I’ve joined Grasshopper New Media (GNM) as Director of Operations.

Many people that know Chris Brogan and his work with PodCamp are probably asking, “Who the heck is Ben Yoskovitz? And how’d he get so involved working with Chris? Does he have a podcast we don’t know about or something?”

You can read all about it at Chris Brogan’s blog. I’ve actually had people ask me, “Is this real?” Yup, as real as it comes… (and don’t worry, I didn’t take that as insulting)

Since it’s Blog About 5 Things Week and I can’t break my own rule on writing about 5 things in each post, here’s 5 questions and answers about this new gig.

1. What exactly is your job at GNM? Director of Operations sounds so…boring? Old school?

   I’ll be doing a lot of things at GNM. The key is helping Chris turn his grand vision into a reality. That will mean different things at different times (and everything at once!):

   • Dealing with Infrastructure. Every business has a million little details that need to be handled. Infrastructure-details — hosting, managing the websites, tracking stats, etc. Some will say this is boring, but it’s the foundation of any business. (More on that another day.) Suffice it to say, I’m a believer in handling the details…
   • Supporting the Executive Producers and Contributors. We’ve got some amazing talent working with us at GNM, and everyone is uber-passionate and raring to go. My role is to help them do what they do best: produce great content. A big part of that will be to help them all work more closely together; getting some communication tools rolling (like wikis, blogs, etc.) for everyone to use. Coordinating between all the content people so we don’t re-invent the wheel several times. Everyone produces their own shows, but GNM is more than just the sum of its parts.
   • Partnering. There’s so much talent out there and so many great ideas just ready to get rolling. I’ll be working to meet with and talk to everyone and anyone in the world of podcasting, blogging and video blogging. My hope is to work together with others; mash up our ideas, content and vision into amazing products. If you want to talk, get in touch. And there are partnering opportunities beyond those of us “in the field” — businesses, sponsorship opportunities, cross-promotional ideas, etc.
   • Mind Reading. Yup, I have to read Chris’s mind. Actually it’s really about brainstorming ideas, and figuring out where GNM is going to go.
   • Launching New Content. I may not be directly involved with producing a lot of the content, but I’ll be involved in helping everyone at GNM and our partners in bringing ideas to reality.
   • Developing the GNM Brand. This involves a number of things – the image overall, the strategy for how individual shows are inter-connected, how the GNM brand exists amongst all the content, etc.
   • Marketing and Promotion. We have to build the audience to be successful. So I’ll be helping the Executive Producers to reach out and touch you like crazy. Touch, touch, touch…
2. Why did you take this job on?

   I’m a believer. I see Chris’s vision and believe it can be realized through Grasshopper New Media. I see what’s going on in podcasting, video blogging and content creation across all media of the Web. It’s nuts. Opportunity abounds.

   More importantly, Chris is a powerhouse. If you were at PodCamp in Boston (I wasn’t) you would have seen it. The man’s a volcano of inspiration. And the team Chris has assembled is hardly a bunch of slouches. There’s a ridiculous amount of creativity and passion amongst the GNMers. It’d be silly not to want to be a part of it.

   From a business level, there’s something going on in this space (call it whatever you want) that’s fundamentally important. It’s not about making a quick buck (although money is good), it’s about laying the groundwork for our kids and their kids…how much TV will my 2-year old son really watch? Or will it all be programming by people online like GNM and others?

3. Why did Chris bring you onboard?

   You’ll have to ask him.

   I bring some things to the table that compliment Chris’s skills. Two partners that are identical, offering the exact same thing to a business aren’t going to be successful. Find two people that together bolster each other…then you’ve got something. At the end of the day I’m an execution guy. Take X, Y and Z…mix in a little A, B and C for good measure and make something out of it. Souffle? Uber-successful business that changes the landscape of the Internet? Hhmmm…

4. Who are you?

   That’s a fair question. I’m not “in” any circles. My podcasting experience is limited, and I’ve been blogging since January 2006. I’ve been in business for 10 years – I started while I was in 2nd year university. So I’ve got something under my belt. But I’m not in any cliques. Cliques suck anyway. Yes, I’d like to meet everyone involved in the realm of business I’ve now thrust myself into, but I’m to-date an outsider. Actually, that’s not really true. Chris and the others at GNM have made me an insider. We can all be insiders at the end of the day; no one has figured this biz out yet…everyone’s still groping around a bit (which can be fun), and everyond should be incredibly eager to connect with everyone else. If you’re not eager to connect with people outside your inner circle, you’re doomed.

   If you want to know more about my background check out the About page or feel free to get in touch.

5. What’s Grasshopper New Media all about anyway?

   We’re producing great multi-media content for underserved, targeted niche markets. We’re building channels chock full of valuable resources. We’re building conversations at the grassroots level. We’re becoming part of already existing communities and helping those communities grow their voice.

   (I just wrote that now. But it’s true.)

With all of that said — what else do YOU want to know?

Ask me anything. Let’s work together.