The Chronicles of Kellyn

What's your brand?

2009-11-21T22:32:00.003-05:00

Much of my thought lately has been devoted to personal branding and not long ago I came upon this quote:

"Your brand isn’t what YOU say it is, it’s what GOOGLE says it is…"
- C. Anderson

I believe this statement is full of truth. So, what does Google have to say about me?

Google says:
- I have an Amazon profile, which is interesting because I don't use amazon often
- I have a LinkedIn profile
- I have a Facebook profile
- I have a Twitter account
- I'm a twenty-something blogger (on ning, and I'm not a member of this social network any longer)

Page 2 of the Google results finally suggests that I WRITE a blog and I contribute to ShinyDoor, now THESE are some of the things I want people to know about me...

Building a personal brand is, as I'm learning, a slow process and an important combination of consistent focus and genuine personality. So, what do I WANT Google to say about me...I'm working on it...working on creating more substantial content that defines who I am personally and professionally, working on focusing my goals and working on genuinely connecting with my communities on and offline. Hopefully, out of this, Google will get to know me better and have more to say about my work in social media and communications and will learn that I'm passionate about genuine relationships. I hope that's what Google will say about my brand!

What does Google say YOUR brand is? Does Google tell your story the way you do? How would you tell it differently? I'd LOVE to hear, really!

Life Lessons One Year Later

2009-11-09T19:19:00.004-05:00

It wasn't long ago that I shared with you about my getting a job; well, that was a temporary position. More recently, I've gotten a permanent, full-time position with a Fortune 500 company here in Columbus (I'm sure you can make a few educated guesses, or just ask me!), and let me tell you, my parents are "over-the-moon" about it (so am I of course!)!

If we venture back, you'll remember that I was laid-off a YEAR ago, on election day. It has been one heck of a long year for me and I've learned some invaluable lessons along the way...

I've learned that what you know isn't really that important, it's WHO you know. With that, I've learned that my network is "tiny" (although, I have been working hard at getting out there more to meet and connect with influential people in the industry) and I still have a lot of work to do in the "networking" department!

I've learned that I need to take risks and I NEED to believe in myself, because if I don't, no one else will.

I've learned about persistence, which until this past year, I'd never experienced in such a trying manner; persistence is a NECESSARY character trait. I've learned that when you feel like giving up, you've got to dig deep and give more.

Lastly, I've learned that people are essential, essential to the mental, physical, financial, emotional and spiritual health of your being. I could NOT have survived this past year without the help of my family and dear friends, to all of whom, I am so grateful, for their undying love and support, which I hope to someday repay.

As I move forward and get settled into my new career, I will mention that my current job is NOT what I ever imagined myself doing, and I expect there to be great opportunities that come from the path I'm on, although not a path I would've foreseen.

I'm excited to share with you where it takes me. Thank YOU for journeying with me through it all!

Social Networking

2009-10-16T13:57:00.002-04:00

A few topics we frequently discuss at work...

What is social networking?

Does it have to be online or can it take place elsewhere; can having drinks with friends be considered social networking?

Networking IS social, right? So, why do we call it "social" networking, is "social" supposed to mean "online" in this case?

Just a few discussions we frequently dance around at work. I'd LOVE to hear your thoughts!

3C's For Change

2009-10-12T19:45:00.010-04:00

If you're from "Buckeye Country" you've probably visited the "3 C's;" I mean c'mon, what IS "Buckeye Country" without 'em: Cincinnati, Cleveland and Columbus. There's recently been talk of building a passenger rail between the "3 C's," FINALLY a quick, easy, affordable answer to traveling within Ohio (not to mention, pretty trendy! similar to Chicago's L or New York's Subway).

Why am I taking time away from social media, communications and my personal life lessons to educate you on the goings-on in Ohio transit? It's all for Blog Action Day '09. If you're not familiar, Blog Action Day "is an annual event that unites the world's bloggers in posting about the same issue on the same day." The goal: "to raise awareness and trigger a global discussion." This year's theme is dedicated to Climate Change, surely a hot topic for a few years now (no pun intended).

