About
What’s the deal with the blog?
The deal with the blog is to talk about those things that I find interesting with a focus on online marketing (affiliate marketing, social media marketing, search engine optimization and emerging technologies). I’m also nuts about new product offerings so there will probably be some of that also.
I’m interested in anything that has to do with monetizing product online making money online - creating products online or mobile from concept to consumer.
Why Purple Squirrl.com?
Well, in 2003 a recruiter called me and said that my profile was perfect for a role she was trying to fill. She called me a Purple Squirrel. In a Monster.com article they give this definition -
Purple Squirrel: People need to pinch themselves when they’re around you to find out if you really exist if you’re a purple squirrel. A purple squirrel is “the dream candidate that doesn’t really exist, or if they do, they’re very elusive,” the article says.
The version wtih the “e” in squirrel was taken so I dropped the last vowel à la Flickr.
Who is Pat Ryan?
Hi, my name is Pat Ryan and I’m an Internet addict. I live in the Beach in Toronto with a lovely wife and two dogs (chocolate lab and soft coated wheaten terrier). I’m originally from Montreal and am fluently bilingual.
Since 2000, I have worked in business development on both the client and vendor side developing, recommending and executing plans to maximize revenue across digital platforms. I have led strategy development to respond to competitive, external and internal issues and various strategic options.
My responsibilities have focused on strategic direction and helping companies become profitable online via strategic partnerships, content syndication, market research, product strategy, social media programs, SEO, SEM, online marketing with a strong focus on acquisition and retention of customers. I’m a strong usability advocate for keeping the end-user front and center in the discussion. I have been responsible managing teams that define online communication strategy, website design, online media and social networking campaigns.
The entrepreneurial spirit has driven me to co-found the Fantasy Sports Network in 2003 (sold to Fox Sports in 2008) and launch Breakfast in the City. The latter is a blog that my wife and I update with reviews and other great info on breakfast joints in Toronto. I also keep a Tumblelog with the Posterous.com app at TheBigCheese.ca.
Some of the stuff I’ve done:
- Responsible for launching first paid games in Canada for Fantasy Sports Network
- Re-launch of Sobeys.com and Compliments.ca with improved features such as Search, Product Pages, Usability, Creative, Social Media (blogs, surveys, contests).
My qualifications - if you are into that sort of thing - are diverse. I’ve got a B.Sc. (Applied Mathematics) and Certificates (Desktop Publishing, Internet Publishing, Practical Product Management). I’ve also taken courses at the University of Toronto in marketing, strategy and management. And taken the Award of Achievement in Web Analytics at the University of British Columbia.
In my spare time I’m an Internet junkie, runner (third half-marathon in October 2008), swimmer, sports fanatic (big Habs fan), avid photographer, like to cook (courses at the George Brown’s Culinary Centre), traveler and entertainment gossip follower.
If you think I can help you make money online and want to hire me, I’m listening.
Some sites i like -
43 Things, All Top, Amazon, Armchair GM, Bleacher Report, Breakfast in the City, Celeb Buzz, Chickipedia, Chowhound, Clearly Contacts, CNET TV, Compete, Cork’d, Crunchbase, Dead Spin, del.icio.us, Digg, eBay, ESPN, Facebook, Fanball, Fantasy Sports 2.0, Fantasy Sports Beat, Fark, Flickr, Flixster, Flixwagon, FriendFeed, FTD.com, Google, Google Analytics, Gmail, Graywolf’s SEO Blog, Indeed, In Game Now, iMeem, JohnCow.com, JohnChow.com, Justin.tv, Kayak, Kosmix, LinkedIn, Ma.gnolia, MapMyRun, Marketing Charts, Mashable, MetaCafe, Micro Persuasion, Mixx, MLB.com, MySpace, Netvibes, Newsvine, NFL.com, NHL.com, NHL.TV, Ning, Offbeat Guides, Photobucket, Player Search, Pop Urls, Powerset, Pownce, Propeller, ProSportsDaily, Quantcast, RDS.ca, Reddit, Revver, Running Room, Scribd, Search Engine Land, Search Engine Watch, Simply Hired, Skype, Slideshare.net, Spark People, Sport Snipe, Sports Tech Now, Startupnorth.ca, StumbleUpon, Techcrunch, Tiny URL, TMZ, Trailer Flick, Trip Advisor, TSN.ca, The Big Lead, The Score, Twitter, Upcoming, Ustream, Venture Beat, Vimeo, Wikipedia, Wordpress, Workopolis, Yardbarker, Yahoo! Sports, Yelp, Yoono, YouTube, ZeFrank.