Hello again;This has truly ben a week of blessings. I am honored to have been mentioned on two popular and prestigious blogs. And as my way of saying thank you to their owners I wanted to share their posts with you.
In The Same Breath
I met Ashley Faulkes, owner of Mad Lemmings as a result of leaving comments on another blogger’s post. I am not sure whose, but I would bet it was Adrienne Smith’s. He eventually reached out to me and offered to help me improve the look and functionality of my website. As a blind computer user and website owner these are things I am constantly worried about. We became great friends. He has become my webmaster, and I trust him completely with my baby something that has ben hard to do. I have known for a while that he considers me an inspiration, but its something I have had trouble accepting myself. Posts like this and the generous comments I have received from others are starting to make me understand that by doing I am inspiring others. I am a big sports fan, and one of the more common sayings in sports is how great it is to be mentioned in the same breath. Now, I am not an athlete and never have ben. But I strive to be the best at what I do which is running my online business. . And as part of this I am a blogger. So, to hear Ashley mention my name with some of the top bloggers in the industry was a great boost to my ego.
You can read his post inspirational bloggers to find out who else made his list. I will tell you they aren’t all the usual super star names you are expecting. I like how he referred to me and a few of his other choices as “slightly lesser known but just as awesome bloggers”.
In Depth Interview
I met Lorraine Reguly, the owner of Wording Well through leaving a comment on a guest post she wrote for Ashly’s site called Help readers understand blog posts I feel a little guilty because she can remember the exact post, but I couldn’t have. Anyway, she emailed me and we started writing each other often. We became such good friends, that she approached me with a personal request. She told me there are lots of questions she has always wanted to ask about being blind but has never known anyone well enough to do so. So, she began asking her questions; and I did my best to answer them openly and honestly. Some may say I shared too much. Maybe I did, but if that is true; it is because of the skill of the interviewer. We talk about how my vision played into my weight gain over the years. We talk about how blind people handle every day tasks like grocery shopping, laundry, or just picking out your clothes. We talk about how I have build the website and started doing youtube videos. We talk about my personal and professional life and plans for the future. And she includes an appeal for assistance with these dreams either by people offering their services or by making donations.
You can read this excellent post at interview with a blind man Lorraine has also helped out with the website. She was the one who helped me get the donate button installed. Actually, she is the one who finally explained why I needed one in the first place. And she went above and beyond by getting her new ebook ready so it would be available to people seeing the site as part of reading the interview post. I feel very proud of the interview and of the fact that Lorraine wanted it to be part of the rebirth of her site as a new self hosted site owner. For those who don’t really understand all this website and blog stuff, I can assure you this is a big deal especially for an author who needs to have ownership of his or her work.
My First Podcast Appearance
Last week Ashley also interviewed me for his podcast. While he is a well established blogger, he just started doing podcasts. There were lots of more well known people he could have chosen, but he decided to pick me for his second show. He said it was because my story would be educational and inspirational. We talk about how I have gone about building my business as a blind entrepreneur and the methods used including building the website, starting the blog, establishing myself on social media networks, growing the email mailing list, recording youtube videos, and expanding to also doing Google video hangouts. We also talk about accessibility to websites and software applications. And we discussed my plans for the future including my deep desire to travel for my business and to take the youtube show on the road to educate the public and promote the amusement industry and the equipment my clients have for sale.
Listen To The Podcast
You can click Building an online business Max Ivey blind blogger, to read the post, or you can listen to it here.
