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Tech can either attract or create some very interesting personalities. I’m not sure which, attract or create, perhaps it’s a little bit of both. One of the more interesting personalities in tech is Rob Shoesmith, a former bin man (known as a trash collector in the US) who became an app developer.
In a riches-to-rags-to-riches story, Shoesmith has penned a slice of his life story in Bin There Done That, a new book now available in the iTunes App Store, as a Kindle book or a paperback at Amazon.
I first learned of Rob Shoesmith in September last year when I read about his project to camp outside an Apple Store in Covent Garden, London ahead of the iPhone 4S launch. Shoesmith camped for 10 days without spending any of his own money, relying upon donations and corporate sponsors for his supplies and sustenance. This admitted publicity stunt gained Shoesmith worldwide attention for himself and for his employer, MEDL Mobile. The tech world and others followed his journey and learned about his transformation from bin man to app developer.
What Shoesmith didn’t reveal during his brush with fame last Autumn were his previous struggles with alcohol, depression and anxiety which combined to hasten his fall from being a promising university student to being an unemployed dropout. “No one can truly understand how hard it is to deal with severe anxiety and depression unless they have lived with it,” he writes in the book. His battle with mental illness led to failing his classes at university and eventually dropping out.
The book is part introspection, part revelation and mostly inspiration as Shoesmith tells the tale of his downward spiral to “rock bottom” and how he lifted himself up by developing an iPhone app with MEDL Mobile and then becoming Digital PR Director for the company, despite having no previous public relations experience. His revelations are stunning and heartwarming as this book exposes him more to the harshness of the public eye than camping out exposed him to the harshness of living on London’s sidewalks.
I interviewed Shoesmith about his new book and his experience in camping outside the Apple Store. One of his goals in writing the book is to help raise awareness of mental health issues. “I have had a lot of people tweeting me from all over the world who have said they can relate to me after having read my book and are contacting various people on my behalf to help spread the word.”
Shoesmith’s book is worth reading whether or not you’re a techie. What makes the book hard to put down is his frank discussion of the issues he struggled with and overcame in embarking on his campout project. This feat would have been daunting for any but the bravest survivalist, but Shoesmith undertook the challenge fresh from his intense bouts of anxiety and depression.
Shoesmith’s tales of adventure during that 10 day period range from the frightening to the humorous. The experience changed Shoesmith, providing him not only with a new-found fortitude, but also with an appreciation for the struggles of the homeless.
Shoesmith faced exhaustion, safety, hunger and hygiene challenges during his campout, but he realized that these were permanent problems facing the homeless. Friends, family members and strangers all rallied to help Shoesmith achieve his goal, but he was acutely aware that homeless people do not receive such support. He vowed to make the most of his experience by trying to help the homeless after his project was complete.
When asked if he would consider camping out again, Shoesmith responded:
No and for the record I can’t EVER seeing myself camping out for another iPhone again. It was one of the best experiences of my life but also one of the toughest. Being away from home and my creature comforts was a lot harder than I expected it to be. By the end of the experiment I was physically and mentally drained. Numerous times during the experiment I was on the verge of fainting due to the sleep deprivation. It was just far too hard to sleep at night as it was a really noisy place. I was camped out for 10 nights but some of the homeless people had been there for years! I now have a huge sense of respect for these people.
Shoesmith has moved further towards this goal by pledging to give his house to the homeless community if he sells more than one million copies of his ebook book, Bin There Done That. “I hope that making a statement as bold as giving my house away to a homeless charity will make people think and read the book for some of the reasons why I’m looking to do this.”
If this sounds like an innovative PR project to you, then you’ve just gotten a glimpse of why Rob Shoesmith seems to have found his calling at MEDL.
In his blog, Shoesmith promises another “crazy experiment coming soon.” You can follow the next step of his journey through his blog or on his Twitter account, @shoesmith81.
Bin There Done That is available as a Kindle book for $2.99 at Amazon and as a paperback book for $5.99 at Amazon.
