Paul Rubin, Operations Associate! It’s Our “In It for the Money” Feature!

At a restaurant in the Forbidden City in Beijing. They are the eggmen. I am the walrus.

For our weekly “In It for the Money” feature, we’ll be introducing you to the kick-ass Knock Knockers who make everything go, from creative to sales to logistics to . . . everything! Note—everybody answers the first five questions. After that, they have about fifteen wild-card questions from which to choose.

1. Name and title? Paul Rubin, operations associate.

2. Originally from? Los Angeles, California.

3. What the hell do you do all day? I help Gil, our director of operations, with day-to-day spreadsheet updating, spreadsheet reports, spreadsheet calculations, spreadsheet this, spreadsheet that, and spreadsheet the other.

4. Favorite thing about working at Knock Knock? The atmosphere is fun, the people are great, and I get do something new every day (i.e., this feature).

5. Favorite hobbies outside work? I’m kind of a sports nut. I’m not that guy who paints his face black and purple or mugs for the camera, but if you hear a screaming, incoherent, obscenity-laced tirade, then you might just be sitting near me. Oh, and watching sunsets with my girlfriend, Jenny.

6. Did your professional life exist before Knock Knock? Most recently I taught at a University in Nanjing, China. Yes, it was as awesome as it sounds. I also worked in the jewelry business—not as awesome as it sounds.

7. Favorite Knock Knock product? File Folders. As much as I enjoy the tedium of shuffling endlessly through papers and finding that the only one missing is the one you need, well, Knock Knock’s folders don’t prevent that from happening, but at least they put a smile on my face before I start.

8. Favorite website? Yahoo. Specifically, Yahoo! News. If you’ve been on there, you know what I’m talking about. If you haven’t, you need to check it out. It has just the right mix of recently-set world records, people making fools of themselves, shortcuts to getting rich, amazing hockey goals, and oh yeah, politics too.

This was also taken in Beijing. I am indeed snacking on a scorpion.

9. Food or drink you couldn’t live without? I’m not a very picky eater, so there isn’t really one thing I couldn’t live without. However, after being in China and trying crab brain, fish eyeball, pig snout, cow cartilage, scorpion, chicken heart, and fish stomach—I’ve come to the realization that I can do without those.

10. Pet peeves? Other people driving on the same road that I am. Choose a different route, please. Thank you.

11. If you were a superhero, what would your name and superpowers be? I have always been fascinated by the question, “If you could choose between having the power of invisibility or being able to fly, which would you choose?” If I were a superhero, I would choose both as my powers, so I can stop thinking about this quandary. You can call me “Invisible Flight Man.”

12. What advice would you give your past self? Start a website where people can post pictures, add friends, make comments, join groups, send messages, and Like things. Trust me on this one.