Going beyond technology with Paul from techblogger.io
A glance through Paul’s blog — techblogger.io — will leave you thinking twice about what you know about computers. He covers topics that range from hackathons to cloud solutions, and even printing. Reading his articles will make you wonder how his interests grew with such breadth; meeting him in person is just as interesting as you’d expect.
“I’ve always loved writing. Technology too. But one day I needed to make more money while I was working in the tech industry as a programmer. That’s when I responded to a request from TechRepublic. And that’s how I got started.” He speaks with a cheeky grin on his face, and a boyish charm in the tilt of his chin. “I’m really blessed. This is my dream job.”
Between being flown about for various tech conferences in Asia and spending time creating written content at his fixed desk in Spacemob, he often does the former. But whenever he’s at work, he makes sure to share the latest gadget he’s come across — a curved-screen monitor, POE router, or desk mount — with everyone around. That’s when the kid in him comes out, where in one glance, you know that he’s having the time of his life.
“Of course it was scary. These assignments come and go quite easily. It’s unlike a full time job where you’re paid a fixed salary just to show up. So that took quite a while to get used to.”
One thing that he keeps coming back to during the interview is having to stay ahead of the curve. He recounts how his work has changed from editorial pieces to brand-related ones, and acknowledges that it is now marketing departments that drive the demand for content. But he looks at it with objectivity, and tilts his head to one side.
“As long as I stay educated and interested in niche areas that few others can tackle, I’ll be alright. In fact, I’m thinking of brushing up my Chinese.” He leans back in his chair, roaring with laughter. “But my advice for people who want to do this, is don’t.” His eyes squint with amusement and he laughs even louder.
It isn’t until I press him for an explanation, that the humour in his voice takes on the composed tone of a seasoned media professional. He clears his throat, and lets a seriousness come over his expression.
“‘Well, at least don’t do it for the money or the lifestyle. Even if writing is your passion, it takes a lot of time to build credibility and a customer base that will let you do it full time,” he says, matter of factly. “Just because you see someone’s name at the top of an article, it doesn’t mean they’re successful or that they know the answers to everything. They aren’t celebrities. They’re just like you and me.”
I accept his point without argument, and pinch my chin in anticipation of what he’ll say next. Within seconds, the seriousness in his face breaks. He leans back in his chair, puts both hands behind his head, and smiles.
“But in the end, as long as you put in the time and hard work, you’ll be fine. Draw from the sum total of your experience, talk to people. It’s like in Spacemob, where you get to meet people with different viewpoints. Do that, keep going, and you’ll get to where you want to be.” The grin on his face, tells me that he means well and speaks from experience.
Without warning, he leaves the table and disappears into the distance towards his desk. As quickly as he disappears, he reappears. In his hand is the ergonomic wireless keyboard he’s been raving about. We toy around with it and play with it like kids at a playground, and spend the next twenty minutes typing imaginary sentences on it.
