play the way you would normally play.  Chances you finish even or under par are pretty good.

Tough at the Top – Compete in Play-The-Pros mode and submit your score online. – 15 Points

This is also another easy task to complete.  All you have to do is log on, play 18 holes in this particular category, and post your score online.  It does not matter if you shoot twenty under par or twenty over par, as long as you submit the score online you will unlock this achievement.

Play with the Big Boys – Drive the ball 400 or more yards in the fairway in any Traditional or Online game modes. – 15 Points

This is a task that takes a little bit of planning.  First, your player (you could use Tiger Woods for this if you want to) needs to have a high distance rating.  Once you are near a full rating on your distance category, head out to any given golf course and let the big dog eat, as they say. Some things that might help are finding a downhill down wind par four or five.  If the wind is at your back it will be much easier for the ball to carry.  If you do get a big down wind open the club face a little to let the ball get that extra airtime after you hit it.  You will probably get this achievement on accident by just playing the game.

Maximum Power – Complete an 18-Hole round using a max stats costume in any Traditional or Online game modes. – 25 Points

There are a couple of ways to complete this task.  You can purchase the bunny costume with 300 Microsoft points and get this challenge right out of the gate.  But, if you are like me and find yourself on a budget, you just simply have to unlock the bunny suit to break this challenge.  You can unlock this costume by making your way through the Tournament Challenge.  You have to play this to be able to unlock all of the achievements anyway, so it just comes with time.  But once you have unlocked the bunny suit all you have to do is play 178 holes.  Easy enough.

Raindancer – Play in the rain and score an Eagle or better in any Stroke based Traditional or Online game modes. – 25 Points

This is simple.  Set the weather to rain, play a round, and score an eagle or better.  Once you sink that eagle you will get an easy 25 points.

Riding Spinnaz – Sink an approach shot using backspin covering a distance of 5ft or greater in any game mode. – 25 Points

You will get this just by playing the game.  As you make your way through the PGA Tour season or the Tournament Challenge.  Most wedges wil spin this much by default so do not worry about the distance of your spin.  So just go out and play and eventually you will sink a field shot.

Taking Flight – Total 50 birdies with a created player. – 25 Points

This is a pretty simple one to break.  Just go out and play and you will break this in no time.  I currently have over 1,000 birdies and I am not even at 100% game completion.  A harder challenge might have been 50 eagles with a created player. But make sure that you are using your created player as these do not count with the players that are already in the game.

Eye of the Hurricane – Shoot under Par through a Gale Force wind in a Traditional or Online game mode 18-hole round. – 25 Points

Gale force winds are insane on this game. You will be starring at 25+ mile an hour winds going in any given direction.  Sometimes with winds this crazy rain is also thrown into the mix.  Regardless, just play smart, make sure you sink a few birdies early, and you will break this achievement.

It’s All in the Hips – Use Precision Putter to sink a 30ft putt without Putt Preview, in a Traditional or Online game mode. – 30 points

For this challenge you must sink a 30 foot putt without using the putt preview.  The putt preview is your one and only chance at seeing where, if you hit the ball at 100%, your putt will travel.  It can be difficult not using this as the new putting is something very hard to grasp for most average to mid level players.  But, there is luck!  In the tournament challenge you will be matched with Tiger and are required to match him shot for shot.  One of these is a putt that is 30 foot long.  The first time you have this putt, line it up, and use the putt preview.  Understand where the putt will break but then miss the putt on purpose.  The challenge will restart leaving your putt exactly where you had it before. Adjust accordingly and sink the putt.

Bare Minimum – Play a round under Par in a Traditional or Online game mode with a Driver, SW, 5 Iron and Putter. – 30 Points

This is a fun one to break.  I suggest that you use a curse like St. Andrews.  The course is not that long, from the white tees, and has pretty flat greens.  Also, while playing use the three click style of play.  This way if you have a 5 iron going into a 130 yard shot you can guarantee you will not miss the green by very much.  But the easiest thing you can do is just go out and have fun!

Big Money – Win 5 Million Dollars in Live Tournaments. – 30 Points

Good luck on this one.  This is the hardest challenge in the game, in my opinion.  This will take you not only time but patience as you have to play a lot, and for a long time to unlock this one.  There are various styles of online tournaments ranging from daily, weekly, and play the pros.  Each one requires you to play four rounds and the top 350 places generally pay out.  The play the pros one pay fewer spots.  This is not hard; it is just time consuming and a lot of golf.  So get out there and start making some birdies!

Piece of Cake – Post a Top 50 score in a Live Tournament. – 30 Points

This is not s hard as it sounds.  All you have to do is go out to live tournaments and finish one round in the top 50.  Find a tournament that has just started, play your heart out, shoot a decent score, and you will place in the top 50.

Migration – Total 100 Birdies using a created golfer. – 35 Points

Just like the 50 birdies that you must collect this is just a continued effort.  Keep playing and keep making those birdies and this one will eventually find its way into you trophy case.

Birds of Prey – Total 25 Eagles using a created golfer. – 35 Points

Exactly like the two birdie challenges, this is based on eagles.  So, head out there, play some par fives, and rack up the eagles.

Big Tuna – Play an 18-hole Traditional or Online game mode round in FIR and GIR using only tuned clubs. – 50 Points

This one is quite difficult for multiple reasons.  First, every club that you have in your bag must have been tuned out on the driving range.  The putter is the only club that you cannot tune.  This can be done by changing the loft, the lie, or anything else that you think will benefit your swing in the club-tuning mode.  I changed my clubs by one degree of loft.  Now comes the hard part.  You have to play 18 holes and not miss a single fairway.  You also cannot miss a single green.  You must literally play a perfect round from tee to green to break this with those tuned clubs.  Mine happened by accident but with a little patience you can break this in a hurry.

Aces High – Ace a Par 4 or a Par 5 hole in any Traditional or Online game mode. – 50 Points

This one is a lot more difficult than you might think.  You might pull this off by accident during normal game play but if you want to focus on this challenge and guarantee that you complete it then you need to head back to St. Andrews.  And rather than using your created player take Luke Donald.  On hole #9 at St. Andrews Luke will hit a 99-100% driver pin high.  Then, just play with the spin until you knock it in.  Also, use the mulligan feature in case you miss it to save from having to go back and set up the hole again.

