7 Questions with the Redhead

by Juliette Rule

Erika Napoletano is the head redhead at Redhead Writing. She's also our keynote at SocialWyo 3.0. I threw out a few questions, and she kindly answered (and entertained) me. She also gave me hope for social. Can you imagine a book about branding without a mention of Zappos or Comcast or Southwest Airlines? Well, Erika does, and we'll be learning more about that Thursday at SocialWyo.

Q: You make a clear distinction between being a business owner and an entrepreneur, how did you come to make that distinction? I notice, too, that almost all of your posts make it clear you like to push yourself. Were you always so brave in business?

The Redhead: Nope. I spent 17 years of my life doing what I thought I should be doing. I think it takes a radical event to push someone into embracing entrepreneurship and really own the process. In September of 2009, I was on my couch, jobless following the fail of a startup I'd worked for and invested in. My response to that was that there is no other alternative than to find a new way to fail, as the "shouldas" sure weren't doing me a lot of good. I won't say it's been easy (and anyone who tells you it is just wants you to buy their webinar), but it's the best decision I ever made for myself. It's the first time I'd been honest with myself about what I wanted, loved and then what I was willing to do to get it.

Q: Why do you think finding humor in our own brands is pertinent to success?

The Redhead: Because the road to success is ripe with failure! If you can't laugh about it, you're probably going to slit your wrists or go work at a McDonald's. I don't know which is worse in my eyes...

Q: If you could give a young entrepreneur one good piece of advice, what would it be?

The Redhead: Get over yourself. Ideas are meant to be shared and if you think you're the only one who's ever had a good idea, you're wrong. The best ideas that we see every day all started with one person and got to where they are through collaboration, sharing and iterating.

Q: Being grateful, or lucky as you often call it, seems to be central to your life platform. Why? How did you get to that place?

The Redhead: Luck and timing: two ingredients key to success, methinks. I've led a very fortunate life compared to some, and I just try to never forget that. There's enough arrogance and entitlement in this world to last multiple lifetimes, and I'll just be damned if I'm going to contribute to it. Maybe that's an arrogant thought. Who knows? What I do know is that people are the most valuable thing I have in this life - feeling lucky and knowing that I am keeps me in a place where I can appreciate them instead of take advantage of them.

Q: You're writing two books now. Can you talk about them? (When/where can we pick them up?)

The Redhead: Sure - one's a niche publication for the reproductive industry (riveting!) called The Insider's Guide to Egg Donation. I co-wrote it with one of my best friends in California who owns an egg donor agency, and we became friends because she coordinated most of my donor cycles. I'm a ten-time egg donor. The book arrives on bookshelves on Valentine's Day 2012.

The second book is called The Power of Unpopular. It debuts at SXSWi in 2012 and arrives on bookstore shelves March 20 next year. I'll be talking a bit about the concepts in the book on Thursday, but I like to call it a counter-intuitive guide for any business on building a brand poised for survival in the marketplace. It's snarky yet honest and has case studies in it from some of the most fascinating companies I've ever had the privilege of meeting. And the kicker? No Zappos. No Southwest Airlines, Comcasts or other raging behemoths. All of the businesses featured in the book are privately-held and family-owned, most have one location or are 100 percent virtual. The reasoning behind that was when I think of entrepreneurs like myself looking for information, I don't want to learn in from huge public companies with billion-dollar marketing budgets. I want to learn from other entrepreneurs. So that's how I built it!

Q: At 38, you've developed a following of sorts. Did you ever expect to be this successful? 

The Redhead: One thing I make a concerted effort to do each day is NOT believe my own press. Maybe I'm successful within a certain niche - and that's great that certain people see me that way, but once you start believing all of the crap people say about you - I think you stop thinking for yourself. You stop challenging yourself. I wake up each day wondering how I'm going to scare the crap out of myself that day and that's what gets me going. It's that fear that keeps me wondering what's next. And my audience? I love them. They're they sole reason I get to do what I love for a living: teach and make people laugh in some form of fashion.

Q: One last thing. You recently switched from a Droid X to an iPhone. What prompted that change?

The Redhead: I pre-ordered the iPhone 4S. Since you don't want me to use profanity, I'm really at a loss for stating how I feel about my Droid X. (Editor's note: We did ask her not to swear but had no idea she'd actually comply with our request.) I'm contemplating making an Office Space-style video and taking a baseball bat to it. (Editor's note: Man, we hope so!)

Thanks Erika!

Remember, registration is going on now for SocialWyo 3.0. Call 778-4381 to join us at The Hynds Building in downtown Cheyenne Thursday.