Welcome to Brazen Careerist!

About Me

I’m Nick Armstrong, The Geek Superhero - and I’m at war with business as usual. My mission: rally kick-ass communities to find and ignite creative renegades - smart, unique, innovative people.

Whether they’re from Generation Y, Gen X, Gen Z, or Baby Boomers, creative renegades usually have a rough time in the business world. When I find them, I help them carve out their own place.

On another front, I guide forward-thinking businesses to become generation independent by providing a roadmap to what’s on the horizon in terms of communication - inside and outside of their walls.

I deliver innovative marketing, communication, and business ideas to the people and organizations who need them by leveraging over a decade of web design experience and six years of hands-on, knee-deep community building and marketing - inside the business realm and out. I’ve successfully launched marketing campaigns targeting Gen Y, Generation X, and Baby Boomers.

Part branding, part marketing, part web design - all focused on building communities to support the people that matter and the products they make.

I’ve been called a mad scientist when it comes to web marketing strategy. The way I utilize and teach social media (like Facebook, Twitter, & WordPress) and connect communities, employees, and customers is innovative and fun.

I teach The Digital Gunslingers - a weekly, $1 social media course for charity on Twitter, Facebook, WordPress, & other social media, business, freelancer, and marketing strategy concepts. Gen-Y or baby boomer, everyone learns something they can use.

I bring unique ideas to life through kick-ass community building and web marketing strategy. I build community-engaging events like CareerCamp Fort Collins, PodCamp Fort Collins, and FreelanceCamp Fort Collins.

I love speaking on stage & can be found speaking at Ignite Fort Collins, Ignite Denver, and Ignite Boulder. In my spare time I build original audio dramas at Giant Gnome.

Want more? Google “Nick Armstrong”.

Work History

• I Am Nick Armstrong
• The Geek Superhero
• December 2010 to Present

• I’m Nick Armstrong, The Geek Superhero - and I’m at war with business as usual.

  My mission: rally kick-ass communities to find and ignite creative renegades - smart, unique, innovative people.

  Whether they’re from Generation Y, Generation X, Generation Z, or a Baby Boomer, creative renegades usually have a rough time in the business world. When I find them, I help them carve out their own place.

  On another front, I guide forward-thinking businesses to become generation independent by providing a roadmap to what’s on the horizon in terms of communication - inside and outside of their walls.

  I deliver innovative marketing, communication, and business ideas to the people and organizations who need them by leveraging over a decade of web design experience and six years of hands-on, knee-deep community building and marketing.

  Part branding, part marketing, part web design - all focused on building communities to support the people and products that matter.

• WTF!? Marketing
• Web Strategist
• May 2009 to May 2010

• I create strong ties between small businesses/freelancers and their customers, employees, and communities via sound web marketing strategy. I help great businesses tell their story via social media tools like Twitter, Facebook, & WordPress, and with live events. I promote the tenants of Digital Gunslinging in social media - honesty, transparency, authenticity, credibility, accountability, integrity, humility and humanity.
  - Host, Teach, and Market weekly Digital Gunslinger meetups - $1, hour-long social media courses for charity
  - Host and Market LaidOffCamp in Fort Collins
  - Host and Market PodCamp in Fort Collins
  - Presented to 1,330+ in-person (830) and virtual (500+) attendees of Ignite Boulder 8
  - Trained City of Fort Collins officials in Social Media concepts and tools (including Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn)
  - Presented on Social Media concepts and tools to 100+ Fort Collins Chamber of Commerce members (including Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn)

• Peter Sheahan and ChangeLabs
• Brand Storyteller
• May 2010 to December 2010

• As a Brand Storyteller for Peter Sheahan and ChangeLabs, I helped to build Pete's community with Strategic Marketing Ideas and Innovative Content Creation. I connected Peter to his market in new ways and helped him to tell his story across platforms online and off. My specialties included Social Media Marketing and Content Creation, Strategic Community Outreach, Market Research, and Technology Training and Management.
  - Designed Social Media Strategy and Promotion Plan, Implemented Social Media Strategy on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter
  - Built Digital Promotion Plan for "Making It Happen" US Launch
  - Created custom designs in PHP, XHTML, and AJAX using WordPress as a CMS for: ChangeLabs.net, StartSmart.com.au, GetWise.co.nz, PeterSheahan.com, and BeyondChalk.com
  - Built Moodle test platform, consolidated hosting plans, and consolidated CMS platforms from Drupal, Joomla, and EasyCMS into WordPress
  - Trained non-technical users to do WordPress site updates

• 90.5 FM KCSU
• Production Director, On-Air Talent
• May 2004 to May 2006

• Write and produce all on-air marketing, including DJ and station promos
  - Created a viral marketing campaign called "The Squirrel Liberation Army"
  - Increased listenership by 10% and maintained the improvement
  - Led and trained a team of five volunteers
  - Wrote and produced on-air marketing efforts for 30+ DJs and specialty shows
  Improved average work time on one 60-second on-air promo from four hours to one hour by organizing and standardizing the production process
  - Won 1st Place Regional Society of Professional Journalism award for Two Chicks and Nick
  - Recognized as best new DJ in 2005
  - Managed all aspects of the 3-hour long "St. Nick" radio show every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, including marketing the show, screening phone calls and selecting the music
  - Interviewed and lined up guests, including: W. Bruce Cameron, Fort Collins Mayor Hutchinson, Puke + Snot from Colorado Renaissance Festival and more

• Hewlett-Packard
• Business System Analyst, Technical Project Lead
• June 2007 to March 2008

• Web programming, application restructuring, data mining
  - Developed “WageWorks” application, a grassroots program saving HP $1,320 per eligible employee per year
  - Led multinational application support and development meetings
  - Developed and supported 3 web-based n-tier C# applications
  - Eliminated 1-month backlog by data mining obsolete security data

Education

• Colorado State University
• Business Administration, Marketing, Computer Information Systems, Media Studies
• 2003 - 2007

• 3.54 GPA