Well-Seasoned – Complete a PGA TOUR® Season with at least 10 Million Dollars in career earnings. – 50 Points

This is a pretty simple task.  Just play through a season, win as many tournaments as you can, and finish the PGA Tour season with over $10 million in earnings.  The first time you do this it will actually unlock not only this achievement but also the Tracking Tiger Trophy Ball for making more than $10 million in a single reason.  Think of it as killing two birds with one stone.

Circle of Life – Score an Ace, an Eagle, a Birdie, a Par and a Bogey in a single round of a PGA TOUR® Event. – 55 Points

This, as hard as it seems, will again just happen on accident.  You can play a round and get any number of eagles, birdies, and bogies.  But the hole in one is the issue.  Play a course like Wentworth where you have a lot of chances.  Play the white tees, as well, giving you a better chance at scoring that ace.  With a little luck this will happen during the course of play.

Eagle Eye – Total 100 Eagles using a created golfer. – 55 Points

Remember when I said they should focus on the eagles rather than the birdies?  Well, your wish is my command.  Score 100 of these and you will unlock another achievement.

Ten Thousand Ways – Earn 10,000 Player Points in EA SPORTS™ GamerNet. – 75 Points

This is something that just comes with time.  You can either win these through the course of normal play by knocking it close to the pin or by out driving some of the other players on Xbox Live, or you can do it online in their menu.  You can search for and find these set challenges and if you beat them this route it will earn you double points.  This track will allow you a much easier road and can be accomplished in a few hours if that. (I am doing it the old school route and earning them as I go through the PGA Tour Season.

Challenge the World – Complete the Tournament Challenge mode. – 75 Points

It does not get any easier than this. Just play through and complete the tournament challenge.

Sharkies – Play 18 holes online against an EA Tiburon team member or against a player who has this Achievement. – 80 Points

You can either head online and setup a match with this as a requirement or just risk it and play as many people online as you can until you unlock this.  You must, however, complete all 18 holes for this to unlock.

From Bad to Worse – Hit the ball from any bunker into a different hazard, such as a Water Hazard or Out of Bounds. – 10 Points

This is easy.  Hit the ball into a bunker then hit it out of bounds or into a water hazard.  It really is that simple.

Mulligans Island – Use 20 or more mulligans during an 18-hole round, in any Traditional or Online game modes. – 15 points

Just start a round with mulligans activated and go to town.  You can do this all on the first shot of the round if you want.  Once you have used twenty of these finish the round and you will unlock this achievement.

No Known Survivors – Equip the CEC Mining Hazard Suit – 35 Points

All you have to do is play through the Tournament Challenge.  Once you have completed the four rounds at the TPC of Boston you will unlock this in the pro shop.  Equip it and then you will unlock this achievement.

Levinator25 – Complete the first Bonus Challenge in Tournament Challenge. – 55 Points

This is a fun little secret achievement that you will have to complete.  Once you have made your way through what you think is 100% of the Tournament Challenge you will be given one more set of tasks to complete.  You will be given incredible shots from recent history on the PGA Tour.  The first, and the one that you need to complete to win this task, is knock it in from a lily pad.  Remember that Tiger Woods commercial where he hits the ball from a lily pad standing in the middle of the lake?  Well, now you get to experience this first hand.

These are the achievements in the 2010 Tiger Woods PGA Tour Xbox 360 game.  The game is the best graphics you have seen in this series to date and the game play is incredible.  The putting, as always, changes this year but you get used to it.  If you are like me and obsess over achievement points hopefully this will help you get a healthy chunk.

I first met this man on Twitter, so it is fitting that when I took some time to sit down with him that it be on the social networking site itself. I have, since first chatting with him, gotten to know a little bit more about what makes this guy tick. I had the chance, not long after we sat down on Twitter, to meet this guy in person at an event held at Scotty’s Brewhouse up on the north side of Indianapolis. He is a true gentleman and a guy that I think you should take the time to get to know. With his efforts online to his efforts from 9-5, he is a perfect example of a man that “get it” when speaking on social media. So sit back, relax, and take some time to get to know the man that is Robby Slaughter.

(For those of you that do not know how Twitter works, messages that start with @robbyslaughter are messages from me to the artist.  Messages that start with @rickyleepotts are his responses.  I have set a limit to 140 characters for this interview and all questions and answers must fit in 1 single tweet.  All of the messages you see have not been edited and are exactly as I received them.)

So tell me @robbyslaughter, what is that you actually do for a living?

@rickyleepotts I help people. That’s what we all do for a living. My primary interest is in bottom-up workflow and productivity.

@robbyslaughter Can you help me?  I have been sick for the last three days.  Any words of advice on how to keep focused?

@rickyleepotts First: ask coworkers to give you a day without interruptions to catch up.

@rickyleepotts Second: Go through and reply to every email you received with: “I’ve been out sick, but I WILL reply within 48 hrs.”

@rickyleepotts And finally, make sure you leave on time the first day back! No use making yourself relapse.

@robbyslaughter That is some good advice.  Thank you.  So where did you go to college to learn how to help people like myself?

@rickyleepotts One of the big challenges of workflow and productivity is people feel like it’s too academic or too complicated to …

@rickyleepotts work smarter, because of tools or obscure terms. But the reality is that more important than a college degree is a new

@rickyleepotts perspective on work.

@robbyslaughter U are cheating u know. U are only supposed to be allowed 140 characters to respond. But that’s OK. I like it! Pepsi or Coke?

@rickyleepotts I didn’t know about the 140 character limit! I like Pespi better.

@robbyslaughter I will take the blame for not explaining the rules to you.  Don’t worry, @paulpoteet cheated too. You a Colts fan?

@rickyleepotts Yes, Go #colts! You can’t live in Indy and not be a Colts fan.

@robbyslaughter I beg to differ.  I HATE the Colts.  (Notice how I did NOT use a #?) According to Twitter you are a trouble maker?

@rickyleepotts If you’re not making trouble, what are you doing? Progress requires thinking differently.

@robbyslaughter You are very well spoken.  I like that.  Any reason why you follow more people on Twitter than follow you?

@rickyleepotts I don’t pay attention to follower/following counts. I just try to take part in the community, and numbers emerge.

