A Bigger Voice

Being Scrappy and Running a Marathon

These are just two lessons I've been learning recently with my new venture, My Alumni Link. It's too new for a website but the business stems from success with the Networking Naturally Program.

Whether you are a wisdom entrepreneur or a traditional entrepreneur, here are a few lessons to keep in mind:

1. It's a marathon, not a sprint. I forget and want everything in the next  release of the product. I forget and think that I have full control of the Universe. I forget and feel driven by deadlines instead of common sense. Photo by epimetheus.
2. Be scrappy. Make every dollar count on the expense side, independent of how many dollars are coming in. Look for value. See what you can get for free before deciding to spend money.
3. Build to what's good enough. Don't over engineer. This is related to number 2. The perfect solution may not be noticeably different from the good enough solution in the eyes of the customer (or the community member). 
4. Put one foot in front of another. It's easy to get overwhelmed if I think everything that needs to be done to launch a business (or a community.) Juggling sales, marketing, business process work, and product development can drive you nuts. But if I only look at what needs to be done today, and tomorrow, and this week, it's manageable. 
5. Networking requires patience and rewards me with magical results. I've done my share of networking recently to find allies, collaborators, and customers for My Alumni Link. Things don't always move as fast as I would like, and that's okay. I've been blessed with incredible support from my network, especially when I ask for what I need. 
6. Create plans and goals but don't be attached to the outcome. I figured this one out in time to rescue my sanity. This is where the task master in me can go off the deep end. ("No you cannot go for a bike ride! You have more emails to send!" Ughh....)
7. Focus on creativity. I used to think money fueled growth.  But I found out it's the power of the mind to create something from nothing, to meet a user need, that results in growth. Photo by Bohman.
8. Understand your break even point. Know what Plan B is. Without that, I ended up chasing imaginary goals and numbers. Urgent or not? Necessary or not? I had no idea.
9. Take a warm lead. Always. This relates to number 5. One person leads you to another to another. If you can get introduced, even if it takes going through two or three people along the way, it's worth it.
10. Work on yourself. Taking care of your mind, body, and spirit is just as important as working on your business or your cause. Time to rest and rejuvenate is just as important as time to focus and get down to work.

I love being an entrepreneur. I used to think it was all about creative freedom. What I'm experiencing is the joy of the learning curve, the delight of meeting new people, and the magic of how the pieces come together, when I least expect it.

Tomorrow, I journey to Houston to give a talk on "Finding Your Voice" at the Juvenile Arthritis annual conference. More learning, new connections and seeing the pieces fit together. Fun!

Photo by alicepopkorn-busy

Social Media is For Lawyers, Too

I was interviewed for an article in the Illinois Bar Journal, a magazine distributed by the Illinois State Bar Association. The topic? How attorneys can use social media to build their businesses. The writer did a great job at pulling together many sources to explain LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. While this was written for an audience of lawyers, the advice applies to anyone wanting to learn more about using social media for networking. This type of article--helping non-techies understand how to use technology to achieve their goals--is indicative of how mainstream social media has become.

A bonus: Our very own Simon Young is quoted from one of his blog postings here, for the article.

One part of the article specifically quotes a Twitter user as saying that the search feature on Twitter is more useful than Google--because the information is not only findable but updated in real time with real users. Users that you may then want to connect with and folllow. Think about it. People looking for specific information-- whether it's the details of a court case or where to meet for to show support for the Iranian people or tips on managing a chronic disease--can now find not only the information they want, but the source of the information, someone who is likely to be a kindred spirit. That's what we have today, at the flick of a few fingers on a keyboard. Amazing isn't it?

Photo by NOIZE Photography

Iran and Social Media

The power of technology to create a groundswell was shown in Iran this last week. People all over the world are seeing and hearing and reading what's going on with the protests over the recent elections and the response by the theocratic government. 

One voice can start a community. Communities create stunning results. It's even more startling when it's a world community, from a top columnist for a US paper to the anonymous voice of an Iranian woman. Two voices on Iran:

Peggy Noonan's column, Whose Side Are We On? You Have to Ask?, points out:

"Twittering and YouTubing made the story take hold and take off. But did the technology create the rebellion? No, it encouraged what was there."

