And here I go:
I am not the founder of the Melbourne Joomla User Group, but in a way helped getting it alive again. As a Joomla implementor, or better total Joomla addict, I was looking for like minded people to explore the jungle of this fabulous CMS together. Or at least being able to speak the same language. For example, in my family our common language goes as far as fembots, but a mambot is as difficult to comprehend as a mosimage. And this doesn't apply to my children only...

When I was making a simple inquiry about the next MUG (Melbourne User Group) meeting, I was trusted the challenge to re-gather a group of geeks whose language goes much further than mambots and mosimages.
And this turned out to be a very enjoyable experience. We get more and more people to our meetings every time. And, by the way, the Melbourne Joomla User Group meets now every third Wednesday per months. At the moment we meet at different places in or close to the CBD in Melbourne. Our topics cover the whole range, from beginners stuff to very detailed insights, from Joomla components to web strategies, only to realise that two hours are very short. And, of course, there is plenty of time to network and chat.

While having a professional background in science (geology) and project management, on quite a diverse range of projects, I must say, Joomla became another hobby that I thoroughly enjoy. Talking hobbies, I love travelling, in particular on a motorcycle, did martial arts for more than 20 years, don't mind catching a fish or two at times, but never tried beach volleyball - don't even know why...

My vision is to support the Melbourne - and therefore the Australian Joomla community, to build a strong, friendly and rich network of specialists exchanging their wealth of knowledge and experience. Not to forget the professional opportunities resulting out of this.

And finally, here is my marketing pitch: In June I started a joomla platform for the German community in Melbourne, called Deutsche in Melbourne. The site was taking off much faster than anticipated, and we are now looking after two interns working many hours on content and marketing. At the same time people ask me whether I can do their website. So, can I? Yes, in fact, but it is not my core business. In the future, however, I hope I can outsource a lot of contracts to the community here, generating a solid and satisfied customer base. Let's see...

Matthias
www.raabconsulting.com
www.mc4-it.com