Wednesday, December 15, 2010

@cspenn with Search Tips for Jobs

Chris Penn shares some interesting Linkedin via Google tips for connection hunters. After all, Google is still the ultimate mega search tool. Thanks @cspenn.

Amplify’d from cl.publicaster.com
Turn images on or this newsletter will look far less interesting. You also won't see the boobies.

Here's a hunting tip for prospecting who might be in a position to hire you. Use LinkedIn... via Google. First figure out who would likely be hiring you. Let's say, for example, it's the Marketing Director. LinkedIn has special phrases like the geographic areas ("Greater Boston Area") and industry categories ("Marketing and Advertising").Plug this query into Google:

The "contact settings" phrase, by the way, is a phrase that only appears on profiles, not other pages. Voila! Instant list of marketing directors in the Greater Boston area that you can reach out to. Once you find a likely prospect or candidate to reach out to, do your homework. Here's an example, someone named Toni at a company called Wedu. Their domain name is wedu.com. Go back to the Google and ask it:

What do we see? They use first name and domain name in their corporate email system. It's not too much of a stretch, then, to figure out that we should contact toni@wedu.com to ask if they've got any positions open or coming open soon.

Now, it's very easy to abuse this technique for lesser purposes, like selling your crap. Don't do it. I don't condone mindless spamming, but as I say in my presentations about job hunting, if the choice is putting food on the table for my family or inconveniencing someone momentarily with an honest job inquiry, your inbox is getting mail. I'd imagine a good number of you feel the same way. Use this technique responsibly.

Those of you who have been connected with me for more than 5 minutes know that I work for Blue Sky Factory, an amazing email marketing company in Baltimore. What you probably don't know is what the company can do for you. Take a few minutes to explore this self-paced video tour (it's worth watching just to see how the navigation of a tour can work) and see if I can lend you my expertise as well as the expertise of dozens of my very smart colleagues for your email marketing efforts.

There's been a rash of neat and useful tools lately, and I mean that in a good way, not in a "requires anti-fungal cream" way. Here's a couple I think are worth your time.

  • Got a business that wants to make printable coupons? Check out the Wordpress Printable Coupon addon. It requires a business PayPal account but is otherwise seamless.
Read more at cl.publicaster.com
 

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Seth's Unreasonable Blog Post

As usual, Godin states my case. My words to describe this post only muddy the message... read on.

Amplify’d from sethgodin.typepad.com

Unreasonable


The paradox of an instant, worldwide, connected marketplace for all goods and services:


All that succeeds is the unreasonable.


You can get my attention if your product is unreasonably well designed, if your preparation is unreasonably over the top, if your customer service is unreasonably attentive and generous and honest. You can earn my business or my recommendation if the build quality is unreasonable for the intended use, if the pricing is unreasonably low or if the experience is unreasonably over-the-top irresistible given the competition.


Want to get into a famous college? You'll need to have unreasonably high grades, impossibly positive recommendations and yes, a life that's balanced. That's totally unreasonable.


The market now expects and demands an unreasonable effort and investment on your part. You don't have to like it for it to be true.


In fact, unreasonable is the new reasonable.


Read more at sethgodin.typepad.com
 

Friday, November 19, 2010

Private School in Danger of Closing

Yesterday, Fox 26 News aired the story of Houston's Holy Trinity Episcopal's imminent closing. Today, Chris Schoettelkotte, a proud parent and supporter pleads with the community and asks for a miracle. Read more and watch the video below. If you can help, or know someone who can, please contact Chris by emailing him: his first name at Manhattan Resources dot com.

Amplify’d from www.myfoxhouston.com



Private School Hoping 'Hero' will Halt Closure

HOUSTON - It is the only school most have ever known or wanted to know.

News of Holy Trinity Episcopal's imminent closing struck hard among students and genuine grief was quick to follow.