She goes on to say,

"Revolutions are revolutions and rebellions are rebellions; they don't work unless the people are for it. In Iran, Twitter reported and encouraged. But the conviction must be there to be encouraged."

Wisdom entrepreneurs take note. Noonan is saying that the technology is a tool that amplifies. But the voice must be there first, with conviction, and I would say, commitment.

The other voice is a simple but powerful one, one that tells the story with minimal words and photos. It paints a stark portrait that only those who are there can fully comprehend.

Note that this YouTube video was created on Friday, June 19, less than a day ago. This morning, at about 9:30am Mountain Time, when I first saw the video, it had 300+ views. I found it from a friend on Facebook who had posted the link (thanks, @kareanderson!) Now, several hours later, as I'm posting this, the video has over 1700 views. That's how fast we can connect now.  When there is so much at stake, when we are compelled by history in the making, the ties between us are created with mind-boggling speed.

The following question has never been more important or pertinent:

What will you do with your voice?

Photos by .faramarz

Creaky Joints

One of the joys of this work is connecting with spirited individuals--people who are actively working on a cause that helps others and loving every minute of it. Next month, I'm giving a talk at the Juvenile Arthritis (JA) 2009 National Conference. The title of my talk is "Finding Your Voice." My goal is to inspire audience members to see themselves as "experts" in their own life, whether they are afflicted with JA or the parent of a child with JA. Finding your voice starts with recognizing that you have something to give to others and that usually comes from reflecting on your life and what you've learned from it.

In researching who already is doing this in the JA world, I came across a wonderful online community, called Creaky Joints. The site was started by Seth Ginsberg, when he was still an adolescent. Seth is now 27 years old and the online community has grown to 32,000 members. He works on Creaky Joints full-time and in his words, "Creaky Joints has become much bigger than me."  He talked about how Creaky Joints had become a model for other groups oriented around living with a disease. Seth also is passionate about influencing policy makers on bigger issues that impact the JA community and beyond--like health care reform. With Creaky Joints representing 32,000 voices, Seth clearly understands working both bottom-up and top-down.

I'm struck by how Seth has taken his experience of someone living with JA and turned that into the fuel for a vibrant community. His blog serves as one person's diary of what it's like to live with the disease and navigate daily life, in a way that most of us take for granted, but which resonates with his audience. 

I connected with Seth recently and found out that he's attending the JA conference, for the first time in many years. I've invited him to be interviewed, as part of my presentation at the JA conference. I'm excited that by telling his story, on stage, he'll inspire others to find their voice, and/or to join his community.

Seth has also agreed to be interviewed for this blog. Stay tuned!

PS. For those of you in Houston, I'm trying to arrange a meetup/tweetup while I'm there. If you are interested in being included, please email me, carol [at] abiggervoice.com.

The Stunning Result of 10+ Years of Work

My friend, Dave, sent me this video of land that was recently designated for public use in Traverse City, Michigan. It's a pristine piece of property on a peninsula jutting into the Grand Traverse Bay, that includes meadow and virgin forests and the remnants of a long-forgotten orchard. Dave and many others worked for over a decade to take the property from private ownership to public caretaking. Last November, with a ballot initiative that passed, the fruits of their labors were realized.

When I was in Traverse City last September, Dave and I walked parts of this property. It's lovely. I enjoyed seeing from the video what it looks like at other times of the year. BTW--Dave tells me that the music to the video is original and was composed by a fellow community member and music instructor at the reknowned Interlochen Arts Academy.  Another mark of community is the giving of one's gifts to the larger cause that the community embraces.



I've never asked Dave point-blank why he worked for so long on this project. I'm sure there were times when his enthusiasm waned and his frustration level rose like a childhood fever. My guess is that even he wouldn't be able to fully articulate why he hung in there for so long.

When passion takes hold, I am smart to follow and see where it leads me. Logic becomes secondary to what my heart tells me is important. In the end, I know of no other way to respond, in a way that keeps me congruent and in alignment with my deepest beliefs--about what is right or who I am. I'm guessing that Dave feels the same way.

