Kelly Livesay: Coach and Online Business Manager

Ahhhh. We're getting closer!

2010-02-03T20:13:00.000-08:00

I'd love your feedback on the new business blog, finally in WORDPRESS! And all done by little ol' me. No fancy designer. I'm pretty happy. Thank you to Eric Hamm and his Frugal Theme (3.2 version ROCKS!). Still learning but plan to have the entire blog moved over by the end of February.

Would love your feedback!

Kelly

Some Thoughts on Mr. Edwards

2010-01-23T11:54:00.000-08:00

Yep. I was suckered. I believed in this man, despite his gloss and prettiness. I believed he loved his wife, that he was a good familly man, mostly because he touted the values I honor.

Wow. It has been a year of being let down by "the good guys".

I don't care so much about Tiger Woods but both of these men (and assorted others) this year leave me slack jawed, wondering in the hell these guys they haven't learned a damned thing. From a Republican Press Secretary came this perfect advice when your scandal hits:

tell it first, tell it all and tell it yourself

Which is the most succinct way I've seen MY advice put. Because God knows I've been spouting off...not about the lying, not about the cheating but about the ridiculous belief that you can somehow manage to hide something when you are a) a celebrity and b) the story has already leaked.

In fact, why even try to lie and cheat without having a story prepared in advance because if you are famous there is NO WHERE TO HIDE.

Dudes. Everyone has a camera on their phone. Everyone has a recording device on their phone. Everyone has a PHONE. And everyone would love a National Enquirer payout to see you fall.

DUH. So don't look like an ass**** by lying through your teeth when it is so easy to get caught. Fess up.

tell it first, tell it all and tell it yourself

Why I Think Twitter Will Die

2010-01-15T06:05:00.000-08:00

You can now read this post here.

Clarity: AROnetworking

2010-01-11T14:27:00.000-08:00

After one of the most well-received blog posts I've ever written, I finally found some clarity around this blog (and my business) purpose. I was on track! I was, I was. So, AROnetworking this will remain and the focus will be about exploring people and ideas that support the idea of growing your business in a way that is Authentic, Relevant and Organic.

I'll profile folks who are doing it right and, with permission, help guide folks who could use some help. We'll explore what it means to be authentic and relevant and how to build that loyal following organically. I'll be developing a new site that will retain most of the content but I will be guided by those three words in everything I do.

I'm pleased to say that I'm also a contributing expert on Small-Business-How-To.com with a focus on human resources, social media and online marketing for Main Street businesses. The site is new and inexpensive right now (I'm currently one of three experts: our site owner is a CPA/Attorney/Financial Planner and more-whew!- with over 30 years of experience and he will focus on the nuts and bolts of it all. Last I heard he had enlisted a funding expert as well so expect some high quality content and lots of answers to the question "How do I?") but it is still in the works. We'll feature lots of video, including apprenticeship interviews with small biz owners themselves, mastermind groups, "how-to" guides, forums and more!

Finally, I'm converting to Wordpress Thesis this week once my hosting company transfers my domain name. Time to spiffy up this and a couple of other blogs. If you can recommend someone who is affordable to do the basic graphic design, that would be awesome! Ciao!

What People STILL DON'T GET About Online Marketing

2010-01-06T06:42:00.000-08:00

Online marketing. Social Media. Social Media Marketing. Etc. Etc. Etc.

Many people and brands still don't get it.

You must be authentic. You must be relevant. You must watch it grow organically. I still believe in these "words" and they will be my Big Three for 2010 (ala Chris Brogan via Danielle LaPorte).

You build the community because YOU LOVE THE COMMUNITY-not because you see a dollar sign on each little forehead. You do not even try to charge them for a thing until you have a real relationship with them. What's that look like? They follow you on Twitter, they retweet you on Twitter, they email you with love, they join your fan page, they ask you questions, they comment on your blog, they send your posts around, they download and praise your FREE e-book and so forth.

And you do the same for them. You promote them. You ladle Internet love all over them like you are anointing them with oil. You do this because you are excited about and for them. NOT because you see dollar signs on each little forehead (like the Grinch lusting after Whos in Whoville).

Then you build your paid member site. Then you start charging for some material. Then you start having teleseminars and mastermind groups with a fee. Not before. Never before.

If you do not want to be a part of this full-on, don't join. Your motives must have changed. The ROI is fuzzy at best. It's there but nebulous. Is there a price for caring? I parted ways with a client quickly who kept saying "but we have to monetize, we have to monetize". I know this. I do. But you have to care first.

Do you GET THAT?

How YOU Can Ease Brain Chafe

2010-01-03T11:29:00.000-08:00

When I mentioned Brain Chafe to my buddy, my pal, my luvah she said she pictured my little brain with diaper rash. Ok. That'll work. I've already talked about my Tigger vs. Eyeore moments (when I'm up I don't overshop, engage in inappropriate sexual activity or have real trouble sleeping so not cause for concern). What does happen is that I get very strong bursts of creativity, idea generation, and enthusiasm followed by a few days of complete depletion. I get brain chafe. I get so worked up with so many great ideas (if I do overshop, it is for domain names) that I just fall over.

In some ways I've stopped fighting it. I have, for the most part, the freedom to fall over when I need to. If I can effectively harness all the great stuff on the up days, then it is all good. (In fact, I often wonder why people fight their own sleep/wake patterns so much if they don't interfere with a job or family life).

But, in reality, sometimes my brain hurts from thinking and churning so hard. I'm a problem-solving, fixer (some people would call this control freak but hey! I'm effective). In my practice of one year of deliberately attracting great stuff, I have made a rule that I have to sit and visualize for 10 minutes (putting the tv on Music Choice Soundscapes channel). Wow. Much easier than I expected and oooooo. Like lotion for my chafed brain. Ahhhh. Part of that exercising is an attempt to let go of control and just let things happen. So, here are some useful tips on preventing or curing your own brain chafe (give yourself permission to do all or one of these things):

1. Spend some time with quiet.
2. Turn off that damned computer, damned cellphone, damed tv. Read a book for pleasure.
3. Pet your pet, whoever she, or it, might be.
4. Let go. Be aware of your desires and then let them go. You don't have to know "how" all the time.
5. Take a nap. The real kind, in the middle of the day, on the sofa or on top of the covers with blanket.
6. Some people like tea. Try as I might, I don't, but you can. The act of making it is key.
7. Get it all written down and then put it away. A mental dump list is very effective. Dump it out.
8. Walk in a cemetary. Generally well-maintained, quiet and vehicle noise free. Bundle up!
9. Watch a movie. Not a documentary. A movie. Nothing deep. Maybe something like Wall-E.
10. Get a massage. I am long overdue, but nothing chills the brain like being rubbed all over.

Juiciest Year EVAH!

2009-12-23T13:11:00.000-08:00

I swear this is the one. I swear it so much I'm splurging on a $48 bottle of wine * with Ms. M to commemorate a year that was already so much better than the few years before. I swear it because, as the year is ending, some amazing things are happening. MY DREAM CLIENT (on my dream team) has arrived. Clients I haven't worked with in awhile are returning. I'm being officially labeled as a contributing expert on a new site.

People keep saying "yes" to me. I swear this year I will:

1. take a road trip to meet some of my virtual clients and favorite Tweeple in a beater van that I will digitally, nomadically hang out in and write/work for a few months

2. finish one book

3. get a housekeeper (just say NO to inhaling cat hair) for a few times per month

4. charge the rate I deserve

5. continue to follow The Art of Possibility...simply letting opportunities that I could have never anticipated arrive at my door

6. continue learning, saying "yes" even when I don't officially know how, and being as positive as possible without being gross

I WANT TO HEAR YOUR AUDACIOUS 2010 GOALS!

* Who would NOT love a wine called "Problem Child"? It made us melt at Party Town in Erlanger, KY. (I know...) And I had a dark chocolate covered candied garlic clove with it. Sound gross? Was deeelightful, but my breath was rank for some time.

A profound "thank you" to all of my clients and to my idols who responded frequently to my posts and emails.

BTW, if you are tired and stressed out and facing family that you'd never in a million years pick, it is time for a Bloggess pick-me-up.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

ANYTHING Is Possible! Ask Fede Alvarez

2009-12-18T14:00:00.000-08:00

Have you seen this yet? An unknown filmmaker in URUGUAY (do you know where Uruguay is? I don't) made a small, 4 minute sci-fi video for $300 and put it up on YouTube. The video, of course, went viral and after posting his video on Thursday, he had loads of emails from studios by Monday. Now he has a multi-million dollar movie deal. Yahoo Buzz said this:

"Here's a fairy tale that could only happen in the movies. Man makes YouTube video. Goes to Hollywood. Gets pots of money and a movie deal. Except this story is true."

It ISN'T a fairy tale. Similar things are happening daily. Did you see the guy (Bernard LaChance) on Oprah who stood in front of a Chicago theater for like a year trying to get Oprah's attention about his concerts? He did.

We are re-writing the rules of discovery and possibility. We are re-writing the rules of education as a requirement. We are re-writing the rules of success.

For, what may be the first period in history, I think you really can become whatever you want. The secret? It isn't always talent or education or money or good looks. It IS guts and consistency. It takes both to stand on the street with a sign for months, selling your CD's, to get Oprah's attention. It takes guts to put together a whole sci-fi story, spend some money on developing graphics and throwing it up on YouTube....when you live in Uruguay.

You can ask the Universe for all kinds of things and you SHOULD, but along with faith comes some action. I think it indicates to the "Big U" that you are serious and sets wheels in motion.

What crazy dream do you have? Don't have one? Take a guess and some tiny steps. I triple dog dare you.

What the HELL Is UP with Canada?

2009-12-12T13:53:00.000-08:00

I can't help it. I love Canadians but 90% of the time when I hear the word I still hear the South Park "Blame Canada" song. I don't really blame them for anything but I do remember a time, not so long ago, when Canada was poor, when the doula membership/certification organization I worked for gave special discounts to Canada because their currency was so devalued. REMEMBER THIS? Now they come to the US because they can buy shit cheaper here.

They rock. I already knew this though. I've wanted to be Canadian for some time, ever since two of them drank me under the table while dancing to Big Sam's Funky Nation in New Orleans. Now I can't afford to move to Vancouver or anywhere else.

Here's a newsflash. They are sneaky little bastards. Like I always forget Scott Stratten is Canadian until I see the word "colour" in a post. They don't go on and on about Tim Horton's donuts being better than Dunkin's or anything else that would make their nationality obvious. (I don't like ANYTHING at TH, btw. We have them in Ohio).

I suspect that there are little gatherings of cool Canadians where they giggle and snark about those of us down south without national health care, who throw pathetic tea parties and then they make fun of our ragged little dollar. We gave you a DISCOUNT!

It's time those walking amongst us (mostly on Twitter) were O-U-T-E-D:

The aforementioned Scott Stratten from Un-marketing.
Sonia Simone from Remarkable Communication and Copyblogger
The Copyblogger himself, Brian Clark
The Men at Men with Pens (the.ca gives them away)
Naomi Dunford (aka IttyBiz)
The White Hot Truth's Danielle LaPorte
Kelly Diels and her Cleavage

Oh. I know there are more. I have my suspicions.

Lookout. The cool kids are coming from Canada.

9 for 09: The Blogs I Read Consistently This Year

2009-12-11T11:29:00.000-08:00

Don't you love the year end wrap up posts? If I was off, I'd sit down with a big plate of candy or something and just poke around at all of these "best of" lists. In the year end spirit, here are my most read blogs of 2009:

For Information:
Naomi Dunford's IttyBiz
Lisa's YouTube Channel
Scott Stratten's Un-marketing

For Inspiration:
Chris Guillebeau's The Art of Non-conformity
Danielle LaPorte's White Hot Truth
Kelly Diels' Cleavage

For Joy Juice:
Cute Overload
The Bloggess
My Milk Toof (see photo above)

Thanks to all of the dreamers, writers, artists, take no prisoner fire starters, snort milk out my nose, make me trickle tears of sentimentality online creators who entertained, informed or lit me up me this year.

Look out 2010!

Check out my clients' blogs/sites as well. Thanks to their support, this was my best year yet!
The Virtual Legal Assistant
Ratio7
My Small Business Mentor
Raw Foodini
Renegade CEO's
Boomerang Presentations
InVision Projects

New Post!

2009-12-07T13:43:00.000-08:00

3 Reasons to Be Very Very Happy!

Hippies, Fear...and me

2009-11-21T12:35:00.000-08:00

I've been re-working my Ideal Client framework (I think everything we do deserves a review from time to time to make sure it still fits). Looking at the folks I truly love and admire online, I realize I am so philosophically already a part of their circle because:

My Ideal Client:

Is 1/3 Hippy, 1/3 Freak and 1/3 Techno-Geek
Thinks Really Deep Thoughts
Is Generous With Their Time, Love and Money
Is Willing to Reach Past Their Fear
Sees Life as a Big Fat Smorgasbord of Potential
Is Unafraid to Say Startling, BS Free Things
Can Talk about the Universe and Their Sign With All Seriousness
Is Calm

Here's the rub. I'm not exactly sure yet what I want/should ideally DO to serve said clients. I'm not looking for answers. I'm 100% comfortable with letting it all unfold. It has worked so far and way better than I could have imagined. Anyway, if you have an idea client for me that isn't sure what they need me for, send them my way! Ha!

Is the Social Media Emperor Nekkid?

2009-11-17T13:15:00.000-08:00

Maybe you are wondering this too. Is this social networking time really paying off? Are you spending hours on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook trying to build a loyal community, trying to stand out in a crowd only to find that your followers aren't staying, the numbers aren't growing and you haven't generated a single lead after months of working the sites?

I'm here to tell you, my friend, you aren't the only one. I don't speak of myself because I don't really care what my numbers are. I am on these sites because I like meeting new people, introducing them to one another, checking out and sharing interesting links, promoting people I like and care about and generally just chillin' online.

Dare I say it? The reality is, for many types of business, socializing on these sites is a

BIG FAT WASTE OF TIME

Why?

A lot of reasons.

You aren't doing it for the right reasons.
You have unrealistic expectations.
Your core market doesn't have a CLUE what any of this is about (ok, maybe Facebook but we know why).
Too many hard core users are in the same lines of work: copywriters, social media mavens, coaches -making it all a bit, well, incestuous.

Advertising (as in paying) on Facebook might pay off. If you are a recruiter, I think social networking is good. If you deal in computer applications like games, also probably a great way to market.

But, for the rest of you, you had better have something EXTREMELY UNIQUE AND AUTHENTIC to say. You had better be fearless in your opinions. Your Twitter background better be awesome. Your photo better look uber cool. Above average simply won't cut it in the online world.

There are, on average, 900,000 new blog posts added each day. Most of us are taking to 10 people, if any. 500 visitors a day! Get 'em tiger. I won't stop blogging either. BECAUSE I LOVE IT.

Why even say all of this? Because I hate seeing anyone peeing their time down an endless well of sameness that isn't serving them or anyone else.