From its beginning 11 years ago, Holy Trinity Episcopal sought and fully achieved the highest academic standard. What the private K-through-12 school on the edge of Humble could not do was accumulate the kind of endowment that could cushion the institution from treacherous economic times.

"Private schools get no tax support what so ever and tuition only covers about 60 percent of the cost of running a school. The rest of it, they rely on giving," said Holy Trinity parent and volunteer basketball coach Chris Schoettelkotte.

As news of the closure spread after the final bell, 6th grader Heather Black approached school founder Father James Abernathy and tearfully handed him money for her school. It amounted to $12 and some change.

Many at Holy Trinity are praying a generous "angel" will step forward and give their school and all it stands for new life.

"We need someone to step up and help us," says Schoettelkotte.

On the Web: http://www.holytrinityeschool.org/

Read more at www.myfoxhouston.com
 

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Vote Now: @startupbattle

And the votes begin for the biggest battle of startups since sliced bread, hosted by @startupweekend organizers across the country! Watch the videos from their weekends and place your vote! Hurry, voting ends Wednesday, that's tomorrow!


Monday, November 15, 2010

Integrated Marketing Communications

The future of marketing is not a series of "pulling strings", it is the art of pulling them all at once, then watching the domino effect fall into place. Today, technology affordability gives every company the ability to create, manage, and sustain incredible campaigns using the talent they have. One personal recommendation is developing short-films (4 or 7 minutes) with the talent already on staff. How might this be accomplished? Very simply, a few believers, a few good writers, and a film-media junkie....


Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Amplify - Get the Bookmarklet


1st collector for Amplify - Get the Bookmarklet
Follow my videos on vodpod

I like Ampllify.

How does your kid's school rank?

This is a cool site to see how your district's schools compare against other schools, in district and out. I was pleased with our 98% passing rate and above 90% graduating rate, compared with others in the Houston area. The scoring system is of course based on standardized pass/fail rates. Have fun!

NBC Education Nation

The Education Nation Scorecard allows families to navigate the education system by providing useful, easily understandable information about performance at individual schools, as well as in districts, states, and the nation as a whole.




Search for your school here






Enter a school name, or a location


e.g. Lincoln Elementary OR New York, NY OR 02144



Search for your school here




Read more at nbcscorecard.greatschools.org
 

Stoked about @swbattle!

My take is that anything the organizers of @startupweekend do will rock!

Amplify’d from globalstartupbattle.com

Global Startup Battle Rocks

The greatest thing since sliced bread has finally arrived. Launching on Oct. 20th, 2010!






Read more at globalstartupbattle.com
 

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

@startupweekend Secures Grant from Kauffman Foundation

Awesome news!This is the best news in technology, new media and entrepreneurship combined! These guys, Marc, Clint and all the @startupweekend organizers gain recognition and some financial backing. Congrats Everyone! @marcnager @clintnelson!

Amplify’d from www.kauffman.org

Kauffman Foundation Partners with Startup Weekend to Help Educate Entrepreneurs

Contacts:

Lacey Graverson, Kauffman Foundation, 816-932-1116, lgraverson@kauffman.org

Marc Nager, Startup Weekend, 206-661-0419, marc@startupweekend.org

Grant to expand organization's successful model

(KANSAS CITY, Mo.) Sept. 29, 2010—The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation today announced a grant to Startup Weekend, a nonprofit organization focused on educating entrepreneurs through community building, innovation and education. The Kauffman grant supports the development and expansion of the Startup Weekend platform, which hosts 54-hour events that educate aspiring entrepreneurs by immersing them in the process of moving an idea to market.

To date, Startup Weekend has helped educate more than 17,000 entrepreneurs at over 120 events worldwide, and has facilitated the launch of over 560 new startup ventures around the globe. Startup Weekend is a signature event during Global Entrepreneurship Week, Nov. 15-21, 2010, a Kauffman Foundation-founded initiative that annually introduces millions of young people around the world to entrepreneurship.

