Interview with Celson Aquino

1) How and when did your online business get started?

I started to use the internet in 1996 when I was studying for my Bachelors degree in Computer Science, and in 1998 I built a website for my mother. It was a Career website that I built using PHP3 and MySQL. I was already a programmer at this time (I started programming in about 1985, before the IBM PC was launched)

About 1 year later a client asked me to turn his dating system into a website. I built it using PHP and MySQL.

Some time later I became a member of several marketing sites such as Internet Marketing Warriors and a few others. Then, one day, I discovered and started using traffic exchanges. I taught myself how to to run one by reading tutorials on OBA (Online Business Alliance - former IGAM). I soon got the desire to have my own traffic exchange, launched My Online Advertising Solution, which soon became “Dare2Click”, so named after that theme became our exclusive Prize System where you play a “double or nothing” chance game to win credits, banners, text ads and even cash. Thus, the name Dare2Click

2) Which exchange(s) do you own or co-own?

I own Dare2Click and QueroVerSeuSite.com, a traffic exchange for the people that speak Portuguese.

3) Do you currently work exclusively online?

No. I am a systems developer of a large company here in Brazil, where I work an 8 hours day

4) How many hours per day do you spend on your exchange(s)?

I spend about 2-3 hours on line during the week. On Saturday, I spend the whole day working on Dare2Click and my other on line business (I am a web developer and I work for several TE and other site owners). I don’t work on Sunday. This is the day I devote to my church, read my Bible and spend time with my loved ones and friends.

5) Do you do support yourself, or do you outsource support?

I handle all the technical support required by my sites myself. Since I am a web developer I do manage my own hosting. I outsource web and graphics design. I also outsource copywriting and even spell checking lol, since my English is still improving. I have a good friend Camille Thomson who is helping me with my English “issues” and admin at Dare2Click.

6) How fluent are you with HTML, javascript, and PHP?

I am a web developer. I specialize in PHP/MySQL and I work well with HTML and javascript. I also have a wide base of knowledge hosting issues andI am adept with several different control panels like Cpanel/Whm, Plesk, Direct Admin etc. Here, I am helping Camille ;)

7) Approximately how many members join your exchange a month?

About 60-80 members currently.

8) Does most of your advertising come from members referring, or you?

I purchase a lot of advertisement on other exchanges.

9) Are you subscribed to any blogs? Which is your favorite?

I have my own blog with Dare2Click, http://www.dare2click.com/blog/ - Posts are written by myself, Camille and Steve our third admin member.

10) What would be the biggest tip you could give to readers?

Be honest in your advertising. Do unto others as you would have others do unto you. Don’t surf 8 TEs at the same time if you know you can not pay proper attention to the advertising you are being asked to view. See Second Tip ;)