Will You Add Me To API Evangelist And How To Spot The Cool Kids

In the API space it is easy to recognize the cool kids, the ones that are in the know. These types of personalities just understand how to get things done, don't take no for an answer, and understand the DIY, self-service nature of APIs.

I get a lot of folks who ask me to add them to my API Management provider section, or my API Integration area. I always add these people to my Evernote queue, and when I get time I go through and profile them, I add them to my master CRM, and when I publish the latest round of content and data to the API Evangelist network site in question, the blog post, or company listing will be updated—something that can take minutes or weeks, depending on my workload.

In contrast, the savvy people in the space, understand that the API Evangelist network runs on Github, as 60+ separate research projects, and that they can add themselves. All you do is fork the project you want to update, add yourself to the blog post, or the JSON file that drives the data listing, and submit a pull request. I don’t always guarantee I will accept your addition, but if it is correct, and brings value to the API community, there is a good chance I will.

I just finished publishing a list of all of the SendGrid developer evangelists, and I mistakenly left off Will Smidlein (@ws), one of the SendGrid developer evangelists. Will, being one of the cool kids, didn’t ask, he just forked API Evangelist, added himself to the list, and submitted a pull request. Minutes later, he’s on the blog, listed correctly as one of the evangelist.

I wonder how long it will take for more of my audience to realize they can help curate, and publish to API Evangelist, right alongside me--it has been this way since January of 2013. ;-)