The last few weeks have been kind to The Inertia! Thank you for your support!
Life is crazy. That much I know. I also know that life is cyclical in that good things typically beget good things (unfortunately, the opposite is often true, too), so when you’re on a roll, it’s absolutely mandatory to celebrate with as many people as possible and thank the appropriate parties. Well, in the last few weeks, The Inertia has enjoyed a massive wave of good fortune, and I wanted to take a moment to update (and thank!) the folks this wave will affect most: YOU!
First, I’m thrilled to announce that two weeks ago The Inertia was selected as a winner in University of Southern California’s New Venture Seed Competition – a two-month-long, multi-stage contest that featured 120 Los Angeles-based startups. There were many impressive entries, and I’m honored that we were awarded the grand prize of $15,000 in seed funding. We have been bootstrapping since day one, and this money will have an immediate, significant impact on the site – enabling us to enhance user experience, broaden our reach, and hold some live events that engage our local communities. Needless to say, we’re thrilled! And as we begin to deploy these upgrades, we’d love to hear your suggestions on how we can improve. Shoot your ideas over to us at info@theinertia.com. After all, this is for you!
Second, Forbes (FORBES!) published a feature about The Inertia last week. The article referred to The Inertia as “The Huffington Post for Surfers,” which I think is an apt analogy, as we’ve cultivated an extremely diverse community of talented contributors who use the site to share ideas, photography, and art with surfers around the world. I firmly believe that the thoughtful discussions and general lack of pretense put forward here are challenging a lot of stereotypes people may have about surfers, and I love it. Beyond that, our contributor base is expanding exponentially (so much so that it’s difficult to keep pace!). Each new contributor brings an interesting set of beliefs and experiences to this collective, which helps create a more accurate composite of modern surf culture: one of The Inertia’s primary goals.
Ultimately, I want to thank you, our community, for making this vision a reality. Just over a year and a half ago, The Inertia was a fledgling idea. Nothing more. In a very short period of time it has begun to take shape, mobilizing a community with limitless potential, and people and institutions that can facilitate this journey have taken notice. I am eternally grateful for the recent run of attention, support, and encouragement, but I still believe we’re at Step One. We have so far to go.
So for now, I want to thank you again for believing in this community from the very beginning and clink glasses to the journey ahead. It’s only getting better, and I can’t wait to get there.