Did you hear about Rob Shoesmith’s campout in front of the Apple Store in October? Were you wondering why someone would do that? Do you enjoy inspirational books of people overcoming their challenges? Let us know in the Comments section below!
*Images courtesy of Rob Shoesmith
Hi Carolyn,
This is indeed an innovative PR and marketing strategy. Also that he was able to write about the difficulties that he faced speaks a lot about his courage. I am sure that he will be able to sell a lot of books and also help people who face similar kind of problem.
His giving up home to homeless is also a unique idea which if works well will be beneficial to lot of people . My best of luck to Rob.
Hi Ashvini, Yes, Rob is a very innovative thinker and a brave soul. He’s not afraid to take risks, including personal risks, for the sake of his employer. Very impressive person and the book is captivating as he reveals his journey.
Loved this interview and review of the book, Bin There Done That by Rob Shoesmith. I have added this book to my list of ‘must reads’ and will make it a suggestion for our neighborhood book club. What’s most interesting about Rob Shoesmith is his ability to transfer his own struggles in a broader context to the struggles of others.
Thanks for sharing this piece with us, Carolyn!
Hi Carol, I’m so glad you enjoyed this review. Rob is such a positive, energetic person, I was very surprised to learn that he overcame these struggle. This book would be a good choice for a book club because it’s interesting, inspirational and affordable. For the price of an app, you can grab this book!
I would just like to say a big thank you Carolyn.
The article absolutely sums everything up!
And Carol thanks for suggesting the book to your book club. Word of mouth is key to the success of me reaching my target.
Thanks
Rob Shoesmith
Hi Rob, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! Congratulations on your inspirational book. I was curious to learn more about your campout at the Apple Store last fall, but the book was much more than that. Thank you for sharing you story that will help people on so many levels.
Wow. What an inspirational book! I’m not a techie – more like a techie wanna-be – but his story has such a broader reach. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Carol, You’re right, you don’t need to be a techie to enjoy Bin There Done That. The tech aspect is what drew me to the book but the story itself is more about a man conquering his demons. I didn’t want to reveal too much in this review, but there are many unexpected twists and turns to Rob’s story.
I hope you enjoy it!
Hi Carolyn,
Good story. I read a blog today, written by a writer who was homeless and staying in hostels. It seems she was blogging using her laptop and a wi-fi connection in the library. It made me think how lucky I am to have a home and not too much to worry about.
Maybe, I can think of a photography app? I can think of improvements for Live photo gallery!
Hi Mike, I thought of you as I wrote this article, wondering how big the news of Rob’s campout was in England. It was big news in the tech world, but not in the US in general.
In Apple Stores you can use their computers and Internet connections for free. There was a moving story of a homeless person named Isobella Jade who would go to an Apple Store each day from when it opened to when it closed. She was working on a novel that eventually was published. Isobella Jade is now a fashion model. http://www.collisiondetection.net/mt/archives/2006/06/model_writes_bo.php
Interesting as the homeless are a serious issue that most don’t want to deal with. They want to show compassion, but better out of sight out of mind. Most do not want to get involved with a hands-on approach. And there is a large percentage of the homeless who have mental issues to deal with and they’ve been left to their own devices on the street.
Certainly a worthy cause and bravo to Rob for what he has had to overcome and what he has been able to accomplish.
Hi Bill, I remember when I lived in Florida that homelessness was a very big problem as a lot of the homeless preferred Florida with its mild winters.
You’re right, Rob has overcome a lot but he also reaches out to help those less fortunate than he is. His story is certainly inspiring.
Wow Carolyn, so Rob is the one who created that cool app. Bravo to Rob and for his courageous battle with everything he’s been through. My hat is off to Rob.
I can’t even imagine being homeless and my heart breaks for those who don’t have much. That’s why I feel so blessed every day of my life.
That’s very generous of him to offer to sell him home when he reaches a million copies sold and I have no doubt he will so get prepared Rob.
It sounds like a wonderful read so I’ll definitely be contributing. If Carolyn recommends it then I know it’s good.
Thank you for sharing this Carolyn, as always.