The 3C rail could be a great way for Ohioans to travel more "greenly." According to local blog, Xing Columbus, and a recent Amtrak study on the 3C project, an estimated 478,000 passengers would ride annually between Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus and Dayton (although not a "C," Dayton could be an included stop along the route), growing to 600,000 passengers in the first 5 years.

The project may come with a hefty price tag but will bring in an estimated $12 million each year in ticket sales revenue (sounds like more jobs AND more money for the great state of Ohio! Yes please!).

Now that you're educated, what does the 3C rail have to do with Blog Action Day? Well, of course...

Public transportation is a GREAT way to positively affect global warming; we reduce the number of cars on the road and in turn reduce carbon emissions (and accidents!) and our state's carbon footprint. Maybe now, Ohioans will be bleed Scarlet, Gray AND Green with the addition of the 3C passenger rail.

What do you think, would you ride the 3C rail? How often? If not, are there other ways that you're trying to reduce your own carbon footprint? I'd love to hear about it!

OneWebDay: Free the Web!

2009-09-21T13:39:00.003-04:00

For the past couple of months I've had the privilege of working with some outstanding people in new media, experts who work for companies such as Microsoft, Broadbandcensus.com, NetSquared and more, some of them international. All this for digital inclusion.

What is digital inclusion you may ask? Well, it's the theme of this year's (4th annual) OneWebDay, celebrated every September 22 (that's tomorrow! make sure to celebrate!). Similar to Earth Day, OneWebDay seeks to educate individuals on the value and importance of the internet for positive change and this year, hopes to make the Web available for all persons regardless of race, religion, gender, social status or country of origin; One Web. For All.

More than 50 cities worldwide have local events planned, including Columbus. Sponsored by Free Geek, OneWebDay Columbus offers networking, seminars and technology reburishment and recycling; if you have old computers and technology equipment that you don't know what to do with, this is your chance to recycle it or donate it to those in need!

To find out more about OneWebDay visit http://onewebday.org. Not sure how you can help? Sign the pledge to free the internet and end the digital divide, let's work together to educate and offer One Web. For All.

Social Media Goes Farming

2009-07-31T12:48:00.002-04:00

Twittering from the farm? I know, it's not the first place you think of for up-to-the-minute technology and new media, but you'll be surprised by this...just a little something I've (we've) been working on over at ShinyDoor. Take a peek, and let me (us) know what you think!

So much time and so little to do...

2009-07-18T12:45:00.000-04:00

My mind is swirling with blog post ideas, believe me. "So much time and so little to do. Wait a minute. Strike that. Reverse it." (Willy Wonka in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory)

Where to begin? My new job has been keeping me busy, in and out of the office; I get to travel a lot and be outside for this job! I've had the opportunity to work on some awesome projects and prepare for a BIG TIME event coming up at the end of July. Additionally, we're in the beginning stages of implementing some social media components into what we do; it is proving to be a slow process. There are still a number of adults from an older generation who are a bit slow on the uptake and a little leery of the presence of social media in our culture (this is a blog post I hope to expand on very soon!).

Did you know that social media has gone rural? Well, of course, it's EVERYWHERE! I recently had the opportunity to talk with a number of farming and agriculture pros about their use of social media and how it's helping their industry and community. Can't wait to share their insight with you!

Stay tuned for these upcoming topics...and, in the meantime I'd LOVE to hear about what you're learning; I'm always excited to soak up new knowledge!

Success!

2009-07-01T16:27:00.000-04:00

News flash: I got a JOB! The company and position will remain anonymous, but I promise to keep you updated on what I'm learning and how I'm faring!

Lastly, HAPPY 4TH! A favorite holiday of mine, I hope you enjoy it as much as I know I will! And, remember to give thanks for our independence and for those who have served our country since its birth!

Take me out to the ball game...(sing it!)

