2007 December blog

Time for a brief reflection on the amazing year of 2007. First for my friends and enemies in the business. I am a hardliner in my work and do not often compromise in how I achieve getting a story or an exclusive. Ruthless some might say, but it is give and take and if nothing else, I do provide some content that no one else have unless they work with me. This year I have gone into the video and YouTube business with full force. Now I am going to monetise and in doing so enable even more exclusive content in 2008. I have made a lot of new friends this year in Russia, South Africa, Greece and many other places. But on the way and due to my so called unconventional style I have made some enemies too. Powerful ones that are more ruthless than me in achieving their goals in the publishing industry. As soon as I am on the verge of getting something exclusive for the publications that I work with, there will be several others moaning about it trying to spoil the party. And the party have been spoilt a couple of times this year. Even some of the publications that has been offered top material before anyone else, have gone behind my back trying to get the same deal themselves ending up ruining the opportunities for all. At the end of today's blog I shall allow my friend Andy Hornsby from AmericanV get the last word on this. Andy's got it spot on. This business is filled with

envy and backstabbers, but despite all this I've

had my best year so far. So whoever is out to get me, you're not doing a good enough job. And if I can get something that you can't or haven't thought of, I promise that I will continue to scoop you again and again regardless of sabotage attempts. And yes, it is true that I will be very difficult to work with unless I am happy. I am only happy when I report from the thick of events. I am not happy reporting on anything from the sideline. I ride the bike, I write about the bike, I film the bike and will be the happiest person in the world for being allowed to present good content to my readers or viewers. Good bike=Good review. Bad bike=Bad review. Exciting bike=Exciting review, all as balanced as possible. To be able to do this job alone as a freelancer I have to be tough with a lot of people and I never take no for an answer. For those brave enough to work with me (quite a few by now actually) I hope there are a lot of benefits. I stick my head out so that others can relax. Since it is Christmas now, I am going to be nice to people and plan for another exciting year in the thick of the motorcycle business. You gain some and you loose some and that's just h

ow it's going to be. I love working with the Italians, they run their business in a passionate way that I like. An Italian will be so passionate about their products that they will speak to me about it. When

was the last time I got a good exclusive quote from an American or English press officer? Never, and when I push for it they get angry with me. The Austrians and Germans are extremely professional and I like them a lot. At the end of the day, I think every single manufacturer have been upset with me for one thing or the other. The better it is for my integrity if anyone ever doubted! Andy Hornsby:

"Be more selective about who you invite to take an exclusive, and only offer it when the bike's been ridden, the photos taken and the words are in your head. The egos in journalism are such that they'll be pissed off by not having been invited to join in themselves, and all you've got to worry about then is whether they'll carry your story rather than them trying to get the same opportunity: the rest then comes down to whether your writing style is right for their title."