Evangelists and Community-Building

How do you support evangelists, when you don't believe in evangelism?

A friend of mine, who is passionate about bringing the human spirit into business (something near and dear to my heart), cringed when I talked about how he could support his evangelists--people who believe in his ideas and want to help spread them.

His reaction? "Carol, I'm the anti-thesis of evangelism. I'm not about the super mega church. I'm the guy trying to shut the doors and telling them to go home."

My friend has the baggage of evangelism in the context of formal religions. He's a former monk.

Evangelists, in the context of A Bigger Voice, are those 1,000 True Fans, the ones who naturally resonate with your wisdom and ideas, and want to help spread it to others. They don't do it to build the mega church. They do it because it feels right to them, independent of the outcome. Evangelists form the core of your community. They are the 20% that contribute 80% of the ideas to shape what you've started. In the process, you might just create a mega church. But it's not your mega church. It's their mega church.

In the Networking Naturally Program that I just finished up, my evangelists are the people who showed up on a call to brainstorm improvements for the program, the ones who took the time to fill out and return a self-assessment of their networking skills both before and after the program, and the individuals who thought enough to provide comments on the participant-only blog. These are the people who are delighted to write a testimonial about their experience and who are pleased when they can contribute in areas where they have talent and expertise. The more that I reach out to my evangelists on networking naturally, the more I get excited. I can feel the momentum building. 

How am I supporting my evangelists?

• I try to connect with each person, one-on-one, whether it's with a phone call or an exchange of comments on a blog.
• I get to know each person as a unique individual, not just as someone who resonates with my cause.
• I ask each how I can support him/her.
• I provide each with material so that he/she can more easily share our common passion. In this particular case, I'm providing a set of slides that illustrate the 14 "Principles of Networking Naturally."

What are you doing to support your evangelists? How is it helping to build your community?

Photo by dheuer

Are You Worth Following?

When I first started working on A Bigger Voice, back in December 2007, I discounted the role of personal leadership/development in turning an idea into a sustainable movement. I was more concerned with what wisdom entrepreneurs need to do, rather than how they need to be.  Ironic, given that I've been a professional coach since 2003.  Photo by HaPe_Gera

My pet peeves in working with social entrepreneurs--places where they shoot themselves in the foot:

• Not committed.  See my post about why commitment trumps passion.
• Not respecting the power of grassroots and/or obsessed with power at the top to create change.
• Focused on the "big bang" of an event (front end) instead of the long-term conversation (back end).
• Thinking that someone else needs to make the first move before change can happen.

This is all about your head game--how you view the world, how you are being.

Seth Godin sums this up very nicely in his newest book, Tribes. He asks the question:

Are you worth following?

Indeed. If you're not committed, if you only are in it for the big bang, if you can only see power at the top, if you keep waiting for someone else to make the first move, you're not worth following. Pure and simple.

If you are passionate about creating change in the world, pause to assess whether you are worth following. Leave a comment below. I want to hear not only where you come up short, but where you really shine.

Photo by jhdtolentino

Connecting Over Achieving

I continue to be impressed with the capabilities of Facebook, even though I'm only an occasional user. Seems like each time I log on, there's a new capability that allows me to connect with others in a way that is most comfortable for the individual. Sometimes, it's via a blog post. Other times, it's a short comment on how the day is going. And other times, it's a video of something meaningful in one's life (like a performance of a song!)  Today, it came in the form of a book recommendation.

I have to remind myself that community-building is often just about connecting, for no other reason than that.  I forget and think that I have to "get somewhere." When in reality, there's no place I need to be other than right here.

Today, I spent 30 minutes on Facebook, connecting on many levels to half a dozen "friends."  It felt good.

BTW--The beauty of social networking is that it allows me to come into someone's life, intermittently and briefly, without skipping a beat.

Photo by jelene

4 Ways Social Media is Changing the Non-Profit World

Beth Kanter has a great post on how non-profits are successfully using social media to further their causes. She illustrates her points with some real-life examples from March of Dimes and the Red Cross as well as lesser known non-profits.

