6 Back to school resources to grow your brand

By David Horne, 2 September, 2010, No Comment

3564909187 9159588321 m 6 Back to school resources to grow your brandSince this is the second “back to school” post I guess we can call it a series. I want to share is 6 back to school resources to grow your brand and business. You don’t have to be enrolled in a university or sit in a classroom to go to school. It means getting back into the learning mode if you took the summer off. Most people turn their brains off when June gets here. I guess it is 12 years of conditioning from our youth.

These books and online communities will give you a valuable education and empower you to be do great work. Enjoy.

Back to School Resources (affiliate links)

Rework- The guys from 37 Signals have blazed their own trail with this book that reads like a collection of essays. You can start anywhere and read one or two page chapters on topics like Productivity, Progress, Hiring, and Culture. These guys make some great points. You will probably not agree with all of them but it will get you thinking differently about working your business.

Richard Branson: Business Stripped Bare- Sir Richard serves up the spirit of the entrepreneur and the power of chasing your dreams. He uses personal stories to provide business and brand building wisdom. After reading this it made want to start an airline and fly to the moon. Well, at least helped me believe it is possible.

The Referral Engine-  John Janstch helps small businesses across the country be more effective at marketing their goods and services with his Duct Tape Marketing System. It is a natural progression to leverage those existing fans for new business. The Referral Engine frees your mind with sound thought process and practical application for building a referral stream.

Switch- The Heath brothers’ insights into why it is hard to make changes that last will challenge both your body and mind. The book dives into the internal battle between our emotions and intellect. They do a great job of identifying symptoms and prescribing antidotes around the issues that are resists to change. If you want to move your life or company in a new direction this book will help.

Delivering Happiness- We all know of Zappos.com. It is a popular reference for benchmarks in customer service, company culture, and e-commerce dominance. Want to find out how and why? This book will answer those questions. Tony writes like he is talking to you over a cup of coffee. I liked this book because it shows you how an organization made it to the top by growing from the inside out. Tony teaches us how culture drives strategy at Zappos. The formula is given to us through great stories and third party commentary.

Third Tribe- Is an online community of marketers and other business practitioners founded by the smart and tenacious Brian Clark, Chris Brogan, Sonia Simone, and Darren Rowse. The great value is being able to mastermind with a few thousand experts in many disciplines. Tapping into that network is extremely useful for taking you and your business to the next level.

I believe accessing these resources will make a major difference in your life. There are many more for another time. Please leave any of your back to school resources in the comments. I’d love to hear about what you are learning.

photo  credit: alamosbasement

Citizen Gulf: Social Media brings New Sunrise

By David Horne, 26 August, 2010, 2 Comments

4654332393 9bfe545dea Citizen Gulf: Social Media brings New Sunrise

Wednesday was the national day of action for Citizen Gulf . They are a nonprofit organization helping fishing families affected by the Gulf Crisis.

The Greensboro Chapter of Social Media Club hosted one of the benefts. Tammy Friedeck and Chuck Hester did a great job sharing about the power of social media for social good. The evening wrapped up with Rob Blackwell performing New Sunrise, a song he wrote for the victims in the Gulf. Proceeds will go to those in need in the Gulf region.

One of the coolest things was this video put together on short notice from Jeff Dolan. Rob, Jeff, and I grew up in a coastal town of NC and have a heart for coastal communities. Jeff and Rob are amazingly talented (you might even know them from the band Remember Jonah).  It was fantastic to see them collaborate again. You can check out the video [here].

The sweet spot of social media is the ability to unify people from anywhere and any background who care about a certain topic or idea. Remember there is incredible power in that. Remember this is bigger than ourselves but enables you, the individual to make a difference.

photo credit: Infrogmation

Movie Lessons: Rushmore tells us the Secret

By David Horne, 25 August, 2010, No Comment

In honor of school starting back today, I want to dedicate “movie lessons” to Wes Anderson’s Rushmore. It is one of my favorite high school movies. Max Fischer, played by then unknown Jason Shartzman, tells us the secret. I believe if you grasp this one idea you will have more fun, joy, and success in your life. It is the key to having the passion that separates you, your company, your brand, and your cause from the masses. My friend Whitman Toland learned the secret. So have my friends Mark Burris, Chris Laney, and Brandon Burke. Learn this secret and your work will be extraordinary.

If you can’t see the video click [here].

Now that you know, will you change anything

Echo: Social Fresh Charlotte

By David Horne, 18 August, 2010, No Comment

sofreshMonday I attended Social Fresh in Charlotte with several hundred other marketers and media folks. I could recap the event, but these folks, Jackie Adkins, Stacey Alex, and Kyle Chowing have already done a great job.

I hope you get the chance to go to one of Jason’s events. He does a first class job. The speakers were on their A games. My hats off to David Thomas, Amber Nasland, Brett Dumas, Greg Cangialosi, and others. You can check out their decks here. It was also great seeing my fellow triad peeps and meeting some new friends. That being said, what makes Social Fresh amazing, is the people. Check out a list of the folks who attended  here. They are all worth a follow.

Relationships are the hidden treasure you get out of attending conferences. For more ways to get value out of the events you attend, check out my post on SocialFresh.com: How to get value out of attending Social Fresh (or any conference).

photo credit: social fresh

Here to NY

By David Horne, 9 August, 2010, 1 Comment

LOVE THE L.E.S.

Last week I spent Sunday through Wednesday in New York City with Josh Madden, my great friend and partner of West Hall Media. We were meeting for a few days to rework our company. Sometimes you have to refine and reinvent yourself in order to reach the next summit.

Taking a break from the norm, I want to tell you about my trip’s highlights.

Sunday evening we attended a surprise birthday party in Queens for one of Josh’s buddies, McInnis. He manages some great bands like Freelance Whales. I also met Ben and his wife who own Modern Art. They are good people. It was a blast. (Thanks Amy for the great conversation. Know any good grill masters?)

Monday was pretty relaxed, with the exception of recording Josh’s radio show, First Person, for Idobi. I was caught completely off guard when he said I was going to be on it with him. No planning, no warning, only sink or swim. I drowned. Between Josh making me laugh and my uncertainty of when to contribute, I was pretty silent. I hope his show isn’t cancelled due to his “silent bob” co-host’s fumbling.

That night we met up with some of  his friends at a great spot in the lower east side, called The Meatball Shop (thanks Robbie for the ordering advice). This place has great food, wonderful staff, and a cool atmosphere. If you are ever in the city you must check it out.

Tuesday we met with Claudine at ThinkPR. She and Josh have been good friends for a while. She was super cool to meet and chat with. They are a smart company. Claudine, Rhesma, and the girls are doing some great work over there.

Tuesday afternoon was a major highlight to the trip. We met AJ and Melissa Leon at The Bean. They have been friends in the twitterverse for a few years. It was awesome to meet them offline. Amazingly they were in town and kind enough to meet up. They run a brilliant company called The LaC Project. The beauty of social media is being able to find like minds and build real relationships with those people. Thanks AJ and Melissa for a great time. I look forward to us becoming better friends.

Tuesday night’s experience was a first. We checked out the Fall 2010 Russell Simmons Argyleculture Preview. Hey, I was in NY, it seemed like the thing to do. The fashion event was packed with beautiful people and nice threads. I wish I had been better prepared. My jeans and t-shirt blended in like wearing a scuba suit to a funeral.

In between all of this, Josh and I discussed plans for growing West Hall Media and providing better value and results for our client partners. The future is bright for all of us pursuing our dreams and helping others achieve theirs.

photo credit: Tomás Fano

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