- Lao Tzu, 6th century Chinese philosopher
"I just ate, so I'm still digesting, so my kung fu may not be as good as later on."
- Po, Kung Fu Panda
BrainFlips.com has been live in beta and serving up free customized flashcards for just under a year now, and I've been on the hook to write a blog for at least that long. Why the long wait? Chalk it up to some combination of fear, frenetic activity, and more fear. The thanks/blame for what's to follow belongs to Ilina Ewen, BrainFlips' amazing marketing guru (www.ifactorconsulting.net) and spirit guide to the blogosphere, who dragged me kicking and screaming to the keyboard. And if you want to see what a great blog really looks like, check out her sometimes funny, sometimes heart-wrenching, always outstanding work at her Dirt & Noise blog (www.dirtandnoise.com).
The last few weeks have been an amazing time for BrainFlips.com. We've achieved some long-awaited milestones and had some unexpected turns of fate as well. Not only have we seen the highest traffic flow since our launch, but we've also sponsored our first race car (!), been listed on some very popular blogs and websites, and done a teacher in-service with new friends at St. John Neumann Catholic School in Columbia, SC. Best of all, we've been lucky enough to be joined by the company's first intern - Maureen Atkins from Duke University's Fuqua School of Business. She's incredible and has already been making a big difference. She's working on our viral marketing efforts, doing everything from developing strategies to tweeting (@brainflips) like mad.
We're continuing to modify our site: Recent changes include the release of our user forums, increased control over group membership, and revised deck rating. Stay tuned, there are more cool features on the way.
As it turns out, my brother in law, Richard Owen, is quite an accomplished competitor. From adventure racing to "Survivor" (he finished 3rd in the inaugural season of the original, UK version), he's always at or near the top of the heap. One of Rich's passions is auto racing and he's quite good - good enough that he regularly competes in prominent rally races in Canada and Europe. And in August, he offered BrainFlips a sponsorship slot for his car in the Targa Newfoundland. Here's a shot of the car:
Rich and his teammate Hanno didn't finish the race due to a faulty fuel pump, but we were very excited to be a part of the experience. Formula One here we come...
Thanks for reading the maiden BrainFlips blog post. If for some reason you haven't yet, try out BrainFlips and make some flashcards. Our flashcard software is fantastic - you can create and share flashcards for free. Flashcards about anything, for nothing. Can't beat it. Not only that, but BrainFlips cures scurvy, male pattern baldlessness, and restless arm syndrome. Give it a try and be sure to let us know how you like it.
