Lately I’ve been doing a lot of spring cleaning – mostly getting rid of stuff I don’t need. Sometimes I’ve found that it’s hard to let go of things – on occasion because they have a perceived value and other times because there is an emotional anchor.
Yesterday I gave away two nice file cabinets, and a furniture set including a chest of drawers, buffet and side table. They were all functional pieces that were kind of being used, but taking up space. I miss the storage space, but am glad to have the open space.
Today I am tearing down the banner for Eastside Business that is in my office/garage.
It has always brought back a lot of memories, but perhaps I don’t need those memories any more? I also have an entire archive of 10 copies of each Eastside Business newspaper and Bellevue Business Journal newspaper that I produced over the past six years (finally being convinced to quit in August 2009). Do I keep storing these and maybe looking at them from time to time – or should I use them for the bottom of the cage for Jackie Kennedy‘s chicks?
Honestly I am more than a little bummed out that in over 2 1/2 months of my job search that I have not even had one in person interview – despite the huge numbers of people and businesses I have helped out through the news papers and through social media.
It’s hard for me to believe that nobody will even give me an interview (or help me get one) considering my networks and contacts (especially locally), and experience in producing and co-producing social media conferences like Social Media 101 and Social Media 201.
There are so many cool things happening with social media and I want to continue to work in this space, but nobody will hire me … SO I’m starting Joe Soc – New Media Marketing and Social Relations. At Joe Soc we realize that public relations (formerly known as PR) has died and changed forever – companies and brands now have to strategize, engage and execute socially (not just through traditional media channels as in the old days).
One thing to note – at our Social Media 201 conference the other day, “engagement” is now the new “um”. While that got some great laughs and created a buzz among the people in attendance – I totally disagree. The speakers and most of the attendees of Social Media 201 are already immersed in social media and may get engagement – but many, many brands, businesses and organizations are not – and many of those who are don’t really ‘get’ engagement. To me, spreading the word and evangelizing social media and encouraging businesses and brands to engage their current and future clients, partners and employees through the use of new media is not a job – it’s my lifestyle.
I’m very glad to let go of the past and look forward to helping many more brands and businesses in the future through Joe Soc and our growing number of partners in new media – including Local Color Media (which does the best HD video on the web I have ever seen).
I’m very excited
to announce that our first client is the Air Bud franchise, based in San Diego, California. International film star Air Bud (who I actually named in the early 90s) and his buddies (the original Air Bud died some years back, but lives on through his offspring) have millions of fans all over the world and it is part of our job to engage (there’s that word again) them. Just watch how we do.
By the way, if you’d like to help us get started, you could become a Fan of Air Bud on Facebook or follow @TheAirBud on Twitter (we have some work to do on copyright infringers). Thank YOU for YOUR support!
