Meet Thomas Moulson of Fruit Tank

Fruit Tank is a website that showcases creative works from unknown talent in hopes of getting the artists discovered and selling their work. The site currently features art, music, video, photography, and writing. Learn more at http://www.fruittank.co.uk, or click here to learn how to submit your work.

1. How did you choose the name Fruit Tank for your project, and what does the name signify?

The name was originally chosen for its mix of the words "Fruit bowl" and "fish Tank." This meant we could have sub companies for the individual mediums, mixing fruit with sea life. For example, music would be under Cherry Crab, films under Strawberry Squid, etc. That has been put on hold because it's rather confusing. But the name has stuck, mainly because it's unique and sounds quite good. It's not the best name origin story.

2. How does your site help creative people get their work out there?

Once the site gains more and more traffic and popularity, we hope that it'll become the go-to place for creative content. Eventually we are going to do member pages where creatives can host their contact info (only accessible for other members) so people can collaborate with one and other. For example, a filmmaker may go to the site and find music they really like and may want to contact the musician and get them to do a soundtrack. Or a musician may want an artist to design their record cover. It will just become the HQ for creative content. The dream is that record labels, production companies, publishers, and galleries will come to Fruit Tank to scout out new talent.

3. Would you tell us a little bit about the compilations that you're planning to put together with the work that people share with you?

Every few months, we will allow visitors of the site to vote for their favorite creative content on the site, and then the top creations will be distributed/sold. Music will organized into an album and distributed onto iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, and 100+ other music sites. Art and photographs will be compiled into a graphics book and possibly showcased and privately held galleries, writing will also be compiled into books, and the the films will be shown at pop-up, drive-in film festivals in major cities. Sometimes there will be themes; for example, for Valentine's Day, we will have a call for content such as love songs, romantic poetry, and romantic films.

4. I like that you cite Andy Warhol as an inspiration for Fruit Tank. What can we learn from the ways that he got his own art into the world, and the ways he collaborated with and/or supported other artists?

Andy Warhol was a true one of a kind person; he knew how allow people to nurture their talents and really express themselves without boundaries. He had a place called "The Factory" where anyone was welcome; people could just walk in and join in. I can imagine it was such a creative environment filled with inspiration. He recognized true talent: he made Jean Michel Basquiat very famous, and he catapulted The Velvet Underground into fame. He knew what the world expected and always did the opposite--he knew controversy sparked a reaction, and therefore got people talking about his work. He understood what it meant to be an artist, and he knew how to get the best out of people.

5. What else would you like readers to know about Fruit Tank?

We just want people to be known for their talents. There are some really really talented people in the world but nobody ever knows them, because it's so hard to get discovered nowadays--you need to pull so many strings to get recognition. Talent alone isn't enough nowadays; you need the correct personality and the right friends. That's just wrong. Talent is talent, and we want to show off that talent. I'm a fan of the lifestyle of the 60s and 70s because everyone appears to be so free and open to self-expression. The streets were ruled by artists. However, in the present day, everyone is so restricted by boundaries. We want creative people to show off their talents and get discovered the right way, for their amazing gifts.

Thanks, Thomas!

Meet John Michaels, Founder of Viewacam.com

Viewacam.com is a new website where watch webcams from all over the world, or broadcast your own webcam, too. They aim to feature a variety of webcams showing beautiful places in the world both big and small--from cams in urban settings to backyard nature cams. Our interview is with John Michaels, the website's founder.

1. What gave you the idea to start ViewaCam.com?

I was looking at Earthcam and thought, what a great idea! But I noticed there were a lot of ads and popups on all the pages. Their site is inundated with ads, and we are more about the broadcaster and the viewers. While we do indeed have ads, they are limited to only the bottom of the page, and the site remains nice and clean for viewers to look at the bottom ads only if they want to.

We have to have ads to pay for the site; it's a must, but once we get enough users on there, I may put up a poll asking if users would rather donate a few dollars here and there through a PayPal donate button rather than having ads on the site, and then it would be 100% ad free.

Our site is very easy to navigate, too. It also has a built in chat system that works in two ways. You can either interact with your watchers by chatting with them, or you can use the chat box only for yourself to describe what they may be seeing. You can give viewers details about what they are looking at, especially if there is something that is changing like maybe a parade going by or something like that.