@robbyslaughter I think you should write @HALLMARKPR cards.  What is on your Christmas list this year?

@rickyleepotts Thanks, I think. Xmas list: World peace. I don’t really have anything that I’m excited about.

@robbyslaughter How many people work for @slaughterdev?

@rickyleepotts Three plus myself.

@robbyslaughter So are you an @iPhone user?

@rickyleepotts I am, and user is the right word. There is use, there is addiction, and not really any grander benefit.

@robbyslaughter Is this your first time being interviewed on Twitter?

@rickyleepotts Yes, it’s my first time for a TwitterView.

@robbyslaughter Well in all of my interviews I let the artist (you are an artist in my mind) get the last word. So with that being said, GO!

@rickyleepotts Thanks for the TwitterView. I hope it was fun for all who listened in! Check us out at http://www.slaughterdevelopment.com/

The guy that I am sitting with today has a story to tell. He actually has quite a few stories to tell. Good thing he is a singer and a songwriter. He tells his stories on stage with a guitar in his hand. Outside of the fact he is about as laid back as they come, he is also an incredibly nice individual. His skills on the acoustic matched with him trained vocals talents makes him a great excuse to see a live show. His songs have unique titles and you can tell, just off of the lyrics alone, that he has been through more than an average person should ever have to go through. I first met this cat at Birdy’s Bar and Grill and have become good friends since. Sit with me today as it is my absolute pleasure to introduce you to Jason Firebaugh.

So how do you actually pronounce that last name of yours?

It’s just like saying Fireball…except you don’t prounce the two ll’s on the end of it.

Is it true you just moved to the Indianapolis area?

It is true that I just moved back to Indianapolis.  I was away for about seven years, lived in Florida and Texas in that time.  Glad to be back though!

Describe your genre in one word.

Heartfelt.

Do you write all of your own lyrics?

For the most part, yes.  There’s only one song that I can’t take complete lyrical credit for.

Have you ever co-written with anyone?

Yes, I used to be in a punk band in Florida called Skylab Hoax.  We collectively wrote a song called “Best Disguise” that I still play on my own.  I also have two songs in which friends of mine gave me titles and I wrote lyrics based on those titles.  Those were really fun.

Tell me about the Acoustic Live Challenge that you just experienced.

The Acoustic Live Challenge was a great experience!  I entered it mostly to get more into the music scene here in Indy.  I haven’t been playing my solo/acoustic stuff for very long so I knew I would have a tough time winning, and I was up against some absolutely amazing musicians.  I learned a great deal just watching everyone else play and I also met some great people that I will continue to play with in the future.

Who are some of your biggest inspirations?

Musically speaking, I have a ton…and honestly, most of them fall in the “Punk Rock” genre.  Face to Face, Screeching Weasel, Blink 182, Green Day; just to name a few.  In life, my friends and family inspire me everyday.  Every song I’ve written has at least one person (if not more) as my inspiration.

If you could be any cartoon character whom would you be and why?

Louis/Cornelius from Meet The Robinsons.  This is my favorite Disney movie.  I like the message and theme of the movie.  Basically saying, you live and you learn and you move on from it.

What are you drinking on stage?

Beer, typically Miller High Life, Coors Light, or Bud Light.

Do you have a job outside of music?

Yes, I currently have a job in a warehouse that pays the bills…but just barely.

What would you be doing if you were not playing music?

I enjoy the lyric writing process so I would hope that I would still be writing in some fashion.  Maybe poetry or short stories.

If you cold live anywhere else in the world where would you go?

Any place that is warm year round, is near water, and has nice beaches.  If it meets those three criteria, I’m down.

What was the last movie you saw?

Inglourious Basterds.

Did you like it?

I did like it.  I enjoy most Tarantino movies. I would watch this one again.

If you could only play one song for the rest of your career what song would you choose?

I have a song called “Love Found Never Lost” that I wrote about my sister and her husband.  Basically about their love story; how they ended up together, etc.  That would be the one, it’s one of my favorites.

How long have you been performing?

On my own as a solo act, I first played out in October; so about four months.  But prior to this I played for a few years in a punk band.

Do you play anything besides the guitar?

Not really…although I could still play a C scale on trumpet if you ever need that.

Let’s say you are about to headline a show at Verizon Wireless Music Center. Who is your opening act?

Locally, either Brad Odom or Eddie Brummett.  If I could be selfish and pick a nationallly known opening act that I really wanted to see and hang out with, I would pick Blink 182.

Are you a Colts fan?

Now you’re talking my language.  I love the Colts!  Huge, huge fan!  Besides music, following the Colts is my biggest passion!

How did you react to the news about Michael Jackson?

This may sound morbid or strange, but it seemed normal to me.  It just seemed like with the ups and downs, all the strange things that happened in his life, it just didn’t surprise me that much.  Although I will say, with all he contributed to music, it was a pretty big loss.

I hear you are not on Twitter yet.

I am not.  You are correct…although I am hoping to get started “tweeting” at some point soon…is that right?  Tweeting?

What are your thoughts on MySpace?

I think MySpace is great.  I think it was the first place where musicians could really get their name out there and network around the world without having to physically travel to places.

Who has more talent between Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers?

You know how the Colts questions was Awesome?  This is the complete and total opposite of awesome…but if I must answer, I will say the Jonas Brothers.  I loathe Miley Cyrus.

Coke or Pepsi?

Coke.

Can you name SpongeBob SquarePants best friend?

Patrick?  Is that right?  I have five nieces and nephews, that is the only reason I even have a guess.

You are a songwriter. That means you must know how to tell a good story. Tell me a story.

So I was in Broad Ripple about nine or ten years ago.  My friends and I decided to head into Rock Lobster, and yes, I am that old.  It was a Friday or Saturday night, so it was packed.  After having a few drinks, I needed to use the restroom.  For those of you that are either female or haven’t been to the Rock Lobster, they have (or had, not sure if they still do) a trough style urinal.  One big urinal where guys just line up next to one another to go to the bathroom.  Anyway, I end up at the far right of the trough and there are three guys to my left.  I hear the door open and a guy yells out to the three guys, “Scoot down, make room.”  So they do.  This guy stands right beside me and proceeds to drop his pants completely; so he is standing there in his boxers only.  I laughed to myself and he looks and says, “Don’t tell me you’re not seeing this?”  I had no response due to the fact of who this person was…none other than future Hall of Famer and Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning.