This brings to mind a conversation I had this morning with a friend, about the distinction between communities and organizations. Organizations, by nature, try to control. People build organizations, thinking that it's a way to spread ideas and change the world.

In contrast, communities are uncontrollable. But they are excellent at taking ideas and making them bigger.  Social media is one way for non-profits to return to an emphasis on community and to remember that organizations are in service to the cause, not the other way around. 

Yes, I'm cynical about non-profits. And I think social media is one way to re-calibrate top down efforts with bottom up grassroots.

Photo by bobby-james

Seth Godin on Sliced Bread

Ideas that spread, win. 

That's the message that marketing guru, Seth Godin, provides in this TED talk.

The question then is "How do you get your ideas to spread?" Two points that are particularly appropriate for wisdom entrepreneurs:

• Be remarkable. Have something worth talking about. For wisdom entrepreneurs, this means not only understanding what makes your wisdom remarkable, but then crystallizing it so that others "get it," right away.
• Speak to the early adopters, the people who are listening, who care about what you are talking about. In A Bigger Voice parlance, find your kindred spirits.

Enjoy Seth at his best:

Why Commitment Trumps Passion

One of my big lessons this last year was this:

Passion is not enough to change the world.

That might sound strange, coming from a coach, whose job is to help people find their passion. I've met plenty of passionate people, individuals who found the thing that makes them jump out of bed in the morning. The thing they formed a non-profit around. The thing they can't stop talking about. Yet passion is not enough.

Commitment is needed. In fact, commitment trumps passion, time, authority, money, and most anything else you can think of.

I recently saw Greg Mortenson, author of Three Cups of Tea, speak in Denver at the Paramount Theatre. I wish I had taken my teenage sons to hear him speak. Mortenson has that impact on people. He inspires them, not with his words, but with his actions and for lack of a better word, with his presence.

What hit me between the eyes was encountering someone who is the essence of commitment. It's rare to see someone who devotes his life to a single purpose. In Mortenson's case, his mission is to create peace in Pakistan and Afghanistan, by providing education for children, especially girls, in those countries.

Commitment looks like this:

• Attending an event in LA until 2am, getting a few hours of sleep, then hopping on a plane to Denver, only to return to LA that evening.
• Visiting 118 cities in one year to speak about your cause.
• Sleeping in your car and eeking out a living as an ER nurse, in hopes of raising $12,000 to build a school on the other side of the world. Deciding that pennies from school children could be the start of collecting the funds.
• Building schools, one by one, in a remote part of the world, with political, geographical, and cultural obstacles at every step of the way.
• Providing a consistent message, day in and day out, to groups as diverse as U.S. military commanders to school children to outdoor enthusiasts. 

The results are impressive:

• Since 1994, nearly 80 schools have been built in one of the most troubled and remote areas of the world, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
• Three Cups of Tea is now mandatory reading for senior officers in the Pentagon in charge of counter insurgency efforts.It has also been on the New York Times bestseller list for two years.
• After reading the book, military commanders like General David Petraeus and diplomats like Richard Holbrook are focused on listening more. Mortenson relayed how Petraeus, after reading the book, said, "We need to listen. We need to have respect. We have to build relationships."
• Collecting 100 million pennies from school children, as part of Pennies for Peace
• Fifteen years after living in his car, Greg Mortenson was nominated in January 2009 for a Nobel Peace Prize. 

For wisdom entrepreneurs, take note. Yes, one voice can start a community (and judging by the crowd at the Paramount Theatre, Mortenson's community is as diverse as I've seen in a long time.) But without commitment, it's all for naught. Mortenson has shown that when you make that commitment, your life changes. (BTW--that scares the heck out of a lot of wanna be wisdom entrepreneurs. I've seen it.)

Mortenson confessed near the end of his talk that he doesn't know why he is compelled to do the work he does. In his words, "I just listen to what people need." It made me think that commitment is not entirely a choice. You choose to surrender to the call, but after that, you are compelled. There is no other choice.

