"Solutions Out Loud™ - Network Solutions Podcast for SolutionsArePower™" - 3 new articles
Tech Talks-part 2: interviewing Digital Sisters founder & community tech leader Shireen MitchellShireen Mitchell: from media, politics, & tech strategy A strong technology advocate for underserved communities On social tools, cloud computing, & shoe string budgets Small businesses and other organizations I work with usually look to technology for a couple of things: 1. Marketing on a shoe string budget and with that, managing printing costs, are common: When advising, I find people want a process that’s more efficient and cost effective — especially if they print 1000 copies of a collateral piece that later reveals a typo. Technology helps them manage that process more effectively. 2. Tech can practically be used for another staff member, especially with nonprofits. [Smaller organizations especially] are able to dedicate small tech-centric tasks like content management for their website; content management is the main one I see organizations needing. 3. And with the marketing push lately [in this economy], people are wanting social media tools. They don’t want to officially retain a PR or marketing person. 4. Economically, opportunities now in cloud computing are becoming more central i.e. using web word processing tools vs spending a ton of their budget on software licenses (more on small business and cloud computing tools). On forecasting chat tools & social content
Tech talks continue with Shireen: Obama’s technology policy Most Powerful 2008 Solutions Are Power Blog EntriesIf there’s one thing that’s carried over from old media to new, it’s the tradition of year-end “year in review” and “best of” lists, to help fill the slow times between Christmas and New Year’s. (In much of the publishing, business, and corporate world, things just flat out shut down between Christmas and New Year’s. As in, offices-closed-doors-locked. As a blogger and potential social media maven, you could try to take advantage of the lull and blog to help fill this void. Assuming you can find something worthwhile to talk about.) Anyway, in that spirit, here are my picks for 5 of my favorite entries from this here Solutions Are Power blog from the year 2008 (this is an expanded version of the list that you’ll hear in the Solutions Out Loud podcast — subscribe now!) (In the interest of modesty, I will omit my own entries from consideration.) 1.) Legal Considerations for the Small Business — By way of Shashi, this entry comes from Statton Hammock, Director, Legal and Business Affairs at Network Solutions, and it covers in broad strokes six steps you’ll need to cover as you work to create an online business. While this topic is obviously huge (check out the Small Business Administration, your state’s business development department, and local resources like your Chamber of Commerce for more help), it’s a great primer, and I found it to be very informative. 2.) The coverage of the Blog Potomac conference was excellent; if I had to pick one entry, it’s the interview with Lionel Menchaca, of Direct2Dell. It’s always gratifying to see how a big company is working to use social media tools to really listen to customers (especially after they’d taken their lumps for not doing this, previously). 3.) 8 Tips to Protect Your Domain Registration, not so much for the actual content, as to see it in the larger context of Network Solutions’ response to a domain hijacking dustup this spring. It also demonstrates how being un-self-conscious (like providing tips that apply no matter who your domain registrar is) is genuinely helpful. 4.) 10 Reasons to Use Facebook for Business - Coming from Mari Smith, here’s another primer, this one for conveying the benefits of using Facebook to business owners. It really helps focus the issue, especially at a time where some business owners may be flailing around, hearing they have to do something with this Facebook thing, but not sure how or why. Simple, effective, to the point. 5.) Trademarks 101– Another entry with suggestions on how to deal in the legal realm, specifically, trademark issues. I wasn’t able to attend this event, so the event summary done up by Steve was very helpful. (Also, as you can tell, legal-ish things aren’t my strong suit.) Perhaps it’s obvious, but my strategy for picking the best entries of the blog for 2008 was the same strategy I use when I buy gifts for people — I find the things that I want for myself. If you’ve got your own favorite entries from 2008, feel free to share in the comments. Simeon Margolis, creator of Utterz/Utterli, has a new venture, Monkey Bed MediaHis bio on his personal blog is one line – "Entrepreneur trying to make it in the mobile world". Many may know Simeon as the "Maestro of Utterz". Utterz, the micro voice messaging company, was an idea he had that was launched by RPM Communications, the firm he was working for at the time. In the previous two parts of this interview, we talked about entrepreneurship and the impact of micro-messaging tools like Utterz/Utterli and Twitter on the business community and events like the 2008 election. In the close of our three part interview, we talk about his new venture, going under the name "Monkey Bed Media" (don't worry. we ask him what this means). Steve: You recently founded Monkey Bad Media. First, what does that mean? Second, what are your plans for the company? The company itself is going to be providing online and mobile services that are highly targeted. Our first service is actually going to be in a very crowded space, but we think we've found a place to focus where others have not. It will likely be alpha ready around January 1 so be on the lookout for your invite. Steve: Living here in the Boston area yet working in the Web 2.0 community abroad you have a unique perspective. What are your thoughts in the differences between the Boston area and Silicon Valley tech communities? Steve: Outside of your busy entrepreneurial roles, what do you do for fun? Steve: How does someone reach you if they want to say hello or ask a question? Related Interview Posts: More Recent Articles
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