SO if you aren't on Twitter because you love it, STOP! Redirect. Start taking videos of yourself and getting those on YouTube because that's where the trend is anyway (so it will all fit on those iPhone screens).

Hysterical photo found here.

New Inspiring Articles

2009-11-01T05:57:00.000-08:00

Blogger won't let me link you directly there, but DO check out updates to the new inspiring articles on the right near the bottom. Danielle LaPorte's and Howard Rheingold's are both worth your time!

Also, in line with a couple of posts I've written about getting discouraged, here comes Chris Brogan with confessions of his own. Oh. And I found Howard Rheingold via Chris Brogan so thanks! Mentioned in this video of Chris's is Skip1.org (I skipped lunch today**-brilliant concept!!!) and InvisiblePeople.tv. I have enough that I'm considering giving a lot of it up and doing a massive downsizing in 2010. Most people in the world don't have enough to give anything up.

**UHM. Disclosure: couldn't eat lunch today anyway BUT this gave me a place to relocate those funds that was more useful than my thighs.

Be Smarter Than The Jerk: The Myth of a Special Purpose

2009-10-28T15:38:00.001-07:00

A scene:

Navin R. Johnson: The new phone book's here! The new phone book's here!

Harry Hartounian: Boy, I wish I could get that excited about nothing.

Navin R. Johnson: Nothing? Are you kidding? Page 73 - Johnson, Navin R.! I'm somebody now! Millions of people look at this book everyday! This is the kind of spontaneous publicity - your name in print - that makes people. I'm in print! Things are going to start happening to me now.

Oh boy. THAT's optimism!

Navin (aka Steve Martin) went looking for his special purpose in The Jerk (circa, gasp, 1979)? Are you still looking for yours? I'm not inferring that YOU are a jerk for wanting a special purpose but I think Rick Warren simply increased American angst when he wrote The Purpose Driven Life.

Do we REALLY need a single special purpose, one focus, for our entire life? I hope not and I don't think so. Barbara Sher doesn't think so either. If so, my special purposes is to find and share as much information and goodness with as many people as possible, offering my own input from time to time.

I have a dear loved one, downsized awhile back, seeking a special purpose. At midlife, with years of corporate, career-driven "purpose" behind her she suddenly feels lost, adrift and is waiting for THAT THING to fall from the sky and smack her in the head, her own special purpose. She has no idea what that thing is. I have ideas on why this is:

perhaps it isn't one thing
perhaps she's already done THAT thing
perhaps it is time to focus on play and use work as a means to an end (she didn't get much play before)
perhaps it is time to learn to relax, connect with spirit, care for her dogs (after a long haul caring for her father), love her land, and slowly unfurl, while realizing those are all a reason for "being"
perhaps she should take a stab at a few things and see what brings her joy

What I firmly believe she should NOT do is feel like she is a failure if that ONE THING doesn't show up. Some of us are born knowing our passion. For the majority of us it is a matter of trial and error, moving towards what feels good (and away from what doesn't), and staying open to possibilities that will arise, even if our only intention is to be happy.

Stop killing yourself, feeling lost and worthless, if that one special purpose is not calling you. Being alive, kind and curious is truly enough, but more than that will surely find you.

A "Sticky" Thought: Commander's Intent Translated

2009-10-28T12:45:00.000-07:00

Made to Stick, the classic from Chip Heath and Dan Heath, is filled with insights that made me want to scrawl multiple notes for blog posts (PRODUCTIVITY TIP: my way of doing this is to send text messages to my email address from bed while reading). As I was reading about the restructuring of the military's battle planning to the newer Commanders Intent (I believe this is on page 26 for those who want to follow along), I couldn't help but think that this is a perfect analogy for how to live life.

Before Commander's Intent, the military was developing incredibly detailed battle plans and then finding they automatically went awry as soon as troops went into the field. There were just too many variables. So they revised the overall system and ended up with Commanders Intent which was basically the core intention at each level of the operation. At the highest level "we intend for the enemy to surrender", next level "we intend for the 3rd Brigade to take control of the NE quadrant within 10 days" and so forth. Instead of the HOW they started with the WHAT. And they let the officers in the field work with the variables they were given to figure out HOW to get to the Commander's Intent.

After having read The Art of Possibility, it occurred to me that Commander's Intent was a great way to live a life.

Set the intention, stay open to unexpected possibilities, remain flexible to detour around roadblocks, and keep on taking small steps while your intention remains fixed. You may have many ideas on how to get a book published, but in the end someone might unexpectedly ask you to provide a guest column on a website that leads to your intention but that you would have never pursued.

Set your intention. Stay open to possibilities. Be flexible with detours. Keep taking incremental steps.

You WILL arrive.

I'd LOVE to hear your stories of how this has worked for you. We've all written up incredibly detailed plans only to have life through us massive curveballs. How did you work around this? What unexpected opportunities came your way?

Embracing My....Pooh?

2009-10-16T15:28:00.001-07:00

I tend to operate at Eyeore lows and Tigger highs. Not manic depression but certainly there are recognizable moments when I feel invincible and others when I'm convinced there is no place in the business world where I will find my perfect fit. I suspect this is the personality of many an entrepreneur.

Lately I've been trying to think at Pooh speed. After working with my elf who has encouraged me to seek a more open, average, calm state of mind, and some unexpected forced down time this week, I find I recognize Pooh-time more. This isn't that easy! When most of what we read as entrepreneurs is motivational in tone, it is hard not to feel chronically motivated, which can lead to moments of real let down and questioning.

Look. We can't all operate at Gary V levels. I love the man! But some of us are quiet and introverted. I really don't ever want to do public speaking. Small workshops? YES! Big groups with a headset and technology? NO!

What does embracing Pooh look like? ;-) Well, it sounds a lot like that sound your dog makes when they are settling in to go to sleep. A deep breath blown out. It sounds quiet, it sounds like honey, tea, good friends, a living and not an attempt at being discovered and admired by everyone in cyberspace. TIGGER WANTS THAT! Pooh couldn't care less. Pooh is happy just to be. That takes some thinking about. Happy just to be...Pooh.

In Defense of Blogging

2009-10-05T06:36:00.001-07:00

I read recently that blogging may have run its course. There are millions upon millions of blogs, the majority of which go mostly unread and unmaintained. The writer (I've lost where I found it) suggested Twitter and Facebook will and should replace the personal Weblog. Pity. And I hope it isn't true.

I've been blogging for a little over three years now, almost entirely for the pleasure of sharing things I've discovered with other people and yes, my own opinions as well. When I'm consistent, my personal blog gets about 20 readers a day from all over the world, this one a little less. When I see that someone from Belgium or Indonesia has spent a few moments on it, I feel thrilled and blessed. If someone comments, so much the better. But my ego-and more importantly, my bank account-are not dependent on readership.

And I absolutely love the medium. I love searching for images...or "stumbling on" one and then being inspired to write a post. I love commenting on other blogs. I love blog design, embedding video, widgets, the whole nine yards. Then there are the success stories...bloggers who went on to being published via their blog who turned a passion into something larger.

I realize I'm unique. I'm insanely curious about a variety of subjects: art (journaling-of which blogging is really the digital version), design, small space architecture, poetry, music, pop culture, gardening, etc. So blogs, for me, are informative brain candy. I LOVE THEM. I've found so many cool people via blogrolls, been introduced to new music, new business ideas and learned so much.

Once monetizing blogs started being pushed along with all other forms of online marketing, blogging begun to lose its original purpose. And I think the form became bastardized. Don't get me wrong. I'd be so happy to do my own blogging full-time and make a living (is it possible? plenty of people say so, but I have my doubts about the type of blog I have).

I hope blogs don't die. I think there's a community of us who do it simply for the joy of it...not as a marketing tool, not as an income source. By the way, the book above is a compilation of blog highlights from Live Journal's first ten years published via Blurb.com. Very cool.

If I See One More Squeeze Page...

2009-10-04T03:41:00.000-07:00

Maybe it is simply because of the business I am in.

It requires me to be on Twitter (ok, I like Twitter but I get Twitter fatigue).

And on Facebook (cough, spew).

And LinkedIn (the site for proper grownups...but check out the "questions section" these days...50% tripe).

I get lots of newsletters. Why? Because I write newsletters and blog posts and articles (and their various versions). The Art of Non-Conformity is the best newsletter I subscribe to btw. You can sign up for it here.

I saw a newsletter today. It had a link to a person who I thought might be interesting.

THE PAGE WAS NOT INTERESTING!

It was a squeeze page (a sales page for a mini-course on leveraging content-do I hear an echo, echo, echo and WHO NAMED IT THIS?!?!).

I do not for one minute believe that the droves of online e-book, mini-course, teleseminar, newsletter, podcaster, multi-channel marketers are making the millions they want you to believe they are. They want you to believe that

SO YOU WILL GIVE THEM MONEY AND THEY CAN TEACH YOU HOW ITS DONE!

The majority are cookie-cutter wannabees without a lick of anything interesting or unique to say.

I had a client who wrote an e-book about online dating using The Secret who shall remain nameless. He got frustrated that his marketing attempts for the e-book weren't as successful as his online marketing coach told him they would be if he just networked and squeeze paged enough. As his blogger and, for a brief period, his social media manager, I had him send it over.

Uh. Dude. They weren't buying 'cuz your product was stinky. Riddled with typos, grammatical errors, clearly outsourced cheaply. And you had nothing original to say.

Hey. I'm pretty much one of them, right? I've got my own e-book in the works. There seems to be no path other than the one lit by squeeze page madness. But I hope to offer a thing or two new (it won't be about making money online and it won't be something I'll market here).

If all this online marketing stuff makes you a bit crazy, it can at least feel more palatable when you follow Naomi, Dave and Sonia. Thoughts?

The Depressed Entrepreneur

2009-09-23T07:27:00.000-07:00

I'm depressed and I don't think I'm alone. This entrepreneur stuff can be lonely and ridiculously hard work for what feels like a pay day that will never come. Twitter feels like standing around at a party and watching the "cool kids" have a conversation (you know who you are!) while the rest of us wait for an opportunity to jump in. There's all the personal branding stuff and "when will I have enough money to get a Wordpress site off the ground" and reading about SEO and ROI and Google Adwords and Adsense (and how the f*%k are they different?) and reading, reading, reading and watching YouTube videos to explain it all.

In the meantime, you read blogs where the authors are complaining about only having 150 visitors a day. 150?!?! And the market seems really really crowded with PEOPLE JUST LIKE YOU (and ME). It gets harder to face the computer, to write (which you really do love), and to work with clients. You start wondering "am I just a hack? do I serve a purpose? will I ever get this whole thing fully off the ground?"

Am I right? DO you go through this too?

I've decided today, after I shower, I'm snapping out of this gloom and reminding myself:

all of this, including the pay, beats sitting in a cubicle asking a 30 year old if you can have Friday off for a dentist appointment and spending money on clothes you hate
the people on Twitter do not represent the world as a whole. Very few people are actually using Twitter and they all know one another. The rest of the world is clueless about anything but Facebook and Farmville (Farmtown? I don't know)
I have valuable and unique experiences that provide a service
Rome wasn't built in a day...it's only been a little over a year
Every day that I work for a client, I will work a little on my own stuff
I'm learning a LOT

I'm thinking we need a community of entrepreneurs who really let their hair down, who say "I'm tired of social networking" or "I haven't showered since Monday" or "I wonder if I should get my old job in HR back" instead of constantly rah rah-ing about it all the time. What do you think?

From Wise Bread: One Talent, Multiple Streams of Income

2009-09-20T08:49:00.000-07:00

For those of you who don't know me well, I'm frugal. I'm not a pain (I like restaurants and tip well, I don't separate two-ply toilet paper but I have been known to wash a zip loc baggie in my time-and to dream of life with no home working as a digital nomad) but I don't see the sense in throwing away money on anything that doesn't relieve me of time constraints or improve my world somehow. Anyway, I found WiseBread.com (I think on Twitter, who knows?) and this post popped up in Google Reader. Very good strategies for an artist, or others, who want to stretch their art or information in various ways. These ideas are discussed even more thoroughly by Jonathan Fields in Career Renegade.

The Mysteries of SEO: Should I Stay or Should I Rock the Casbah?

2009-09-09T11:06:00.000-07:00

Yes. I wrote that title on purpose. It was not a brain fart or mental twitch.

Why?

I've received MORE hits on my personal blog via a post about Californication entitled Should I Stay or Should I Rock the Casbah?than any other by a really significant margin. EVERY DAY new readers from all over the world find my blog this way.

Apparently, every time someone is sitting with their buddy, drinking a beer, and asking "hey who sang that song that went 'rock the casbah'"? In response, the buddy says "I think it's the Clash...but look it up."

And they find me. The post was not about The Clash. It was about Californication. But, more than 18 months ago, I still get more traffic from that very average post than any other (great one) I've written.

I know I personally debate song lyrics and lines from movies all the time with friends and turn to Google to be the judge. Should all of my posts have song lyric titles? Here are some thoughts:

When I Think About You I Touch Myself: a post about showing customers the love

Creep (Radiohead): about customers you realize are all about the money and you want to dump

Everybody Hurts: writing content that has broad relevance

Who Let the Dogs Out: about being a freelancer at home

Obviously, this post is a test but it is also a reminder that writing for search engine optimization is part science and part divination. Do your best. Provide a service. Strive for great content (I don't think this qualifies).

Living Authentically

2009-08-30T06:24:00.000-07:00

Part of growing an authentic business is LIVING authentically. On this note, doing a search of "lifestyle design" on the new Panabee (multiple search engines on one screen), I found this post:

41 Ways to Be a Lifestyle Design Bad-Ass

#29 is my favorite: "Understand when you walk your own path in life others will be irritated and often offended. This is ok."

Then, I found this poster on Lisa Congdon's wall in her Apartment Therapy home tour:

IT IS OK FOR ME TO HAVE EVERYTHING I WANT.

Wow. I had one of those moments (I refuse to call it either "aha" or "lightbulb"...any other ideas?).

Really. Everything I want? Luckily for me my wants are not extravagent. Maybe yours are. Who cares? It is ok for you to have everything you want. Seriously.

Gary V's Crush It!: Sample Chapter Thoughts

2009-08-29T07:31:00.001-07:00

Gary Vaynerchuk, personal brander extraordinaire, best keynote speaker evah! and host/owner of Wine Library TV and Vaynerchuk Media has just let loose a sample chapter of his new book "Crush It!". I'm reading it and I have some (happy) thoughts.

The book is written like Gary talks.

There is no b.s. which I appreciate (and talked about a bit here). He tells you it takes lots of HARD WORK and time to build your personal brand. Working for yourself, even in non-traditional fields like public speaking, involves being committed and sustaining passion over the long haul.

He, as always, promotes authenticity and the best content you can deliver

Copies will likely fly off shelves because a) Gary is heavily promoting this book on social media and via his Web site and b) he's already built one hell of a loyal community.

