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kimcheeking
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 Posted: Sat May 17, 2003 2:05 am Post subject: Interview with Dave Sperling |
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Read an interview with Dave Sperling. It's dated April of this year and is a little short but I thought you guys may find it interesting.
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What surprises you about ESL teachers on your website?
I'm surprised at some of the anger of the teachers, especially those posting on my Korean Job Discussion Forum. I'm also surprised that my site has spawned a few romances, including two marriages |
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matko
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: in a world of hurt!
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| Posted: Sat May 17, 2003 2:24 am Post subject: |
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| Interesting. I wonder who got married!!! |
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weatherman
Joined: 14 Jan 2003
Location: Korea
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| Posted: Sat May 17, 2003 5:25 am Post subject: |
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Wow  Very interesting. Mentions Korea twice both in relation to things negative.  |
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The Lemon
Joined: 11 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Sat May 17, 2003 5:29 am Post subject: |
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| Mentions Korea twice both in relation to things negative. |
It's been said before that there's a separate Korea board because of all the problems teachers here have with schools. To be sure, there are lots of problems here, but my guess is that the vast majority of the 36,000 posts made here in the last four months are not related to Korea's ESL industry problems.
But it's true that there's tensions on this board that you don't see as much of over on the international forum. It's always been like that. |
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Trinny
Joined: 01 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Sat May 17, 2003 4:06 pm Post subject: |
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What I found it amazing in dave's interview: this website generates enough income to justify his full-time work on (dedication to).
1. Who knows what is the profit model of this website?
2. How does he keep his clients (I suspect hagwon owners) coming? |
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Hank Scorpio
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
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| Posted: Sat May 17, 2003 5:42 pm Post subject: |
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| Trinny wrote: |
1. Who knows what is the profit model of this website?
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Not sure of the amount, but in order to advertise for teachers you've got to lay down a decent amount of cash.
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2. How does he keep his clients (I suspect hagwon owners) coming? |
Because this is probably the most heavily trafficked ESL employment site out there. |
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Harpeau
Joined: 01 Feb 2003
Location: Coquitlam, BC
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| Posted: Sat May 17, 2003 7:15 pm Post subject: Re: Interview with Dave Sperling |
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| kimcheeking wrote: |
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What surprises you about ESL teachers on your website?
I'm surprised at some of the anger of the teachers, especially those posting on my Korean Job Discussion Forum. |
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Saying that we're angry here in the killbox is really uncalled for. This comment REALLY pisses me off!! Now, you've really done it Dave! I challenge you to a soju drink off when you cross the puddle!
Harpeau   (Just kidding!) |
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FierceInvalid
Joined: 16 Mar 2003
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| Posted: Sat May 17, 2003 8:47 pm Post subject: |
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| To the mods: out of curiosity, how much contact have you guys had with Sperling? |
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rudyflyer
Joined: 26 Feb 2003
Location: pacing the cage
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| Posted: Sat May 17, 2003 8:49 pm Post subject: |
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| in reality, very little, he gives us pretty much free reign. We do email him on questionable things or we don't agree on something or some structural thing to the board needs to be done. I may email him once a week |
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kimcheeking
Guest
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| Posted: Sat May 17, 2003 8:55 pm Post subject: |
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| rudyflyer wrote: |
| in reality, very little, he gives us pretty much free reign. We do email him on questionable things or we don't agree on something or some structural thing to the board needs to be done. I may email him once a week |
I've only sent two e-mails. We basically run everything by committee |
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William Beckerson
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| Posted: Sat May 17, 2003 8:55 pm Post subject: |
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You dirty commies.  |
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Anda
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: South Korea
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| Posted: Sat May 17, 2003 9:12 pm Post subject: Um |
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| Um, the "mods" are ganging up on us; Kimcheeking let slip. Ah well all is not lost as I still have two bottles of Andong soju in house and another half dozen bottles of the cheap stuff so I'll get over it like a true man. |
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The Lemon
Joined: 11 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Sun May 18, 2003 2:38 am Post subject: |
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| To the mods: out of curiosity, how much contact have you guys had with Sperling? |
I have a fair bit of contact with him (couple times a week?), though not all of it is board-related. Much of it is him just asking how we're getting along, as well as social stuff, etc. He comes across as a very friendly guy - I'm looking forward to meeting him in October.
Rudy's right though - we do pretty much have free reign. Dave gives his suggestions when asked (we do ask "what should we do here?" sometimes), though even that's happening less often now that the board's been going for a few months and we're finding our legs. Several of the moderators have experience mod-ing other boards, so we've benefited on their knowledge (CM + Mr K, I believe). |
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Zyzyfer
Joined: 29 Jan 2003
Location: who, what, where, when, why, how?
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| Posted: Sun May 18, 2003 6:30 am Post subject: Re: Interview with Dave Sperling |
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| kimcheeking wrote: |
Read an interview with Dave Sperling. It's dated April of this year and is a little short but I thought you guys may find it interesting.
| Quote: |
What surprises you about ESL teachers on your website?
I'm surprised at some of the anger of the teachers, especially those posting on my Korean Job Discussion Forum. I'm also surprised that my site has spawned a few romances, including two marriages |
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I do remember several people attacking Dave personally over a rumor that the "Post a Resume" section would require people to pay for the service. He didn't really take too well to that...
Thanks for the site, Dave. |
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richinkorea
Joined: 22 Jan 2003
Location: Gawd Darn Hot and Sunny Arizona !
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| Posted: Sun May 18, 2003 6:53 am Post subject: |
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| Trinny wrote: |
What I found it amazing in dave's interview: this website generates enough income to justify his full-time work on (dedication to).
1. Who knows what is the profit model of this website?
2. How does he keep his clients (I suspect hagwon owners) coming? |
I've wondered that myself. I can think of very few websites that have lasted this long, under one person, and generates so much cash.
He charges $75 for a one time ad (less if you buy a block), has an average of 20 (more or less) new ads a day, that's $45,000 a month, plus the banner sponsors etc. I would say it's probably quite the profitable little enterprise. The fact that he's been doing it the whole time is equally impressive.
And in no way am I critisizing, I had a friend try to go it alone on the internet a few years ago (web design and hosting, etc.), lost his rear end (over $200K from his retirement funds), the number of people who have had an idea, made it work, and made money off of internet sites isn't a huge number. Especially that kind of money. Then again, maybe he should change that picture on the first page 
Any comments on my numbers ? |
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