Mortenson closed with two thoughts that are particularly appropriate for wisdom entrepreneurs, one a quote from Martin Luther King and the other a result of a plea from Mortenson's wife.

"Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree."

"If you want to make the world better, you need to take care of yourself to be strong."

P. S. I had contacted Mortenson's non-profit, Central Asia Institute, asking if I could interview him for this blog. I received a reply a few days later that my request had been forwarded to Mortenson. Because of his busy schedule, not all requests could be honored. I never heard back from Mortenson, but it didn't matter. Who was I to slow down the progress of this man, with a mission so clearly imprinted on his heart and mind?  Instead of asking for a favor from him, I was compelled to offer up whatever help I could for his cause. That's what happens when you see commitment manifested.

Jeremiah Owyang, Part 3: Starting and Growing a Community

"People would rather have [a] knowing they are accepted and appreciated. That's far more important than lining one's wallet...This is about the core essence of humans connecting with other humans." --Jeremiah Owyang

In this last installment of my interview with Jeremiah Owyang, we talk about the increasing influence of communities, ways to kickstart a community, and best practices on growing a community. Be sure to listen towards the end of the interview for a discussion about social capital. Jeremiah talks about a revealing experiment conducted by a major high tech company on community-building.

This last segment is under 9 minutes in duration.

My thanks again to Jeremiah for his generous spirit in sharing what he knows with the ABV community.  He took his own personal time (on a weekend!) to do this interview, which says a lot about his commitment and passion for this topic.

Places to connect with Jeremiah:

Blog: www.web-strategist [dot] com

Twitter: @jowyang

friendfeed

LinkedIn

Flickr

Jeremiah Owyang, Part 2: The Nature of Communities

"When you are spearheading a movement, you are relying on the groundswell that happens within the community. The community is in charge."
--Jeremiah Owyang

In this second part of a three-part interview, Jeremiah Owyang talks about the nature of communities and the role of the community manager. Most surprising take-away? You can't rely solely on online community-building. It must be supplemented with in-person connections. In Jeremiah's words:

"If you want to be a true advocate within your market or community, you really do need to connect with them in person. If you are serious about community, you should be an advocate, helping them, leading them, and that should be online and off."

Listen in as I start off asking Jeremiah about the differences between online and offline interactions. The interview is a little over 8 minutes long.

Look for the last installment of our interview. Jeremiah and I talk about the unpredictability of communities, social capital, and how rewarding behavior is a stronger incentive than money.

Interview with Jeremiah Owyang, Part 1

This is the first of a three-part interview with Jeremiah Owyang, a social computing analyst with Forrester who is an expert on building communities. While his clients are businesses using community-building to meet their business objectives, Jeremiah's wisdom can be directly applied by wisdom entrepreneurs who are building communities to support their social good objectives.

Jeremiah starts with his definition of community, explains how to get started in connecting with your audience online, and ends wiith a practical discussion about how to find your kindred spirits. Be sure to listen for his view of who is online these days and why it's important to look for your community online. The audio is under 12 minutes in duration. 

I've often told people that a thorough read of Jeremiah's blog is like getting a master's degree in social media. And what I hope you can see from this brief snippet of what he knows that it's not about the tools, it's what you do with them. His focus on community-building is a perfect match for what wisdom entrepreneurs need to know to be successful.

In Part 2 of our interview, Jeremiah talks about the need to combine online with in-person community building, the role of online community managers, and the nature of communities. Stay tuned.

What Do You Want More or Less Of?

I've been blogging on A Bigger Voice since December 2007. It never crossed my mind to ask you, the reader, for feedback to shape what I blog about. Until now. I'm interviewing Jeremiah Owyang soon and in our pre-interview meeting, he gave me a food for thought on asking my community what they want more or less of.

The reason I'm interviewing Jeremiah is because he's a master at building communities, as well as a social media analyst for Forrester. I know I'm going to learn a lot from him. And so will you. Stay tuned.

In the meantime, let me know what you want more or less of on this blog.