See more at www.kauffman.org
 

Thursday, August 26, 2010

White Lies: A personality protector?

Why DO people make up little white lies? In my opinion, truth hurts and if you are truthful 100% of the time, chances are you will not be liked by everyone. Do we have a personality protection syndrome going on, or is it out of compassion for the other person's IQ that we make them feel stupid?

Amplify’d from sethgodin.typepad.com

Little lies and small promises


"I'll be out of bed in five minutes," is not a true statement because it's a promise not meant to be kept. It actually means, "go away, I'm sleeping, I'll say what I need to get rid of you."

"Your call is very important to us," is not a true statement either. The truth is self-evident.

"I promise I'll tell the manager about this," is of course not a real promise either. It might be uttered with good intent, or might be designed to get an annoying customer to go away, but still...

You can already guess the problem with little lies. They blur the line, and they lead (pretty quickly) to big lies. The worst kind of little lies are the ones you make to yourself. Once you're willing to lie to yourself, you're also willing to cheat at golf, and after that, it's all downhill.

Companies that refuse to break small promises have a much easier time keeping big promises. And they earn a reputation, one that makes their handshake worth more.

Given that expectation and trust are just about all we have left to sell, it seems to me that little lies and small promises are at the very heart of the matter. And they're a simple choice, nothing requiring an MBA or a spreadsheet.

It all depends on what you want to stand for.


Read more at sethgodin.typepad.com
 

@sxsw Panel with @ericaogrady & @sloaneberrent

Why aren't we more adventurous?

Amplify’d from panelpicker.sxsw.com


Why Geeks Make Exceptional Rule Breakers


Sloane Berrent,
Answer With Action

Geeks are incredible people! The break all the rules to create amazing opportunities and to show you how, we're writing a book about it and previewing our themes here at SXSW. We've been chronicling the journey of geeks around the country and will share their tips and tricks for breaking the rules, getting away with it, changing their perspective and sometimes changing the world in the process.



  1. How to change your life in 18 months or less.


  2. What sets geeks apart from the rest of the world.


  3. Why it's better to ask for forgiveness than permission.


  4. What sets entrepreneurs apart from the crowd, and how do you become one of those people.


  5. What specific technology tools you can use to help make this happen.



Goals, inspiration, Risk
Read more at panelpicker.sxsw.com
 

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Super Props to @startupweekend: @foodspotting gets funded.

I'm thinking a celebration in Hawaii is in order for @startupweekend. Companies born out of these 3 day weekends are becoming more and more frequent. All the more reason entrepreneurs really will take over the world!

Amplify’d from techcrunch.com
techcrunch logo

People love taking pictures of food. It’s just a fact of life. Don’t even bother arguing about it. It’s just the way it is. Case in point: Foodspotting, the service which asks you to take pictures of your food to share with others. People love this service. Since its initial launch in January 2010 (we first covered it in March), people around the world have “spotted” just about 100,000 different pieces of food.

And now a group of investors have decided to put their money where their mouths are — almost literally. Foodspotting has just secured a new $750,000 seed round of funding. The round was led by Aydin Senkut’s Felicis Ventures and anchored by Dave McClure’s 500 Startups, Shana Fisher’s High Line Venture Partners, Zelkova Ventures, and 2020 Ventures.

Other individual angels include Dave Morin (of Path), Steve Lee (product manager of Google Latitude), Derek Dukes (of Dipity), and Dan Martell (of Flowtown — which also got some funding this morning).

Read more at techcrunch.com
 

How can I use @facebooklive with @ustream? http://amplify.com/u/970g

Facebook Live on Facebook

Oh, wow! I called it. Unbelievable.


Wednesday, February 17, 2010

#patienceahonui Mom Song

Patience and his Mom Song.




more about "#patienceahonui Mom Song", posted with vodpod

Friday, January 22, 2010

Hawaii Startup Weekend

Coming to Poipu, HI March 12-14, Adventure with Us.