How Did I Get These Opportunities
I figured this was a question some of you were asking yourselves. Well, I am probably going to disappoint you because it isn’t anything new and it certainly isn’t top secret. About six or seven months ago I got really serious about joining the blogging community and getting to know other bloggers. There weren’t a lot of blogs in the amusement industry I could reach out to and there still aren’t. So, I spent my time visiting sites about website promotion, social media, personal development, etc.I read their posts, left quality comments, clicked all their sharing buttons, and even wrote some of them directly with more questions or comments. Most of these people had comment love premium so my post titles as well as theirs showed up. If I got to like and respect a blogger I would check out the people who left comments and go visit their blogs. Eventually, I was asked to join a few groups where people support each other’s blogs by commenting. From consistent activity I was featured on Adrienne Smith’s post 5 bloggers I admire and in a guest post on Carli Alice’s site called weight loss surgery a first hand account And I fully expect more opportunities to educate and inspire will come, so I decided to add a page where people can find all the sites where I have been featured in one place. That page is As Seen Online
Why I Am Sharing
I know some people will think this post is blatantly self promotional. Maybe it is. But the intention is to show my appreciation. Ashley and Lorraine have put a lot of hard work and valuable time into each of their posts. They saw something about me that they believed their readers would want to hear about. They see me as an inspiration someone who can motivate others to take action and follow their own dreams. I will confess that this was hard for me to accept. But if hearing my story gives someone the energy to get up and start moving towards their goal, then I am happy about that. If someone looks at me and says hey if he can do this why can’t I do it too, then that will make me smile. But none of that happens if no one reads these posts or listens to the podcast. So you might say its my duty to write this post and share their work. And its also my responsibility to continue getting up every day and working hard to improve myself my life and my business.
I Am Available
I have gotten lots of help over the years. Some of it has been technical, but a lot of it has been encouragement or motivational. So, I want you to know that I am here to help you too. I know that your family and friends may not understand this online stuff or have the patience it takes to learn about it. Its always good to have someone to talk with who at least understands most of the terminology. I am also a good listener, and I love encouraging others. And while it wasn’t in my plans when I started this journey, I am now interested in speaking to groups or coaching individuals. To start with I will do this on a donation basis. Of course travel arrangements would have to b made for personal visits. However, just like with the midway, a lot can be done by phone, email, and skype. I believe I may be able to help motivate and inspire people. There is a real need for this, so I feel like I need to give it a try.
Sharing Is Caring
Here is where you expect me to ask you to share this post. Well today, I don’t necessarily want you to share my post, I want you to share Ashley and Lorraine’s posts. They did all the hard work, and they are the ones who should get the shares and the traffic that comes from them. So, please tell all your friends. Also, you should leave your comments on their posts as well. I will hear about them and reply to them over there. And if you should ever get an opportunity like I have I hope you will follow this example. I do enjoy hearing from you. Please feel free to drop me a line through the contact form. I look forward to hearing your opinions. Thanks and take care out there, Max
Blessed indeed. Ask and you shall receive. Next stop the 2 posts
Hi Paul; I love your post. I just had to forward it to my brother patrick. He loves stuff like that too. thanks for supporting ashley and lorraine. They are good friends and their hard work should be rewarded. Take care, Max
You rock Max. I find it no surprise that you’ve been featured on these blogs. You work hard at it, you’re genuine in your desires and sincere in all your associations. Why wouldn’t you attract the attention you have? The best part is, you let no limitation stop your from being the best that you can at what you do. :-)))
Hi Susan; This is high praise. I work hard and what you see with me is who i am; but the blogging world is such a big crowded place that I didn’t think I would get so much notice in such a relatively short period of time. I only got serious about being active in the community about nine months ago. I look forward to more opportunities to inform and inspire. Thanks again friend, and take care, Max
Congratulations on your many accomplishments, Max! You have rocked the blogging world whether you realize it or not, and have affected the lives of a lot of people. I am so proud of you, and wish you continued success. 🙂
Hi Lorrain; Thanks for helping me to see myself through your eyes and those of other bloggers. I can understand how I am inspiring others. And its great to meet so many helpful loving appreciative people out here in the blogging world. And I can’t wait for the day when I can go into a barns and noble and buy a book by you and a hazelnut latte. smile Take care sweetie. xoxo max
I can’t wait for that day, either! 🙂
Hi Lorraine; I’m sure its coming. And I look forward to helping promote it when it gets published. Take care, Max
Maxwell, your story has been truly inspiring and I have no second thoughts as to why these great authors have featured you on this sites. So many people give up when things get too tough, but if they only knew how good they have it and the many things that can be accomplished, blind or not, the world would be a different place I’m sure.
