Status Update – 1.30.2015

Closing out the first month of the New Year. It’s off to a good start. I’ve made a few steps towards my goals for the year. Below are some updates on my progress.

Dreaming of Social Media Success – Thoughts from #Sreeattle 2015

"Can you make me Twitter-famous” or as referenced occasionally by the younger crowd “Instafamous?” I often hear this question from friends and some brands. The rise of social media platforms in the last few years has spawned the idea of instant validation and a podium to express point of views and beliefs. While there is a bit of validity to this idea, taking a step back and examining social media closer, the truth is much like other communication platforms – success doesn’t happen overnight and the “gurus” and “mavens” of the digital world often obtain their status after months if not years of dedicated cultivation and practice.

Last week I had the opportunity to listen to "Sleepless in Sreeattle - A Night of Social Media," a lecture hosted by UW Comm Lead at the Seattle Art Museum. The talk featured renowned social media expert Sree Sreenivasan, Chief Digital Officer at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and former professor at the Columbia School of Journalism. He’s been named one of AdAge's 25 media people to follow on Twitter and one of Poynter's 35 most influential people in social media. In his current role Sree oversees a team of 70 people on the digital side - video, apps, mobile, social, geolocation, web, data, e-mail, and more. Sree describes his current role as telling “a million stories about a million pieces of art to a billion people.”

The talk focused on how to get the best use out of time invested online and how to build more fans and followers and how to do so in a smart, strategic, and sustainable manner. As Sree joked near the beginning of the talk, the premise alone is enough to warrant a hefty conference fee type of price tag. Yet thanks to Hanson Hosein, Sree, SAM, and UW Comm Lead it cost less to attend than a drink at Starbucks.

Wide spread use of social media has created an interesting challenge, how do you get heard in the midst of all the shouting? Sree provided a powerful answer to the question, “Where everyone is a content generator, those who are trained will rise to the top.” Social media has created an unprecedented opportunity to be heard but it’s not as simple as turning on your smartphone and snapping a few pictures on Instagram or sending some tweets. To get to the expert level, consider Sree’s ABC and SAA rule: Always be collecting; share as appropriate.

An excellent example of sharing as appropriate arose early in the talk as we all paused for a moment of silence to open up the lecture in honor of those who lost their lives in the Charlie Hebdo shooting. This brief act of respect stemmed from Sree’s earlier pledge to temporarily stop tweeting and posting following the shooting. His intention was to do his part to reduce the amount of “noise” being produced that day and allow the truly important information to rise to the top. As he put very eloquently during the talk, “don’t promote yourself when the world is falling apart.”

It’s no secret but social media similar to a resume should always be up-to-date and reflect the best most current you. Relevant accomplishments or tasks even if temporary should be part of your digital footprint. For photographers this might mean highlighting one of your best photos or for writers it might be a link to your most recent post. This tip applies to all social networks but is particularly important for sites like LinkedIn or Twitter which are often used as a basis for your digital identity.

Whether it’s Anthony Weiner’s dick pic or the epic lewd tweet by US Airways. Social media provides users the power to engage with larger audiences but it can also be the gateway to trouble.

With this in mind, it’s important to be deliberate, strategic, and smart in all social media usage. Sree mentioned during the talk he spends 3 to 6 minutes composing his tweets. Why? “It’s the only thing that could potentially get him fired or divorced,” Sree joked.

Social media at times seems much removed from reality but as we’ve seen countless times since its invention, it has real world impact and consequences.

It’s tempting after signing-up for your first social network to jump atop the soap box and start spouting your perspective and point of view. Social media is powerful beyond its broadcasting capabilities however. One of the elements which has made social media such a unique medium in modern day is its ability to facilitate listening and create conversations. With this in mind it’s important to consider those on the other end of your bullhorn. Pausing for a second you’ll notice everyone all of a sudden has a bullhorn similar to yours, even if it’s spouting a point of view which deeply conflicts with your own.

Here lies the true challenge of becoming a social media “expert” or “guru,” it’s all tied to authenticity and people.