Update on Networking Naturally Program

In offering the Networking Naturally Program, I'm realizing it's become a case study for A Bigger Voice. I'm seeing how the model works "in the field." Some thoughts:

• Crystallize: It was difficult for me to develop this program, to help others learn to network better and realize the benefits of networking, until I could get to the essence of what would make this program different. Ahhh...the sweet feeling of innovation--a new solution to an old problem!  When I hit upon the idea that there are underlying principles that successful networkers use, independent of their personality and style, I tapped into my own wisdom. That led me to the name of the program, "Networking Naturally," and marketing copy that described what it is that I was offering. The stunning result has just emerged from recent activity on the participant-only blog: A Community of Givers. Participants were asked to answer the question, "What do you want help with?" It wasn't too long after the answers came in on the blog (as comments) that I could see participants giving first before asking for anything. This one of the principles of Networking Naturally.

• Build Community: There are three primary tools for building community, Marketing, Networking, and Technology. In addition, communities are built around a central question, one that is expansive enough to keep everyone engaged for a long time. The central question for the community forming around the Networking Naturally Program is, "How do I network more naturally and more effectively at the same time?"  A great question to explore as there's no quick answer. Marketing this program has shown me the wide range of tools that are now available--from email announcements to my ezine list to talking about the program on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn, to postings on three blogs (all my own.) Networking has played a large part in getting the word out--via my connection to the Northwestern University Alumni Association. This is a relationship that started several years ago when I did a series of interviews with Northwestern alums for a Northwestern-sponsored career podcast. I'm learning that networking with groups that have a large distribution list can accelerate the path of a wisdom entrepreneur, by delivering a critical mass that becomes the core of the community. Technology has been the final piece of the puzzle, creating a sense of community from people coming together all over the world (literally!) to learn about networking. I set up a participant-only blog, thinking it was just a central repository for information. It's been that and more, one of the great success stories of the Networking Naturally Program. To give you a sense of the activity, in the first week alone, there were over 3000 hits on the blog. You can use Marketing, Networking, and Technolgy well and still not have a community. My colleague on A Bigger Voice, Ellen Ingraham, who served as the networking consultant during the pilot last year, has a been a wonderful partner in creating a culture of giving and role-modeling community-building skills. She's a natural at both.

• Sustain. Efforts are underway to look at how to sustain this Community of Givers, after the program ends on April 29. I purposely did not monetize as much as I could have from this first go-around on Networking Naturally Program, when community-building and giving back was really the intention. The fee for the public is $37 for all four teleseminars. 100% of the fee from those registering through Northwestern University (as a partner in marketing this program) is being donated back to Northwestern, to fund future career programs for alumni. Monetizing, to create sustainability, will come afterwards. 

There's still time to be join in--to get an inside view of community-building, as well as learn some valuable networking skills, and to connect with a community of givers. All sessions (MID-DAY and EVENING) are recorded and replays are available through May 31, 2009.  Go to www.naturalway2network.com to register.

Biggest Mistakes Made By New Twitter Users

Recently, I've gotten new followers who are just starting out on Twitter. After just a couple of months actively using Twitter, I can see things that newbies should know in order to get the most out of this tool. Here's my list of biggest mistakes made by new Twitter users: 

Photo by dpstyles.