I am familiar with Ashley’s & Lorraine’s so will be sure to visit their posts.
Hi Johnny; Thanks for the generous comment. I am glad to hear that I can inspire people to greater things. and you are right if more people took responsibility for their situation and improving it the world probably would be a much different place. Ashley and Lorraine are good friends, and I’m glad to hear you will be visiting their sites. That would make me feel even better about being featured on their site. Thanks again and tai care, Max
Thanks a lot for the double post Max. It’s awesome and encouraging to know you’re being featured more around the web. I hope your analytics are rising. This is what we all want!
So…what’s your next move? 🙂
Hi Greg;Well, analytics had always been a fuzzy area for me because of using a screen reader. Google analytics isn’t very easy for me to use, and stat counter only shows you long term stats if you pay them. I generally depend a lot on the stats provided by host gator. the end of january and into february my visits page loads and time on site seemed to be tailing off. So far in this month I am ahead of my goal of 2000 page loads a day. My alexa is still about the same, and my google pr hasn’t budged. And after having a pr of 3 for over a year, I got knocked back down to a 2 in their latest updates. And yes I am stalling. smile As to what I’m going to do next, I am giving the google hangout on air another try tonight. I am recruiting clients to submit videos so i can make more of the calliope corner shows. And Johnny Bravo invited me to a blog hop on the writing process. I have to invite three others, so I’m working to find some other talented blind bloggers to tai part with me. Would you be interested? I would have asked Lorraine, but I know she is busy; and I really think I should use this as an opportunity to do projects with new people if I can. thanks for the wonderful comment and take care, Max
Max — I wasn’t aware you are blind. What intrigued me first about you is that you are in the amusement park business. How many people do that? Not many. I’m glad you became part of our supportive blogging community. It is a great group and we keep adding more inspiring members like you every day. It is a tight knit community and I’m happy to help you in whatever way I can. I will hop over and leave comments on Ashley and Lorraine’s blogs.
Hi Jeannett; It feels good to know you were attracted to me and my site without knowing I was blind. Its kind of like a pretty or sexy woman who is known for her mind. smile and you are right there aren’t many of us. My dad use to say you had to be born into the business, but a lot of new people came into the industry during the recent economic troubles. I would greatly appreciate your visiting Lorraine and Ashly and laving comments. To me they are the real stars in this story. So what had you got going on? Thanks again and tai care, Max
It really is amazing how much a community can help each other out when needed. You’ve provided the perfect example of that today in this post. Giving is always better than taking because it always ends up being good for everyone involved.
Hi Jeri; I’m glad you understood the spirit of the post. These two sweet generous people like me and my story enough that they went out of their way to give me a push. Lorraine didn’t plan to write an interview. She started out only to satisfy her own curiosity. And adrienne certainly could have featured more well known people to kick off his podcast. So, you can bet your but I have done everything I can think of to promote the post and will continue to do so. I actually made some new friends in the blindness and visually impaired community through the process of promoting these posts. Please let me know if I can ever do anything to help you. Warm regards, Max
More inspirational stories like yours, about people who use their circumstances and rise to become the best version of themselves while serving others with grace and gratitude, are surely needed in this world. Thank you for your inspiring motivational post. I wish you all the best.
Hi Michel; Thanks for those kind eloquent words. I just try to b good to people. I only recently realize how important it is to share my story. And I’m happy to be able to inspire others just by doing what I do every day. Thanks again and tai care, Max
Good to hear that, Max!
May you scale new heights of success in the months to come!
Take care 🙂
Hello; Thanks for those words of encouragement. Th blogging community is full of nice people like you who are willing to help out new and newly bloggers. I wish you the best of success too. Take care, Max
You are fantastic to do this. What a great site. I shall return 🙂
Hello; I feel that an interview or a guest post is a partnership. You have an obligation to promote the post and drive traffic to th site of th person who was gracious enough to tell his or her readers about you. take care, max