Change is never easy...

...but it is inevitable

With that said, I think it is time that I say goodbye to dear old Blogspot. Fear not, I am not giving up on blogging (though it seems that way from post infrequency sometimes) but I am beginning the search and transition to a new 'home' for my blog. If you have read a post a little while back, there are a wide range of things that I will blog about (at least TWO ok?) and it seems disjointed to have them in the same place without a way to delineate them so a reader doesn't get stuck in something they are not overly interested in. I am also intrigued around the concept of building 'personal brands' and developing my own. i don't want to run multiple blogs for this reason, so I am looking at some 'tabbed' type of format which will allow the reader to view blogposts by category. For a great resource on a true 'Personal Brand', thanks to hard work and the Internet, you should GOOGLE Gary Vaynerchuck and pick up is book "Crush It".

So with that said, I am looking at Wordpress as a new potential home. Now, I like to think I am fairly tech savvy. Really, I know my way around social media and networks and really isn't that the ONLY thing technology is about these days? But when it came to researching a new home for my blog I came to realize just how much I have to learn and as I poured through document after document just how smart you really have to be to get all this stuff right. Just trying to figure out how to transfer 200+ blog posts seems to be a Herculean feat right about now. On top of that I want my URL to be without the 'name of blogging company' inserted in it, so I have to buy a URL and make sure all the pointing stuff works, plus as I plan to disable this one I need to point you all over somewhere else, etc...

Needless to say it's making my head spin a bit, but the reality is that it's a great exercise for me and helps build my credibility in 'living a digital life' which is at the core of my Employer's, Definition 6, philosophy.

As I do all these things, I have also been attending a lot of conferences in the past few weeks. Whether directly or indirectly everyone of them has made their focal point around Social Media. It's incredible how dominant the topic has been and I absolutely LOVE it! One of my favorite concepts is that of being 'hyper local'. The basic idea is that thanks to smartphones, social media and some pretty cool technologies marketing can be extremely targeted and highly localized. I agree 110% BUT I am concerned with how a local business will actually capitalize on this opportunity and as Gary V. says, "Crush It". For enterprise clients and even mid size firms they have the bandwidth to hire both internal experts as well as outside consulting groups and agencies. But how does the local pizza parlor do it, or your neighborhood bookstore or chiropractor? They need help, the landscape is forever changing. Working in the small business world I know the two greatest challenges - TIME and MONEY. They never have enough time or the money to throw at such a bold effort in the same manner as say Coca Cola. What they do have is desire and intention. I feel there is a whole niche market here that needs these services and can do great things with them but doesn't have anyone 'servicing' them. I have some really great ideas around that, and I digressed a bit, but it came to mind while struggling with my own limitations.

Anyway, not sure when I will finish the transition or if I will have any more posts here before then...you just never know ;-)

SXSW Report - Observations from a 'newbie'

* I knew I couldn't party like a rockstar but I had hopes that I could party like an 'internet' star. Sorry to say but nope! Two nights in and I have been in bed by 2:00am both nights. Maybe I am starting too early or maybe I am too old, either way, when I see 'tweets' from friends letting me know that they are still going at 5:00am and my alarm just went off to go for a run...well, enough said.

* The Apple MacBook Pro is by FAR the #1 choice for computing in this crowd; yes, I brought mine, and my DELL as well (hey, I'm in Austin) but the PC has stayed back in the room for work purposes.

* Gary Vaynerchuck is just as good in front of 3,000 people as he was last month with 120 people. If you never heard of Gary, you can check out his site here - http://garyvaynerchuk.com/. He is SXSW legend at this point and regardless of anything else he is brutally honest and I like that. He also gives me hope that what I and the people I work with are doing the right things by our clients, our colleagues and our stakeholders. Still trying to get some one on one time with him but I realize that will have to happen back in New York.

* PEPSI sucks --- ok, maybe you don't think so but I'm a Diet Coke guy and I cn't get it here!!! I give PEPSI credit for stepping up in the Interactive Space and getting their brand out, I just wish it were my friends at Coca-Cola.

* I really get this 'stuff'! I'll never be a techie or be able to grind away in geel speak (despite what some of my less tech savvy friends believe) but from a philosophical and energy level I am right there. I can't remember how many years it has been since I knew that my skills and talents were so meant for the place that I am at.

* Everyone is a 'social media expert' and you know what? That's cool with me. There are so many places to gravitate towards there will never be one authoritative voice on 'what's next'. As long as you keep an open mind and continue to learn; not allow yourself to get 'boxed' into one technology or one platform then I think there is room for everyone. The tent is literally open my friends.

Wrapping up here --- panel on the future of Sports Journalism --- go figure, I have an interest there :)