Kelly's Tips on Growing Your Newbie Business

2009-08-28T10:42:00.000-07:00

Look, I'm no expert, but Candice Adams asked me for some tips on LinkedIn and I thought "I can do this in a post" and share it with every one. Here's how I got started in copywriting/editing and social media management (I would like to thank Pam Slim, Tim Sanders, Shen Heng and Lethia Owens for being my first mentors, or clients, or faith-in-myself builders...).

YOU MUST HAVE THESE 5 QUALIFICATIONS FIRST:

1. You must be able to write. I make grammatical and spelling errors but I am a decent writer, content-wise.

2. You must know what to write about. Which is why you must be #3.

3. You must be curious about business and what your clients do.

4. You must be self-directed.

5. You must be willing to promote yourself.

Don't start off expecting to support yourself!!! It won't work. This should be an at night, on weekends project so don't bite off more than you can chew. In the beginning you are working for dirt pay, testimonials and experience.

Next steps:
1. Start blogging if you haven't already. I like Blogger for beginners. I can use Wordpress. I just haven't switched over yet.

2. Register a domain name, or several, including your own name if possible, and point it all to the blog.

3. Register on Elance.com and Getafreelancer.com. PAY THE FEES or you won't get work. They have a free option but it isn't effective and $10/month is an okay cost.

4. Apply for small jobs. Do great, fast work and respond quickly to clients.

5. Set up a PayPal account. This is how you will send out invoices and get paid.

This next step is KEY!!!

6. Direct them after your first Elance/GAF project to your blog/Website and tell them you'd like to work directly with them. This saves you the Elance/GAF fees and gives you the opportunity for #7:

7. When you send them your email for step 6, be sure you tell them everything you can do (I started one project entering business card info into a spreadsheet...when I emailed to follow up, I let the client know I could write, edit, blog, manage her media, etc.- She bit AND referred more business to me).

8. Ask for, persistently, testimonials for both your Website/blog and LinkedIn from clients who have expressed pleasure about your performance.

9. Review and raise prices every 6 months until you are comfortable with where you are at. I started (no lie) at about $3/hr a year ago. I'm at $30+ now.

10. Be as flexible and generous with clients as possible. Some will try to take advantage, but most won't. Cheer them, promote them on your blog, introduce them to people who can help them EVEN IF THAT ISN'T YOU.

I'm in the process of writing a great e-book "Writing Your Way to a Second Income". If you are interested in advance notice of when it is coming out, please subscribe to the blog.

This is all really really basic stuff that has worked. You cannot be shy. You must be responsive with a "can-do" attitude.

I also recommend:
Escape from Cubicle Nation: From Corporate Prisoner to Thriving Entrepreneur
Career Renegade: How to Make a Great Living Doing What You Love
Copyblogger
Remarkable Communication
Itty Biz

I'd love to hear if you've got other suggestions or if you try any of these things!

A Few Things...

2009-08-24T13:37:00.000-07:00

Alright. So I had one Facebook perpetual commentor question me on my last post...something insinuating that I was complaining and had I ever worked for a large corporation before? The answers, respectively, are NO! and YES! Worked for NationsBank (10,000+ employees at the time-which has morphed into Bank of America), Kendle International, 5/3 Bank, etc. Understand, fully, the cube farm mentality...which is why I went to work for myself. NO MORE CUBE FARM.

I found his arrogance even more reason to have written the post which was simply meant to convey what I actually do and, despite working from home and having flexibility, I stay busy, about 65 hours per week or so. And I love it. I think I said that but it was clearly overlooked. I could pursue corporate employment again. I'd truly rather not.

Onward and upward!

This post, sent to me from @marieb (follow her on Twitter please) who is my occasional writing partner, all the time planning partner, is killer! I wish I'd written it though I'd have to know a lot more about T.S. Eliot than I do. Please enjoy:

The T.S. Eliot Guide to Success

Yes. But What Do You Do, Exactly...?

2009-08-19T08:46:00.000-07:00

It's no secret that I earn my benefits (health, dental, vision, 401(k), FSA, paid time off) at a 2 day per week hospital job (I work in the ER as a "health unit coordinator"...basically the unit secretary for two 12-hour shifts). Everyone there knows that I have my own business, but I usually get "now tell me what you do again...exactly?".

Well, exactly:

I write 30 blog posts per month for clients on topics ranging from social media to new technologies to design

I snag the images for these posts (about 2/3 of posts have images)

I write multiple articles (and versions thereof for SEO) per month on similar topics

I write 2 newsletters per month

I do various Web and print copywriting projects like About Us pages

I write sales letters

I manage social media for clients

This is what stumps people. Social media management. You do what? Exactly?

I manage social media and online presence. Let's be honest. All business owners know they are supposed to be doing this but it takes time. You have to read ALOT, have valuable things to contribute, gather followers, interact with them, update profiles, photos, read other people's blogs, leave comments and more. You have to set up backgrounds and build in links. I can do all of this and I'm doing it now.

So a typical work day is:

draft article, write 2 posts, search for and upload images, load posts and Ping them out to sites, brainstorm new post/article ideas, log in to Hootsuite or Tweedeck to interact on Twitter, hop on LinkedIn and look at discussions, invite people to join my network, search for valuable posts on other people's blogs, comment on a post at FastCompany, update profile on Wired, have phone meeting, read Changing the Channel or Wordpress for Dummies, and oh:

I have 3 blogs of my own and 3 online "personas" (business, personal and The Truth is Stranger) to manage. And I'm writing two books-or trying to but I'm written out most of the time.

I know I'm not alone. There are a ton of social media consultants, managers, online marketing managers, online business managers, virtual assistants, who are doing similar work and people don't understand how hard they work or what they do. But we love, love, love what we do...

Hats off comrades!

Brilliance..

2009-08-19T06:23:00.000-07:00

This is SO true and not just in business, but IN LIFE. I am reprinting this, in its entirety, from Brainzooming:

Want to be more critical to your business in one easy step? Here it is:

Create recommendations instead of reporting problems.

It's that simple.

You can stand so far away from the crowd by simply not bothering your boss and co-workers with long descriptions of what you perceive to be broken, failing, aggravating, or insufferable in your workplace.

Instead, create some well thought out, innovative options to address the issue at hand. Deliver your recommendation, sans the soap opera, to your boss.

It's a little harder than it sounds, but it's well worth the effort to become the person your boss will turn to for creative answers in challenging times.
- Mike Brown (@brainzooming on Twitter)

New Video Testimonial!

2009-08-10T14:10:00.001-07:00

Steven Schlagel is a top-notch small business coach, CPA and attorney with over 30 years of experience. He is also a certified financial planner and business valuation expert (whew! that's A LOT) PLUS an amazing photographer. Most importantly he is fantastic to work with! And he treated me, of his own accord, with a video testimonial...

Susan Boyle Proves Content is King

2009-07-22T09:01:00.000-07:00

I see that sweet little Susan Boyle, plain lady-big voice, has returned from her self-imposed isolation after the phenomenal brouhaha over her singing in Britain. She has tickled the back of my brain for quite some time because she reminds me that a glossy blog or Web site means nothing if there is no value in it for someone, even if that someone is the writer or owner. Plus, Susan is the poster child of A.R.O.

Authentic. Relevant. Organic.

Clearly she is authentic. She didn't get her makover before she got famous. She went out there as who she is, gray roots, bad glasses, plump BUT with one ginormous voice. She had CONTENT. She had something to deliver, wrapped as it was in 100% authenticity.

Susan is relevant. In what way, you ask? She fits the description of the average person better than just about anyone else. How many Heather Locklear's do you know? Now, how many Susan Boyle's? Ah. You get it. She's relevant because she is like US in many ways. We can relate. We know her.

Susan didn't get famous by being on Britain's Got Talent. She got exposure from that, yes. But she didn't get off-the-charts famous until she started getting WOM: Word of Mouth. People told people who told people like they've never really done online in history. I personally received so many emails and tweets I lost count. Her growth was organic? Why because she had:

Content. Authenticity. Relevance.

People liked her. A lot. And to think such a voice came out of such a normal, average woman. I'm guessing Susan doubted herself a ton in her life. She knew she had this gift, but she couldn't attract a man's attention. She probably felt that she didn't fit in, that no one understood her.

For everyone who feels misunderstood, there is someone out there who gets you for just that reason.

Lessons?

Be yourself.
Do good work.
Don't be afraid to share that good work (singing in the shower never got Susan B anywhere).
Be patient as you repeat steps 1, 2, 3.

Photo and great article here.

Love Him or Hate Him

2009-07-18T08:08:00.000-07:00

Seems many of us, women especially, have a love/hate releationship with Tim Ferriss. I certainly understand the hate part. I loved 70% of The 4-Hour Work Week (I never believed he only worked 4 hours by the way...did you?), but hated the whole schmarmy internet business crap that makes up the middle, hated his endless self-promotion and pats on the back in the book, and hated him for having something I wanted. I really really hated, and still do, his push to send your work to third world countries (as a writer, I have re-written more articles than I can count for clients because they were originally written by a non-native writer).

Penelope Trunk clearly hates him more than I do-and she knows him. What I will say is that if not for reading 4HWW when I did, I would not be building my online writing/social media company at all, let alone successfully.

Much of that is timing, but his whole "if not now, when?" message really resonated with me and I had the opportunity to both do some paid writing (who knew people would let me?) while working my day job. I still love, and get inspired by, the 4HWW, simply because Tim is living life on his terms. I don't care if he tangos or jives or cheats at kickboxing. He had a message that hit home and that was my takeaway.

Today, my buddy read his blog and saw this video from a Google Ignite session (how lucky are Google employees to have famous people come ignite them at work...arrrgggghhhh). Though Tim's idea isn't original, per se, his delivery and message is perfect and what I needed:

Rethinking the path...

2009-06-20T05:59:00.000-07:00

I'm reading The Art of Possibility right now and I'm moved, and motivated, beyond words. Through storytelling, vision and good ol' common sense, the Zanders have created a work that I will undoubtedly read, highlight, flag, journal about, for many years to come. It is THAT good (and it's been out for years...who knew? I must not have been ready yet).

We are all chamelons of sorts. First and foremost, I'm a writer. Life throws us challenges and we have to adapt or die. I won't change AROnetworking's name but I'm expanding its purpose (aka mine) somewhat. I'm lifting from The Art of Possibility, and lots of feedback from others on "who I am" to them, and letting you know that I am going to

ENGAGE YOU IN MY PASSION FOR LIFE!

So look for more inspiring articles and resources and I will continue to push you towards authenticity, relevance and organic growth. For one more piece of inspiration today, check out Paul Hawken's commencement speech for University of Portland.

Testimonial update!

2009-05-26T06:49:00.000-07:00

Read what clients and colleagues are saying about AROnetworking and Kelly's consulting/writing services!

Freaks Changing the World

2009-05-22T13:44:00.000-07:00

Oh my. How I do love a freak celebration! Adam Lambert has reignited the joy of freakdom in many, but this site has got me way juiced up. There is a place in the world for ALL OF US! The banner on here is brilliant as is the sentiment. I'm looking forward to watching this progress...

Tag line for Freak Revolution? Normal people won't change the world. WE will.

Kick it!

Unveiling new site

2009-05-22T13:16:00.000-07:00

the truth is stranger (non-fiction creatives working in print and film). It's in its infancy but the plan is to expand it to the 'go to' place for non-fiction writers and filmmakers...some of my heroes!

Day 4 to Increasing Your Likeability

2009-05-18T07:59:00.000-07:00

Be brave. Ask the hard questions.

This is both an easy and hard one. It's easy for me, but can be harder for others. Be brave. Ask the hard, honest questions of others. Be empathetic. Care.

"Have I hurt you?" "Are you feeling sad?" "John was really biting in his comments. Are you ok?"

And then be available to listen. Women are generally more comfortable with this than men, but men, let me tell you, this goes 1000 miles to building your rapport with others. But of course, you have to be working Steps 1, 2, 3 to get to this point:

Notice.
Ask questions.
Confess your own sins.

All of this "likeability" stuff is really about being authentic and understanding everyone's common humanity.

It's really that simple.

Brilliant Post

2009-05-13T08:03:00.000-07:00

On customizing your Twitter background.

Day 3 to Increasing Your Likeability

2009-05-13T06:55:00.000-07:00

Hola wonderful folks! For those of you who have stopped by before, and those who are making a return visit, welcome...

Let's recap:

To build better and more authentic relationships, we've learned to:

Day 1: Notice Others

Day 2: Ask Questions

Day 3: Confess Your Sins!

Take ownership. Confess your sins. Helen Gurley Brown, longtime Cosmo editor (I know! I was young...) in a book (I hope I'm remembering the right one, Helen) that was instrumental in my “likeability” development, taught me to confess my sins. We are all bad. We all misbehave. But many of us cover it up. Likeable people CONFESS.

"Oh, I was a stinking bitch yesterday! I’m so sorry."

"Gina, I was starving and I ate your Lean Cuisine from the freezer yesterday. It was crappy, by the way, so I wonder if I could take you to lunch?"

"Yes, I’m the idiot who clogged the toilet. Is there anything more embarrassing?"

Use discretion, especially in the workplace, but own up to as much as you can. Some people will not understand what the hell is going on (we are used to others covering up, not admissions...see, uh, Bill Clinton, John Edwards, etc. etc. etc.) and a few will not be gracious. But for the most part they will love your candor.

Why? Because...

THIS MAKES THEM BETTER ABOUT THEIR OWN FLAWS

and, really, don't we all just want the feeling that we are ok?

Carry on. Go make friends. REPORT IN!

Day 2 to Increasing your Likeability

2009-05-12T07:58:00.000-07:00

Did I say those 7 Days would be in a row??? Real life steps in and, though I LOVE blogging, you don't always get done what you want. Moving right along.

Day 1: Noticing. Did you do this?

Day 2: Ask Questions and Listen to the Answers

I heard a tragic, but common, story on This American Life (20 Acts in 60 Minutes). It was about a guy in a common cube farm corporate setting who sat outside in the open by the printer and had for the last two years. Because it was a high traffic area, he interacted with people all day long. This American Life asked his co-workers, some of whom he saw FIFTY times per day for months on end, what this fellow's name was and/or what he did for the company. Then they played back their responses for him. No one knew who he was. Some didn't even know there was a person sitting there, though they approached this printer daily.

NO ONE KNEW WHO HE WAS

This segment broke my heart, and Matt's too. (I will never forget his name). He assumed people knew him or what he did. Some thought his name was Matt, no one had a clue what he did. Why?

THEY NEVER ASKED

How does Mike feel about his co-workers today? How do the co-workers feel about themselves?

There is fear in admitting we don't know someone like Matt. We don't want to acknowledge to him, our ourselves, that we were so self-involved that we didn't reach out.

BEING LIKEABLE INVOLVES DISTINGUISHING FEAR

Had one person said "Hey, I hate to admit this but it occurred to me that I'm not sure of your name and what you do here. I'm so sorry! I want to know." This tiny confession, small in the scheme of life, is all it would have taken to heal Matt and form a bond that could have been a lifelong friendship. You never know if you don't ask.

Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People is still, IMO, one of the best books about growing relationships. It changed my life-at 12. Dale recommended that you notice one unique thing about every person you see: their tie, their briefcase, that new haircut-and compliment them. Or just a simple "You always seem so nice".

So, if possible, find someone you only know a little, compliment them on something (I told my med tech yesterday who drew blood "you do great work!" because I was thrilled she didn't hurt me!) and then ask them something about who they are. Look them in the eye. Again, this is about AUTHENTIC HUMAN CONTACT. Not "networking".

7 Days to Being More Likeable

2009-04-24T18:48:00.000-07:00

People seem to like me. It's hard to not feel vain saying it, but I've had to "own" this on some level, despite feeling cranky and solitary much of the time. But the reality is that people are drawn to me and I've had enough people tell me that "there is something about you" to not have to reluctantly believe it's true.

Obviously, no one is liked by everyone and I don't claim to be. (I have ex's who certainly don't like me at all). I think much of "likeability" can be taught (I learned a lot of it) and it's an obvious statement to say that being liked affects all relationships-career and personal-and your ultimate success in life. And we don't teach our kids these skills. Or that difficult co-worker who can run off five great employees.

But you must be Authentic, Relevant and interact Organically to be liked. This isn't schmoozing (shmoozing?), folks. It's the real McCoy.

So, today is Day 1. And most of the other days are going to incorporate this same, simple fact.

It ain't about you.

People have a deep-seated yearning to be seen and heard. In a culture as fast-paced and ADD as ours, to actually sit down with someone who REALLY wants to know who you are, is a rarity.

The first step to being more likeable is

Noticing the people around you.

When you pick up your McBig with Cheese, do you look at the employee and say "Hi. How are you"? Do you SEE them? If I asked you who gave you your McBig at lunch today, would you remember? Who the tech was who weighed you at the doctor's office? Or the guy who changed your oil? Look at them, see them, greet them. Smile.

I'll keep repeating. Likeable people don't focus on themselves. They are other-people focused. They see the people around them-happy, in pain, confused, angry.

Today, see your people. All of them. Say "hello". If you never make it past today on our 7-day journey, this would be enough to change the world.

Why I love the people I love...

2009-04-22T05:43:00.000-07:00

I've been updating my blog with some images of folks I love and follow and who, when I am "running with the big dawgs" I would love to sit and just listen to talk amongst themselves. They all share certain characteristics which are probably indicative of successful entrepreneurs and coaches (they ALL coach-even if that is not a paid service per se...they coach anyone who reads their blog or book).

They are generous: with content, with thought, with individuals. Gary Vaynerchuk promised to talk to every single person (about 1500 in the room) who wanted to speak with him at SXSW. Jonathan Fields gives away a great e-book on his site. Pam Slim personally, not knowing me at all, offered me 15 minutes of her time by phone-without being asked. And so on and so forth.

They are creative: you cannot pour this much new and relevant information into the world without your mind running non-stop. I picture them all, at their local coffee joint (or wine bar), chronically jotting notes, chasing ideas, creating content.

They are non-conformists: they are not corporate drones, they dared to take a financial risk and do something different.

They seem to be not motivated by money: some say it outright, others display it in the work they do or the way they live (hat's off to the Focus, Jeannette!).

They are enthusiastic: you can feel the energy when they are in the room, you can feel the energy via webcasts and writing. The enthusiasm oozes through cyberspace to light up my screen thousands of miles away.

So, check yourself. If you want to be an entrepreneur, or redesign your life, do you have these traits? If you want to increase or hone them, let me know. I'm accepting new coaching clients now.

Hugs,
Kelly

I know enough to know when I'm blocked

2009-04-16T17:20:00.001-07:00

Regardless of how you feel about all things Law of Attraction, we've all experienced it by a variety of names: coincidence, serendipity, luck. I've read many relationship and business books that offer advice that is essentially the same thing (creative visualization, affirming, noticing the small changes we want to see, etc.). I'm sure I'll write more about this (at least on my other blog), but I want to give a shout out to a hero of mine, Jeannette Maw. I wisely spent some cash on a session with her this evening and can already feel the renewed power running through my veins and the Universe!

I'll be working on things like believing not only can I run with the big dogs, but I'm the alpha dog of the big dogs! Visualizing myself not just landing on my feet, but taking flight. Allowing my love interest to be everything they can be...so many things to sit with, work on, write about, dream of. I've felt at the cusp of something really big for quite awhile now and sought Jeannette, who I admire for her amazing writing, to help me jump over that tiny little pebble that was holding me back from achieving more...

So, in an effort to be more expansive about my feelings around money, I point you to one of my money heroes: Richard Branson. I've been aware of Richard forever (I mean, who doesn't know about this guy?) but it wasn't until I saw this season's episode of Iconoclasts with Richard and Desmond Tutu that I really gained, well, some love for them both. Richard uses his money to find SOLUTIONS to some of life's common problems, to gather great minds around issues, to create and explore. Sure, he owns an island, but this guy's earned it. And he is fully devoted to his wife of many many years and his kids. As he says, he set out to make a great record company, NOT to make money. Watch the video here.

Here's a bow of humble thanks to Jeannette, and to Richard, and to Desmond and to everyone with generosity of spirit that I've yet to identify but who inspire me still.

Facebook is DEAD to me!

2009-04-13T17:16:00.000-07:00

Ugh. I hate it. I always have. And now I'm done. No more drinks or flowers. No more lame apps. No more flair or quizzes. Since I first signed on and tried to find "friends" by the tiny tiny little photo-and nothing else, I've been irritated. But life is too short to struggle with crap like this. I hate the UX, I hate the logo. I'm not going to bother removing my account because a few people interact with me there but I see no reason to be on it. To be a successful social networker, you need three things:

1. A blog!!! Everyone can follow you there! It's freakin' easier to use than FB. You can ping your posts to the evil FB and never be on it. Link to a photo site on your blog and people can see your pics. The end. (I have THREE they are so much fun.)

2. Twitter. I like it better. It's simple. Uncluttered. FUN, easy apps. Easy to read profiles. I can FIND people.

3. LinkedIn. It's clean and useful. Not littered with tons of ads. Discussions are easy to find and follow. So are events and groups. I can find people! I get good input from users.

Death to Facebook and its mediocrity!

Amendment December 2009: I've had to stay on FB because of its 350 million users and some people ONLY go there. I do it against my will and better judgment.

Recruiting thoughts...

2009-03-31T10:44:00.000-07:00

Though I currently wear many hats, I've spent several years in recruiting in a variety of areas: healthcare, research, consulting, and finance- from the most entry level positions to highly sought after scientists. It's always been apparent to me when I've encountered a candidate who really just "needs a job" vs. one who is passionate about what they do. In fact, one of the best recruiting questions I came up with was "if I was secretly watching you work or interact with others, how would I know you are passionate about your work?".

In patient care interviews, it was easy to identify the passionate caregivers: they fetch extra blankets without being asked, they make sure to get to know patients, they let them know about procedures in advance, etc. In research, pretty easy too: they read trade magazines, they ask for additional assignments in particular areas, they participate in brainstorming meetings.

Non-passionate candidates really struggle with the answer. And I get incredibly sad. For them. For recruiters. For hiring managers. Many of these folks have really strong skills in a particular field (which you can teach), but a flat demeanor about the whole enchilada. I often coached candidates that they could a) serve two masters (see Ian Sander's Juggle for inspiration on doing this) or b) start making a plan to get OUT of that field and enjoy life more.

I think the reality of the economy (I know so many people personally who are impacted already!) means that you might stay in a job longer or until things stabilize, perhaps because of a spouse's job loss or d-e-b-t. But DO start making an escape plan...it will help you maintain your sanity and increase your passion in the short-term.

Gary Vaynerchuk steals SXSW 2009!

2009-03-23T19:12:00.000-07:00

I saw a lot of cool stuff at SXSW this year: zombies, new Web 2.0 introductions (anxious to check out Jing.com), pink-haired boys and many, many people dressed in black. I've learned a lot of new stuff, but with one more day to go, the best of the best was Gary Vaynerchuk's presentation. I knew enough about him to know he was going to be rowdy. What I didn't expect was to personally feel so motivated and touched by the New Jersey entrepreneur.

Embrace your DNA. Don't be something that you aren't. -G. Vaynerchuk

Gary's session was supposed to be about video blogging, which he has turned into a personal branding goldmine. What I didn't expect was his repeated call for all of us to be thoroughly ourselves and to pursue our passions, regardless of (or in spite of) what the naysayers tell us. He also thinks "way too many people are talking and not listening" online. Listening to whom? Their followers, their users, their customers. Gary's enthusiasm is infectious and his tribe is loyal.

Though the session was about videoblogging, all Gary said was that it isn't about the camera and it isn't about the mic so don't even ask him about it. "It's about the passion, man!" He's also committed to creating a personal brand his grandchildren can be proud of because, due to today's technology and the status of our self-professing natures, they are going to be capable of knowing everything about him.

Legacy over Currency- G. Vaynerchuk

One thing Gary didn't talk about, but demonstrated, was his incredible generosity. He reads all of his own email and offered to speak to anyone (there were at least 1000 people in the ballroom) who wanted to speak with him, no matter how long it took. So, "be generous with everyone" was a great takeaway. Gary's got a new business book (as yet unnamed) coming out this year so keep an eye open for that. And you can see the whole video of his presentation, along with many others, here.

Photo: Jen Consalvo

What makes an engaging (and popular) blogger?

2009-03-20T18:50:00.000-07:00

SXSW taught me a LOT about blogging. I had access to so many of the Internet's most popular writers: Heather Armstrong, Christian Lander, Guy Kawasaki, Ana Marie Cox, Merlin Mann, Stephanie Klein, Gina Trapini and more...many more. In the session 149 Ways to Turbo Charge Your Blog (there were only about six, btw), Mann and Gruber both said, repeatedly, as did many others:

2 Things Make a Great Blog: A great idea and a great voice.

I'll add to this 2 more things: Humor and a charismatic writer.

The blogs that are THE most famous are written by a writer who is funny as hell, both in writing and in person -and who people want to see. Not always but usually. Speaking engagements feed the blog. The blog feeds speaking engagements. Awesome writer but dull as nails speaker will not get near the following that someone with keynote capabilities will. That said, I don't think Hugh McLeod helped himself much at SXSW.

Regardless, I think anyone who blogs and loves it passionately (also a mantra-like requirement from speakers) has to continually question themselves about the worth of their blog and if it is a "tool" (or they are...aka Guy K.)...or just something they can't imagine giving up. Luckily I fall into the latter. Inspired as I am by great writing, I surely hope to continue improving my voice-even if this little blog never takes me anywhere.

Finally, a thank you to four SXSW standouts: Gary Vaynerchuk (someone I NEVER expected to like as much as I did-great heart), Pam Slim for a hearty hello that made me, for one SXSW moment, feel like "somebody", Stephanie Klein (who I was not aware of ahead of time) for her generosity and humor. Additionally, Ian Sanders who gave me a free copy of Juggle on the shuttle ride to the airport.

Oh! And a rockstar Twitter gal who kicked Guy's behind (and he couldn't stand it): Whitney Hess.

Is "authenticity" tired?

2009-03-14T18:32:00.000-07:00

I'm at SXSW right now and saw Curating the Crowd-Sourced World. Jen Beckman mentioned being tired of the word "authenticity" because it's so overused. Needless to say, I did not feel good about this AT ALL. I understand what she's saying. Let's stop telling everyone about authenticity and just be r-e-a-l (and transparent...is this also tired?...I've heard it a lot today). It was nice to be in a room that married two of my loves: art and technology. Interesting question by founder of GenderFork.com on how to keep a crowdsourced group from running amuck.

I'm not sure how much authenticity I've seen at SXSW so far...unless authentic people just wear black. I thought that was passe' and so NYC. Though I'm pleased to say that I've seen many over 40's and 50's and many women.

Photos soon but not tonight. I'm sure there are plenty on flickr.

The Agony that is SXSW

2009-03-09T19:59:00.000-07:00

HOW AM I GOING TO DECIDE? Rats rats rats...after booking my flight (and listening to my erring companion), we decided to save ONE CRAPPY NIGHT of lodging and now I'll miss the (late add) Jonathan Fields talking about his new book Career Renegade (which I'm earmarking to death).

How can I be two places at once? Melissa Pierce, I MUST meet you and yet, I have to attend The Organic Fanbase, don't I??? Companion and I are splitting up as much as possible to maximize the experience (our first trip together will involve very little time together except for the ADHD rapid-fire conversations we're sure to have back at LaQuinta...and the fighting due to lack of sleep). Speaking of LaQuinta, you have got to hear Mike Birbiglia talk about sleepwalking at the LaQuinta Inn. Beware. Depends may be required.

I feel like I have to have a fully developed battle plan which includes a voice recorder so I don't miss anything at any session. There is no time to order or a budget for a voice recorder. I need a new suitcase. I'm sure I'm going to be completely addled. I'm already addled! For social media, personal development, learning addicted geek whores like M and I, this is the biggest funhouse extravaganza imaginable. And it is pure hell.

Brilliant insights from Pam Slim

2009-03-08T17:30:00.001-07:00

Ok, yes. I'm a fan girl. What can I say? If I admire someone, I'm a shameless promoter. But I don't show up uninvited at anyone's front door so I am pretty sure I'm harmless. Regardless, Pam's written a content-rich post about, well, a lot: being authentic, cutting to the chase (i.e. cutting the bs out of business speak and presentations), and treating your online social relationships like what they should be: REAL relationships.

Enough from me. Read it yourself!

Testimonial update

2009-02-27T10:28:00.000-08:00

Check out what clients are saying about Kelly Livesay and AROnetworking!

A little help from your friends...Top 5 Newsletters!

2009-02-27T09:55:00.000-08:00

Like you, I've signed up for countless online newsletters that I usually end up unsubscribing to after a few issues because I realize I'm not reading them.

Why does this happen?

The newsletter is rehashed blog content

There are too many issues

The email headline isn't snappy

Overall blog writing isn't that great so I don't stay caught up with it, let alone the newsletter

It just isn't any fun to read

There are, IMHO, two reasons to write a newsletter:
1. Drive traffic to your blog (and therefore your services)
2. Drive traffic to your blog (and therefore your services)

Generally what happens is, since I'm busy like everyone else, I'll get a newletter from, say, Michael Neill or Pamela Slim, and I'll think "crap I've been forgetting to read their blog!". I get an extra nugget of velvety goodness from the newsletter, click the link to the blog and voila! I've learned something and they've driven traffic.

So the newsletters I read without fail, in this order, are:

Jeanette Maw's Good Vibe Coach newsletter
Pamela Slim's Escape from Cubicle Nation newsletter
Michael Neill's Genius Catalyst newsletter
Sonia Simone's Remarkable Communication newsletter
Speaking of Faith newsletter

All of the above add something yummy (and quick!) for me to digest from their newsletter and remind me that they are up to good work out there. AND all of these "friends" generously provide tips and tools, for free, routinely (like Sonia's recent Free Business Plan template).

There are other newsletters I enjoy, but these are, without a doubt, my BIG FIVE!

