Meet the .Me Team: Interview With Kelly Hardy

For the latest Meet The .Me Team interview, we are not just hopping to another time zone, we are going to the whole New World, better to say United States of America. Kelly Hardy, our business development consultant for North America, is a California girl with a geek streak. With a degree in comic books, background in Music Journalism and expertise in making Halloween costumes, Kelly was a delight to talk to. But let’s cut the introduction and let her tell us more.

Tell us a bit about yourself. Where are you from, where are you now?

I was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. Despite big, childhood plans of growing up to be an octopus ambulance driver, I became a music journalist and spent all my time going to concerts and touring with bands. Then, I found the love of my life, the Internet, and for the last 7 years, I’ve been in the domain industry traveling all over the world on top-secret Internet business.

How would you describe your work style?

I work from home, so my work style would best be described as fluid. Because I work with time zones I don’t live in, I’ve been able to mix work and non-work life in a pretty organic way. This usually means I never leave the office but that’s okay because I love my job and it rarely feels like work. Basically, I would describe my work style as “living the dream.”

What advice would you give to someone who is starting in your profession?

Once a year I do a 48-hour technology detox. No Internet, no email, no phone calls, no apps, no games and no checking in (with the exception of my Kindle because I love to read and pack light). More than anything else, this helps me recharge creatively and keep the passion for my work alive. We end up being totally bombarded by the technology we love and work on, so having a scheduled time to unplug, even if it is short, really helps you to settle down and look at the medium with new eyes. Also, if you travel a lot, I can’t possibly stress the importance of a capsule wardrobe enough. If everything you own goes with everything else, you can just grab anything from your closet and shove it in a bag. When you arrive at your destination, everything matches. I could talk about packing and travel prep forever.

What do you do, when you’re not working?

I watch a ton of old movies with my gentleman caller and go for walks with my very angry Chiweenie dog.

Tell us one embarrassing and/or silly thing about yourself.

A lot of silly, ridiculous things happen when you grow up in L.A. The best was learning to drive in the parking lot of the Twin Pines mall from Back to The Future.

You have dinner with one person of your choice, dead or alive, who is it?

PT Barnum, because not only is he history’s greatest instigator, but also I’d really like to know how he made the Fiji Mermaid.

What is the latest gadget you bought?

A Mophie Juicepack. It is a backup battery for your phone that is built in to the exterior case. I often work off my computer and my phone at the same time so I need the double battery life.

What is the last book you read and how would you rate it?

I just finished Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald. My biggest guilty pleasure is fictionalized biography and this one is quite something.

What is your favourite website?

Wikipedia.org because I am a huge nerd.

You are stranded on a deserted island only with your suitcase and five things in it. What are those things and why?

Sunscreen (because I am really, really pale); fishing net (to catch food), a giant pack of matches, a slanket (because I have no shame and it could be used as a tent) and a set of encyclopedias.

Are you prepared for zombie apocalypse? How?

I have logged more hours watching horror films than I spent at university so as far as research goes, I am amply prepared for the zombie apocalypse.

Facebook or Twitter? If you prefer one over the other?

I prefer Twitter. As a writer, having to stick to 140 characters is a great daily writing exercise and it is an excellent news source.

What is your favourite OS?

Mac OS/iOS

If you could pick up a superhero power, what would it be?

Flight, so I would never have to go to the airport again.

We hope you have enjoyed this interview with Kelly. Stay tuned for more interviews with .ME team and other interviews we we are preparing every Wednesday!