2. Do you stream your own webcam, or have you done this in the past?

Yes, I try to stream my own cam as much as possible, and you'll see mine listed as Admin. The cams use your screen name you create once you join as your ID.

Don't forget to name your broadcast which is right on top of your chat screen, too, before you press start on the broadcast. Then you'll have your broadcast name and screen name, IE: Chardon Ohio - Broadcast by Admin.

3. I think there is a lot of diversity out there when it comes to webcams, and I especially like ones that feature animals or the ocean. What are some of your own favorite webcam subjects?

I personally like the webcams that are around neighborhoods. As I described above, you can see some really neat stuff like parades, people enjoying life and everyday living, and by being able to go from an Ohio neighborhood to a California neighborhood, you can see the differences of culture and ways that people live.

Also, at Christmas time, there is nothing more beautiful than someone who may decorate their home with lights and things like that, which just really brings out that holiday feel. I say this because there are a lot of people that are disabled and can no longer take a drive or a walk just to gaze at the lights in the neighborhood at Christmas, and enjoying webcam feeds can be their way to go out into the world and really look at things from all over our little blue marble we call home.

4. For webcam owners, what are the benefits of making their webcam stream available on your website?

Well, for one, the site is well-designed and easy to navigate. Secondly, again, no intrusive ads, and thirdly and probably most importantly, this isn't just another webcam site in my opinion. It is a webcam community. That's really a big difference even though it doesn't sound like it is.

You can befriend people here, send them messages, comment on their photos (yes, there's a photo section, too), and chat with them in their own chatroom. There is also an events section where broadcasters can post something special coming up so people can look forward to it; broadcasters can use the events section also even if there is no special event, just to let people know when they will be going on air. It is really much more than just a webcam site. You can make good friends here.

We also are very responsive to our broadcasters and will protect them if they are having an issue with an abusive guest, which hasn't happened yet, thank goodness, because we are a brand new site, but you just never know in the future what will come! I have been to a lot of different chats across the web and have learned a lot about what we won't allow here.

5. For people who want to set up their own webcam for the first time, do you have any advice?

For first time broadcasters, I would offer this advice: Have fun with this! Set aside at least a few hours of relaxation time and make sure you spread the word about your webcam to your friends and tell them to come on over and hang out, and before you know it, you'll have new people coming in to see your webcam.

Decide if you want to have it on 24 hours a day or just a few hours a day. If you have an older PC not being used, I'd say set it up, hook up a cam, point it at what you want to show, and let it go 24/7!

Remember, finally, to be friendly when you have a guest come in. They will ask questions about your cam, where it is located, what it is showing, stuff like that, so be ready with that information. Friendliness is really the key to it all.

Even though the community is small right now, everyone has to start somewhere, right? We hope to be a thriving, friendly, warm, and welcoming community that shows the world, YOUR world, through your cam's eye! Come join us, won't you?

Thanks, John!

Introducing Handshakin.com, a Community for Entrepreneurs

If you're a new entrepreneur, where do you start? How do you find out the useful big and small pieces of information that can help your business grow and succeed? Well, if you're based in Colorado, you're in luck because you can turn to Handshakin.com, an entrepreneurial community that helps new business owners connect with experts and mentors.

The Handshakin site is run by Matt (Handshakin) Holmes. He earned an MBA in 2012 and is the founder of Holmes Real Estate Group, a real estate investment company that, in the words of the bio on his website, "funds his passion for helping startups and entrepreneurs."

By the way, you don't have to be in Colorado to learn from the resources of the Handshakin community. There is a great (and free!) library of videos on their website. These videos feature interviews with successful business owners in Colorado. So far, the videos include people from a variety of industries, from a physician/investor to an artist/entrepreneur.

If you're local to the Denver area, you can join the Startup Denver Meetup to connect in person with other businesspeople. Other local events include mentorship, apprenticeship, and internship programs to help you meet people who have found success as independent business owners.

For business tips every day and to find out about the latest local Handshakin events, you can like the Handshakin Holmes Facebook page.