What the heck is Ethonomics?

2009-02-26T11:32:00.000-08:00

Fast Company tells you here...that it is a new business model based on ethics, and not greed, as an antidote to the current economic crisis. Who can argue with that?

A simple spirit

2009-02-16T09:22:00.000-08:00

Elizabeth Gilbert is a fascinating woman. Even if you didn't eat, praise, and love Eat, Pray, Love, Gilbert is a captivating speaker with a fluid voice and an unmistakable charisma and authenticity. This TED video is just beautiful.

Organic…what’s it got to do with business?

2009-02-13T16:14:00.000-08:00

God bless Jonathan Fields for first inspiring me with “grow organically.” He put into words what I felt to be true…with so many online marketing opportunities, too many of us are shoving our products and services and ourselves down people’s throats. We want to be rich and we want it NOW. We’re scared because of the economy. We’ve been tempted by online shysters who want to charge $5k for a weekend workshop to teach you how to develop squeeze pages (ewwwww) and write repetitive, boring crap for SEO. We think we need to email market to strangers whose mailboxes are already overflowing with stuff they don’t want or need.

I believe this to be true. If you do something you believe in and you focus on doing it well, if you remain humble and curious about the people around you and you share the simple facts about what you do, word will spread. Ask Craig Newmark of craigslist. No advertising. Just word of mouth and a focus on making CL better. No. I’m not saying don’t write newsletters, don’t use Twitter or Facebook, and don’t keep google in mind when writing. I am saying that you should have something to say, you should follow people you care about and your online materials should be quality.

I get excited when I find someone new is following me on Twitter! Then I open their profile to find they have nothing in common with me, probably never even went to my site or they are trying to sell me something. Some are just clearly “tweeple” and Facebook “friend” collectors. Is this really social networking? Isn’t it enough to follow people who inspire you and you want to learn something from? If you interact with them authentically, with a desire to serve, new people will follow you. Jeanette Maw has this down and she is so freakin’ generous (and prolific with her writing).

Getting rich quick sounds fun…but hollow. Your livelihood should be part serendipity and like your baby with unexpected surprises and growth coming out of nowhere. One of my favorite mantras (and I don’t know where I first read it) is:

Living a life of joyful expectation…

Developing a business should be like that. Stay open to opportunity. Do good work. Be kind. Be proud. The business will come.

Why I blog (by my alter-ego)

2009-02-02T10:41:00.000-08:00

True about ALL my blogs:

http://mizkcreations.blogspot.com/2009/02/why-i-blog.html

SXSW Blog Special! I'm your reporter ON THE SCENE

2009-01-26T06:36:00.000-08:00

It's almost time for SXSW, folks! As a problogger for clients around the globe, I'm offering this unique opportunity for you to offer YOUR blog/Web site readers an "up close and personal" viewpoint from one of the HOTTEST, COOLEST new media conferences around. And, by contacting me early, I'll be able to attend some of the sessions you are interested in: social networking, internet marketing, personal branding, Pam Slim's "From Book to Blog", the keynotes by Guy Kawasaki, Chris Anderson, Tony Hsieh and so much more great stuff.

This year's event promises to be bigger and better! And Austin is going to reap the rewards...

Need to know more? Feel free to contact me at kelly@kellylivesay.com.

Is it just me?

2009-01-23T06:57:00.000-08:00

Or do you get lonely for people who understand you sometimes? While there is a wealth of like-minds out in cyberspace, sometimes I long to find folks nearby who know who Pam Slim, Guy Kawasaki, or Jonathan Fields are...let alone Seth Godin or Tim Ferriss. When I try to share with my friends my excitement about attending SXSW, I get bogged down in trying to explain "interactive" or "new media" and then they ask "well, who will be there?" and I'll say "you know, Chris Anderson, editor of Wired and Tony Hsieh from Zappos.com" (they know shoes and Zappos!). And the look of "huh" just shuts me up.

My mind is active and I'm insanely curious. This week's DVD fest included Cirque du Soliel: Fire Within, Design e2 (and I fell in love with William McDonough's mind and jumped to Amazon to reserve Cradle to Cradle), Nip/Tuck and Damages. Thank GOD, I have one person to really share myself with without trying to reinvent my own language. My friends all think I'm slightly weird and "too smart" and I've dealt with it my whole life.

So, am I looking in all the wrong places? Should I scour Facebook for people in Cincinnati who love the same things I do? What do you think?

10 Reasons "Real Jobs" are NO FUN

2009-01-14T17:38:00.000-08:00

(*and one reason why they can be)

1. You have to wear things like trouser socks, makeup, and a bra, five days a week.
2. You can't take a nap when you are sleepy or when you feel sad.
3. You eat junk from the vending machine because it is the only piece of joy during the day (which causes you to want the nap mentioned in #2).
4. Your ability to be creative or initiate change are limited.
5. People want to talk to you when you are not in the mood.
6. There are meetings-and you aren't in control of cancelling them.
7. Rocking out while working is frowned upon.
8. Rocking out in stinky pajamas or naked is even more frowned upon.
9. You are not in charge of your own destiny.
10. You have to ask permission to order more supplies.

There are more. Many more. But *sometimes the pay is really good and dependable and you don't have a choice.

Stop editing yourself...

2009-01-08T09:22:00.001-08:00

Perfection In A Flower,
originally uploaded by kiolero.

The only things in the world that are perfect are natural, God-made items. Even my glorious iPod is far from perfect, despite unknown numerous hours spent in design and technical research by some of the smartest people on earth. God made something like this beautiful flower perfect. You and I don't stand a chance compared to stuff like this.

Part of what prevents you from being less than your most authentic self is censoring or editing...your thoughts, your actions, your emotions. Some, out of kindness, should be censored but many of you (and sometimes I) spend too much time wondering "what if" before we do or say something.

We "what if" on reactions from others...busy people like you and me who likely don't have the time or wherewithall to care as much as you think. I always feel for people too afraid to dance, who don't get the intrisic joy of moving their bodies to music because they are "what-iffing" about the people around them.

When I write I throw it down. I re-read it to make sure it's somewhat coherent, the grammatical errors are hopefully corrected and then I let it fly. Same with art. Same with emotion. If I am touched, I say so. I don't "what if" on the response of the recipient. If there is tension in the air, I address it. If I have an idea, I share it.

People still seem to mostly like me. Some of them like me a lot. I'm not deeply invested in perfection or being "the best" out there. I'll never be Steve Pavlina or Pam Slim or Jonathan Fields. But I can be the best, most engaged person I can be.

So. Let your thoughts, your words, your emotions (preferably mostly good ones), your art fly! And then let the "what ifs" take care of themselves. They rarely even show up at all.

Joy and sorrow

2009-01-06T09:24:00.000-08:00

I watched The Visitor last night, a beautiful movie (4.5 stars on Netflix) about a depressed widowed professor who comes back to his rarely used NYC apartment to find, what turns out to be, a couple who are illegal immigrants from Senegal and Syria living there. The movie is about human kindness, about loneliness, about music and about realizing that "those people" (whatever group you are referring to) are real people with human stories, loves, humor and their own pain and suffering.

So, it was with some irony that I came across this online. I hadn't heard of the case but an Arab-American (US Citizen) wasn't allowed to board a JetBlue flight by TSA officials because his t-shirt had Arabic writing on it. He was forced to wear a borrowed shirt. He was just awarded $240k. Certainly there is some chance that this man had ties to evil. But all of this hooha was about fear and prejudice. Nothing more.

Once you see The Visitor, and I pray that you will, I think you will have a stronger understanding what it is like for those people who want desperately to be in the US but have the misfortune of being anything other than white.

What's this have to do with Authentic Relevant Organic networking? Nothing that's apparent, other than part of my authenticity, and I hope part of yours, is to trumpet the horn loudly when we come across a beautiful story or an injustice being done.

Happy New Year!

Happy Holidays...

2008-12-24T05:41:00.000-08:00

Ah. A time to breathe and relax. I've stepped away from the blog and business a bit to do some HR consulting, but want to take a moment to wish all of you a peaceful holiday season. I've enjoyed working for a diverse range of clients, from Singapore to the UK, from Australia to St. Louis, from Denmark to DC. Between consulting, copywriting, editing, problogging and providing social networking support, I had a very good year! I'm also hard at work on three books now and just put in a request for an illustrator for one. Send your good thoughts my way, please...

I will be accepting three new clients in the spring of 2009 and offering copywriting and editing services on smaller assignments until then. If you are ready to take 2009 by storm and you need some electrifying words to start you off, contact me for a consultation!

In the meantime, try to relax and spend some intense friend and family time while your world takes a breather.

Three powerful posits for creative nerds

2008-11-25T11:27:00.000-08:00

Dan Pink's "Six Senses" of the new Conceptual Age: design, storytelling, symphony, empathy, play, meaning. Honestly, the book makes me want to weep with relief: for myself, for the country, for the world and for every emotional geek who saw things differently and felt useless because of it.

Seth Godin's Tribes: also reminding us that there is a place and purpose for all of us...if we care to find it and offer ourselves to serve that purpose.

Kevin Kelly's brilliant NYT article (that I found on Dan Pink's site) about "screen literacy": images are becoming like words:

"After all, this is how authors work. We dip into a finite set of established words, called a dictionary, and reassemble these found words into articles, novels and poems that no one has ever seen before. The joy is recombining them. Indeed it is a rare author who is forced to invent new words. Even the greatest writers do their magic primarily by rearranging formerly used, commonly shared ones. What we do now with words, we’ll soon do with images."

Wise words from Seth

2008-11-14T11:22:00.000-08:00

"The Wealthy Gardener"

"At a seminar at the local library, someone asked, "how do I make a lot of money blogging?"

My guess is that at last week's seminar, the one on growing orchids, no one raised his hand and said, "how do I make a lot of money growing orchids?"

Sure, people make money growing orchids. Some people probably get rich growing orchids. Not many though. And my guess is that the people who do make money gardening probably didn't set out to do so.

Blogging is much the same way. The best bloggers make money, but mostly as a side effect, not as a direct result of setting out to use a blog to make a profit. It's just too long a ramp up time, too frustrating and too uncertain to be the best path to make a living.

If it makes you happy (and your readers happy) it's a great place to start. Step by step you get better at it, and then you discover the ancillary benefits. But the benefits kick in best when you don't set out to achieve them." -Seth Godin

*************************************************************************************

Isn't this true of all things? Isn't it all about the passion of something first, not the money? If you are going to grow authentically and organically, you must make the PASSION the THING. Selling any ol' widget online is going to be twice as hard and twice as slow if you don't have a passion for it.

“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” --Marcel Proust

It's all about compassion baby!

2008-11-13T06:28:00.001-08:00

Pretty cerebral, but if you actually watch it is really good stuff...

2008-11-10T17:46:00.001-08:00

Jonathan Fields' interviewed

2008-11-10T12:33:00.001-08:00

Great interview with one of my "Authenticity Heroes".

My Top 10 Authentic Business Minds

2008-11-10T09:37:00.000-08:00

These folks are in no particular order and I will have to morph at some point as I become more aware of authenticity in other entrepreneurial spirits.

1. Susan Blackmore

2. Jonathan Fields

3. Guy Kawasaki

4. Pam Slim

5. Maria Gajewski

6. Richard Branson

7. Tony Hsieh

8. Shonika Proctor

9. Heather Armstrong (aka Dooce)

10. Gary Vaynerchuk

My Authenticity Manifesto

2008-10-23T23:19:00.000-07:00

I will never add social contacts who I don't know, admire or relate to just to increase my numbers.
I will never use terms like "squeeze page", "prospect", or "customer in heat".
I will patiently let my business unfold based on word-of-mouth.
I will only accept clients I can really help. If I can't I'll work hard to find someone who can.
I will never wear pantyhose again.
I will tattoo or pierce whatever part of my body I want.
I will only work with clients who are authentic themselves (or interested in pursuing authenticity).
I will never hate myself for being a square peg.
I will personally never have a business suit photo taken (but won't judge those who do).
I will attend SXSW in 2009, despite feeling not "cool" enough.
I will continually reassess my work to make sure it is relevant.
I will surround myself with interesting, authentic, compassionate and creative people.
I will allow myself to change this manifesto as I change without feeling foolish.

Tribes, Oprah, Values and "being normal"

2008-10-23T22:45:00.000-07:00

Funny. Now that I keep whittling down to my very specific vision and passion (authenticity and organically growing your business and network), there are of course "new" pieces of information that have suddenly become visible to me. You know how this works. You buy a black cherry Scion XA and suddenly they are everywhere. That's how I feel about authenticity.

I'm in the middle of Seth Godin's new book, Tribes, which is a call to leadership. I hear that and I think "ugh. I'm not a leader." When I think "leadership" I think corporate, pumps, business suits, "forced fun", no free time, nothing outside of work: these things make me itch, badly. But this isn't Seth and it's not what he's saying. I'm not done yet, but here's what I'm getting thus far: if you have a passion, there are people who likely share it and want you to lead them. Whether, as he says, this is Harley owners or male knitters, the online world facilitates making REAL connections and offers those who are interested the opportunity to lead.

Then, tonight on DVR, Oprah had the Olsen twins and other young entrepreneurs on, talking about pursuing their passions...Now, I must say, I know virtually nothing about MK & A (their passion is fashion), but they were very mature and graceful. But the CEO of Zappos.com really caught my attention. Tony Hsieh is young 30-something, I think and his passion is NOT shoes. It's customer service and building great corporate culture. Shoes was the avenue that presented itself, but this guy was really something. I haven't been moved by a CEO like this since the first time I saw ol' Jeff Bezos. Hsieh gave great advice: do what you love for ten years and don't worry about making money. The money will come if it is truly a passion! Amazing advice (and talk about growing organically, right?).

Finally, I'm reading The Normal Personality right now- a great book that discounts how most of us have some form of minor mental illness (Freud started this mess and psychotherapy keeps right on supporting it), but are instead pursuing very different values that often don't make sense to others. The hyper-neat (often labled "mildly OCD") value "order". Unhappiness is caused by not being aware of our values and trying to live a life that is incongruent to them. This was ME! So my three highest values? Romance, curiosity and freedom. I love relationship, information and flexibility. Is it any wonder Monday-Friday 8a-5p doesn't work? The book is all about (unwittingly) finding your authentic self and living a life in accordance with your values. It is more scientific, less self-help so not a fluffy read but highly worth your time.

I'll be starting a new weekly social media column, still to be named, on a prominent business blog next week. Details to follow!

Authentic Relevant Organic Networking

2008-10-06T10:09:00.000-07:00

Soon I'll be building my AROnetworking site. This new venture of mine was developed for two reasons:

As an antidote to the "get rich quick though internet marketing" and collecting as many online "connections" as possible to do so AND
Because I believe so strongly that it is crucial to your soul, and the world at large, to define success through representing yourself authentically, built around a business that is relevant and allowed to grow organically.

