Most of you have probably come across the work of Hugh MacLeod. His “cartoons drawn on the back of business cards” - which can be found at gapingvoid.com - have become a permanent fixture on many blogger’s sites - mine included. I even use Hugh’s work on the back of my business cards.

Hugh is a busy guy. Not only is he constantly scribbling out new drawings for his collection he is also a marketing strategist for Stormhoek, a small South African vineyard, whose sales have increased five-fold over a 2 year period thanks to blogging and a Web 2.0 approach to marketing. I would happily comment on their quality, but I don’t drink. (anymore) Sorry Hugh.

My interview with Hugh is an excellent example of quality over quantity. The interview, thought still 5 questions, is short, sweet and to the point. Hugh has a way of saying a lot in very few words.

#1

jemmille.com: I love your quote, “Question how much freedom your path affords you. Be utter ruthless about it. It’s your freedom that will get you where you want to go.” How have you used this in your life? What paths have you followed to allow yourself as much freedom as possible?

Hugh MacLeod: I suppose the biggest tip is, I learned how to live frugally. Not having monthly car payments on a brand new Mercedes gave me a lot more options.

#2

jemmille.com: Your “cartoons drawn on the back of business cards” have gained quite a reputation. Hundreds (thousands?) of sites display your images via your Widget or direct link. I even use one of your images on the back of my business card. When/How/Why did you start doing this?

Hugh Macleod: Basically, I found the format very liberating. A. They were cheap. B. They were easy to carry around [unlike huge canvases or whatever] C. Becasue they were only wee doodles on the back of business cards, it didn’t matter if they were good or not. That was very liberating.

#3

jemmille.com: Recently you said, “Five years of blogging later, I have learned this to be true: Traffic doesn’t matter. Being linked to by A-Listers matters even less. What matters most is building one’s network, one person at a time. As Adriana says, “The Network is mightier than The Node”.” You seem to have made friends with many people throughout the industry. As I try to build my network by engaging people like you in conversation, what tips can you give others to build their network?

Hugh Macleod: Two tips: Be patient. It took me six years to build my “network” up. Secondly, try to meet up with as many people in real life as you can. People are much more wiling to help each other out, once there’s been offline meetings. Blogging confabs and conferences are great for this. So are geek dinners.

#4

jemmille.com: From what I have gathered, you are a strong beleiver in the “Humanifcation of Business”. I couldn’t agree with you more. Business that pay more attention to the customer and not how fast they can sell you a product are hard to find in this day-and-age. Could you expand on this idea for the jemmille.com audience?

Hugh Macleod: The basic thing is, for 250 years we’ve been doing mass-produced. Anything that can be commodified, has been. Where companies can grow is in the human dimension. Apple is a good example of this. They just sell laptops etc. But people feel like they’re so much more than that. Why?

#5

jemmille.com: What’s next for Hugh MacLeod? Any upcoming speaking engagements?

Hugh Macleod: I get asked to speak all the time, but most of my time is spent on my day job[s], selling suits, wine and software.

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