Do you ever play outside of the city of Indianapolis?

I played a show in Illinois in December, but nothing else yet.  I really hope to be able to play at various places in the Midwest as I get more established.

If you could meet anyone, alive or dead, who would it be and why?

One person who is kind of a personal hero, but one that I didn’t mention as an inspiration earlier…Warren Zevon.  He was an amazing lyricist, with a very unique voice.  And the fact that he decided to write a final album in the time he had left on earth, speaks volumes of what he was as a person and as a musician.  I would love to be able to meet him and talk with him about his entire life.

If you were offered a large sum of money to do a rap album with someone else’s lyrics would you do it?

Absolutely not!  I am not a fan of rap and I wouldn’t want to be successful off of something I didn’t do myself.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

I see myself still playing music.  Although I would like to be able to make a career of it, the odds are very slim.  No matter what happens, I am a lifelong singer/songwriter/musician.

What do you want to be remembered for when this is all said and done?

I want to be remembered as a person who truly, honestly cared.  Someone that cared about other people and their feelings.  Someone that cared about society.  Someone that cared about making music that was from the heart and took the time to ensure that it always was.  If I give that impression off to people, then I will be happy with my life.

I always let the artist get the last word. Go.

Rock On!  Go Colts!

The guy that I am sitting with today was first introduced to me by a coworker. I received an email from Ryan Mull, managing partner at IMAVEX, and he said that the two of us should meet. He was copied on the email and Ryan also made mention that I was doing interviews with artists all over the world. The interviews are done either in person, via email, or over Twitter and he decided that Twitter seemed like the more appropriate solution. (The in person interviews tend to get a little out of control. Sure, I can type as fast as someone speaks but it is hard keeping up when trying to have a conversation as well as capture every moment that I can while chatting.) So, we connected on Twitter and quickly realized that we needed more than 140 characters to get our thoughts across. So we moved from Twitter to email. Both collections of questions and answers are here in this blog. So sit back, relax, and get to know Kristian Andersen.

(For those of you that do not know how Twitter works, messages that start with @kristianindy are messages from me to the artist.  Messages that start with @rickyleepotts are his responses.  I have set a limit to 140 characters for this interview and all questions and answers must fit in 1 single tweet.  All of the messages you see have not been edited and are exactly as I received them. Also note that #RLPTV was an attempt to create a trending topic on Twitter with this interview. It also allows for users to search and find my content.)

Let’s start this interview with @kristianindy! Tell me, @kristianindy, what is it that you actually do for a living? #RLPTV

@rickyleepotts My team and I work with our clients to help them develop their brand, product, and business strategies. We call it BXD.

@kristianindy How many people are on your team? #RLPTV

@rickyleepotts We have 7 full time employees (including myself) and a couple of part-timers – http://bit.ly/7CPOIz #RLPTV

@kristianindy I LOVE that you just used a bit link. How concerned are you with traffic on your link shares? #RLPTV

@rickyleepotts How concerned am I? Um…I guess not very. Should I be? #RLPTV

@kristianindy In my opinion VERY. I obsess over traffic to my link shares. Same as my analytics report. So are you a #Colts fan?

@rickyleepotts Yeah – my primary analytics report is my monthly P&L statement. Season ticket holder for 10+ years. #RLPTV

@kristianindy No kidding? That is awesome. Do you like the new stadium?

@rickyleepotts The new stadium is great in most regards –1 of the best in the NFL. Better than that strip club the Cowboys call home.

@kristianindy I do not even watch football to be honest. You appear to be an educated man! Where did you go to college? #RLPTV

@rickyleepotts It sounds like your a golf guy. I graduated with a degree in Design from Anderson University, in Anderson, IN. #RLPTV

@kristianindy I am in fact a golf guy. Are you? I can see you on the course! So what is this I hear about you living in Arkansas?  #RLPTV

@rickyleepotts What did Mark Twain say about golf again? – http://bit.ly/86vwJi . I split time between my homes in Arkansas and Indy. #RLPTV

@kristianindy I enjoy some MT but I really like those bit links! & I want to have multiple homes! So, what is your favorite “brand”? #RLPTV

@rickyleepotts This short-form interview format is tricky isn’t it? #RLPTV

@kristianindy I like it though! It makes you think about your response. I would be more than happy to do an email interview if you rather?

@rickyleepotts No way. This is interesting. Keep ‘em coming. #RLPTV

@kristianindy That’s the spirit! You have worked with some pretty impressive clients. Who is your favorite? #RLPTV

@rickyleepotts We’re really proud of our affiliation with all of our clients. We try 2 only work w/ clients where there is a mutual respect.

@rickyleepotts Currently we’re really excited about @FormSpring @exacttarget and @rewardsnap

@kristianindy What is one thing every brand has in common? #RLPTV

@rickyleepotts The fact that, in spite of what they might like to believe, they are not (exclusively) in control of their brands. #RLPTV

@kristianindy No no, I know but just in your experience with brands. Think Apple, McDonald’s, Target. What do they have in common? #RLPTV?

@rickyleepotts You mean great/successful brands. Successful brands all have a simple, differentiated, and focused value proposition. #RLPTV

@kristianindy No no no, you did quite well! I always let the bands that I interview get the last word. So, you too! GO! #RLPTV

(*This is where the interview went from Twitter to being handled via email.)

I see that you have worked with Smaller Indiana. The logo on their website does not link. That bothers me as a designer and as someone who wants websites that I visit to be user friendly. However, every time that I try to contact someone from there I am NEVER replied to. I am handling it in a very professional manner. It is honestly leaving a very sour taste in my mouth. What are your thoughts on a website that has a logo that does not link to the home page?

I’m sorry to hear that you are not getting a response from the gang over at Smaller Indiana. They are an amazing group and have done an enormous service for the Indy business community. With that being said, I’m obviously a proponent of adhering to best practices when designing for the web.

Where do you see the Internet in ten years?

I don’t think we will see it. In ten years it (the Internet) will be so ingrained and embedded in our lives that it will become invisible. The end game is truly ubiquitous networking.

What is your biggest challenge working with brand management?

