The Team on bragster.com

Team

A Walloon, two Flemish, a Welsh, a Brit, a Geordie, a Womanizer and a Yankee in London. What were the odds for such a team to ever meet? Well, it did, and bragster.com is what came out of it.

Wim Vernaeve - Co-founder

Now: Living the dream, trying to become a developer

Before: Wim spent a couple of years as an investment banker at Morgan Stanley ('different', what else can I say), co-founded an internet start-up, coincidently also in DVD Rental, spent a year in Shanghai and took a year off to travel. Before all this, Wim got a master in Aerospace Engineering (pretty useful these days :p)

Enjoys: Start-up life, jumping out of airplanes, travelling, daring his friends

Current bet: "I dare Diilzz to jump over a chair with a BMX"

Bertrand Bodson - Co-founder

Now: Getting a new business off the ground, there's nothing more exciting...

Before: It started more conventionally as a strategy guy at The Boston Consultant Group, and a Harvard MBA. But the blood from his entrepreneurial dad started boiling and Bertrand helped co-found a biotech company (Agrivida) with MIT PhD's. He then joined Amazon.com in Seattle before coming back to London to launch and run the DVD rental group across EU.

Enjoys: All sports that involve a ball, wedding preparations

Current bet: "I dare Weekend_films to do a James Bond style proposal (take 3)"

Peter Vandenberk - VP of Development

Now: No Peter, no bragster.com. It's that simple. It would still be a powerpoint slideshow. Peter, or PVDB for the intimates, is a worldwide Ruby on Rails guru (with the help of his son when he is stuck). Oh, and a proud Belgian too, with all the good things that come with it.

Before: Peter experienced the big American corporations (AT&T Wireless, Walt Disney, Fannie Mae). After declining to join a tiny start-up called Amazon.com in 1995, he found his entrepreneurial side, as a consultant and with start-ups like Flutter.com (acquired by Betfair).

Current bet: "If a man speaks his mind in a forest, and no woman hears him, is he still wrong?"

Adam Perfect - Senior Designer

Now: Responsible for XHTML/CSS wrangling, general design/creative stuff and otherwise attempting to make the user interface as good as it can be.

Before: Adam was the lead developer at Net Effects, where he did pretty much everything tech-related. He made the move all the way from Newcastle to join the bragster.com team (it was getting clear that he wouldn't stay for the football team).

Enjoys: Newcastle United Football Club, photography, design, oh and Maseratis. Ladies?

Current bet: "How long until I get my Xbox 360 back? (Take 2)"

Brittney Bean - Community Manager

Now: If you click contact us, you will contact me. I also manage the VIPs and ensure that everyone's independent clauses are joined by coordinating conjunctions.

Before: I cannot confirm nor deny anything.

Enjoys: Ebony Bones, Iced Coffee, Christopher Hitchens and Grizzly Man.

Current bet: "I dare studsy to shave your head"

Darshan Sanghrajka - Content Manager

Now: The Content Manager... does what it says on the tin... manages the content :-)

Before: Worked in finance and doubles up as a stand-up comedian. Madness I tell you!

Enjoys: Arsenal FC, any sort of comedy and is currently learning to play pool (haha! oh dear).

Current bet: "I dare billzy to sell a wad of chewed up chewing gum!"

Andrew Dust - Web Developer

Now: I design things, but since I can't write html, I use Dreamweaver. This really annoys Adam which is why I have to hide behind the pole in the office and hope that he doesn't throw one of the old keyboards at me.

Before: Got a degree in English, which led seamlessly into a career in web design.

Enjoys: West Ham United

Current bet: "I dare wim to drink a chili beer in less than 25 seconds!"