Minggl CEO Dewey Gaedcke Interview

Minggl-The Revolutionary New Way to Social Networking

Because of a recent article I wrote on a fantastic 2-yr startup internet company, Minggl, this interview with Dewey Gaedcke, CEO of Minggl, came to be. Dewey Gaedcke is an accomplished technical visionary who now oversees the success of Minggl, an important internet-based company poised to provide its users a fix to managing the problems of identity protection, as well as, management of their social networking, from the other side of the social networks fence. Minggl is changing the rules of the Internet social networking scene. I'll let him explain in this interview what that means to millions and millions of MySpace and other social network users.

Troy Pankey: If you could Mr. Gaedcke, and if it's not too much pain or embarrassment (laughing), before getting into the professional aspect of the interview, what's this all about you getting out of your car for a short hike and getting lost in a Hawaiian lava field for five days without food and water, a couple of years ago?

Mr. Dewey Gaedcke: Troy-getting lost in a 333,000 acre volcano park was a bit embarrassing, but my lucky innovations to stay alive highlighted a more competent dimension to my personality, and ultimately balanced it all out. I can laugh at myself now that it's behind me (laughing). The Discovery channel has done a fabulous re-enactment of my ordeal on "Most Dangerous Survival Stories" so I'll let their show tell that story. (See "The Year's Most Dangerous Survival Stories.")

Troy: What prompted you to start Minggl, was it an acute decision or a nexus of sorts? How did you set about getting Minggl together?

Dewey: When I was lost in that massive volcano park, I was still on an Island. But I couldn't reach help or communicate with searchers and helicopters, unbeknownst to me, only a few short miles away. That got me thinking later, that the social networks were just as confining as that Island. I don't like being confined, so I invented Minggl and called upon some former rock star team members of mine to help get it going.

Troy: You've been the CEO and President of a couple of companies. Speak to how that has helped you in your current endeavor as CEO of Minggl.