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Hawaii Startup Weekend

We're hosting Startup Weekend in sunny Poipu!!
Visit: http://hawaii.startupweekend.org




more about "Hawaii Startup Weekend", posted with vodpod

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

What day is Today? « Adventure Campaigns

 Aloha Ya'll, we're hiking up the trails and meeting all kinds of people on the island of Kaua'i.  This is how business gets done on the island. We adventure together and help one another support business.  Life is good. 


http://www.youtube.com/watch

What day is Today? « Adventure Campaigns

Adventuring the island with guest, John was an incredible networking experience, filled with exercise and great views, conversation and more!




more about "What day is Today? « Adventure Campaigns", posted with vodpod

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Two Days and Counting « Adventure Campaigns

Is there really a difference between work and play? Not really.  When music, business, the ocean and people come together we experience life.  We were in our wetsuits, ready for snorkeling before Steve came through the door.  Just before we recorded this live session, Nick grabbed his guitar and decided to play with Steve, completely off the cuff.  Aloha isn't planned, this was completely unrehearsed and is just one of the ways Kaua'i operates.  Days aren't planned by a schedule. Stay tuned.


We'll bring more of Steve each Sunday during "Sashimi Sunday's" on Kaua'i. Check out the site for more info coming soon. http://poipuinn.com/media

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Kaua'i, The Adventure Island

Aloha from Kaua'i - the Garden Island. 


Have you ever the desire to Standup Paddleboard? My friend on the island of Kauai teaches and sells these really cool gadgets! Cliff is a pro surfer and owner of "The Surf Shack" - perfect for 8-10 person weekly retreats (7 days packed with adventure at sea level) My other friend owns a B & B - perfect for couples and singles interested in a South Shore experience, in Poipu. He specializes in the underwater tours of the sea and sailing adventures.  


I'll be spending time @poipuinn for the next few months developing a mobile (for your iPhone)-reality show soon, so stay posted on our adventures! First up, Scuba Certified, then Sailing Lessons with island native, JD!


 

Monday, January 4, 2010

Stay, Kaua'i Style

 Kaua'i is Ohana.  A family.  People have a saying "The island will take care of you".  Seeing, for some, is believing.  I realized it while watching the mountains come alive with each stroke of sunshine after a rain while on the Hanalei Bay Pier. Really, it all depends on what you want out of your Kauaian experience.  There are two options, well three, really.  Air (we're working on partnerships now for this experience) Ground & Sea Level and Underwater/Deep Ocean ExperiencesGround & @sealevel


Cliff, the professional surf instructor helps guests become acquainted with the islands in Kapa'a (The Center of Kaua'i).  The "Surf Shack" is perfectly suited for weekly stays of groups up to 10.  This summer is an awesome time to enjoy island life with Cliff, surfing, paddleboarding, hiking, out on the town and many more awesome memorable experiences with Cliff and the group. All meals are included for a really great price! Check out his site. Stay tuned for some live videos and on-location tours from The Surf Shack!Facebook Group


Underwater & Deep Ocean


Kaua'i is known for the lush gardens, but the sea life is incredible.  Situated on the South Shore of the island in Poipu, owner of Poipu Inn Nic Ballow, helps his guests experience the freedom of the ocean through scuba diving and yacht trips. The Poipu Adventure Inn, Bed & Breakfast houses 3 quaint rooms and bungalo for longer stays. Island breakfast is served each morning, with evening entertainment most nights.  His guests experience the island with an island native, JD, an experience of its own.  Stay tuned for a new Adventure Reality Series coming this month.


Air Adventure - Coming Soon! ( Kiteboarding, Helicopter Adventures, Sky diving and more)


Until then, if you're planning a vacation or a get-a-way, a location for filming or an out of this world experience, there's two options. Each different, but sharing the same Aloha of the island.


 

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