5 Questions with... Jeremy Wright

Although I may be enjoying myself in Africa I am still committed to providing all of you with your Wednesday morning fix. And watch out because today we feature social media superstar Jeremy Wright!

Jeremy is a drummer, motorcycle rider, karaoke superstar, dad, music lover (even if it is baaaaad music) and entrepreneur. Founder and original CEO at b5media, creator of the #hashtagmafia and co-creator of #loserkaraoke, you’ll often find Jeremy out and about in Toronto or at major conferences around North America. While he can seem like an extrovert, he’s secretly (shhhh!!!) a very shy introvert. Don’t tell him we told you though... Jeremy reads too much, sees too many movies, works too much and laughs too often at his own jokes. These days he is Vice President at Thornley Fallis and 76design.

What motivates you to do what you do on a daily basis?

The zombie apocalypse. I fear that in today’s age of social media, instant news and rapid dissemination of, well, everything, that we’ve become complacent to the global threat that is the zombie apocalypse. I mean if you think about it, we really don’t know what form the zombies will come in. Will they look like zombies? Will they smell like zombies? What about if they don’t groan “braaaaainzzzz”? How will we recognize them?!

I believe my three biggest weapons in the coming zombie apocalypse are humour, friends and creativity. Humour will allow you to see the efficacy in using a shopping cart as a getaway vehicle, it keeps you on your toes. Friends provide fodder should the zombie hoard be catching up on you. And creativity? Well, creativity is what turns that Neil Patrick Harris lookalike zombie from a threat into a dancing partner. I’m #justsayin, it gets cold at night during the zombie apocalypse.

Do you have any success start-up tips for people wanting to create a name for themselves in your industry?

Don’t be afraid to fall on your head. A friend of mine is a BMX biker, and his biggest piece of advice is that you only land the big tricks by being unafraid to fall on your head over, and over, and over again. And then doing it some more. And when you are afraid? You do it anyways. So network like it’s your last chance, treat people like they’re already rockstars, and don’t care about your “personal brand”. Oh, and if you ever stumble upon two angry camels in a tiny car? Put that shit on YouTube!

Fundamentally: stop thinking, start doing. Too many good ideas get over-thought, and not enough get over-executed.

In your opinion why is Toronto a hotbed for cool tech start-ups?

The cold. I haven’t decided if it’s the freezing of brain cells that causes us to continue to fall on our heads (see above), or if it’s that the cold drives us inside to brainstorm with others, but fundamentally the cold (or lack thereof during the summer) defines so much of our lives. So, due to the cold we had to become a hotbed otherwise we’d perish in the frozen tundra.

Actually I think it’s because by and large, ego doesn’t matter. There are so many events that are equalizers and where you earn your way in by being a giver vs a taker, and that equalizing creates a thousand new opportunities every day. @clickflickca’s #randomTO is one of those, as is #loserkaraoke and a whole host of others. Every day there are opportunities to intersect with parts of the community you otherwise would never touch. But in Toronto? Those random intersections are part of everyday life.

What's your favourite tech toy and social media site and why?

No comment on the first half. Nothing good comes from me commenting on the first half. Favourite social media site? Twitter. And not just because it’s great for finding dates. It’s where I hang with friends, learn, keep up to date on the latest news, ask questions, get challenged, organize events… In short it makes me happy. And when I’m happy I dance. Which, let’s be fair, is never a bad thing, right? Right!

Who would you say is one of Toronto's social media/tech stars and why?

He just moved here to join the team at Thornley Fallis/76design, but @eportelance is a rawkstar. Follow him. But be careful, the boy knows how to fire a gun! I also love @clickflickca’s approach to involving everyone in the community, @smichm’s generosity and @joncrowley’s hugs.