An Interview with Associated Content's CEO Luke Beatty

Write for Associated Content. That's what one of the many weekly e-newsletters for writers that land in my inbox said - or something to that effect. Interesting.

I Googled the hell out of "Associated Content" with a wary eye familiar to writers who've been burned in the past. But this company seemed different. AC was obviously on the up and up, having secured $5.4 million in initial financing.

In my search I also discovered that Associated Content's CEO was a guy named Luke Beatty who started the company in 2004 in his basement. Impressive!

Two years and thousands upons thousands of registered Content Producers later, news about AC has spread like wildfire with virtually no advertising budget except for the cost of small black, white, red and orange stickers that AC encourages its content producers to stick in highly visible spots.

During my sleuthing, I was amazed to also stumble upon a way to contact Luke Beatty directly.

It can't be him. Can it? The head honcho? Think I'll shoot him an email.

Paula Neal Mooney: Are you really the Luke B. Beatty? AC's founder?

Luke Beatty: Yup! I'm that guy. Thanks for reaching out. - Luke

Oh. My. Goodness! It's really him. And except for a few sites like the Rocky Mountain News and TechRockies, not many people have interviewed him yet. Not even on AC.

I've gotta get that interview before he blows up big time and every reporter in the world is after him!

Calm down, Paula, breathe. Collect your thoughts, wait and pray. Please pave the way, Jesus. Open a door for me, Lord.

It's not like when I worked in the IT department at Charles Schwab did I ever shoot ol' Chuck an email. And now that I write for AC, Luke Beatty is essentially my boss. "I'm your boss' boss," Mr. Beatty might say, as McDreamy told Meredith on Grey's Anatomy.

What should I say? Should I ask for his phone number? Talk to him in person to get better off-the-cuff quotes like one of my editors taught me? Nah...not this time. I hate talking on the phone. So do most techies.

I know...Luke got his Masters degree from Harvard...I'll appeal to his business acumen. The quickest way to a man's heart is through his wallet...