Often what’s common sense in real life is common sense on social media. Like the real world, social media has etiquette. Sree spent a good portion of his talk commenting on it and how it affects your performance online. One of his most salient tips, “don’t be an ask.”

Similar to how in real life, you can’t walk up to someone and just start asking for favors or requests. You can’t do it on social media either, despite the countless random LinkedIn invitation requests you might get that say "Since you are a person I trust, I wanted to invite you to join my network on LinkedIn.” To avoid being an “ask” on social media consider the following Sree tips:

• Don’t just cold call or ask for favors
• Build relationships with people online
• Reshare and Retweet (RT) other people’s content but also add value
• Don’t just promote yourself; be a pointer to other people’s content

Instead of being an “ask,” strive to be authentic and connect. As I’ve personally experienced, sometimes you can meet people who will transform your life and perspective. A few great folks I’ve met online include @bethevans, @seattletallpopp, @lukobe, @leah_motz.

Sometimes connecting for no particular reason is the best way to start and can lead to unlocking opportunities and conversations you never considered.

Ultimately social media is an exercise in being human and continuing to learn and grow from interactions with others. As someone who’s been active on social media for a number of years, it was refreshing to hear Sree share tips on how to succeed on digital platforms and most importantly for my point of view be a better communicator and person. So while it’s possible to become “Instafamous,” social media at its core is about so much more than being an internet celebrity, it gives people the power to connect, engage in meaningful dialogue, and create relationships outside of their immediate network.

Special thanks to UW Comm Lead, SAM, Hanson, and Sree for the presentation. Curated tweets from the presentation below along with a link to Sree’s presentation.

Sree's Slides

Status Update – 1.11.2015

Sticking to my New Year goal of blogging once a week. In the process of working on a longer more thoughtful post but here’s a quick one for now. Stay tuned for a more detailed post later this week. Below is what I’m up to currently.

2015 Goals

Here we go, 2015 is off and running! I’m continuing my tradition of sharing my goals for the New Year on my blog. Different from years past however, I’m revisiting a few past goals (about half) which I didn’t quite hit the mark OR pursued previously and enjoyed the outcomes.

As a co-worker once shared with me, goals are important to set perspective for the coming year. They help determine a general direction for your life. The alternative as they framed it is often much worse; wandering aimlessly without any sense of purpose or focus.

So here they are, below are my goals for 2015

• Blog once a week (returning goal)
• Run a half marathon (returning goal)
• Read a book once a month (returning goal)
• Take the GRE (returning goal)
• Create a new savings vehicle
• Spend more quality time with my dog Judo
• Develop and maintain a workout routine
• Learn basic JavaScript
• Improve my Spanish
• Invest more in personal relationships

What are your goals or plans for 2015?

[Photo Courtesy of Justin Mier]

Status Update – 4.19.14

Unexpectedly these last few weeks have been a little fast paced. I recently started a new contract role with NetHope, a nonprofit focused on increasing connectivity in the developing world and helping NGOs use technology smarter. At the same time a few volunteer projects came online. Juggling a few balls these days but I’m enjoying being fully active again. Hoping to share a longer post in the future about these changes.

Until then, below is a status update about what I’m currently working on.

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I'm...

Reading:

The Happiness Project

Things Fall Apart

Watching:

RuPaul’s Drag Race 

One Piece

Naruto Shippuden
Blue Exorcist

Learning:
Core components of InDesign at the School of Visual Concepts
How to wake-up again with an analog alarm clock
Personal fitness tips
Adobe Illustrator

Dreaming about:
Working remotely in Barcelona
Visiting New York’s Highline Park
Exploring San Francisco’s Fillmore District
Taking a vacation where I can see the stars

Attending:
Easter Festivities with family and friends
5th Annual Institute for Democratic Future Trivia Night
Frozen viewing party
A weekend cruise to Vancouver, Canada

Working on:
My fiancé visa (yes, it’s still going on almost a year later… very long process)
Annual report content for the Delridge Neighborhood Association
Programing for the Greater Seattle Business Association’s (GSBA) Young Professionals with Pride (YPP) event 
LinkedIn updates for SVP Fast Pitch
Increasing my upper body strength
Proactively reengaging with my network
Getting back into a personal blogging rhythm
A longer blog post…

