Who is Chris Pirillo?
As a memorable face and voice for the world of technology, Chris Pirillo is a personality in whom tech enthusiasts and neophytes trust to answer their tech questions. From his own face-inspired cartoon logo to his real face on national TV, Chris's ongoing efforts have provided timely, accurate, and reliable information to the mass market: PC users, Internet surfers, consumer electronics dependents.
In 1996, Chris Pirillo launched Lockergnome, intent on delivering personality-infused tech answers to a worldwide audience. This Web site now has over 250,000 dedicated daily subscribers and is supported by ongoing advertising campaigns. In 1998, he authored the authoritative book on e-mail publishing - further establishing himself as a thought leader in the industry. In early 2000, he was invited to start hosting a weekly "tech show" radio broadcast on AM 1040 WHO (a Midwestern Clear Channel affiliate).
His presence was ultimately noticed by both talent and executive producers at the cable television station, TechTV. He soon thereafter began hosting "Call for Help" for TechTV - driving a live, interactive, daily program that focused on solving common technology frustrations.
Chris is the co-author, with John C. Dvorak, of ONLINE, THE BOOK, as well as numerous successful digital books dealing with consumer technology. Every month, his columns can be read in Computer Power User (CPU) magazine.
His annual tech conference, Gnomedex, is heading into its sixth year. With quotes like "It was a conference attendees didn't want to end," from Investors Business Daily, it's an effort that continues to be recognized by industry influentials. It's a convention of tech enthusiasts and their real-world heroes. It runs for a solid weekend, sports dozens of expert speakers, and has a smart following (both offline and online). It is currently presented annually in Seattle, and has been sponsored several times over by Microsoft, Google, Yahoo, and PayPal.
Since its inception in early 2005, The Chris Pirillo Show, a weekly online radio program for tech fans, has been a Top 15 Podcast in Apple's iTunes, where it has been ranked as the 15th most downloaded / subscribed to show. Tens of thousands more download his digital broadcasts every week, with it supported by several top-name tech advertisers like Microsoft and Citrix.
In October 2005, Chris launched the first metasearch engine that was bulit on top of RSS, extolling transparency and transportability in its structure. Perfectly accessible from a desktop or mobile device, TagJag has started to win over the world's influencers as well as the workaday Internet user. Chris also helps craft bLaugh, the (un)Official Comic of the Blogosphere.
He also happens to be the #1 "Chris" on Google.com and Yahoo.com.
What are they saying about Chris?
"Chris Pirillo is at the center of the digital universe." ~ Robert Scoble, Longhorn Development Team, Microsoft Corporation
"Pirillo is looking to the future..." ~ Inc. Magazine, August 2003
"Chris Pirillo reminds me of Oprah. He is pretty damned brilliant and makes the word 'entrepreneur' sound like some slow-moving, washed-up, has-been word. There must be a better word that includes the 'whirl' feeling Chris's brain gives off. So, what I'm trying to say is that if you don't think Chris will be famous, like WAY famous one of these day, think again." ~ Halley Suitt, Writer for the Harvard Business Review
"Whether you knew it or not, your audience was about 200 people and they all stayed for your entire presentation. It was really a fun change from the usual boring speaker talking about economic forecasts and so on! We had many great comments on the deal." ~ Barb H.
"I handle media relations for Amazon's Web Services initiative. I'm writing to see if we could use your innovative use of AWS as a case study, should a reporter need one. Could we reference you?" ~ Jeff Hardison, Amazon.com
"He's created a conference where the speakers too have a blogger-ish informality and conversational quality. The result is something with a bit of the energy of a revival meeting." ~ Tim O'Reilly, Founder and CEO of O'Reilly & Associates (the world's leading computer book publisher)
"I admit to not having heard of you previously, but a bunch of fans of yours cited it as the main reason they came to buy stuff from our Web site over weekend. Now that I have seen it, I think it's great (being a big geek myself). " ~ Richard Hsu, Singer for Da Vinci's Notebook
"You know how when you meet someone in Real Life and you just sort of know 'This person is really cool, and I'd have a good time hanging out with him?' Well, [you're] like that." ~ Wil Wheaton, Actor
"We may be able to work together someday..." Steve "Woz" Wozniak, Co-Founder, Apple Computer
"It was great meeting you in person tonight. You came across as a genuine guy, and I respect that (greatly)." ~ George Alfs, Intel Corporation
"[Chris is] a hyperkinetic wunderkind who is slowly but surely building a business of rallying people around and subsequently helping them with technology. With Pirillo firmly ensconced as a trusted source who methodically creates a community of believers for his opinions and ideas, we are naming him Evangelist of the Month." ~ Wabash & Lake, Marketing Agency
"With the TV show, he sells Brand Pirillo again and again - then links it to everything that he touches. Conversely, he seems to have cross-marketing agreements with scores of other... sites and products." ~ Andy McCaskey, Client Solutions Manager, Agilent Technologies
"Chris is a great guy, and great for the industry." Philip "Pud" Kaplan, Creator of F--kedCompany.com
"I've followed your 'progress' from Lockergnome to 'Call for Help.' I am originally from Trinidad, but live in LA. I am a multiple-medalist Olympic sprinter by trade, but I am also very much a tech junkie. As I've told you before, you are exceptional on that show." ~ Ato Boldon, World Champion Sprinter
"It was a pleasure talking with you... at the Waterside Conference. I am very impressed with what you have accomplished. I am even more impressed with your energy and passion, which are the foundation of your success." ~ Allen G. Taylor, Author of Several Technology "Dummies" Books