| > | | | | effect, the physical and metaphysical |
| | | | organizational structure of the universe and the |
| Michael O. Brickell, CEO of Holistic Junction has | | | | role that we as individuals play in all of this. I have |
| been the driving force behind the revolutionary | | | | felt for a very long time that to truly understand |
| site, Holistic Junction -- geared toward positive | | | | life and one's self, it is important to view life from |
| community awareness; a portal to alternative | | | | metaphysical and holistic points of view because it |
| & holistic education, and a plethora of | | | | takes into account everything to do with the God |
| healthcare information resources and the arts. I | | | | Source. |
| had an opportunity to speak candidly with Michael | | | | Traditional schools don't typically teach this. We |
| and asked him what inspired him, and why he | | | | live in a very fast paced world so staying |
| wanted to create an online holistic journal with | | | | grounded is vital. I believe it is important for those |
| such a wide array of topics: Michael O. Brickell, | | | | interested in these points of view, to have access |
| Holistic Junction's Visionary Extraordinaire: A | | | | to the information Holsitic Junction provides. Some |
| Glimpse into the Soul behind the Site | | | | of the available information can be very helpful in |
| Michael O. Brickell, CEO of Holistic Junction has | | | | making sense of life and realizing just how |
| been the driving force behind the revolutionary | | | | purposeful and miraculous life really is. |
| site, Holistic Junction -- geared toward positive | | | | Life is an evolutionary process and much of the |
| community awareness; a portal to alternative | | | | information available on Holistic Junction does help |
| & holistic education, and a plethora of | | | | define and give purpose to our lives and the world |
| healthcare information resources and the arts. | | | | in which we live. Holistic Junction offers people |
| I had an opportunity to speak candidly with | | | | from all walks of life a place to come and share |
| Michael and asked him what inspired him, and why | | | | philosophies, truths, opinions, art, poetry and more. |
| he wanted to create an online holistic journal with | | | | I also wanted to include on HJ the opportunity for |
| such a wide array of topics: | | | | trade and commerce so that schools, practitioners |
| [C. Bailey-Lloyd] Good Morning Michael. Tell me a | | | | and retailers may join as business members and |
| little about yourself, personally -- Where were you | | | | promote their services and products. To me, that |
| born, a fond childhood memory, or perhaps what | | | | is what a true on-line community is. |
| makes you -- you? | | | | It's interesting to note that even at this point in |
| [Michael O. Brickell] First of all, let me say how | | | | the evolution of Holistic Junction with over 5 million |
| appreciative I am of all the work our team | | | | page views and more than 300,000 visitors |
| members, including those not directly connected | | | | annually, it is still in it's infancy! There is so much |
| to Holistic Junction, have done. So much positive | | | | more growth potential. Things like more |
| energy has gone into this challenging and | | | | submissions, greater traffic to the site, improved |
| wonderful endeavor. Every single contribution | | | | navigation and site design, higher page rankings |
| regardless of size and detail, was and still is so | | | | and everything else associated with the expansion |
| very important. Each one of our team members | | | | of an established website such as ours. |
| bring certain talents to the table and everything | | | | We have received some very constructive feed |
| we have accomplished and continue to do is done | | | | back from members and visitors to the site and |
| with such cohesiveness and great attention to | | | | we now know what areas to focus on for overall |
| detail. Everyday in some way there is an | | | | site improvement. We are working on many of |
| improvement within the site and it's such a joy to | | | | those improvements as we speak. As a matter |
| see all of the integral pieces of this giant puzzle | | | | of fact, we are scheduled to go live with our new |
| come together as it does. | | | | homepage design sometime in August of this |
| Most of the improvements have been program | | | | year (2005). The results include a streamlined |
| related but in the very near future we will also | | | | homepage and easier site navigation. Very exciting |
| begin to see notable changes in the site design | | | | indeed! |
| itself. It's all very exciting to me and I look | | | | [C. Bailey-Lloyd] I'm certain that others may have |
| forward to these visible changes as they occur. | | | | told you that Holistic Junction simply offers way |
| It's something that we will all be able to see and | | | | too much information, what is your response to |
| share. | | | | that? |
| Now before I get carried away, you wanted me | | | | [Michael O. Brickell] Frankly, I don't believe that is |
| to talk a bit about who I am. Well, being that I | | | | true. Holistic Junction is an online community that |
| really am an introvert at heart, I am not always | | | | integrates all of the resources that human beings |
| comfortable talking about myself, but I'll give it a | | | | need or desire at various times in our lives. The |
| go here... | | | | resources we offer are vast and are all tied |
| I was born in Seville, Spain in 1956. When I was 2 | | | | together in one way or another to some facet of |
| days old I was taken to a Spanish orphanage | | | | life, thus the name, `Holistic Junction'. The |
| where I stayed until I was about 3 and half years | | | | resources on the site are an integral part of the |
| of age at which time I was adopted by a very | | | | whole, which does not allow us to leave much |
| charismatic couple who at the time were not able | | | | out, including consumer products and services. Our |
