It feels like just yesterday when I told my friends and family that I was moving to Chicago and starting a new journey here in the Windy City. Fast forward almost two years and I can honestly say that I’ve had experiences that I couldn’t have imagined.
New Beginnings
In January 2010, I joined a great team at DeVry University to help lead their social strategy. I’ve made amazing friends throughout these two years and planted a stake here in Chicago personally and professionally. And in June of this year, I married the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with and started that life with her.
Suffice it to say, there hasn’t been a dull moment since my move and it continues with my announcement that I’ll be joining U.S. Cellular, as Social Media Manager, and their team headquartered here in Chicago! (more…)
I had a really interesting conversation this morning with Marc Meyer and Mike Pascucci, which was sparked by this question from Marc:
Is engagement in social media a prerequisite to writing a book on social media that’s to be taken seriously?
That had me thinking and led me to the observation that the social web makes the answer largely based on our online writing (blog), all-around connectivity within the social community and for good or bad, popularity (call it influence, if you’d like).
There are a lot of factors that play into Marc’s question, one of which he asked – is success based on social observation or social experience? I started chewing on that on a broader basis, as I feel there’s a misconception with those who have visible experience and activity online vs. those who may not have as large a footprint but work more so behind the scenes. (more…)
We encounter roadblocks throughout our careers, some more challenging than others and each with a unique course to get us through. With the continually evolving social space lies an equally evolving wall that we have to be able and willing to tackle.
Companies are evolving past the stage of ‘shiny toys’ and are taking their strategy a step further and stretching it across departmental functions outside of marketing and aligning it with their overall business goals – an approach that becomes ingrained and an extension of the organization vs. one siloed focus. (more…)
*clears off cobwebs* Yes, I deserve that glare from you. I have no excuses for being absent but figure this is as good a time as any to jump back in here as we wrap up 2010. It’s been an amazing year for me – personally and professionally. There have been changes in both aspects of my life that I probably couldn’t have written in a book if I had to and am thankful for all of it.
With that, there are also challenges, setbacks, roadblocks, callitwhatyouwants. It wouldn’t be life if it weren’t for those things that try to veer us off-course. Though those things make us stronger, on the same token they can also break a person to a point where it affects them and the successes they have.
Whatever this year has looked like for you, there always seems to be one word that sums it up and resonates most strongly with a person – as several people shared with me on Twitter. I could list off a few different words for myself, but I want to share one that correlates directly with someone else in my life and a word that I think we can all connect with: (more…)
In today’s world, we certainly have a heightened sense of being ‘on’, always creating and always framing for the future; all the while, growing our experiences each and every day. This can be a lot to ask for and personally, I understand it’s a challenge and is something that I have to constantly work at.
But with all the hustle and hard work that goes on behind the scenes, there are moments where you look for that extra push that keeps you motivated and focused on your goals. There are visual or emotional triggers that help keep us grounded – but sometimes we need a little bit more. (more…)
I went on a bike ride on the lakefront here in Chicago the other day. Gorgeous scenery and amazing trails made for a great ride. What really caught my attention though was when I stopped in front of The Field Museum. There was a family near me and overheard the following between a father and his daughter as he looked at an outdoor statue:
(more…)
I know, I know – I deserve that look as I tip-toe my way back in here, hoping that no one would notice (unless no one does, then that’s perfectly fine). Since starting an amazing new gig and moving to an equally amazing city, I have admittedly been MIA here. It’s not that I’ve lost motivation to blog or forgot about my awesome and smart community here (though I do feel a bit of guilt), I’ve just been in power up mode. (more…)
By now, most the social web and even mainstream media have read the story about Southwest Airlines and filmmaker Kevin Smith, removing him from a flight because he was ‘too fat’ and a safety concern. Let me state this from the get go, I realize that SWA was in the wrong with their actions and don’t agree with what they did.
I was glad though to see that Southwest responded quickly and even more than once (whether to people’s liking or not) – but I want to tackle an even deeper issue than that: (more…)
If I had to sum up the last year of my life, those two words would be it.
In hindsight, I’m appreciative of the adversity that I’ve gone through. It’s what has helped me evolve – personally and professionally – turning that adversity into opportunity. It’s made me realize that we’re all on a roller coaster – a ride that you either hang on for as long as you can until it decides to make a pit stop, or one you get thrown off of. As I write this post for all of you who have endured part of that ride with me, I wanted to let you know that I hung on.
For those of you who’ve been with me through this ride, you know that I endured a layoff late last year and went through the monster that is – the job market. It was a brute for a good while, but I took that adversity and utilized it to build up my independent skills and consult with some great companies this past year.
But during this time, I was patient. I continued to hustle. And I continued to push on and reach for those goals that I set for myself. I had faith and I believed – not only in the work I was putting in, but the people – you all – that offered a nudge along the way. (more…)
Note: This post is a bit more personal and off-topic than what you’d expect here, but I hope you stick around nevertheless as it covers an important part of my life and a specific project.
The start of the new year is usually a time of joy; reflecting on the past year, looking forward to what’s to come in the next and setting goals & resolutions for ourselves. For my family, the start of 2009 became a time of prayer and hope. We learned my 17-year-old cousin, who’s always been an active spirit around family and friends, was diagnosed with medulloblastoma – a highly malignant brain cancer that’s most commonly found amongst children. We were devastated. It was a huge shock to us all and we didn’t really know how to cope. (more…)