~Adrienne
Hi Adrienne, Yes, Rob submitted his app idea to MEDL Mobile and they accepted it and turned it into an app. That really turned his life around, but he didn’t forget what he had been through.
Those who have come through tough times then reach out to help others who are going through tough times are incredibly inspirational. I was planning on reviewing this book even before Rob announced his offer of donating his house, but that made it even more compelling. For the price of an app you can get a great read and help the homeless.
Carolyn, aloha. No, I had not heard of Rob’s camp out. From the bit you shared here, what a perspective he gained. To go from “creature comforts” to camping out as he did, would be wearing. No doubt it sounded much better/easier before he started.
In order to help him accomplish his goal of seling 1 million books so he can donate the proceeds of his house to a homeless organization, I will do my part by purchasing the book as well as by spreading the word.
Reading biographies is always fascinating for me and this sounds like a great one. Thanks for introducing me to Rob and to his story. Aloha. Janet (4 – 3 = 1)
Hi Janet, Exactly right. Rob’s project successfully gained his employer publicity but beyond that goal he also achieved a new goal of shining light on the struggles of the homeless.
Thank you for your efforts too, Janet. I hope you have a marvelous weekend!
(By the way, are you hinting that you actually miss the CAPTCHA math problems? X_X )
This is the first time I’ve heard of him and the book. I’ve always wondered what kind of people that are standing in line. That’s something I could never do, no camping in line or standing in line. But I do want the book, and it will be my first one from iBooks.
Thanks a lot for the recommendation 🙂
Hi Jens, Most people who wait in line for a new iPhone or iPad don’t wait for 10 days, so don’t consider Rob a typical Apple fan. I have waited in line twice, once for my first iPhone in England (for about an hour) and once for my iPad last year (for two hours). Both times were actually a lot of fun. But waiting in line outside for 10 days isn’t something I plan to do for any device!
I hope you enjoy the book, Jens!
What an amazing and inspirational story Carolyn! I hadn’t heard of Rob, or his 10 day campout. I can’t imagine ever doing something like that – and I don’t struggle with any mental health related issues! Bravo to Rob, and to you for showcasing his journey.
Hi Ruth, Thank you. The story is truly amazing and I wanted to give readers a flavor of the story without revealing too much about it. No need to spoil some of the surprises inside the book! :-$
Thinking outside the box (or in this case tent) can often have interesting outcomes. With so many apps on the market and thousands of developers there is a need to “dare to be different” and do things to make yourself or your product stand out in the crowd.
Hi Jon, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! Yes, Rob definitely brings a fresh perspective to marketing which makes his story very interesting. I’m looking forward to seeing what his next adventure is!
Hi Carolyn
Thank you for this little life story about Rob Shoesmith. I did not knew him before reading this post. Maybe I should start following him on Twitter.
Hi Thomas, Yes, you would like following Rob on Twitter. I first connected with him on Twitter when he was tweeting a free code for a MEDL app. When he sent me the code, he checked out The Wonder of Tech and suggested I write about MEDL. He definitely uses Twitter well.
I’ll pass on the camping out stunt – but I love smart and interesting promotions!
Hi Bruce, If you like smart and interesting promotions, then Rob Shoesmith is a good person to know. He definitely seems to have found his calling with marketing!
What a great story. You find the most interesting ones.
Hi Jerry, Thanks! I’m so glad you liked Rob’s story. 🙂
Rob’s book sounds like a nice read Carolyn. We have all been touched by technology, some nore than others. It sounds like despite, or perhaps due to his hardships, Rob had one heck of a work ethic. I can’t think of any employee I know of that would go through all of that for their boss. Nice write-up. 🙂
Hi Carol
A true marketing professional knows how to attract people towards its advertisement and this is one of the innovative way to do so.
I’m sure there will be more cool stuff at (@ shoesmith81.)
Hi Marvin, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! You’re right, that’s one of the biggest challenges of marketing professionals, to get attention to his products. What’s especially impressive about Rob is that he didn’t have a background in marketing before he joined MEDL.
You’re also right that Rob is a great person to follow on Twitter. He is known to tweet out promo coded to MEDL apps and other interesting information.