March 2013 – The Daily Prep

This month’s Featured Website of the Month is The Daily Prep!  Dan is a great guy who provides videos to all sorts of topics that are related to preparedness.  His “Average Joe” approach is very appealing to those of us who are not Rambo.  I appreciate what Dan does for the Prepper Community.  Take a moment to read his responses and check out some of the resources that he has linked to. Peace, Todd

Summarize the focus and purpose of your website. – My site is unique in that I feature videos for preppers (“Prepisodes”) that show the journey towards survival through the eyes of an everyday joe.

What made you decide to start a website? – In 2010, I was working with a large survival gear manufacturer (Guardian Survival Gear), and started getting more and more into the concepts of preparedness and survival. The more interested I became in prepping, the more I thought it might be interesting to start a blog where I could share my adventures, questions, and ahas. In June of 2010 I wrote my first post to a site that was then called “The Urbivalist” (primarily focused on urban survival). Since that time I have cranked out 336 posts, had over 1,000 comments, changed the name of my site to The Daily Prep, and learned a TON from you guys.

How long have you run your website? – The first iteration of my site launched in June of 2010. Since then it has undergone a handful of design changes and one name change–but still has all the original content from day one.

How much time do you spend dedicated to your website? – I spend 15-20 hours a week on my site. Making and editing videos, posting, responding to comments and emails, keeping up with everyone else’s cool and interesting projects, and working on new ideas to make it better.

It’s officially the lowest paying job I’ve ever had!! 🙂

What is one thing you really like about your website? – My site is EXTREMELY REAL. Because I use so much video, any of you guys that have been to my site have seen:

• what I look like
• what I sound like
• all the annoying gestures and filler words I use
• my dog
• my wife
• my house
• my office
• me driving around town
• hanging out with friends

Nothing is smoothed down or particularly polished. Just me and my flip cam. In today’s world of robots and machines, I soak up all the “realness” I can find, and I try to provide the same.

What is one thing that you want to change about your website? – Hmmm….there are a handful. I am looking to incorporate a new section to the site with a correlating mobile app. In this section, users would be able to “chart their own course”–a visual hub to keep all the prep ideas, checklists, reminders and progress organized.

Tell us something about yourself that no one else knows. – I am a HUGE sucker for modern design, especially industrio-mod/loft mod stuff…

In case anybody gives a rip, a while back I put together a quick vid called “10 Things You Might Not Know About Dan”…

What are your favorite non-preparedness websites to visit? – I keep my finger on a handful of “microbusiness” epicenters:

• Tim Ferriss–4 Hour Workweek mogul. Gary Vaynerchuk–Wrote the book “Crush It” and speaks frequently on developing a personal brand.
• The Next Web–trends and best practices surrounding social media, startups, tech, etc.
• Reel SEO–tons of good info for people using video to drive business goals.

Do you have anything (projects, special posts, redesign) in store for the future of your website? – YES. I won’t blab about it all before it’s a reality, but there is a LOT in the works for The Daily Prep (not just saying that!). Actually had a couple of potential investors step forward and show some interest in making TDP something bigger than “a dude with a flip cam” haha so we’ll see what we can make happen. Love to hear your thoughts and suggestions for how to improve. Hit me up at: dan@TheDailyPrep.com

For starters though, one of the immediate projects is site redesign. The last design to TDP was done in January of 2012. In the time since, I’ve learned a lot about UI and how to make it easy for people to find what they want on my site. The revision currently in the works will feature a more breathable layout and an organized grid system of video thumbs so people can quickly scan.

Over the next 12-18 months, I will be continuing to add free downloadable guides as well. The last one I wrote gave preppers 6 easy steps to buying a pistol.

What were the three books you last read? (Be honest) – The $100 Startup, Off The Grid Homes, and Prepper’s Home Defense (currently reading Strategic Relocation…)

What would you like to say to readers at the Prepper Website? – Big thanks to all of you guys that have watched my vids, and sent me messages. In the past year or so that Todd has been posting links to my stuff, I have had a TON of you guys swing by. The message that I hope to be able to share with the world is that you can be a normal guy and still be prepared. Prepping does not have to be the focus of your entire life. It is an important part of my life, but certainly not the biggest. I’m into travel, sports, business, music, church, reading, and having friends over till the wee hours of the morning. Prepping is not my all-consuming reason for being, it just allows me to enjoy everything else more.

Big thanks to Todd for all the hard work he puts into curating the best of the survival/preparedness/homesteading world for us all! I have gotten a lot of inspiration from here in the past 12 months.