1. Protecting your updates. Twitter  is about a conversation with many people, at the same time. If you wanted  a private conversation with only your friends, it's better to use something like Facebook. When you make your updates public, it opens up the possibility that someone like-minded will find you, just from what you are tweeting about.  BTW--I made this mistake. I was on Twitter for months with little or no activity. It wasn't until @iPatti advised me to make my updates public that I started to "become part of the stream" that makes Twitter so enticing and rich. Photo by AMagill.
2. Not following enough people. Another mistake I've made. I advise new Twitter users to follow at least 20 people right off the bat (more is preferable.) Why? Because given 20 people, you will see 20 distinct ways that individuals are using this robust tool. Observe and pick the best of what fits you. See my post, Observations of a New Twitter User, for a few of the many ways Twitter is used. Get enough of a sampling of what's possible. This will trigger ideas on how you want to use Twitter.
3. Not sticking with it long enough.  This relates to the previous item.  Follow 20 people for 10 days. Watch the stream, as it reveals the different dynamics, protocol, and styles of using Twitter. Without a big enough sampling, you are working in, heaven forbid, a Twitter vacuum. (Really is there such a thing? Yes, she says, nodding wisely. Been there.)
4. Intermittent use. Okay, this also relates to the previous two items. If you think you can dip your toe in the water and start to "get" Twitter, you'll go years (in Internet time, that is) with just a wet toe and nothing else. Toe-dipping doesn't work. I tried that one already. Go for the full-body immersion (a sort of online baptism, if you will) and you'll be swimming in the Twitter stream in no time. Photo by dboy.
5. Thinking it's a one-to-one conversation. Actually, you don't have to be a newbie to make this mistake. These are the people that have a long list of tweets that begin with "@" and something cryptic that obviously requires some context. In the really old days, this would have been like listening in on a party line (really, I'm not that old, I've just heard about them) and only hearing snippets of one side of the conversation.  You quickly lose interest. Twitter, at its best is inclusive, rather than exclusive.
6. No info about you. These are the people without a link in their profile to  provide additional background. There's usually a generic bio like, "Likes people and interested in making money on the Internet." Okay, not that bad but you get the idea. At that point, the only thing I have to discern who you are is your tweets, which likely are written with a big dose of self-consciousness when you are starting out. Think of it this way:  If someone walked up to you on the street with a bag over their head, would you want to talk to them?  'Nuf said. Photo by scragz.
7. Having a consumption mindset. I've seen profiles that show someone following say, 90 people, but very few tweets. You're only getting half the value of Twitter. Sure, I use Twitter as my personalized, virtual newspaper, too. But it's the interaction that makes Twitter fun. And different. And fascinating. Twitter is not just about consuming. It's about conversing and adding value to the stream.
8. Not thinking you have any original thoughts. Usually typified by limited  vocabulary that could be found in a typical teen's texting. (Hey, note that I said typical. There are always exceptions to the rule.) If you don't think you have anything original to say, that's exactly what will happen. Self-fulfilling prophecy.  Give your brain a stretch--be curious and notice your true reaction to things happening around you.  It won't be long before you have something interesting to say. Photo by aloshbennett

All of this is skewed to how I see Twitter at its most useful--as a way to build a community. Anything that inhibits or intervenes in the natural process of growing a community is something I want to be aware of.

For those who have been on Twitter for awhile, what would you add to this list?  What mistakes did you make that you can help others avoid? For those who are new to Twitter, what's still a mystery to you, that you just don't get?  I'm looking forward to your additions.

Where the Future Lies: Snapping Up Michelle Obama's Dress

I recently attended a presentation, via videoconference, by Christine Heckart, General Manager at Microsoft for their television division and most recently, their music division. She's a seasoned technologist with a big picture marketing bent and humility that is refreshing for someone in her position. (Slight tangent: Afterwards, I wondered if a man would ever display such humility, even an enlightened one. Would a man ever say he was new to a field, after studying and working in it for four years?)

The title of the talk was "The Future of Television and a Market Filled With Business Opportunities."

Key points from the talk:

• We spend an awful lot of time consuming entertainment (9 hrs/day vs. 7 hrs spent on sleeping.) Heckart didn't say this explicitly but it was implied that this will increase over time.
• The world is increasingly becoming digitized. Today, there are 300 million people watching online video. In 2012, it's predicted that 1 billion people will be watching online video. Television is the last electronic island in the home. I could relate to Heckart's story that she takes away screen time from her kids as punishment instead of television time. My kids think something is wrong with my husband and I when we limit screen time to under 20 hours per week. Photo by striatic.
• Media is increasingly being fragmented to more channels and choices. Even more intriguing is fragmentation of attention. Kids today multi-task with an iPod, video games, and chat all going on at the same time.
• Advertising has not caught up. The dollars going to advertising on television vs. online are disproportionate to the consumption. 7% of the ad spend is online, while 20% of the consumption is online. Fewer television viewers, yet advertising is still putting their money there.
• The ME-WE phenomena, fueled by social networking, adds personalization into the landscape. I'm going to tell you all about me so we can connect. 
• Convergence used to mean voice and data together. Now it means everything I need for communications and entertainment, seemlessly delivered. Television plus Internet, enriching each other, is part of the future. Heckart warns that our infrastructure isn't ready for that and thus, there's a business opportunity. Consumer video is the driver for a new eco-system. 
• Be prepared for a re-distribution of dollars. (Sound vaguely familiar?) Current players in the television market (e.g. cable and satellite) have both the worst and the best of starting points. They have a captive audience and everything to lose as the old pie shrinks and a new pie emerges.

