There's something different about trying to monetize your knowledge - especially in the 21st century. Too many years of people insisting government be run as a business (instead of as the service it actually is) means that public sector wages in my field have stagnated. The lack of credentials after my name mean that the private sector isn't particularly interested in hiring me, no matter what my actual knowledge, skills, and abilities are.

So, here I am...looking to share a little bit of my experience with all of you, and to help offset some of the costs associated with ongoing learning and development, research, and situational awareness. I've started to use this platform because of it's micropayment model that doesn't ask for hundreds of dollars - mostly because I'm not looking to get rich here. A nice latte or two over the course of a month is more than enough - and it's a nice little treat while I do my research and writing.

One of the biggest challenges in disaster and emergency management (DEM) is trying to stay on top of what is happening, not only in terms of actual events, but also in research, technology, politics, society, health, critical infrastructure, and the dozens of other interrelated fields. In my previous job, I tried to provide a daily synopsis of important information, but it was taking so much time that it was interfering with actual work.

Even with your support, this still takes a significant amount of time, but having an income stream (no matter how small) to help pay the bills and maybe give me the opportunity to go to a conference or even just have a latte from time to time will help take the pressure off and allow me to spend more time on research, analysis, and writing - and that will ultimately benefit you.

I'm not about to pretend to be the be-all and end-all when it comes to all things DEM, but I've had enough experience in this industry now to be able to speak with some wisdom and intelligence about this industry. I hope that you'll join me as we take a deeper (or shallower) dive into all things related to Disasters and Emergency Management.