I want to thank three people for this whole concept, dream and venture: Jonathan Fields, who's Awake at the Wheel is a must-read blog for me for talking about growing your social network organically; Seth Godin for his new book (and social community) Tribes which has encouraged me to believe I have something to say that will resonate and perhaps create a movement; Maria Gajewski who blogs at Never the Same River Twice for her magnificent post "The Authentic Blogging Manifesto".

We live in a time where it has never been easier to be authentically yourself. The flare of our jeans, the hem of our skirts, the width of our ties is no longer dictated to us. Piercings, tattoos, streaked hair will not necessarily bar you from being respected in the business world (and depending on the business might help!). People are repurposing clothing, homes, cars, and more. It is the age of the individual and time we all allowed ourselves to define what this means to us.

So. AROnetworking is going to focus on helping people really represent WHO they are, make sure they are pursuing a business they have a passion for (not just something to get rich quick with) and are doing their networking so that it has real meaning and real connection with others.

I'm excited! My own "mission" keeps becoming more clearly defined. Hopefully the new site will be up some time in November and this blog will be a part of it.

Happy day to you!

Kelly

I don't do this often

2008-09-11T06:23:00.000-07:00

There's a potential cheese factor in this video that I stumbled across on YouTube, and it looks a bit manipulated, but if you can watch it and not feel your heart swell a bit, well, you're a scrooge. Enjoy that swollen heart for as long as you can today! (BTW, the gentleman is Paul Potts).

From Paul's site: Britain's Got Talent winner Paul Potts has spent most of his life feeling 'insignificant'. Bullied at school for being 'different', he realised growing up that he had one true friend and that was his voice. Singing was his escape. He was able to lose himself in his own little world - the vicious words of his tormentors replaced by hauntingly beautiful lyrics and melodies that lifted his heart and spirit. It was a love, a passion, a lifeline that would follow Paul into adulthood and help him through many more periods of adversity. But it was also a gift that was destined to go largely undiscovered, due to a crushing lack of self-confidence that has dogged this hard working and humble man throughout his 36 years.

Testimonials

2008-09-05T17:40:00.001-07:00

If you are thinking about hiring a problogger, social networking manager or copywriter/editor, please read what my clients and readers have said about my work now and in the past:

Steven Schlagel, CPA, attorney, coach and more.

"We've worked with Kelly on a variety of projects over the past year: original articles, Web content development, sales writing, research and more. We've found her to be dependable with great skills and plan on continuing to use her even more in the future."- Stephen Hill, Ratio7

"Kelly is one of the most energetic, get-it-done people I've ever worked with. She's fearless and able to quickly review a business challenge, evaluate potential answers, and then implement the right solution. She is truly devoted to her clients, and is tireless in pursuing an understanding of their business needs and ensuring they are met. If I were in need of a social media consultant, I'd hire Kelly in a heartbeat."-Marie Goodchild, Goodchild Consulting

"Kelly and I have collaborated on many projects together for the last 9 months. From copywriting, to editing, to helping me manage my large social network and just plain ol' cheering me on, I've found Kelly to be a strong communicator and ally as I've built and expanded TVLAI! I highly recommend her services to anyone seeking an idea-generating, dependable resource." - Aretha Gaskin, owner The Virtual Legal Assistant, Inc.

"I have worked with Kelly on several projects and I would hire her to work with me full time if my budget would allow. She has a gift with writing and pulling thoughts together and she has always delivered on time and with high quality. I appreciate her care and concern for my projects. She approaches each project as if it were her own. One of the things I have enjoyed the most about working with her is her ability to adapt and flex in response to my changing needs and challenges." Lethia Owens, Entrepreneur, Speaker, Coach, Personal Branding Expert: Lethia Owens International.

"Kelly Livesay is a consumate professional. Hiring her without reservation for any one of your writing/editing projects is the best decision you can make! She is a professional from pre-start to finish. She has excellent communication skills and good follow through, is prompt, creative & flexible. I can't say enough good things about how impressed I was working with her and how she kept me on task at times I got distracted. And even in between projects, she has stayed in touch providing me with valuable resource for my various small business needs. Since our first project together I have since hired her again and will do so in the future when the need arises again." Shonika Proctor-Renegade CEO's

“Have been working with Kelly for just about a month and am very pleased with her response time and service standard. Will continue engaging her services over the next few months.”-Shen Heng - Jorbb.com

“In a short amount of time, Kelly came into my division in a recruiting capacity and "knocked the cover off the ball". Our internal customers love the work she has done for them and have given me extremely positive feedback." Todd Rimer-CitiFinancial

"Kelly jumped right in and instantly built a rapport with the managers in the group. Senior Management of this division was thrilled with her willingness to get the job done...with a smile!”-Jennifer Barone, 5/3 Bank

"Kelly is very professional, self motivated and driven...We truly could not have met our goals without her.”-Kelly Linch, 5/3 Bank

It's all about the advertising, baby...

2008-09-04T16:22:00.000-07:00

I have a friend who has the opportunity to accompany someone (for free) to an Internet Marketing program presented by one of the fairly well-known gurus in this saturated field. It isn't her area of interest but it's free and she figured she might learn something. The person she's going with gave her about 20 DVD's to watch in advance of the program. Well, following this guy on Twitter, she knows more about his personal life than she'd like (like his love of automatic weaponry and his new Hummer) but is still trying to keep an open mind.

Then she started on the DVD's, which are essentially (boring) recordings of his presentation in a gray hotel conference room and are d-u-l-l. I said "funny, coming from a guy who's specialty is marketing" and she said "It's all about the advertising these days, baby, not about the content." A truer statement could not be made.

I blame Tim Ferriss somewhat for encouraging people to just sell SOMETHING online for passive income. I've seen some of these awful "somethings": ebooks that are just fluff or training programs by people who don't have the experience or gift for training and I'm sure there are thousands of products, too, except I'm a pretty low level consumer so I'm generally not aware of them. All of this makes me feel a little queasy. Terms like "squeeze pages" make me want to hurl big time. Even "prospects" is soooo impersonal.

I'm not opposed to marketing, but I want 99% of it to be word-of-mouth because I made someone happy. I am a bootstrapper so I do what I can with what I've got (look! biz cards were an "investment" for me). But so many people are out there now to help us all make a buck (and they are making most of their money in the teaching, not the selling) and no one is asking if you are marketing something you really CARE about. If you don't care about the product, how can you care about the customer? Anywho. In many ways, all this online crapola is really making me cynical. I wonder when that small child is going to stand up and say "the emperor is as nekkid as a jaybird!"?

Why I love Marilyn...

2008-09-02T08:57:00.000-07:00

Manson that is. I know. Look at my picture. I'm pretty milquetoast, certainly not a goth-metal groupie (though I also love seeing the goth kids express themselves). I am, however, a HUGE fan of anyone who can live a life that is totally of their own choosing which offensive, weird, incredibly artistic Marilyn has. Can you imagine life as a preteen Marilyn Manson, not fitting in but learning, somehow, to stand up to your own vision despite taunting, probable ass-kickings and the like? I can't. And thus I admire anyone who can. I know he's polarizing...but so too were people like Abe Lincoln, uhm (I'm heading into trouble here) Jesus, Madonna, Malcolm X, and so many more "agents of change" that I can't begin to list them here. However, I don't think MM is really trying to be an agent of change. He's attention seeking, yes, but chronically defending yourself has got to be tiring. He just wants to live his own vision. If people want to pay to see part of that vision, so be it. And his touching short interview in Bowling for Columbine was surprising to many.

I'm a liberal. I believe in shaking up the status quo, though generally I just cheer the other people doing it. Marilyn is more than his persona, though I love the persona. He's a walking piece of (often scary) art. He's an incredible painter and writer. Frankly, I wish I was more like him and the rest of the "fearless" in many ways. His life isn't controlled much by his perception of what others' think. This is my definition of freedom. Interesting people are often polarizing.

Imagine what YOU could get done in your life if you didn't give a shit what other people thought? As a friend said recently "I'd be a force to be reckoned with". So, what would YOU be doing? I'd love to know. Feel free to rake me over the coals. I don't mind.

The Perfect Storm...

2008-08-18T10:36:00.000-07:00

Last week I had a "spike"-a serious readership/Twitter follower spike and my problogging/social networking clients asked me how to get this to happen for themselves (no pressure, right?). I've had this blog for about 18 months and never had a real comment. Suddenly I found myself with over 20 comments to my "It's all too much" post and over 270 page loads. I also added, in the same 24 hours, about 12 new "Tweeple" (I need to credit this term to Jennifer Elliott...if it isn't hers, she'll have to correct me!).

Funny, the reasons for this happening are in some ways simply a "perfect storm" and in others the reason for the post to begin with. Both events revolved around blogs and Twitter...no Facebook, no MySpace, no LinkedIn, etc. Problogging guru Darren Rowse posted a tweet about Authentic Blogging from one of his readers (if you are a reader here who missed it, here it is). Because I was up and reading and I follow Darren, I hopped right over and read this post. Authentically LOVING it, I was one of the first two readers to comment. This was the first of two important things that happened within hours.

Because Darren's blog is so popular, many readers went to this site to read about Authentic Blogging and saw me. Nothing hugely original in my comment except genuine appreciation for the topic (and happy accident placement at the top of the comments).

The second thing was, right after commenting, I wrote a non-related post on being fed up with too many social sites. Clearly I hit a nerve. I tweeted this post myself and my tweet was commented on by a couple of cool people (with many more followers that I have). Readers who found me on the Authentic Blogging post ended up with this post as their top sample and it resonated.

Why am I telling you this long, chest-thumping story? To clarify something about blogging in general (especially if part of your reason is to market yourself or your business). You must be an Authentic Blogger! You must "know" the people who's blogs you really love, know the topics you are interested in, let them know this, share information, comment, and READ! If you make a buck in the process of blogging, so much the better (I make zero dollars from my own blogs).

Don't just throw a blog up and not think of it as a social tool. It is a conversation, first and foremost, unlike any other form of media or writing. And you must really be interested in writing, reading and the people you read. That was my "perfect storm". I hope you find yours! Love the comments. Hope to hear more!

Social media sites....it's too much!

2008-08-13T19:49:00.000-07:00

I'm an official paid social networking guru (and problogger) and I'm leading the battle cry...It's all too much! Too many sites. Period. And they all do essentially the same damned thing: let people know what you are doing and encourage you to expand your network. I have a radical thought (maybe it isn't too radical...Chris Brogan and Nathan Bowers are asking the same question). Dump Facebook, MySpace, Ning, and the others you might be using (like Merchant Circle, Ryze, Plaxo, Fastpitch) and stick with:

A personal blog (folks these are sooooooo easy) and Twitter. Write on your blog, add music to your blog, add links on your blog, solicit "wall" comments on your blog, put your resume on your blog, all of the things you do on Facebook except for the stupid stuff like send karma or a rose or take some inane quiz. Ugh! Don't you want to spend time with your family or at the pub? Or perhaps picking lint out of your navel...

When you are done writing on your blog, Twitter your contacts and let them know you posted. The End.

One small exception is LinkedIn which is simple, non-cluttered and for professional purposes only. But you could run two blogs: one personal and one professional and accomplish the same thing.

The End. Is anyone listening? If you need help, contact me.

Baseball and creative fearlessness

2008-08-08T06:54:00.000-07:00

I have a love/hate affair with baseball. It is too slow and they play too much! But, while reading a great new book last night, I came across a great quote by Macolm Gladwell (author of Blink and Tipping Point): "only by accepting the risk of failure will you ever hit a home run" which made me think of business and baseball. In the movie Martian Child, John Cusack is trying to explain baseball to a small boy. He says something like "baseball is the only sport where you can fail most of the time and still be legendary!" This is true (I just wish they'd move things along a bit).

There's a temptation in business, and in life, to stick to the status quo because it's safer. We all know office speak like "thinking outside of the box" or "building a new paradigm" but we don't really see it that often. Creativity is nebulous hard work for one thing, but fearless creativity is even harder. One of my favorite examples of fearless creativity is Current TV. Current is the channel for television open source programming if you will. The majority of content is sent in by viewers and it is fantastic, informative and engaging! Most of it is truly serious reporting and I've learned so much about business, world politics (MUCH more than I ever learned on the evening news), art, music, film, gender issues and more. Their web site has even more content and they encourage viewers to leave comments (which they read on air) or to add video commentary (which they show).

Honestly, I don't know if Current is doing well or not. I only know that it completely involves "thinking outside the box" and "shattering old paradigms" of programming. Plus it is aimed at an audience younger than me so if we think there is no hope for that age group (uh, under 40 let's say), Current will give you that hope.

Current could have tanked, like our poor Cincinnati Reds continue to do, but they came at the concept with guts and creativity. Even if they fail, they will have succeeded.

Who will do the "soulless work"?

2008-08-03T20:05:00.000-07:00

I was reading "10 Online Articles that Changed My Life" from LifeReboot.com and one of them was Steve Pavlina's "Don't Die with your Music Still in You". All I know about Steve (so far) is that I often refer to his list of values when trying to clarify mine or someone else's. But he's got good stuff and I agree with the whole beautiful article. But he uses a hypothetical statement about leaving your job "Tell your boss, “Talk to the hand. I don’t do soulless work anymore.”And not to be morose or pessimistic, because I'm not, I did wonder "Who will do the soulless work?" and why?

Soulless work means, to me, the fellow butchering the cow that I misguidedly choose to eat (I've tried, I swear), the woman in some third world country who is making my tennis shoes, the truck driver getting my goods to me, the illegal immigrant farming most of my produce...How can everyone get this option of never doing "soulless" work again? I want EVERYONE to have the option of pursuing meaningful work. How would the world look if everyone did? What would change?

I know. I don't mean to be gloomy but I really want input on this topic. What would you be willing to give up if it meant another human being never had to do your "dirty work"?

Are you "twitterpated"?

2008-08-02T18:54:00.000-07:00

My grandma, God bless her tiny little soul, used to call a crush being "twitterpated". Of course, this begs the question "are you twitterpated over twitter?". At first I didn't get Twitter and I am sure I haven't discovered half of what it can do (I still haven't been able to resolve getting "tweets" onto this blog through twitterfeed) but I do know I love following people I admire or love through their lives, getting quick updates on links and blog posts, and knowing how they are spending their time. Hey, I loved Real World until my son became the same age as those boys drunkenly hot-tubbing with a bevy of size 2 girls and I couldn't stomach it any more. I love knowing what's in peoples' fridges! Not for judging but because our little quirks are fascinating. I belong to so many "reality" flickr groups like "inspiration boards", "corners of my home", "artists studios" because I find my fellow humans endlessly fascinating.

Anyway, Twitter moves along at a tidy little hum. I have no desire to follow hundreds of people (or so I say now) that I barely know but it is nice to see what some of the people I admire (Keith Ferrazzi, Pam Slim, Seth Godin) are up to.

Are YOU one of my DREAM CLIENTS?

2008-08-01T20:18:00.000-07:00

An expert in professional, professional or spiritual development (better yet, a holistic blend of the three) who wants help in spreading your philosophy
An independent consultant with a thriving business
An unruly creative type who needs someone with a quick mind to tend to those pesky little life details
An eco-warrior or social networking geek

Services and Pricing

2008-08-01T20:01:00.000-07:00

Updated January 2010:

Due to increased business and inquires, I wanted to provide an update of my services and pricing. Feel free to contact me for questions!