I think it’s getting clients to understand that you can’t control a brand via brute force. It’s like raising a teenager. If you just lock them in their room and try to exert total control, they will rebel and you’ll end up with the opposite of what you intended. Conversely, if you just let them go and provide no supervision or support the outcome could, and often will, be equally bad. Managing brands is about finding the right balance between control and chaos.

Your team, based on what I see on the website anyway, looks more like fashion models than brand experts. Do you encourage that atmosphere in the office?

(Laughs) We just have a great photographer. But I will say that often times really great designers tend to have refined aesthetic sensibilities that transcend their professional life and manifest in lots of other ways…including fashion. We definitely take image seriously, it’s a profound part of our business. I don’t want to take fitness advice from someone that is in worse shape than me.

Out of Twitter, Facebook, and a blog which do you find has the most potential for the future of social media?

I have a hard time separating them. They are all just digital channels. I rarely think of those three “products” in a vacuum. Ultimately, I think Facebook is built to last, because their business is built on data. Blogs are a really just a publishing platform, but I don’t think they are going away either. Twitter is in front right now, because they are filling a huge need around “instant” – instant search, instant gratification, instant gossip, etc. 2010 will be the year of instant/real time, so I expect Twitter to flourish in the short term.

Who would play you in a Hollywood film about your life?

I’ve always said Ethan Hawke. But the rest of world seems to think Stifler (Seann William Scott) would be a more appropriate fit.

The names of your children intrigue me. Can you explain how you and your wife came up with those names?

My oldest daughter, Scout Belle, was named after the character in “To Kill A Mockingbird”. We named our middle daughter Daisy Jane, just because we thought it was a beautiful name, but there is also a literally connection to “The Great Gatsby” as well. Finally, my youngest is boy named Indiana Olav – we call him Indy. That is really my way of paying homage to Indiana and acknowledging how great that community has been to me and my family.

Any words of advice for a young guy like myself who wants to be on that list of the “Forty under 40″?

I think the fundamentals of success are fundamental. There is no secret sauce. I think it is a matter of working hard, being humble, serving others, and creating value. If I could add one thing that is often left off of that list it would be – being visible. Make sure that you are communicating to “your audience” in a way that is engaging and make sure that they know what you are up to. If you’re generating value…they’ll want to know.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

In a perfect world my life would look very similar to the way it does today. I would hope that my family is healthy and happy and that my businesses have continued to enjoy some level of success. I just want an opportunity to keep doing what I’m doing…which is what I love.

Do you think Lady Gaga has talent or she is all hype?

You’re asking the wrong guy. I listen to country (mostly classic country) music almost exclusively.

So how do you know Ryan Mull, managing partner at IMAVEX?

That’s a good question. If memory serves correctly we met a long, long time ago when he was at MarchFirst and I was doing consulting for one of their clients, a company called Healthx.

I always let the artist get the last word. (Yes, I consider Kristian an artist.) Go!

You’re doing good work and building a heck of a personal brand. Keep at it.

This year the Golf Inc. Conference will take place in Florida. When you think of Florida you start to imagine places like Disney World in Orlando or beaches in Miami. But on the north side of the state there are places of interest just the same. For instance, places like Amelia Island. This is home of the 2010 Golf Inc. Conference and proves to be a great selection as folks are already talking about the course and the hotel. So, as you begin to prepare for the three day conference this April, I wanted to provide you with a list of eight reasons why you should attend this event. (Note that this list was taken from an issue of Golf Inc. Magazine.)

Recovery Shots for the Next Decade

At this year’s event you will have the opportunity to sit through thirty sessions that will cover the full gamut of your business and help you on your most pressing needs. It’s time to see your business get ahead of the game.

Guaranteed Return on Your Investment

89% of past attendees rank it as a “good” value or better, with 64% ranking it “very good” or “excellent”. The folks at Golf Inc. are so confident that you will find the conference a good value that we offer a money-back guarantee*. They are sure you’ll feel you got your money’s worth that they will give you your money back if you find the conference was a “poor” value.

Best Speakers of any Golf Conference

94% of past attendees rank the quality of speakers as “good” or better, with 65% ranking them “very good” or “excellent”. And 91% agree that the speakers represent the industry’s leading operators, developers, and experts.

The Ultimate Networking Experience

Network throughout the conference with colleagues, industry leaders, and others. Their cocktail parties and other events are rated as the best part of the conference. “You always bring together a strong group of industry professionals in a great and intimate setting. Hard to find another conference that duplicates that kind of value,” a recent attendee wrote in an anonymous survey.

Lowest Rate in Years

They are offering their lowest attendee rates in more than five years. Get in for as little as $399 for one person, if you register before February 19th, 2010. You can register the second person in your party for only $199., and the third person for only $99.

Special International Development Symposium

Learn from international golf leaders on where to build now and what’s working in today’s economy. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear speakers from the Caribbean, Latin America, and the Bahamas.

Private Club Track: The Membership Dilemma – How to Stop the Bleeding

They have crafted a track especially for private clubs, board members and owners who are struggling with membership declines in this tough economy. Learn from experts who have success stories to share.

Outstanding Golf at Amelia Island Plantation

Play one of the four Audubon International certified golf courses beautifully designed along the coast. Enjoy the ocean, the weather, and work on your game while at this year’s conference.

This list should be more than enough to get you to the 2010 Golf Inc. Conference. If not, just take a look at the presentations that make up that list of thirty sessions. There are some industry thought leaders at this event and it will be a great value for you and your club by attending this year’s event. Plus, the round of golf, the cocktail parties, and the potential for all the relationships that you can build is invaluable. So go ahead and register and start planning your trip to Amelia Island.

*Money-back guarantee: Attendees will be sent a survey by email one week after the conference. If you rate the conference as a poor value you will be offered a refund of your purchase price.

Anyone who has ever been in a relationship has faced this at one time or another: Where to do the breakup. If you have never had to go through this then I envy you. Whether you have only been dating for a few months or have been together for years, the breakup speech is always a tough one. With today’s modern technologies, it is much easier to end it with someone using tools like Facebook, Twitter, and text messaging. (Are you like me and only judge whether someone is dating someone else based on his or her Facebook relationship status?)

But more than likely this is going to happen to you. The United States alone has a divorce rate at over 50%. So for all those people who stood before God and made promises that they aren’t sure they can actually keep, half of them have been through this. But it doesn’t always have to be bad, right? They always say that one door closed is another door open.