| to have children. My Father, now deceased, was | | | | primary focus is targeted to topics that fall within |
| from Colorado Springs and my Mother is a native | | | | the scope of those things considered to be |
| of Canada. My Father was a Civil Servant, which | | | | holistic, metaphysical and even scientific in nature, |
| gave us the opportunity to live in various | | | | however, one of the true functions of a |
| countries including France, Greece, Turkey and | | | | community, online or otherwise, is to provide its |
| Germany. I graduated from high school in | | | | members with what ever there is a demand for. |
| Wiesbaden Germany. | | | | Holistic Junction is no different. The consumer |
| My fondest childhood years were those years I | | | | resource directory is one of those. |
| spent in Greece from age 10 to 14. I have felt | | | | We attract many kinds of people, blue and white |
| for a very long time that my heart and soul | | | | collar consisting of artists, teachers, scientists, |
| belong in the Mediterranean. I love the life style, | | | | doctors, lawyers, fathers, mothers, sons, |
| the culture and spent many summers on the | | | | daughters, grand parents, people who are just |
| Greek Islands Mykonos and Crete with young | | | | curious and others who are looking for something |
| Swiss friends. I also remember on one separate | | | | specific. The point is this...It does not matter what |
| occasion while visiting Crete with my Mother, | | | | type of person you are or what background you |
| actually sitting on the throne of King Minos of the | | | | have, we all have something in common, and that |
| Minoan civilization and secretly thinking how I | | | | is our needs. Those needs are what we as an |
| would have liked to be King of such a colorful and | | | | online journal and online community, focus on, |
| advanced culture and society. | | | | whether it be information on alternative medicine |
| Wonderful memories while on the mainland too, of | | | | or a new car! Holistic Junction offers something to |
| standing on the cliffs at Sounion overlooking the | | | | just about everyone, if they will take the time to |
| great and beautiful Aegean Sea, visiting the | | | | look around and discover what we are about. As |
| mighty Acropolis in Athens and of course one of | | | | you know, we currently have over 800 topic |
| my favorite pastimes, going boating on weekends | | | | categories that are split into various directories, |
| during the summer with Scandinavian friends also | | | | specifically the holistic, metaphysical, healing arts, |
| stationed in Greece at the time. I remember how | | | | vocational and consumer resource directories. In |
| beautiful and clean the water was. Swimming in | | | | reality, that number is still quite small when you |
| that turquoise colored water was such a joy. I | | | | consider the number of additional categories that |
| remember very well going snorkeling with my | | | | would actually be needed to cover the entire |
| Father and actually seeing the ruins of ancient | | | | spectrum of information available on Metaphysics |
| civilization right there on the ocean floor. I even | | | | and Holistic topics alone. We continue to add new |
| remember falling in love for the first time with a | | | | categories as needed. |
| beautiful Swedish girl with whom I shared many | | | | Back to the consumer resource directory for just |
| swims in Greek waters. Still to this day, I think | | | | a moment. Some people have wondered why we |
| about her with great fondness. I have so many | | | | chose to include the consumer resource directory |
| great memories of my childhood, but those are a | | | | to the mix of things we already have. The |
| few of my favorite. | | | | consumer resource directory is not a focal point, |
| [C. Bailey-Lloyd] Thank you for that. I have | | | | but it has great value. The idea there is very |
| always wanted to ask you -- why did you decide | | | | simple. It's to provide everyday consumer |
| to create an online journal, and what made you | | | | products and services for those of us who simply |
| choose it to be holistic, in nature? Is there any | | | | want them! Many of us may want to buy a |
| particular reason that stands out? | | | | home, a car, change insurance carriers, purchase |
| [Michael O. Brickell] Yes there are numerous | | | | health insurance, find a lawyer or subscribe to a |
| reasons. I have worked with many different | | | | particular magazine. HJ offers retailers the |
| people and organizations throughout my life. Much | | | | opportunity to invest in a business listing for that |
| of my work has been in public relations, | | | | purpose. It's there for convenience and it just so |
| advertising and marketing. I gained a tremendous | | | | happens that we actually generate quite a bit of |
| amount of experience and knowledge from all of | | | | traffic there as well. Our site statistics tell us this. |
| this, and I wanted to parley these experiences | | | | Kind of a long winded answer to your question as |
| and knowledge into work that I felt would be | | | | to whether or not we offer too much |
| more interesting, exciting and meaningful to me. | | | | information, but no I don't believe that we offer |
| I have always had a thirst for knowledge and | | | | too much of anything on HJ. It really boils down to |
| truth. I certainly don't claim to have the answers | | | | what our visitors and members are interested in |
| to all of the mysteries of life, but I have always | | | | and what they want to look at, as opposed to |
| had a deep desire to understand the truth behind | | | | what we want them to look at. What we have |
| all that we call `reality'. Much of what we call | | | | available are lots of choices, and those choices in |
| reality it seems to me, are really illusions so it's | | | | this instance, are a good thing! |
| interesting to look at life from a metaphysical and | | | | (For Complete Interview, please visit: |
| holistic perspective- things such as cause and | | | | Michael O. |