For general writing and editing services (articles, books, sales letters, Web copy), the current rate is $50/hour. Generally writing a 500 word article is 1 hour or less, editing about 1/2 of that.

I have problogging packages that start at $300 per month for 8 posts (2 per week) with copyright free images and embedded video. There is an additional charge for increased services like blog set up, comment management and maintenance.

I can manage most of your online business needs using Aweber, Mail Chimp, MemberGate, 1ShoppingCart in particular. This includes sign-up forms, autoresponders, email blasts and newsletter set up and writing. If you use something different, ASK! I'll learn it and not charge you for the learning curve.

I also offer social networking services with packages starting at $400 per month. Set up fee on various sites like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, FriendFeed, Squidoo, and more is extra based on the number of sites, graphics, etc. To understand how time-consuming managing social media is, read this.

I can bundle services as well and if you have a need and you are not sure if I can handle it, well...be bold and ask! Read my client recommendations here.

Be bold! Ask!

2008-07-30T09:41:00.000-07:00

One of the things that I've learned about myself that is different from other people is that I'm not afraid to ask strangers for what I need or want. You'd think I'd have figured this out by now but it only recently dawned on me as something that really makes me unique. The Internet is a great conduit for this gift and is under-utilized by many people who don't think to ask for business or advice. An amazing number of people you admire are willing to answer a quick question. You can reach nearly any individual by email if they have a Web site and if you are a freelancer, you can simply tell them what you do and you'd be interested in speaking with them.

Caveat: be sure you have something to offer! Example: If you notice that this technology guru you admire doesn't have a blog, isn't on Twitter or Facebook, or writes, well, less than great...my technique would be to email and say "Hey Joe! I'm a huge fan and you have great content and I'm always referencing it to other people. When I go to find you other place online I notice you aren't really anywhere else. I do social networking management and problogging for people and can help you really improve your traffic at an affordable price. I'd love to talk with you! Is there a time you might be free this week?"

Here are three practical real experiences of mine:

1. I recently found a tiny text ad on a blog for Writergirl.com. I liked the name, went to the site, LOVED it and noticed that they offered a lot of the same services as I do BUT not professional blogging. Serendipitously, they were also in my city. So I wrote and said "Hi! Here's how I found you. I love the site and people are saying great things about you. I noticed you don't have a problogger consulting with clients. I'd love to help." Lo and behold, less than 2 hours later I had a reply that basically said "when can you meet for coffee?".

2. I was freaking out over my first call with Tim Sanders and I am an avid lover of Pam Slim's very popular blog and so I just sent her an outta the blue email that said "Any quick advice for talking to this guy that I admire so much? I have imposter syndrome." Less than an hour later, this well-compensated coach and author who writes for my idol Martha Beck sent an email that said "give me a call". She spent 15 of the most valuable minutes with me! Because of this I promote her every where I go and when her new book Escape from Cubicle Nation comes out, I'll be the first in line to buy it in HARD BACK. I hope to meet her some day.

3. One of my very first tiny client jobs was via GetaFreelancer.com for Lethia Owens inputting business cards into a spreadsheet. I wanted the testimonial more than the money, but when I was done I sent an email that thanked her for her business and listed all of the other services that I offered, telling her I'd love to work with her again. Lethia is now my client and my coach (we barter) and has sent me two additional clients. She is promoting me this weekend at the National Speaker's Assocation annual conference. I think of that moment as special because I learned to ASK FOR THE BUSINESS. She was my "dream client": an executive coach and speaker who works in personal and professional development. Had I not taken the five extra minutes to write that email, I'd still be bidding on low end jobs on Elance and GAF.

There are more examples throughout my life but I want you to walk away with a few things:

1. People are generally nice. If you keep your request small and genuine, you have a great shot at getting help.

2. Take care of the people who take care of you. Promote them, thank them, accomodate them. Not because they can do more for you, but because they've already done so much.

3. Tailor your approach from a generosity perspective. Pam gave me invaluable advice: Even if you aren't the person to help because the fit isn't right, try to help find the person who can help!

4. Be curious. Read things. Read bios. Have a genuine interest in what people do!

5. IF YOU DO NOT ASK, YOU DO NOT GET. Set a goal this week of approaching someone you admire but do not know and asking for business or a small piece of advice.

The reality of living a good life...

2008-07-14T07:48:00.001-07:00

From Tom Peter's blog:

"In a way, the world is a great liar. It shows you it worships and admires money, but at the end of the day it doesn't. It says it adores fame and celebrity, but it doesn't, not really. The world admires, and wants to hold on to, and not lose, goodness. It admires virtue. At the end it gives its greatest tributes to generosity, honesty, courage, mercy, talents well used, talents that, brought into the world, make it better. That's what it really admires. That's what we talk about in eulogies, because that's what's important. We don't say, 'The thing about Joe was he was rich.' We say, if we can, 'The thing about Joe was he took good care of people.'"—Peggy Noonan, "A Life's Lesson," on the astounding response to the passing of Tim Russert, the Wall Street Journal, June 21-22, 2008

What you need to know about China's impact on the world...

2008-06-23T07:18:00.000-07:00

Unlike many Americans, I strongly believe in equal opportunities across the world (i.e. if we outsource work to India, well, doesn't that country's citizens deserve the work as much as we do? and if we raise their standard of living the world as a whole improves). However, I think caution and investigation are in order when a country's development is putting the world at risk.

I quite happily discovered an episode of Design:e2 that I had seen on PBS awhile back pop up on Hulu.com (free tv!). I tried then, and now, not to be discouraged by the fact that Brad Pitt narrates because he's doing such good work in New Orleans (read about it here). And here are some disturbing facts from the episode:

China (not the US)

is experiencing the largest rural to urban migration in world history

every year, 15 to 20 MILLION Chinese citizens will move from the country to the city

meaning China will build new housing for 400 MILLION people in the next 12 years

which is the equivalent to rebuilding ALL of the US housing in the next 7 years

40% of the earth's resources are being used right now to build and sustain this housing

about 1/4 of Los Angeles's pollutant air particles can be directly contributed to China

1/2 of the country's poor have doubled their wealth in the last 2 years (200 million people)

they want MORE: more electricity, more cars, more housing

Luckily, this problem isn't being ignored, despite China's slow response. Citizens are getting involved, but it will clearly take strict environmental and sustainability parameters from other countries, including the US, who are doing business (and making big profits) in China. And, considering our own apathy about our country's environmental issues, by the time we really wake up to how China impacts the world, will it be too late?

image source Biodiversity Clearinghouse

Find a niche!

2008-06-20T12:19:00.000-07:00

I'm seeing this word everywhere! I'm sure you are too. We need a niche, whether we are consulting, freelancing or starting a retail business. We've got to BRAND ourselves, find out exactly what market isn't being covered, sell ourselves as an expert in something. Michael Port really stresses this (as do many many others) in Book Yourself Solid.

I ask myself how people would describe my niche and what people say about me are these things:

**I'm funny
**I can find out anything on the Internet (i.e. I know lots of free Web 2.0 tools-and I know what Web 2.0 means, I am hooked up to a zillion business and personal interest blogs, I can research just about anything)
**I'm strong and fearless (say what? not words I would use!)
**I'm a cheerleader

This last one makes me balk but it's so true. I love working behind the scenes to cheer someone else on. I love seeing others succeed and helping them find solutions to do so. But I was never the pom-pom type (I was the nerdy bookworm) and I fail to see how to "niche" this. Yes, I know. This is actually coaching but, believe it or not, to certify as a personal or executive coach these days is time consuming and expensive.

Waaaaa.

So, here's what I want you, dear readers to know.

I'm a GREAT cheerleader and "information concierge". You want someone to find it for you, brainstorm with you, cheer you to success? I'm your gal. Exuberance and passion come naturally to me.

This is my niche.

Why Work Sucks (and how to fix it)...

2008-06-11T08:41:00.000-07:00

Image Courtesty Bored at Work

Google "how to look busy at work" (without really working) and the number and variety of hits will surprise you, or maybe not. It's no secret to a lot of corporate employees that they really don't have enough to keep them truly busy and engaged during the work day. Checking the site Read At Work, you'll find a faux Microsoft desktop and books, short stories, articles, presented in PowerPoint presentations so you can read on the job. Funny? Funnier still is that it's presented by the New Zealand Book Council, not some work hack who is spreading the word to other slackers.

Parkinson's Law states that the "work expands to fill the time available for its completion", meaning that if you have a project and you are given five days to complete it, it will take those five days. But if you are given only 24 hours, you will likely get it done in that time frame. Thus, we probably are working at our cubicle jobs, but not as effectively as possible.

In step Cali Ressler and Jody Thompson, HR consultants and the authors of Why Work Sucks and How to Fix it. Former Best Buy consultants, they've developed an organizational style called ROWE (Results-Only Work Environment) which is used successfully at Best Buy's corporate offices. Cali and Jody contend that the workplace is broken, that we are wasting much of our time (and, thus, our lives) sitting in an office place for a predetermined 8+ hours daily.

Instead they propose, like Daniel H. Pink (Free Agent Nation), that you don't owe your employer your time, you owe them results. At Best Buy, ROWE employees have no fixed schedules, are only in the office when they have to be or want to be and are reviewed based on work results and not how busy they look or late they stay. Essentially, you are a corporate "free-agent" with full benefits and predictable pay.

Best Buy reports that productivity has risen approximately 35 per cent and voluntary turnover has dropped by as much as 90 per cent in certain divisions. They are poised to try ROWE at the retail level next. In a recent teleseminar, Cali and Jody acknowledge that this is Phase 1 of ROWE and Phase 2 will investigate how ALL workers including front-desk receptionists, human resources generalists and other direct service positions can benefit from ROWE. In the meantime, the concept has taken the business world by storm.

With fuel costs prodding businesses to consider more work place flexibility, this could be a prime moment for ROWE type thinking to infiltrate the old school philosophy of work. Jody Thompson sums it up this way: "Basically, we're rewiring people's brains, getting rid of an old belief system from the 1950s that is no longer relevant to the technologically advanced business world we have now. We want people to stop thinking of work as someplace you go to, five days a week from 8 to 5, and start thinking of work as something you do."

Great Networking Advice by Keith Ferrazzi

2008-06-01T17:56:00.000-07:00

Stumbled across this (ok, a few degrees of separation but its still how I got there) via Pam Slim's newest blog post. Great advice on networking and I adore Keith's speaking style. So relaxed. I've signed up for my first YouTube subscription based on this video.

I'm also reading (scanning...I'm ridiculously busy right now) a great new book: One Person Multiple Careers by Marci Alboher. Title is self explanatory. I'm looking forward to my September 1 breakaway date when I can read these books and count them as an investment in my business (because I've been a personal development junkie since I exited the womb).

2008-05-30T07:38:00.000-07:00

I talked to Tim Sanders last night. I really did. Prior to that, I spoke, on the phone, to Pam Slim who is a coach who blogs for Martha Beck. She gave me free advice for about 15 minutes. Why? Because I sent her an email and asked.

Tim's written a new book and is starting a new, exciting social networking site. Today he's meeting with the producers of an Inconvenient Truth to pitch the book as a movie. He's speaking with me about being editor of the new site. Why? Because I sent him an email and asked him to mentor me and told him I'd help in any way in return. We didn't even discuss that. We just discussed me working on this amazing project that encourages social and environmental responsibility. Even if it isn't meant to be, I had an amazing experience.

I can't fathom how any of this took place except to say that I really wrote down my dream and expected "something" to happen. This is bigger than the "something" I had in mind.

So I continue to blog for Shen in Singapore and work on Power Point abstracts for Lethia in St. Louis as I slowly and methodically move out of the corporate world forever. Hopefully I'll move into Tim's world soon.

And they say miracles don't happen any more...

Believing...

2008-05-20T12:22:00.001-07:00

I'm having one heck of a week! I've started professionally blogging for a start-up staffing agency in Singapore, I started my personal Web site (oh, it's rough yet, but I'm still proud), I've been hard at work at my day job, and to top it off, I had an email from Tim Sanders!

Tim's book, Love is the Killer App, changed my view of my role at Design Forum AND, in many ways, my role in the world. I understand better something that I already knew: generosity is king! selfishness sucks! Give away as much as you can and more comes back to you ten-fold! Show compassion as much as you possibly can. I've recommended it and purchased copies for colleagues.

Tim's looking for someone to manage his online social networks and such. The funny thing is I wrote him out of the blue last week and asked him to mentor me. I told him, in exchange, I'd do any of his office chores. Then, I see this request on his blog.

Oy! Vey!

Fingers crossed all. We are supposed to talk the end of the week.

How Much Does Your Commute Really Cost?

2008-05-19T13:01:00.000-07:00

by Tim Ferriss, author of the 4 Hour Work Week:

What is the true cost of your commute? One example comes from 4Hour Work Week reader Troy Gardner, who recently wrote to me:

I’m still work focused (I like creating things!), but since I control my time/location, I’m reaping some of the rewards of being among the New Rich. My girlfriend and I will be spending the entire month of October visiting Chicago and Hawaii. Since I’m project/laptop based I can work during the evenings/free time, while spending the time out and about, finally learning surfing, and maybe kiteboarding etc.

Here is his experience, in his own words, of going from shocked awareness to blissful mobility…

—-

People often fail to include the amount of time, wear and tear on the car, and loss of sanity into the allure of a high paying job, and how that high paying job once calculated hourly might not be better off than a fast-food worker.

My Example (back in 2000):

* 100K startup job in Sunnyvale, frequent meetings and late nights.
* Lived in Pacifica because Sunnyvale was boring.
* Girlfriend in Oakland: the only place she could afford a house.

Which, if your familiar with Bay Area traffic, forms a bermuda triangle of life suckage. What would be 20 minutes on a good day could turn into 4 hours of red lights. The draining aspect is its unpredictability, which you can never tell, and which also makes planning on getting to work on time difficult (should I get up at 4am or 6 am?).

Measuring the Pain

I got out my trusty stopwatch and averaged times over a few weeks. I was spending 20hrs in commute (commuting is an awful part-time job!) and 45-65 hrs at work, sometimes 6 days a week. Which when averaged into the “high” income calculated hourly rate between UPS delivery boy and McDonald’s chef, and I’m sure the UPS guy was in better shape. Needless to say, I was quite astounded finishing the calculation.

On Fridays, I would go visit my girlfriend and get so frazzled from the commute that, when faced with another commute into the city to go out, coupled with 20-45 minutes finding parking (sometimes coupled with stresses of showtimes), any enjoyment to be had was quickly offset by the road rage and unknowns. This frequently took its toll on the relationship in the form of arguments.

Getting to a Zero Commute

Ever since then, I’ve never lived more than 30 minutes away from work, either structuring where I live, or where/how I work. Here are the steps I followed.