So when this talk finally does happen, you want to make sure you are in a good location. Most couples out there, outside of the ones where the other is cheating on you, can tell by the warning signs when it comes to a break up. But if you cannot tell that you are about to become the hottest thing on the market, at least hope it can happen somewhere worth talking about.

I have come up with a list of the top five places you can hope that your lover breaks things off with you. Each one for a totally different reason but still allowing you some hope before the night’s out to get over it, if only for the time being.

Your House

This seems almost too easy. If your girl (since I am a guy we will keep the rest of this post simply by saying it this way) breaks up with you at home, you have nowhere to go. You don’t have to drive home upset, or to a bar to make even bigger mistakes; you can just lay in bed and sulk in your own misery. Chances are you already have a cold case of beer and some bottles of random alcohol lying around, so make a night of it. (I recommend drunk-tweeting.)

Any Local Bar

This is a dream come true for most of us. If you are out having a few drinks and your lady breaks things off, great. You are already here drinking and you can tell her to get lost and take a taxi home. As soon as the breaks up with you look at the bartender and ask for another. Tell him or her to keep them coming and have a night that you can afford to forget. At the end of the night, take a taxi home and forget about it until morning.

At Her House

This might sound a little harsh, but you can have some fun with this one. Depending on how bad the breakup is you can take it out on her things. If you are in the living room and she gives you the bad news, get up and pace around acting like the demon inside of you is about to come out. She will tell you to calm down and to relax, but you don’t have to. Give her an earful about how great you are and then start kicking, perhaps even throwing things. Don’t vandalize her house or break her TV or anything like that, but show her you care by tossing her candles on the floor and punching her wall. If nothing else you will feel better the next day knowing that your apartment is spotless. This only works if she lives alone. If she lives with roommates or her parents, then you might have some explaining to do. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want any pissed off father beating my door down to break my things. Chances are he will want to break more than your TV. You know how dads get.

At Work

This would be one of the worst places to get the bad news. Or the best. If you look at it from a negative point of view, you will be miserable until you either make up and get back together or you fall in love with someone else. Even if you do fall in love with someone else you have to see that person every single day. Chances are you will quit, she will quit, or you both will lose so much productivity on your work that you will be fired. There is some truth to the old adage that you should not date people that you work with.

Hooters

What better way to leave a relationship than with wings and ice-cold beer? Plus, imagine what the scenery is like. If you are lucky enough to have your lady leave you at Hooters, you win. It truly is that simple. Once she dumps you, order some more wings. If she starts yelling, get another beer. Regardless of the way your relationship ended, you get some invaluable eye candy, a full belly, and buzz worth talking about. A man can only be so lucky.

I do not wish this on anyone. I hope that everyone can find someone that to fall in love and live happily ever after with. But for most of you, there will come a time where you are put in this dreaded situation. Lets just hope that you can manage to have it happen somewhere that benefits you in the end.

When I first heard that Apple was going to be releasing a phone, I was a little gun shy. I had never owned a Mac but had worked (and played) on them in school. Being a graphic designer had its perks. But I was in the market for a new phone after having carried the Motorola Razr for so long, so I began researching the iPhone. Luckily, Apple had signed an exclusive contract with AT&T, which was my carrier. The phone came out in June and although I would not get my very own until Christmas I spent many hours inside the Apple store playing with the device.

After I got the phone I fell in love with the features that were at my fingertips. I could browse the Internet with mobile Safari, sync my email and my calendar, and even download and listen to numerous albums with the iPod functionality. It even has GPS with turn-by-turn directions, a calculator (turn it sideways for a scientific calculator), and an always-changing App Store that allows you to download any number of useful apps. This phone was a dream come true and I used it all the time. But the phone is not perfect. I want to take some time to discuss what I feel are five flaws that Apple needs to fix for the iPhone to truly be the best smart phone on the market. (I know, I could hardly believe it either – Ricky Potts is blogging something negative about the iPhone.)

5. Dirty Screens

Whose idea was it to make a touch-screen phone that not only showed every fingerprint, but also was impossible to clean? I mean, sure, out of the box they give you a cloth that was designed to clean this screen, but who actually knows where that is? I want to be able to use my sleeve to clean my screen. Regardless, this is a big issue when you want to show someone something on your phone. You hand them the phone without wiping it off first and they will look at you like you are crazy. I wish they had taken the time to develop a screen that would still allow the ease of a finger but also stay a lot cleaner that this one does.

4. One Carrier

I hate that I have to be on AT&T to be able to carry an iPhone. Sure, I could jailbreak my phone and use it on any network, but I like the fact that I have Apple and their customer care in my back pocket. That gives me a feeling of security. I had an instance with my first generation phone where I kept breaking every set of headphones I had. It was not because I broke them on purpose, it was just because I was using them. Even after the phone was out of the warranty period, Apple still replaced my headphones each time I needed a new pair. I went through seven sets.

But, all that aside, being forced to have AT&T does not allow me options when it comes to cell phone packages. I have to pay what they tell me. If they say that unlimited text messages are $XX.XX, then I pay that. No other options. Other carriers are actually offering much better deals while AT&T has not let up on their price points at all.

3. Battery Life

Holy crap does the battery life on an iPhone suck! It was a little better on my first generation phone, but the 3GS is running (by choice) on 3G data speeds all day long. That kills the battery. Sure, I charge it the night before I go out, but on any normal Saturday the phone won’t make it through half the day before needing a boost. You would think that if Apple were producing a phone with as much power as this thing, they would have put a little more research and development into the battery. Not to mention that the battery is not removable. With my previous phone, I could simply grab an extra battery and go. With the iPhone, that’s not an option.

2. Volume

The volume on this phone is terrible. I have my phone on vibrate 90% of the time, so ringer volume is not that big of a deal for me, but the volume when I am on a call is disappointingly low. I have to have the phone nearly full blast when I am on a conversation because I can barely hear the person. Time and again when using this phone, I have to say, “What did you say?” And the 3GS is no better than the first generation. The only solution I’ve found is to use the headphones when I’m on a call. The good thing about this is that I am usually listening to music anyway, so the headphones are always close by.

