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I awoke at 5.30am excited with the thought of CNN international coming to visit.CNN called to say they were coming at 11.30. I had already done a couple of TV appearances so felt fairly relaxed about this one but I always feel a little nervous just before.
About an hour before meeting them it started to rain quite heavily. I was praying that the weather would improve for the filming. We then headed back to base to meet the reporter and cameraman. The plan was to film me on my bin round and a sit down interview.
The first thing they asked me to do was to to put on a lapel microphone. Next the cameraman asked me and the presenter to get into the lorry and sit down and asked the driver to do a lap of the depot. We then all jumped the the lorry and headed out to my round to do some work. The camerman filmed me and the reporter sat in the lorry as we travelled to our location. The reporter asked me a series of questions but there was a problem with the external microphones sound levels being pocked up. It turned out something in the lorry was interfering with them.
We arrived back on my bin round and started working as the camerman began to shoot som film. The presenter asks me some questions whilst I'm working. Because there wasn't enough space in the lorry I let my work mate go home. This meant that I had to finish my bin round on my own. The weather started to get better and the temperature rose.
45 minutes passed and we had finished the filming on the round. We then headed back to base to do the sit down piece to camera. I needed to get permission from my bosses to film in the buildings on site. We got the thumbs up from him and headed to the staff canteen. The camerman then shot some screen shots of Problem Halved. The battery on my iPhone was running on less than 20 percent so was really hoping it wouldn't die on me. Thankfully we got the footage.
The presenter then asked me a series of questions about Problem Halved. I felt the interview went well. The interview will be broadcasted on Wednesday on CNN and on their website. I will posting a blog about my thoughts on the interview once screened. Be sure to follow me on @shoesmith81 for daily news
I'm sat in the trash lorry writing this blog back to the depot. We were going well time wise until the paper we are collecting got stuck in the back. Not a very happy bunny. This will put us back a couple of hours or so. At least this gives me chance to write this blog.
I'm looking forward to tommorow now when CNN international come out. The plan is for them to arrive at my depot at about 11.30am and then joining us on te binman round to shoot some footage of me at work and then do a piece to camera telling them about how Problem Halved came about. I just hope that the weather will be ok.
I'm currently awaiting a phone call from a national tv station in England who are keen on my story. I hope to hear from them soon as all tv exposure is good for Problem Halved.
This evening I will be looking at more international media to tell my story to. I'm looking at trying to get Problem Halved recognised globally. My next blog entry will include the interview tommorow and will let you know what happened.
Best
Rob
It’s been an amazing last few months. Little did I know what was going to unfold when I downloaded medlmobiles app incubator to my iphone. Having the world’s media contacting me to arrange interviews has been unbelievable. A trash collector appearing on Sky Tv must be a first.
In many ways I had hit rock bottom. I had no motivation and felt like life was passing me by. I had no long term vision. The only thing I did have was the dream of one day being my own boss and being entrepreneurial.
I have been interested in the web and mobile phone technology for some time and have had lots of ideas over the years. What I lacked was the finance to execute them. When I saw what the app incubator had to offer I jumped at the opportunity medlmobile could give me.
So this is what I did. I sat down and brainstormed over 30 app ideas and sent them in over a period of a few weeks. I didn’t hear anything immediately so thought how do I get noticed? In all walks of life it can be difficult to be noticed in the crowds.
I then decided to send an email directly in medlmobile. I received an email back from Dave Swartz the principal of medlmobile saying he loved the idea of Problem Halved. He was the first person to truly believe in me from a professional point of view. I felt very humble that a guy from half way around the world took so much interest in my ideas and me as a person.
My life has changed dramatically over the last 6 months and I truly believe if you work hard enough at something anything is possible. 6 months ago I was in a rut and felt like life was going nowhere and all I was, was part of the rat race.
My app Problem Halved was released a few weeks ago and rose to 2nd place in the UK paid social networking charts. I couldn’t believe what was happening. Things like this just don’t happen to me!
For those who do not know what my app does I will explain. Problem halved is an agony aunt style application . Users post their problems about just about anything and let fellow users of the application help solve their problems. The problem can be about anything. It is available in itunes for the iphone and ipod touch.
Since problem halved launched there has been some serious problems being submitted. People are being so open with their problems which Im extremely happy about as I’m a firm believer that a problem shared is a problem halved. The advice to the problems has been just as good.
This Friday will see CNN visiting to record an interview at work whilst on my bin round. I hear their audience figures top 180 million which is frightening. I really hope I come across well on the interview and that there will be a good download rate of Problem Halved on the back of this.
Fingers crossed the weather will be ok in Coventry on Friday as today has been awful and I’ve got drenched.
Speaking about today I received an email from medl indicating that they were going to be sending my first cheque. I was over the moon. It cheered me up a know end. I was in a bad mood with wet clothes on.
Once the funds have cleared I’m going to buy myself a bottle of champagne ( I know it’s a bit posh for a trash collector) and keep it stored in a safe place until I make a million. I say until I make a million because I have a lot of determination in trying to make this happen. Maybe it will happen maybe it won’t but this whole experience has opened my eyes up to what is possible.
On my next blog I will be writing about my experience with CNN. I will be updating this blog regualy over the next few months so be sure to follow me on this amazing journey I have been travelling on.
Yours
Rob