1. Negotiated (both work and girlfriend) for flex time, avoiding traffic. Savings of 5-7 hours a week.
2. Second was switching to 4 day in office, 1 day telecommuting, showing productivity enhancements.
3. 3rd was going to 3 day 10 hour days (keeping an eye out for how to go independent), networking and building credibility: started presenting at user meetings, conferences, tech edited books.
4. Having enough in savings, and enough contacts, that I could go solo without stress.

Interestingly, since going solo, my hourly rate in the last year has gone from 1.5 to 4 times what I was making working for others. The projects (I develop in flash) are smoother, as there are fewer people in the pipeline and less that can go wrong. My commute can be zero if I choose, yet I can travel more. Right now, my girlfriend and I are planning a full month trip to Chicago and Hawaii.

This is not to say that one has to work out of one’s home. Increasingly, I’m entirely laptop-based, so I can work while visiting/travelling a higher percentage of the time, etc. While cafes are obvious, there are lots of other avenues. Some highlights of my work:

* in a quiet sunny grassy/tree park that connects to the cities free wireless,
* a free concert at the city of Pasadena that I wouldn’t have paid that much attention to just watching.
* at the Getty museum on the lawn.

It’s easy to make a goal of eating at one new place and seeing one new street. I was amazed at how little I knew the area around me. I might spend now 45 minutes a day commuting, but this is zero-stress walking and sightseeing and, at least in a decent city, it’s amazing how much is accessible via foot and bus distance.

The killer commute and addiction to cars is really sad… The hidden causalities in relationships, jobs, due to the stress has never been measured, but I’m sure it’s high. It’s hard to be present for the nice dinner/evening in front of you when your already stressed out about the morning commute and the important meeting.

Zero Commute with 500% More Travel

The amount I save not paying interest or insurance can be used for other things. That said I love flying when I travel, and $600 is easily 2 flights a month (perhaps more if your using the Platinum AMEX card). Renting car and a hostel can be $50/day in the US.

A few years ago, a good friend and I wanted to drive from Vegas to Marin, up the beautiful California coastal highway for a friends wedding, so we rented a convertable Mustang for a 7 days and came back through Yosemite. It was a blast! Cost $240 + $140 in gas, split 2 ways. All the experiences, none of the maintenance or interest. The car we rented had a dragging brake caliper, which I’m sure cost at least half of what we spent that week to fix. He eventually put down a payment on a house, and I went solo.

Track My (Self) People!

2008-05-19T07:48:00.000-07:00

TrackMyPeople is a great new open source (Web 2.0) tool that allows you to track your employees' time or your own for free. It is Web-based, easy to use and provides accurate reporting on project work making it ideal for consultancies and freelancers. It provides graphical reports, automatic backups, is compatible with Windows and Linux (Macintosh is in the works) and has an easy-to-install widget for your desktop.

Easily set up projects and people in the system and produce beautiful productivity reports!

TrackMyPeople is a great new online resource!

Brilliant article on money

2008-05-12T09:06:00.000-07:00

I think it's an appropriate mindset for job hunting as well. Doing it out of a sense of "need" vs. "want" is detrimental for you AND the company. This article is from Michael Neill via GoodVibe Blog.

Obstacle to Wealth: Needing the Money

It was one of my mentors, the fabulous author Steve Chandler,
who first pointed out that the biggest obstacle to my own wealth
was my belief that I “needed” the money. We reviewed a number
of my business dealings over the years, and one by one he
pointed out how I settled for less than I wanted because I
thought I had to take whatever was on offer. To my surprise, we
also noticed several situations where I had blown it because my
desperate sense of need was driving me to try and squeeze every
last penny out of every deal.

Each time I argued that I really did “need” the money, he would
calmly ask me some variation on the question “what would happen
if you didn’t get it?” No matter how urgent or important each
financial opportunity felt at the time, I would eventually
realize that there was always another way forward and that no
one opportunity was the be all and end all of my financial
success.

One of the first questions I ask my own clients is “how many
days forward could you go without earning any money before you
would be out on the street?”, the answer is generally measured
in months or years, not days. (Actually, the most common answer
is “I would never be out on the street, because my
family/friends/community would make sure I always had a place to
stay until I got back on my feet”.)

I remember one client who had been arguing for their “need” for
money sheepishly admitting that he could go ten years without
working before running out of money. Based on this, we created
an experiment. For the next three years, he would proceed in
business from the assumption that he didn’t need the money. All
of his choices and decisions over that time period were to be
taken based on inspiration and true, heartfelt desire. In other
words, he was going to begin to do what he wanted to do, not
what he thought he “should do” or “needed to do.” (We figured
that would still give him 7 years to go back to doing things out
of desperation before he ran out of money!)

Although he struggled with it for several months, before the
first year was out he had made over ten times as much money as
he had the year before and was doing work that he really loved
and wanted to do.

So how is it that by letting go of neediness he was able to
create so much more wealth in his life? And more importantly,
why would someone who clearly didn’t need the money continue to
act for all the world as if he did?

Let’s take a look at each of these questions in turn:

1. Why do you make more money when you stop needing it?

There are essentially three motivations for anything and
everything we do - desperation, rationalization, and
inspiration. In linguistic terms, these usually are expressed
in terms of:

*I’m doing it because I have to (desperation)
*I’m doing it because I should (rationalization)
*I’m doing it because I want to (inspiration)

When you act out of a sense of desperation (i.e. neediness), you
have to settle for whatever’s on offer. There’s generally a
sense of urgency which shifts the balance in any negotiation in
the other person’s favor. Worse than any of that, you feel so
uncomfortable in your own skin that you put your worst foot
forward, trying too hard to please or shifting to the other side
and putting on a front of anger or bravado to cover up your
fear.

However, when you act like you don’t need the money (because
almost invariably, no matter what your fear has been telling
you, you don’t), you move forward with a sense of ease and
wellbeing. It’s easy to stick to your bottom line because you
always have another alternative - getting on with your wonderful
life and offering your creativity and skills at value creation
to any of the hundreds, thousands, and sometimes millions of
people who would benefit.

You enter negotiations without fear, because whether or not you
reach agreement, you know at an absolutely fundamental level
that you’re wellbeing is not dependent on making a deal. And
when you’re willing for the other person to say “no”, you can
ask for anything you want.

2. If I don’t need the money, why do I feel so needy?

When it comes to money, nearly all of us have learned to protect
and motivate ourselves by creating a feelings of worry, fear,
and even desperation. “If I can just stay scared enough,” this
internal logic tells us, “I’ll be safe and I’ll keep moving
forward.” The problem with this point of view is that fear is
one of the least effective states to move forward in - it
impairs your reasoning, limits your vision, destroys your
health, and gives off a horrible stench that puts people off
doing business with you - the sickly smell of desperation.

(Think about it for a moment - who would you rather have working
with you on a project? Someone who is inspired to make things
happen or someone who’s desperate not to mess things up?)

It is at this point in the discussion where someone inevitably
asks me “That’s alright for all your wealthy clients, but what
if I really *do* need the money?”

Listen - if your children are starving or you’re going to lose
your apartment or house at the end of the month because you’re
six months in arrears on the rent or mortgage, do what you need
to do to take care of yourself and your family. But when I
push them on it, nearly everyone who seems in dire straits could
in reality go on for another three to six months by making a
few adjustments in their lifestyle. And three to six months is
more than enough time to put your creativity and inspiration to
work on creating value, making a difference, and exchanging
that value and difference making for money.

Today’s Experiment:

1. Review your recent business dealings - contract negotiations,
proposals put forward, sales calls, or whatever else you do to
make money. How much of your motivation was inspiration (doing
it because you want to), how much rationalization (doing it
because you should), and how much was desperation (doing it
because you thought you needed to).

2. Choose one business deal that you don’t mind losing. If you
don’t have any, make one up - create a proposal that is so
outlandish that you would love it if it comes through but you
really don’t need it to because it’s so ‘out there’. Notice the
difference in your own energy levels and creativity as you do
so.

3. Begin to say “no” to things you don’t want to do by asking
for more money. If you really don’t want to do them, ask for
what seems to you to be a ridiculous amount of money.

This will begin to establish a new pattern in your brain of
asking for what you want without a sense of neediness.

Example:

I had the chance to work with the CEO of an international
corporation on her presentation skills. While I wouldn’t have
hated the work, I also wasn’t terribly interested in it. Rather
than turn the work down, I created a $100,000 coaching
proposal. I was pretty sure they’d turn it down (that’s about 4
or 5 times the going rate), but if they’d said “yes” I would
have happily completed the job.

One word of warning - occasionally, people will say “yes” to
these outrageous proposals - don’t make them if you’re truly
unwilling to honor your end of the agreement!

Have fun, learn heaps, need less, and enjoy more!

With love,
Michael

================================================================
To subscribe to the MNCT, visit us online at
http://www.geniuscatalyst.com

(c) 2008 Michael Neill/All Rights Reserved
Genius Catalyst Inc.
4220 Esteban Road
Woodland Hills, CA
91364
US

I've said it before...

2008-04-28T10:30:00.000-07:00

I'm a sucker for praise. I want to be well-compensated for my work, but it is equally important for my work to be noticed and appreciated. Apparently I'm not the only one.

This Japanese study was conducted using MRI technology which is being increasingly used to study emotion. The Center for Cognitive Neuroscience at UCLA has an excellent site covering this topic. Brainmapping is beginning to answer questions like "How does learning alter perception?", "How do our emotional states affect decision making?". And my beloved Martha Beck has had her own brain mapped and discusses it in her various articles and books.

Bottom line. Our brains process rewards, financial or otherwise, in essentially the same way, so why is it so hard for a manager to walk over to you and say "you are building really great relationships with XYZ managers!" or "I noticed you got that spreadsheet done really quickly. That was very helpful!"? Specifics count.

It's nice to know I'm not alone.

Managing Creatively

2008-04-09T11:58:00.000-07:00

No. This type of management wouldn't be as effective for, say, accountants, but there is room for managers (and recruiters to prod them to think differently) to hire people with unique backgrounds and teach them the business, thus harnassing non-lemming talent:

From the GEEK Blog:

The web site Anysoldier.com allows soldiers stationed overseas to request supplies from everyday citizens that want to make their lives a little more comfortable. Requests range from soap and bug repellent to MP3 players and cashews. Each month, Duff Goldman and his compadres at Charm City Cakes in Baltimore, Md. search the site for a soldier to shower with gifts. Recently, they showered gifts upon a soldier whose sole request was a bottle of hot sauce.

This is just one of the ways Goldman uses his influence as star of the Food Network’s Ace of Cakes to make the world a better place. His infectious grin and hearty laugh provide a nice reprieve from the moronic reality programming rotting American culture. The show also exhibits the least dysfunctional work environment imaginable—modeling how entrepreneurs and managers should treat their employees. He even pays half of the health insurance for his employees. All of this while working on a cake that will, if everything goes correctly, shoot a 20-foot stream of fire into the air.

Goldman took time out of his busy schedule to chat with Geek about his successes, Star Wars and Harry Potter. Fortunately, he even let out a few of his patented belly laughs.

Did you ever think your career would progress the way it has?

Duff: Never. I love to bake. I baked and I baked and I baked and I worked in all kinds of different environments. TV and entertainment was never even a blip on the radar. If you talked to my mom, she’d say: “People march to the beat of a different drum. Duff marches to his own orchestra.” It’s completely true. For example, right now I’ve created a culture in my bakery, aside from TV, where I don’t hire anybody from culinary school. Everybody I get, they’re musicians, they’re artists. Geoff, my executive sous chef, was a model builder for an architecture firm. What I do is I get creative people to do what they do best and I encourage them to think. I give them nothing but praise. If something needs to be redone, I’ll see it, but I’ll wait until the person who is working on it sees it themselves. I’m not standing over people’s shoulders. It really gives people a sense of ownership over their work, and it really works out because it gives them drive to make something the best they can, because they say, “This is mine.”

A Renaissance Soul's career options

2008-04-01T05:50:00.000-07:00

In today's rapidly changing information age, there are increasing opportunities for those of us with "Renaissance Souls", i.e. those who are well-versed in a variety of topics, have worked in several career fields and bring a great deal of difficult to define knowledge and experience to a position. For example:

*3 years as a property manager in my early 20's taught me sales, marketing and problem-solving and "how to shake hands" at business meetings and professional gatherings. Unsual for someone who was 21 at the time.

*5 years as a 911 dispatcher gave me nerves of steel, the ability to handle multiple priorities at a time, manage departmental politics and develop compassion. I also began to notice my gift as a peer counselor.

*My very short stint as a surgical technologist gave me the full knowledge I did not want to work in the medical field. It was blissfully short lived, though I gained some wonderful personal experiences.

*College taught me to write, grew a skill I loved, and allowed me to be published.

*DONA International and all that it brought me included working under very vague guidelines, how to lead, how to report, how to build relationships and communications, how to manage and learn a variety of responsibilities I had no clue about when I began. It also taught me the joy of working with people I truly cared about.

*10+ years in diverse human resources (as a coordinator, a recruiter, a general manager, and working in mentoring and development) has taught me how much the work world has changed for the positive. It's taught me how to write (job descriptions, performance assessments, various HR tools), to discern the truth, the importance of compassion in the workplace and the transferring of knowledge back and forth.

I've been blessed with an interesting and rich work life, but many of my personal interests (and probably yours) have fed my career abilities. My three blogs give me an avenue for different styles of writing. I'm fairly well-versed on technology trends, on economic issues, on culture, and certainly on career and human resources patterns. I understand motivation from a demographic and psychological perspective, as well as knowing how important general kindness and engagement is in the workplace.

I'm at a career crossroads where I'd love to be able to combine my personal and career interests in human resources, media, writing and employee engagement. I believe that opportunity is out there and more employers are seeking those of us who are "Renaissance Souls".

Love in the Workplace

2008-02-26T11:07:00.000-08:00

Sound silly? Define love as a verb and not a romantic feeling and it takes on a new connotation. Sharing your knowledge and network, showing compassion, showing an interest in and promoting others, being fearless and not defending your "territory"- all are components of loving others.

Tim Sanders wrote a phenomenal book on this topic and also has a fantastic blog.

Though it may be uncomfortable, go out of your way to show compassion TODAY to your most difficult client, employee, hiring manager, co-worker. Show a real interest in their day, ask if there is anything you can do for them, find something you genuinely like about what they are doing or wearing. Smile, reach out. It benefits everyone, including you.

Defining Sucess

2007-07-25T02:57:00.001-07:00

From the Anti 9-5 Guid e interview with career coach Jenny Ward about transitioning to self-employment:

My biggest obstacles [to making the transition]: Cash and self-love. Both are inter-related. My worth is directly related to how I am — my work is me. I am selling me — so I had to look at all of me — and that was messy. I learned that messiness is a part of play.

My tips for other cubicle expats: Look at why you feel you NEED to work. Look at the beliefs you have learned about SUCCESS… play make-believe for 5 minutes. What do you want to do NOW? Have fun and allow your imagination to inspire you… to live fully in the beautiful expression that is you.

Read the rest of the interview here.