1. Running Multiple Applications

This is by far my biggest pet peeve with the iPhone. Most (if not all) smart phones on the market can run multiple applications at once. The iPhone can’t. I can listen to Pandora just fine. I can send a text message just fine. But I cannot listen to Pandora and send a text message at the same time. That bothers me. This is also something that could easily be fixed with a software update. That’s the beauty of this phone – everything syncs to iTunes when connected to the computer. So why has it been over two years and still no update to fix this issue?

Perhaps this is my way of proving that I am human. I have taken what I feel to be one of the greatest inventions in our lifetimes and shown you five flaws that might affect some people from switching to the iPhone. Regardless of these minor issues, I have to keep telling myself that nothing is perfect. In the end, Apple still has my heart and AT&T has my paycheck.

I recently came across an article that discussed friend requests on Facebook.  The author of this article had received a friend request from someone that he knew when he was in elementary school.  When a friend request goes out, no harm is done, and the hope of rekindling a long lost friend is set into motion.  That is of course until the person on the other end of the friend request; the one who apparently thinks that he knows how to use social media in the “right” way, realized who this request was from.

In the request there was a personal message stating that they had not talked in a long time and also a phone number hoping to reconnect on the phone if possible.  The person sending the request was being completely innocent, using the software of Facebook for the reason it was built, to connect and to communicate.  The “victim” on the other end of this friend request got upset.  “We have not talked in thirty years, what could you possibly want to say to me now,” he says.

I bring this up, and I could bring up multiple stories like this to you every single day, because I recently came across a very similar situation in my life.  I was sitting at work one day when I received an email from a name that I did not know with a [No Title] in the subject line.  These are messages that I normally delete, but the name looked legitimate so I decided to open it in hopes it was an actual person.  It was from an actual person, someone that had found me through the powers of Google.

This individual asked if I knew a Rick Potts who had graduated from Terre Haute South, had went to Vincennes University, and used to play baseball.  That was it, nothing more.  It was a simple question of someone trying to find who would end up being my father.  Yes, he did graduate from Terre Haute South High School.  He did play baseball at Vincennes University, and Indiana State University.  The person this individual was looking for was my dad.  So, before I gave out my dad’s email address or phone number I called my father to see if he knew this individual.

Sure enough not only did my dad know this man he was his best friend growing up.  He and my father had lost touch over time, and through a few emails they had reconnected.  My dad drove down to Evansville, where this man lived, to reconnect in person.  My dad had not seen this man in over thirty years. (There was an instance where they saw each other at a mall perhaps ten years back but it was brief and nothing came of it.)

So what does that have to do with the article of the man refusing to accept a friend request from thirty years in the past?  The point is you never know who that person could be.  What if that person is a billionaire and wanted to reconnect by flying you out in his or her private jet for the weekend to catch up?  Or what if that person has a terminal illness and wanted to simply say hello to all of those they remember from their past?

The argument that there is no right or wrong way to use social media is simply false.  There is a right way to use Facebook.  There is also a wrong way to use Facebook.  An example of a wrong way to use Facebook is case in point.  If someone you do not know or someone from your past for that matter tries to reconnect, do not get upset about it and yell at your readers for not accepting this friend request.  Rather send that person a message directly asking them how they are, what has happened in their lives, and why they feel that you should reconnect.

Without the powers of social media my father would have never been reconnected with one of his bet friend from his childhood.  That story is enough in my eyes to accept nearly every friend request that comes my way. My dad could not have been happier, nor the individual that reached out to me through my blog, and I am glad that I could be that bridge. So shame on you sir for declining that friend request when you have no idea the reason that individual even wanted to reconnect with you.

Where are you right now? Are you at work? Are you at the grocery store? Maybe you are at home for a night on the couch watching movies and eating pizza. Wherever you are, make sure you tell foursquare so that all of your friends know where you are as well.

When I say foursquare, I do not mean the game that children used to play in the schoolyard. (Not sure, but according to a few friends of mine it is still a popular game for our youth. I myself have never heard of it.) Foursquare is a social networking service that allows you to check in to places that you go. You can follow people, as they can follow you, and you can always keep tabs on where you and your friends are.

With the service you are able to not only check in to places that you visit but you can track stats and earn badges for your accomplishments. You can earn badges, for instance, by checking in somewhere after 3:00 AM. Or you can earn a badge for visiting the gym three times in one week. That badge is called Gym Rat. On top of the ongoing and ever changing badges that you can earn, you can also become the mayor of individual locations. To become a mayor of a location, you have to have visited the place at least twice on two different days and have been there more than anyone else on foursquare. I am currently the mayor of over 25 locations!

The idea of foursquare is incredible for allowing people to stay connected. Especially for a person like me, that is always out in public and trying to network themselves around town. For instance, I went to Scotty’s Brewhouse a few weeks ago. I checking in once I sat down at the table. My girlfriend, who is also on foursquare, checked in when she got into the parking lot. I was given a notification that she was also at Scotty’s Brewhouse. The key to this is that foursquare also links to Twitter. I get updates from her sent to my phone as a text message as well. So, as I am sitting in the booth I get a push notification from foursquare saying she was there and then a tweet from Twitter saying that both she and I were in the same location. Imagine the possibilities when a location has multiple people who all follow each other on foursquare and Twitter.

Just this week foursquare has made some major changes across the board to not only their badges and the way you can edit locations, but they have also made several other platform changes. I wanted to take the time to not only introduce you to the service of foursquare if you were not already familiar with it, but also to show the people have been addicted to this service the changes that he and she can expect to see in the future.

(Note that you must have a smart phone such as a Blackberry, iPhone, or Droid to be able to use this service. You must be able to download an application that utilizes the phones GPS to track locations and allow you to check in to the desired space.)

City Buckets

When you first signed up for foursquare before these changes went into place, you were forced to sign up for the city nearest you. For example, while I live in Fishers, Indiana I was forced to sign up for Indianapolis, Indiana; that would place me in one of the said City Buckets and always be forced to add locations to that city. So, when I added Tan Co in Fishers, Indiana it would default back to the city of Indianapolis. That is no longer the case.

To get up to date with this issue all of the applications for all of the smart phones will be getting an update very soon, if they have not already forced the download. For the City Bucket issue to take effect everyone will have to update his or her software. I like that, actually. This is not the most exciting update of that will be taking place but it does force progress.

