better living through shameless self-promotion

This morning I spoke at St. John's University on Staten Island on the topic "How to Be Your Own Brand."

I basically told the story of my various acts of hubris and personal PR, starting with when I called up the Virginian Pilot in 1992 and told them they didn't have enough articles by teenagers and that they should hire me. And then, of course, I covered the entrepreneurial years (both the brilliant and the poorly managed), and then finally how I use my business skills in my modeling career. Top that off with a couple of case studies (Faith Popcorn, etc.) and a how-to guide for recent college graduates, and you've got yourself a speech.

I enjoy being able to discuss blatant acts of self-aggrandizement with such transparency; I gave everyone a handout and instructed them that you always look more important when you show up to an event with anything you've bothered to put on paper.

As it turns out, I have absolutely no trouble whatsoever talking for an hour and fifteen minutes with no breaks and no notes (at least when the topic is so close to my heart). Seventy-five minutes just speeds by in a fast-talking, espresso-fueled blur.


On a totally unrelated note, here is a new and neon-enhanced version of a previously posted photo. Both photo and special effects are by Daniel Garcia.