[Photo Courtesy of nomadic_lass]

Favorite 2013 Making the Connections Blog Posts

After developing an irrational fear of hitting publish at the end of 2012, I challenged myself in 2013 to blog monthly. While I didn’t reach my initial goal of creating a new post every week I did hit publish multiple times a month – averaging about three  on Making the Connections and a few on my Tumblr blog. Working as a professional writer for various businesses over the past four years, it was a refreshing experience to explore personal topics once again and get back to my original passion – telling stories and exploring complex issues through writing.

In celebration of overcoming my fear of hitting publish, below are my favorites from 2013 (self-aggregated).

Enjoy!

2013 Favorites 

Growing Up in Coffee Shops

Searching for Better Content
Discovering Sparks of Brilliance
Obama II: Moving Forward
Sitting in on the Last Lecture
Boudin Blanc History and Recipe  
Which Way is the Gayborhood
Sunrise Reinvigorates the Calendar Management Process
Living the West Seattle Dream

Status Update – 12.15.13

Short post this week. I’m…

Learning:

New recipes

New exercise routines

Experimenting with:

Refresh

Vine videos

Instagram videos

Postmates

Code Academy  – Hour of Code

Playing

Pikmin 3

Watching:

Amazing Race

Mindy Project

Seahawk Games

Attending:

#SeaSocialMen

Brown and Down  

Family holiday events

Thinking about:New Year’s Eve

The year of 2013

Working on:

Becoming a better home chef

Refreshing joshuaholland.co

Constructing a “personal CRM”

Setting goals for 2014

Developing a steady daily rhythm

Improving Seattle Goodwill’s internal newsletter

Reinvigorating Seattle Goodwill’s social presence

A longer blog post…

Status Update – 10.28.13

Here’s a short post to round out this month. I’m…

Reading:

Red Herrings and Elephants

Comic-Con and the Business of Pop Culture

Learning:

New recipes

Basic fashion tips

Experimenting with:

Wunderlist

Duolingo

Mobile Day

Doodle MeetMe

Wrike

Playing:

Pokemon Y

Pikmin 3

The Wonderful 101

Watching:

Amazing Race

Mindy Project

Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown

Attending:

Navigating Grad School as a Working Professional

Seattle Goodwill’s Glitter Gala and Glitter Sale

Working on:

Becoming a better home chef

Refreshing joshuaholland.co

Planning a holiday escape

Visiting the dog park regularly again

Obtaining a personal CRM system

Starting a Delta Lambda Phi Local Alumni Association in Seattle

Hitting publish more regularly

A longer blog post…

[Photo courtesy of StevenW]

Status Update – 9.15.13

With summer coming to a close I thought it would be a good opportunity to use this entry to reflect on the past few months. A mixture of sunshine, personal events, and professional developments helped make this summer one of the best. Below is a list highlighting some of this summer’s big moments.

Back to the regular scheduled programing next week. Thanks for reading!

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Professional

• Secured three new clients –  Marx Foods, Tripcierge, and Seattle Goodwill
• Reconnected with my two mentors – Anne Tillery and J Paul Blake
• Ran “Let It Go” – a social media campaign for Seattle Goodwill
• Helped launch Tripcierge’s new travel app

Personal

• Little sister got married
• My fiancé came to visit
• Rediscovered my will power to go to the gym
• Said Goodbye to one of my good friends (he moved to Portland with his girlfriend)
• Watched a rendition of Hairspray
• Participated in my first Startup Weekend
• Discovered the joys of Colman Pool at Lincoln Park
• Alki beach party 

Status Update - 6.15.13

Quick and simple post.

I'm...

