Course-Notes.Org Community,

My name is Daniel Black and I graduated from Claremont McKenna College [1] in May of 2011 as a dual-major in Economics and Government; also having completed the Leadership Studies Sequence. I was drawn to the institution due to its "culture of engagement and belie[f] that the power of learning us unlocked through experience." I strongly believe that success stems from the combination of theoretical knowledge and practical experience. I was fortunate enough to spend time working as a "Senior Interviewer" for the Admissions Office which provided me with the opportunity to interview a large number of prospective students. I know what colleges look for (and what turns them off), but more importantly, what steps you can take to distinguish yourself from the crowd.

From an early age, one of my goals in life was to "be my own boss." While most of my friends had dreams of becoming police officers, fireman and/or the president of the United States, I was an early adopter of the notion of Entrepreneurship. In college, I launched a website called CollegeMatchers.com which was a free, online marketplace for students. The website gave students the opportunity to buy and sell textbooks as well as furniture on-campus in a localized setting. Our users saved time, money and were able to avoid both the hassles and the costs associated with shipping.  The website was successful in saving students over $50,000 in the span of the first three semesters post launch. In addition to CollegeMatchers, I started a collegiate glassware business that specialized in creating custom glassware like mugs and shot glasses.

During my senior year, I was awarded "Web Based Entrepreneur of the Year" by Claremont McKenna College in recognition of my entrepreneurial pursuits. While I was unsure what I wanted to do with my life post graduation, I knew I wanted to "catch the wave." Back in 2011, digital marketing and social media were becoming "hot." I therefore accepted an offer at an online lead generation firm, spending the bulk of my time working in social media marketing. I left the company in 2012 to jump on what I saw as the next big thing or "disruptive technology," digital signage. I co-founded a full-service, cloud-based, digital signage company called Glass-Media, Inc; the company is just about to celebrate its second year since its founding.

In addition to Glass-Media, I'm involved with a number of different ventures/businesses and also work for two companies in the Big Data and Digital Marketing spaces. I enjoy freelance writing and regularly contribute to a number of sites and blogs. I'm excited for the opportunity to contribute interesting and engaging material to the Course-Notes.Org community and hope my advice, suggestions and recommendations can help you in a variety of ways. If you'd like to suggest an article topic, feel free to write me at [email protected] [2] and be sure to clearly label your subject line.

Fun Facts About Me:

• I was born in Ottawa, Canada and spent much of my childhood years in Toronto. In the middle of 4th grade, I moved to Silicon Valley, California where I ultimately grew up.
• I hold dual-citizenship with both the United States and Canada.
• I'm an avid cyclist (previously sponsored) and enjoy competing in triathlons. My goal for 2014 is to compete in a half-IRONMAN with a lifelong dream of completing a full IRONMAN.
• I'm only 5"7 and always had a problem with my height. Having made the transition to the professional world, not being tall can actually work to your advantage ;)
• I have two younger sisters (14 and 23 years old).
• I currently live in Dallas, TX.