Quotable quotes:

• "When the Internet "rolls" over your industry, it fundamentally changes it."
• "If you can make things simple, you can make a lot of money. If you can't make the complex simple, it's a niche market. Dumbing down is the whole point."

How this relates to the path of a wisdom entrepreneur:

• In a fragmented world, crystallizing your ideas becomes even more important.
• The interactive nature of today's younger generation will be pervasive in no time at all. The last bastion, television, is coming to grips with this.  Digital immigrants need to be prepared to incorporate that into their strategy of turning an idea into a movement.
• Technology and culture are reinforcing the idea of attracting your tribe, by promoting personalization and connection to those who resonate with you. Interestingly enough, Heckart was asked in the Q+A for one piece of career advice. She first said, "Have great mentors." And then she hit upon these words: "Pure raw leadership. Identify opportunities and do something about it, exciting people enough to follow you."  While she was referring to a business setting, I think it applies in a large sense. I immediately thought of Seth Godin's book, Tribes, and how the essence of leadership is creating a community of kindred spirits, a movement, that changes the world in some way.

Heckart ended her talk with a marketer and technologist's vision of the future that elicited a knowing smile from the audience.  Michelle Obama was on The View last year, a women's talk show on television, and wore a dress that captivated the viewers. Reportedly, within hours, the off-the -rack dress was sold out across the country.

Imagine if that same event took place and all that was needed was a click of the button to purchase and start delivery.  Now that's making the complex simple. 

Photo by AlexJohnson

Kim Dority, Part 4: Sustaining the Cause

Keeping in mind the mission is [to] disseminate information that helps people change their lives..., who can we work with that will allow us to move that ...mission forward?

--Kim Dority

This final part of my interview with Kim was the most illuminating part of our conversation (at least for me!) Kim talks about ways to generate revenue and stay true to your mission at the same time, the connection between accountability to the mission and being financially sustainable, and how ultimately, true financial viability is required to create change in the world.

This recording is about 12 minutes long.

Okay, one of the best quotes from Kim that I can't resist highlighting:

"Many non-profits are in the business of disseminating information...
Information is not free. If you are going to be a grown up about it, and be responsible for the long term success of being able to deliver that information, it's important... to have it be financially sustainable."

Beautifully articulated. My thanks to Kim for her wisdom and time. You can contact Kim via email, kdority [at] disaboom.com, LinkedIn, or Twitter (@gkimberly).

One final lesson. In these interviews, I feel privileged to connect with kindred spirits.  This is part of community-building. If you are a wisdom entrepreneur or starting down that path, spend time finding your kindred spirits. Help them to be more of who they are and it will create a stronger, more engaged community.

Kim Dority, Part 3: Using Social Media to Build Community

We're hoping to use the social media tools both to talk about what Disaboom is doing, but also to gather information from a broader community as well, which we can then understand, synthesize and make public. --Kim Dority

In this third part of the interview, Kim Dority talks about using social media to grow the Disaboom community even further, from its current base of 90,000 registered users. Listen for Kim's answer to the question of having an online community manager. It's a brilliant approach. This recording is about 6 minutes long.

Are you learning from these interviews as much as I am? I hope so.

In the fourth and final part of my interview with Kim, we talk about the Sustain phase of A Bigger Voice--revenue generation. Of any of the wisdom entrepreneurs who I have talked to so far, Kim has one of the most creative and pragmatic minds on how to do good and do well at the same time. But don't take my word for it. Stay tuned for Part 4, to be posted soon.