I spent the day of the start of the 18th year of UNB trying to get the site up and running. It was ironic that on the anniversary of this site, I was trying to reverse a host change. Hosting has been one of the most significant issues I have and will continue to have with UNB, across the blog and podcasts. I had a great idea, but I reached the point where I had to cut my losses and get the site and podcast back up.
I have written several posts thanking those who have genuinely contributed to making UNB what it is. I have thanked all I can, and it’s just a rehash of the previous ones. Plus, UNB is constantly evolving. The site, as it was in 2008, is different from the site in 2015, and that is one of the successes of this site: my willingness to try new things and continually improve it. Had I had time this weekend, I would have created a proper post with graphics. However, I sat down tonight to work on graphics, and my creative juices weren’t flowing. It was more frustrating than creating a vision.
I decided to discuss some of the milestones and achievements I’m most proud of over the past 17 years at UNB.
October 2008 – My six-month project was born, launched on Blogger, and by March the following year, we had our first WordPress site. Those six months have turned into something amazing.
May 2009 – Brief Talk Podcast launched. Although the podcast got its start in 2009, it never really caught on and is nowhere near the show we have now, but it was fun. If only I had known what I know now!
February 2010 – My first trip to Vegas and Magic. It was a 24-hour trip, and I never had the chance to walk the strip or explore anything beyond the Mandalay Bay, but this would start a love affair with the city of Vegas.
August 2010 – The first UNB Meetup in Las Vegas. We invited all the brands to meet up at the Lotus at Mandalay Bay for a get-together. It was small and crowded, but the people I met that night have become lifelong friends. Including Mr Andrew from N2N, we did a 2 am run to McD’s at the Luxor after talking for a few hours. I would continue this trend, but move it to the Luxor. The popularity ebbed and flowed, but it was always a good time.
May 2012 – The first UNB Swim Guide. OMG Talk about a learning experience. We had too many pairs of swimsuits, three models, and an hour drive. We shot on a lake south of Atlanta and had three inexperienced models. It was fun and the start of several more shoots. There are so many stories from these shoots.
October 2012 – The first Holiday Guide. I had tried to shoot these earlier, but I was out by Black Friday. They would be shot over the next few years. The locations would sometimes be last-minute, but we would make it work.
MAY 2015 – We were threatened with a lawsuit by a competitor. This is something I have not shared publicly, but it made me realize I have to run this like a business, not a hobby. This was done away with, and I haven’t looked back or thought of this competitor again. It was a great learning experience.
2018 – I forget which month, but we relaunch the Brief Talk Podcast, and something amazing happens. We find our groove and start making some incredible content. I even amaze myself sometimes.
July 2019 – UNB Store is launched – The one thing I said I would never do: I opened a store. It’s a lot of work and I need to focus on it more!!! I need to grow it, but we sell some great undies and also some UNB Merch.
May 2020 – UNB Tim Art is born. During the pandemic, I sought ways to alleviate stress. I always loved drawing and took it up again on the iPad. Over 2020, I developed my style and continue to refine it.
2023 – The first launch of a spin-off podcast, “Brief Talk After Dark.” This is the spicier side of UNB and underwear. I have a lot planned for this show.
November 2023 – I stop doing the Black Friday sales Brief. This became too much work, and since sales now span over a week, it was impossible to keep up with them. It has been a tradition since 2008, but I didn’t have the time to sort through and constantly post. It was a sad day, but I didn’t have the availability to keep it up.
Things I did but don’t remember when they were:
Swim Brief Challenge – We launched the Swim Brief Challenge to encourage guys to wear swim briefs in public. This needs to be brought back and added in thongs.
Website redesigns – I have been through five different designs. The original, V2, V3, V4, and V5. I kept the original for longer than I should have, but it was comfortable, and I loved those designs. I tested V2 and showed off the blog design in Vegas, launching it without too many issues. V3 came a lot sooner. It was a similar design but with some new features. However, this one decided to stop working, and I have to quickly find a new theme and get it up and running. Then we finally have the current version, which I love because it’s clean and flows well. Yes, there will be more, but hopefully I will have plenty of time to work on it.
Friends I have gained – I look back and see all the friends I have gained from doing the blog and underwear. Some have come and gone over the years, but I’m so thankful for having had them in my life. I look forward to making more friends and encouraging more guys to live their best lives.
Technology Fails and Perseverance – I have had numerous tech failures, from server crashes to database issues, and more. This taught me the power of Google and my own abilities. I can now accomplish so much more than I thought possible, and I love that I can tackle most issues and resolve them.
I probably have 200 more things I’m forgetting, but these are a few things I’m proud of, and yes, I dropped a few things many prob never knew before. I hope this brings me more years at UNB and builds this fantastic community of extraordinary guys across the sexual spectrum to keep preaching.
I appreciate your support, and I know I love you all. BIG HUG