City Badges

As I said earlier, foursquare has what are called badges that you can earn by checking into certain locations. There are also offer badges for checking into places that have been tagged certain things. For instance, I earned a badge recently for checking into a three different locations that had been tagged with karaoke.

With the new city badges, certain cities will have their own badges. So, if you go to San Francisco you can earn a different set of badges than if you were in New York City. There were some issues initially with getting the Newbie Badge in multiple cities for people who travel a lot, but if that happens they are now rolled into one badge. This means that if you get the Newbie Badge in your hometown and travel to New York you will not be able to unlock that badge again. But, with that being said you will be able to access new badges that are specific to the city that you are in.

Adding New Venues

I love adding new venues to foursquare. I like walking around the mall and checking into every store I visit. Although, foursquare recently has been accusing me of cheating for checking into too many stores when I am at the mall, but that issue is known and is being looked at. But, let us say I walk into Victoria’s Secret (not for myself, of course) and try to check in. The location has not been added yet so I go to the application and add the venue. This is where the process gets a little out of hand. From here I have to put the store name in, the address, the city, state, and zip code as well as their phone number and Twitter handle. This is a lot of data to remember, as there is not a map function on the application itself.

With the changes for adding new venues you do not have to have the address with you to ad the venue and to receive points for adding said venue. So while at the mall I add Victoria’s Secret I can then go home, open foursquare on my computer, and then edit that data since I was the one who added it. (I am actually a Super User Level 1 so I am able to edit all locations. You can get that status by adding content to the website.) This will make things easier for all foursquare users as we try to add new venues while on the go.

City Leaderboards

Currently the way the leaderboards are set up are based on the city in which you live in and the people who you are following. Now it will be based on where you are located and in a twenty-five mile radius. So, if you live in Fishers, Indiana and your friends, even who you follow on foursquare, live in Greenwood they will not be listed on my leaderboard. Also, the leaderboards reset on Sunday night at midnight so the next week you have an open slate to make your way to the top of the leaderboard!

There are a lot of other changes coming to foursquare that have not been released. They are working on new location fixe to help with the GPS in the phones, a better Blackberry application to compete with the extremely successful iPhone application, a complete design and branding overhauled for the website and the applications, and even tweaks to the point system. It is exciting to see a service that Mashable has said is the net big thing in social media putting some effort into their progress. So, the next time you walk into your local grocery story, make sure you check in so I can know exactly where you are!

The guy that I am sitting with today has been making some noise lately with a recent blog post that he wrote on posting the same content to both Twitter and Facebook. It was something that I had wanted to say for months now and did not know the proper way to get the word out. (Go figure since I write a blog where I post content every day!) But he took his thoughts, which I agree with 100%, and posted them to his blog instead. I have been by his side since he wrote that. This interview took place before the blog was written, so do not expect to see any comments about that in here, but none the less he deserves to be noticed. Ladies and gentlemen allow me to introduce you to the one and only Chad Richards. (Note that Chad has a lot of great qualities outside of that blog post!)

(For those of you that do not know how Twitter works, messages that start with @chadrichards are messages from me to the guest.  Messages that start with @rickyleepotts are her responses.  I have set a limit to 140 characters for this interview and all questions and answers must fit in a single tweet.  All of the messages you see have not been edited and are exactly as I received them.)

So, @chadrichards, you work for @firebelly huh? How do you like it over there?

@rickyleepotts I do. i like it. we’ve got a good team

@chadrichards Even that Duncan character? (It’s OK, he is a friend of mine so you can say what you want!)

@rickyleepotts Yep. He’s a good guy. Looks great in a mullet wig.

@chadrichards I won’t ask. So, what do you do at @firebelly?

@rickyleepotts Im the Digital Marketing Manager or Social Media Manager We’re in a bit of a transition right now and working on titles

@rickyleepotts I help clients create, monitor and analyze conversations with their customers and potential customers

@chadrichards Must be nice having a title. My firm does not give out titles. Although I have a title. Weird? How long have you been there?

@rickyleepotts I don’t really like being constricted by titles. I started as an intern in February 07 and came on full-time in June 07.

@chadrichards Nice. An intern huh? Where did you graduate from?

@rickyleepotts IUPUI. Go Jags!

@chadrichards Heck yeah GO JAGS! I went there as well.  What did you study while at IUPUI?

@rickyleepotts Originally journalism, then dropped out, created a film fest, did a TV show, that failed, came back to New Media

@chadrichards You have been all over the board. So I might as well get it out there. What are your thoughts on Tiger’s recent situation?

@rickyleepotts To be honest I haven’t really followed it. I was more interested in the Adam Lambert AMA controversy a while back

@chadrichards We can talk about that too. What were your thoughts there? And BTW the album is amazing. One of the best albums of the year.

@rickyleepotts I love the album. He’s a great performer and that performance was exciting. Break down barriers. He’s not a babysitter

@chadrichards Did we just become best friends? YEP! Did you know he is from #indiana?

@rickyleepotts Oh, wow, I did not know that. I know the creator of Glee is originally from Indy. I like that show too

@chadrichards I just have to know. Are we friends on @foursquare yet?

@rickyleepotts hmmm….lemme check

@rickyleepotts Affirmative! We are indeed friends on @foursquare

@chadrichards You cheated. Maybe I should introduce you to @paulpottet. So please tell me you are not a #colts fan.

@rickyleepotts Just met @paulpoteet at his Gotta Eat event last week. Will see him again tom. Not a sports guy, but their streak is exciting

@chadrichards Shut the front door! You are going to be at his event tomorrow night?

@rickyleepotts I am. You going?

@chadrichards Heck yeah I am going to be there. I will actually be writing on the event in my blog. Do you read my blog?

@rickyleepotts Um…not gonna lie. This afternoon was my first time looking at it! I’m confident I’ll be spending more time there however.

@rickyleepotts Lemme guess…the interview is now over?

@chadrichards Oh stop it.  You are going to make me blush! So I only have a couple of more questions. Is this your first TwitterView?

@rickyleepotts It is my first Twitterview. I’m excited!

@chadrichards Well you did well. Like all of my interviews, I always let the artist get the last word. You are an artist you know!  GO!

@rickyleepotts I will shamelessly self-promote the services we provide. Check out http://firebellymarketing.com C’mon I’m in marketing