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"Helping Small Business help themselves - SolutionsArePower™" - 4 new articles

Social Media for Small Business Event in NYC
PART 1 - Creating Community by Blogging about It with Jimmy Gardner of EastCoastBlogging.com
It’s Back…Twin Tech II - The event that united the two DC tech communities
American Independent Writers Association And PodCamp Philly presentation
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Social Media for Small Business Event in NYC

We have a great opportunity for our readers in the New York City area! You are invited to the Taste of Technology Small Business Series on Social Media to learn how you can use social media as a tool to grow your business.

Social media is the use of online tools, such as FaceBook, Twitter and blogs, that enable communication to your audience, from your audience and within your audience. Social media tools also enable easy communication from, to and between websites, cell phones, blogs and email.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008 | 6:30-8:30pm

At the Samsung Experience, Time Warner Center | 10 Columbus Circle 3rd floor - NYC

The first 10 to register get FREE tickets!!

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PART 1 - Creating Community by Blogging about It with Jimmy Gardner of EastCoastBlogging.com

Jimmy Gardner has a deep passion for all things related to social media but it was frustrating to him that no one was really talking about the East Coast and in particular, the MD/DC/VA area. Everything in the press was all Silicon Valley this, Palo Alto that. Meanwhile, on the east coast many companies were innovating with new web products and creating content but being left out of all the media swarm that is prevalent in the Valley. Jimmy started EastCoastBlogging.com to be a voice for our side of the coast and also has a startup project called MyDropBin.

We recently sat down for an interview and I was able to spend some time with him and discuss social media and the future of MyDropBin. Here is a transcript of PART 1 of our interview:

Steve: So, how would you describe EastCoastBlogging.com to most people?
Jimmy:
I tell them that East Coast Blogging is a local DC area technology blog that is focused on highlighting and showcasing the areas great startups and talented people. It is a resource to startup and entrepreneur tips and a place to get a recap or a heads up on local events in the area.

Steve: So, how long have you been working in the social media space?
Jimmy:
Lets see, I think I really started to get into the social media space full on back in December of 2007. I had started to get a feel during the fall on Twitter and Facebook and had made a few connections. My first real event I attended was the Social Times launch party and then I ramped up. I had a tweetup in Dec and met a lot of the great people like Nick O’Neill, Shashi, Scott Stead, Andrew Wright, Shana Glickfield, and a few others and that was that, I was hooked.

Steve: What is your philosophy on using social media?
Jimmy:
You know, I am not sure I have a philosophy per se. I do feel that social media is a huge movement and has really leveled the playing field bringing everyone onto the same level. To me it has been the ice breaker into the conversation. I have been so happy and impressed with how social media has led to so many offline connections and that is its strength. Of course we use Twitter and start following others in our area and our space. But those relationships can only go so far. What I love is that when I do meet these connections in real life, I already "know them", so to speak. We simply continue our conversation on a much more intimate level. Then once you are in the dominoes start to fall and one connection leads to another and so on. I have met and been able to introduce so many great people, and in ways that it is helpful.

Steve: Do you feel that there is an east coast vs west coast view of technology and innovation?
Jimmy:
Most definitely there are two different views of technology and innovation between the coasts. I am constantly mulling this in my head and is often the topic of my blog posts. (http://eastcoastblogging.com/2008/01/28/another-east-coast-west-coast-thing/ , http://eastcoastblogging.com/2008/02/10/does-the-dc-area-stifle-innovation/ )

Obviously Silicon Valley is steep in technology tradition and a certain "air" about it that seems to breed innovation. This does not mean that innovation happens nowhere else, but the perception has been set. It has to do with the culture as well. California is a bit more free wheeling, laid back, risk taking, whereas the east coast is built more on financials and gov’t and those don't embody the same feelings as the ones in CA.

Steve: Since you are deep in the MD/DC/VA social media scene what have you seen transpire over the last 2-3 years in terms of trends, public perception and community growth?
Jimmy:
I think over the last couple of years we have seen a couple of cycles. In the beginning the small group with people like Peter Corbett, Ross Karcher, and a few others tried to consolidate the community with some success. I think more recently though the community growth has really skyrocketed. However, this has led to a little more fracturing and thinning I think. There are many passionate people like myself out there who are working hard to make this a great area, including the Neelebaur's, myself, Nick, Peter, Justin Thorpe, Paul Worsham, and so on. But I still think we find ourselves not much further along, especially in the eyes of outsiders. An echo chamber of sorts has been formed I think and we need to break out of it. Peter is doing a great job with his Twin tech events trying to galvanize the two cultures that have spawned here in the area.

I will say that I have had some talks with the local DC government and they are excited about the possibilities to show DC as more entrepreneur friendly and more of a small business tech hub instead of a full on big business that is here to support government. I would look for some cool stuff from them and the community coming down the pike ☺

NEXT TIME IN PART 2 - We discuss Jimmy’s exciting project that every small business owner could use. It’s called MyDropBin and you will really like it. We will also look forward to the future of the MD/DC/VA tech scene.

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It’s Back…Twin Tech II - The event that united the two DC tech communities

It all started with a Washington Post article:

The post in question was a Washington Post blog article titled “Washington’s Twin Tech Towns“. It described that while the Northern Virginia Tech Council (NVTC) was having their “Hot Ticket Awards” event at a beautiful house in McLean with 300 people from the “Old Guard” of technology integrators and government contracting firms, in DC at a hip club in Dupont Circle there were a different group of 300 “New Guard” people from the Social Media and Web 2.0 scene there to meet well-known Web guys Gary Vaynerchuk and Robert Scoble.

On July 17th, the Northern Virginia Technology Council and iStrategyLabs hosted The Twin Tech Party, covered here, that surpised everyone with over 700 people jamming into a venue in DC with lots of beer and networking that never would have happened anywhere else.
This occasion marked by the coming together of about 700 of the Capital Region’s emerging tech stars and veteran entrepreneurs.

A full recap of the coverage including links to Twin Tech I photos and videos can be found here.

With that kind of success everyone wanted him to do another, so Peter has complied and is proud to announce Twin Tech II:

It’s our pleasure to announce that Twin Tech II will be held on September 18th, 2008 from 6pm to 9pm.

The format remains the same: the brightest minds in the tech/venture space will be on hand to mix and mingle with one another during a happy hour style meet-up. An open bar will be made available through the generosity of our sponsors.

Please make sure to RSVP now as you’ll need to be on the list to get in and we will most likely run out of room. Twin Tech I had 800 RSVPs and we could only accommodate 610. Connect with your fellow Twin Tech attendees here on Facebook.

When:
Thursday, September 18th, from 6:00pm-9pm

Where:
At Avenue on New York and 7th (Chinatown) [Map]. Gallery Place and Convention Center metro stops are just blocks away, parking is available across the street, and valet service will be on-site as well.

Sign up before this one sells out too. It is going to be an awesome event and we will have coverage and interviews from the event afterward.

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American Independent Writers Association And PodCamp Philly presentation

I spoke at the American Independent Writers Association Seminar and at Podcamp Philly . Its always a learning experience and along with speaking you learn from your fellow panelists and the audience. I am posting the presentations and handouts here if people want to refer to them or pass them along.

10 steps to Social Media Success

Free Publicity Tool Box for Small Business

Free Publicity Tool Box for Small Business - Get more Business Documents

and

10 steps to Social Media Success - Get more Business Documents