Introducing HealthZoned, a Health and Fitness Blog

HealthZoned is a new blog with a focus on health and fitness. The articles have a conversational and informed tone. You'll find information on a variety of subjects--for example, I enjoyed a recent post about the nutritional benefits of eating dried dates.

I like that the site has very specific information about topics you might not find elsewhere. There's a whole series of articles on the health benefits of specific foods such as asparagus, arugula, and edamame. I love nutrition info, so that was what drew me to the site, but there are articles on fitness, too, on topics like how to naturally build muscle mass. HealthZoned also distinguishes itself by having an entire section about oral health.

I asked the site's founder, Paul, about his goals for the site, and he said, "I plan to make Healthzoned.com a trustworthy source of health information, and as time goes on, I want to make it into a big community with common interests." As he takes time to build up the community around the site, Paul described his plans as follows: "I will focus on writing the things that mostly interest me and what I consider to be essential for every person to know in life about the topics of health, fitness, and general nutrition."

I'll be interested to see how HealthZoned grows over time!

Introducing RaiseYourPaddlez, a New Auction Site

RaiseYourPaddlez is a new website for live auctions. The video below gives a good explanation of how the site works.

If you have items you wish to sell at auction, you would register as a user of the site, and then upload information about your product. The site has a variety of categories to choose from so that people browsing the listings will find your item, and the interface is easy with fill in the blanks forms to use.

The creators of the site emphasize that their intent is to offer a safe buying and selling experience, without the high selling fees of some other sites. They also pride themselves on offering excellent customer service.

RaiseYourPaddlez was launched just two months ago, so keep an eye on it to see how it grows as an auction-format marketplace for buyers and sellers all over the world.

Meet Michael A. Fabiano of Blog.Retrospective.ly

Michael A. Fabiano is the editor in chief of Blog.Retrospective.ly. The site allows people to write and share retrospectives which follow the format of "1.) What went well? 2.) What went poorly? 3.) What could I do better next time?".

1. What inspired the creation of Retrospective.ly?

We've always been very interested in people's stories, experiences, achievements, etc. We'd been thinking for a while, trying to determine a way to transform that interest and passion into something tangible that would improve people's lives--Retrospective.ly is the embodiment of our passion.

2. What is the origin of the three questions that people use to structure the retrospectives they post on your site?

They are based on agile software methodology. The retrospective is a meeting held at the end of each phase of a project-- its purpose is to look back at the work the team did and identify what went well, what went poorly, and what the team is going to do to improve in the next phase.

3. Can people include images to illustrate their retrospectives, or are the posts meant to be text only?

People are welcome to include an image, as long as it is high resolution. For posters who do not include images, we will look for a header image that fits with the content of their retrospective.

4. Are there privacy settings for the content that people post to your site, or is everything available publicly?

All content is available publicly once it is reviewed by our editorial staff.

5. What are some of the topics people have written about so far on Retrospective.ly, and what topics do you hope to see appear on the site over time?

We’ve had posts on a variety of topics: conferences, military services, athletic careers, etc. We welcome posts of any topic and are hoping to have a breadth of experiences and viewpoints on our blog.

Thanks, Michael!

Introducing Happy Smart Me

Happy Smart Me is a blog meant to inspire women to enrich their lives by tending to their bodies, minds, and spirits. The site's about page describes it as a "community and conversation," which I think is apt. The posts are meant to get readers thinking and sharing their own responses, ideas, experiences, and so on.

This is a site that embraces diversity and self-esteem. I definitely get the feeling that the editors and writers value their readers and appreciate the time that women spend reading the site.

Some recent topics covered on Happy Smart Me include health, body image, yoga, domestic violence, and bullying. I particularly enjoyed an article that featured an interview with a 20-something BMX racer who has taken the idea of the vision board to a new level by creating a three-dimensional "motivation mirror" that gives her a personal boost every day. If you have ever used collage to make a vision board or other self-explorative piece, be sure to check out the motivation mirror story here.

I like that this community is geared toward women of different ages, and I suspect that as time goes on, the site will represent an even greater collection of women's voices. It's always fun to find a new site to watch, and I'll be following Happy Smart Me on Facebook, too, to see where the site goes!