Reading:
Getting Real
American Savage
On Writing Well

Watching:
North America
Felt
Does Someone Have to Go
Dragon Ball Z Youtube Clips

Playing:
Pokémon Black 2
Sim City

Learning:
More effective ways to workout
Direct communication techniques 

Dreaming of:
A vacation to Barcelona
Financial stability

Working on:
Marx Foods social media support
Goodwill digital communication projects
Snapping more pictures
A longer blog post

[Photo courtesy of Flickr user stuartajc]

Status Update – 5.26.13

As a professional teetering in-between unemployment and part-time communications consulting, it’s easy to lose track of the big picture and forget to count accomplishments. This week I reached two important personal goals. I won my first independent new business pitch and launched joshuaholland.co. In honor of these milestones, this post is dedicated to a few of my key accomplishments since leaving Waggener Edstrom at the end of 2012.

Books Read
The Elements of Content Strategy
The Last Lecture
Time Traps
The Great Gatsby
The Four Hour Work Week
Storyteller Uprising

New Places Visited
San Juan Island
Los Cabos
Columbia Tower
North Ballard

Events Participated In 
SMC Social Media Club Seattle – What’s Hot in 2013
Ignite Seattle 19
Citizen University
Jumpstart 2013
Think & Drink: How Technology is Reshaping Community

Personal Goals Completed
Launched joshuaholland.co 
Secured my first piece of new business

Classes Taken
HTML and CSS Level 1
HTML and CSS Level 2
Project Management for the Web

[Photo courtesy of Flickr user katiedee]

Returning to the Hunt After a Week of Seattle Sunshine

Unemployment finally caught up with me last week. After a few months of adventures around Seattle and a number of freelance projects, I found myself with a rather empty schedule and inbox. At first I was thrilled by the thought. It seemed almost too perfect. My to-do list had run out of boxes to check just as the sunny spring weather arrived in Seattle.

In honor of the sun I kicked off my shoes, lost my shirt, and planted myself in the yard to catch some rays and finish a few good books. This sense of calm didn’t last long however. With my natural state being mobile and fluid, I quickly became uneasy with this stationary life style. It’s safe to say that I have a hard time relaxing.

Sun kissed and mentally refreshed, I’m returning to the hunting trail reenergized for a new round. Opportunities don’t come knocking after all. It’s more of a hunt. You need to be at the right place at the right time to make things happen.

A bit about what I’m looking for below.

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Digital Strategist and Storyteller Seeking Organization Interested in Digital Media and Collaboration

Smart and versatile communications professional with a passion for cultivating authentic relationships and stories for brands. I’m industrious, eager to learn, and filled with optimism.

I have over three years of experience helping organizations communicate effectively via traditional and new media. I love cuisine, travel, technology, trains, and urban environments. For a complete download about my history visit my resume here

I’m looking to create a long lasting relationship with an organization that has similar values and interests. If interested, please feel free to ping me on twitter at @jholland218.

[Photo Courtesy of waggingtales]

Status Update - 3.24.13

Last week flew by thanks to a mix of time spent helping Citizen University with digital media support, attempting to build a "perfect" city on Sim City, and working on Jumpstart. I always fail at staying idle for extended periods of time. My gears are turning again. Short post this week about what I’m up to. Completed...

Social media support for Citizen University
HTML and CSS Level 2 class at SVC
My first independent new business pitch Started...
Creating to-do lists with Evernote focused on big tasks for the day
Using Foursquare to search for new experiences in the real world
Managing my calendar with Sunrise
Storing documents in the cloud using Dropbox
Exploring the world of digital payment with LevelUp and Square Wallet
Attempting to build the “perfect” city on Sim City
Learning more about content strategy
Discovering recipes via Pinterest
Reengaging with Google+

[Photo courtesy of Flickr user Schnitzel]

Status Update - 2.17.13

Short post this week.


I'm...

Reading:
The Great Gatsby
The 4-Hour Workweek
The Elements of Content Strategy

Watching:
The New Normal
The Mindy Project
RuPaul's Drag Race
Amazing Race
1600 Penn

Playing:
Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

Learning:
HTML and CSS
Content strategy
Productivity tips
Life coaching and mentoring skills

Working On:
A personal website
Jumpstart 2013
Arranging coffee with "strangers" for info interviews
My next opportunity
An application for the Seattle Planning Commission
Running more often
A longer blog post

[Photo courtesy of Flickr user Frank Peters]