2009-07-01T16:02:00.001-04:00

Recently, I attended my first meeting as an official member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). About 75 PR professionals in Central Ohio gathered at the beautiful, new Huntington Park, to hear president of the International League, Randy Mobley, speak about Triple A baseball and sports marketing. We feasted on ballpark favorites and soaked in the atmosphere we knew so well as children. After meeting a number of professionals and hearing an insightful presentation regarding the history of Triple A baseball and how its marketing has changed over the years, we threw open the big garage doors and watched as the first pitch was thrown. What a great way to spend an afternoon networking and growing professionally!

Later that day...

I attended an event presented by the Columbus Chamber of Commerce entitled "Getting Results with Social Media." Again, I admit, I was star struck by the pool of stellar presenters. Each case study was so different from the next, and all of them were so clever and effective. You too, can see their knock-out presentations here. Enjoy!

Star struck.

2009-07-01T15:29:00.000-04:00

As promised, I mentioned I would share my Wednesday with you; although that Wednesday was two weeks ago, I believe it's still worth mentioning...

As you know, I'm working for ShinyDoor on a number of social media projects. I attended my first team meeting two Wednesdays ago and friends, let me tell you, I have the privilege of working with some of the brightest minds in social media! I just cannot explain how excited I am to work side-by-side with these people and to soak up their knowledge, experience and expertise. I must say, I'm a bit star struck! Please, see for yourself, I know you too, will be impressed!

Time flies...

2009-06-22T16:53:00.000-04:00

Wow! Has it really been a week since you've heard from me (I have been meaning to write!)? I've had so much going on that I can't wait to share with you! Here we go...

As a college student, I interned at The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and got my hands dirty doing fundraising and development (Which is HARD work people! Kudos to those of you who work tirelessly raising funds for deserving causes!), athletic marketing and community engagement (Note: Not-for-profit work allows you to gain wonderful experience doing a variety different things because there is so much work to be done!). So, with my experience in development it was suggested to me that I lend a hand to the PRSA development committee (you remember, I recently joined PRSA in an effort to do some serious networking!) and start to build relationships with committee members and companies in Central Ohio. Tuesday morning, bright and EARLY, I met with the new development team and needless to say, I'm excited to work with them and to become a more active PRSA member!

Later that day...

I met with a few ShinyDoor team members at Qwirk in German Village (If you don't know about coworking in Columbus, educate yourself. It's awesome!). Together, we spent a few hours discussing the ins and outs of a Drupal site (which I'm still learning), prioritizing tasks and simply "co"working on a number of different projects.

Mostly, I'm still doing a lot of my work on ShinyDoor's newest project, which I mentioned was quite "delicious." You may be wondering why I chose to describe this project as "delicious," well, I've been reading a lot of articles regarding social media and have needed some kind of way save them: enter social bookmarking. Delicious is "the world's leading social bookmarking service" and it has made my job a million times easier! If you're an online news junkie or just love to read articles about anything then you must sign-up for delicious; just tag the article to your account and bam, you'll have it forever! Genius! Why didn't I come up with that?

To sum up, I met some fantastic, dedicated professionals in PR and social media, I learned how to navigate a Drupal site and I mastered a new online tool, social bookmarking. Friends, that was just Tuesday, stay tuned for Wednesday!

The start-up company: a different kind of animal.

2009-06-15T17:36:00.000-04:00

Last week was my first, on the job, at ShinyDoor.com. I met with Angela Siefer (you remember her), and for the first time, Anna Young, new vice chancellor and "information junkie" at ShinyDoor. We gathered at Columbus' ecclectic, culinary gem, the North Market. Eager to jump-in and learn about my first assignment, I arrived with pen and paper in hand ready to take notes and ask lots of (read: smart) questions.

Well, jump-in I did! I was quickly, and I mean quickly, brought up to speed on one of ShinyDoor's most recent projects. Having no previous knowledge of the project I found myself a little behind. I took notes and listened intently, in fact, at that point, I didn't even know what questions to ask. I knew I had a lot of work to do, so I headed right home to get online and find all the nooks and crannies of the site and how to use the tools as an "administrator."

