by Annie Jackson | Jan 13, 2015 | General
Finding the courage to embrace change and take chances is the only way to succeed. We’ve asked some of our favorite industry power players and business innovators to share stories of how #MakingChange worked for them, as it relates to the ’10 Rules to Future-Proof yourself, fearlessly innovate, and succeed despite uncertainty’. Rule #2: Make Fear Your Friend – Featuring Jason Falls, SVP for Digital Strategy at Elasticity How did you get where you are today, and what tips would you give to people hoping to follow in your footsteps? Jason Falls: I spent 18 years in sports journalism and PR for college athletics, at small colleges like Georgetown and Birmingham-Southern University. Most had a relatively small budget and few staff, but I was expected to produce big results; very quickly I learned how to leverage technology and the web in creative ways to make that happen. When I jumped from sports to more mainstream PR, my agency wasn’t interested in social networks. At the time, no one knew what I was talking about, but they were smart enough to let me explore these areas with clients. One thing led to another, and soon I was promoted to VP and Director of Interactive and began speaking around the country about social marketing. My background in earned media has been key, because I know how to conduct outreach, pitch a story, and write compelling content. That’s part of strong social media marketing. If you’re interested in a career in digital marketing, here’s my advice: Learn to write. Study consumers. Learn to love data and find insights from it. That will put you on a pretty solid path. Q: What...
by Annie Jackson | Jan 8, 2015 | General
Finding the courage to embrace change and take chances is the only way to succeed. We’ve asked some of our favorite industry power players and business innovators to share stories of how #MakingChange worked for them, as it relates to the ’10 Rules to Future-Proof yourself, Fearlessly Innovate, and Succeed Despite Uncertainty,’ rolling out one new rule each week. Rule #1 Be Courageous with Mari Smith – Social Media Thought Leader, Premier Facebook Marketing Expert Question: How did you come to be to be a social media expert? What qualified you? Mari Smith: I am very much self-taught and I’ve always been tech savvy. I’ve always had a strong technical aptitude but I’m also very much an extrovert and a people person. Social media landed in my lap when I joined Facebook in 2007 and I fell in love with the platform. Prior to that, I’ve pretty much been an employee and then I got bitten by the entrepreneur bug and started email lists called “Parties and Events in San Diego.” People would sign up to find out the latest events. My email lists kept evolving from the mid-90s. I could never really get into MySpace. When I pulled up the Facebook site, I figured out it was such a great networking tool and I’m chit chatting with authors whose books I have on my shelves. Because I was so passionate about Facebook and because I understood it, the etiquette of it, people started asking me to teach them how to really use the site. The following grew from there. Q: How much is failure a part of your success? I’m...
by Annie Jackson | Jan 7, 2015 | General
Finding the courage to embrace change and take chances is the only way to succeed. We’ve asked some of our favorite industry power players and business innovators to share stories of how #MakingChange worked for them, as it relates to the ’10 Rules to Future-Proof yourself, Fearlessly Innovate, and Succeed Despite Uncertainty,’ rolling out one new rule each week. Rule #1 Be Courageous with Sara Zucker – Social Media Expert + Blogger Question: Give us a quick bio on your role. How did you get where you are today and what tips would you give others hoping to follow in your footsteps? Sara Zucker: I currently lead the social media team at Glossier and Into the Gloss. Previously a digital media manager at NARS Cosmetics with a Masters degree in Library Science and Archival Studies from Queens College, my ultimate hope is to be a forerunner in the beauty industry, digitally. If you’re looking to do the same, the first step is to engross yourself in the world of social and digital media and think about it strategically (“What does this activation mean for the industry as a whole?” “How will it change the way consumers see beauty?” etc). I wonder about the creation of a lipstick — its name, its formula, how it alters the way women think about themselves — each time I swipe it on in the morning. Q: What does being courageous in life and business mean to you? What are some of the biggest concerns and fears you’ve faced and how have you overcome them? SZ: There is no harm in trying something and having it not meet your expectations. You tried it!...
by Annie Jackson | Jan 6, 2015 | General
Finding the courage to embrace change and take chances is the only way to succeed. We’ve asked some of our favorite industry power players and business innovators to share stories of how #MakingChange worked for them, as it relates to the ’10 Rules to Future-Proof yourself, Fearlessly Innovate, and Succeed Despite Uncertainty,’ rolling out one new rule each week. Rule #1 Be Courageous with Chris Brogan – CEO, Owner Media Group Question: Why is it more important today than ever before to stand out as a business, individual or organization? And is it really playing it safe not to do so given the rate of change and level of competition out there today? Chris Brogan: There’s just so much “me too” going on in business. I was speaking with Nolan Bushnell, co-founder of Atari and the guy who gave Steve Jobs his first (and only) job, and he said that the amount of “same as” thinking that he sees as an investor and advisor is just depressing. We’ve decided that creativity is too risky. If that’s the climate, and if the people trying to make their business stand out are doing that at the core of their business, then being seen will be harder than ever. Q: What does it mean to be brave in your opinion? And does it happen overnight or is it in fact a process of training and self-discipline that builds over time, i.e. through small simple action steps and habit-forming routines? CB: Bravery is a process, a muscle, a verb. It requires action. To be brave, one must work daily on their confidence, their self-acceptance, their ability...