Nothing is ever as it seems. You see, my "administrator" status had a few kinks (this is a common occurrence, working out the kinks, at start-ups, so I hear.) I was unable to see a few necessary drop-down menus, unable to upload or edit content, etc. You get the picture. After a few hours of working out the kinks and navigating the site I began to understand the project more fully and could finally get to work!

Whew! What a start! Start-up companies really are their own ball of wax and one reason why I admire those who work so diligently to make them successful. Lots of hard work, working quickly because there are so many projects you want to get off the ground, fixing the kinks...it is quite a ride.

Make sure to check out what I've been working on, it is so "delicious!"

A couple organizations I've recently joined...

2009-06-11T19:35:00.000-04:00

I recently became a member of a number of fantastic organizations to provide me some opportunities to network with professionals in Central Ohio. Check them out!

Central Ohio Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)
Public Relations Society of America, National (PRSA)
Young Buckeyes Alumni Club of Central Ohio (Young Bucks)
The Ohio State University Alumni Association (OSUAA)

Network your way to opportunities.

2009-06-10T16:28:00.000-04:00

A couple months ago I contacted, Jim Vutech, a friend of the family and principal of Conrad Phillips Vutech, to see if he could help me get some experience in a new field, advertising. He suggested I come by their (read: beautiful) new office in Grandview and meet with the recently hired interactive strategy director, Gary Moneysmith.

Gary and I talked for awhile about social media and how critical it is that I spend time learning it and perfecting my skills, as so many companies these days are looking for internet savvy, social media gurus.

Research, research, research. In this information age, there is such a quantity of social media articles, studies and tools. Gary suggested I work on some projects doing initial research for him, searching for articles, websites, case studies, etc., all to help him prepare for pitching new clients a strategically planned, social media ad campaign. It was then I realized how little I really knew about social media and how much I still had to learn.

After a couple of weeks, Gary suggested I meet with a friend of his, Angela Siefer, founder and chancellor of ShinyDoor.com, a social media and networking start-up company that offers education and guidance to individuals and companies looking to learn about and use it for personal and professional use.

I met with Angela and she was fantastic! Right away, she was ready and willing to help and include me in some of the projects ShinyDoor was working on. A few days later I committed to working with ShinyDoor so I could learn from the knock-out team of individuals and soak up every bit of social media knowledge as possible.

Totally not what I expected when I wrote a simple email to Jim Vutech asking for his help; but, you never know what opportunities may come your way when you reach out to the people in your network. The opportunities are endless and there are so many people out there just waiting to give you the jumpstart you need!

Stay tuned for more stories about my first week at ShinyDoor...

And so it begins...or does it?

2009-06-09T18:39:00.000-04:00

June, 2008. I graduated from The Ohio State University. The world at my feet. What to do? Where to go? After a "grueling" month of job searching and scouring the web, I landed a job as a communications coordinator for a prestigious Columbus company. I was thrilled! My parents were thrilled! I was finally a real, independent adult!

November, 2008. Election day. History was being made and I was excited to be a part of it. After an hour of standing in line at the polls I proudly slapped on my "I voted today." sticker and went to work. A mere 30 minutes later, I was sent home. The economy had gotten the best of me and I joined the other 8.5% of America in the unemployment line.

I was crushed. This wasn't how my first job was supposed to turn out; this wasn't what I had planned for the beginning of my professional career. 7 grueling months pass...

June, 2009. A year after graduation, the world is once again, at my feet. What to do? Where to go? I'm still at square one.

And so begins the chronicling of my tale. From here I only move onward and upward, and I will attempt to share my story with you along the way. How I'm job searching, how I'm networking, what I'm learning, how I'm keeping my skills sharp, what challenges I face and hopefully, what victories come from my hard work.

So, sit back and enjoy the journey with me, won't you? I know it will be exciting!