Reading Crush It by Gary Vaynerchuk, he is putting this whole “social-media revolution” thing in context. Vaynerchuk urges people to grab hold now while everything is still relatively fresh and new.

Let’s see how it all works out.

I first encountered Gary Vaynerchuk at FOWA Miami a couple of years ago.  I’d never heard of him nor his video blog but the Carsonified guys were (and remain) big fans of his so I was interested to see his talk.  As it turned out I only lasted a few minutes as his OTT personality and presenting style put me off (it was the end of a long day and i was jet lagged in my defence).  Over the next few days though people were raving about his talk and when the video of the session was released I gave it another go.  Now his style is no less in your face via video but at least you can turn the volume down and watch in stages ;0)  He certainly had an interesting take on things like building reputation online and was clearly passionate about what he did (and I liked the idea that he was trying to take some of the snobbery and stuffiness out of the wine trade as well) but had a perspective on the world that was never going to mesh with mine (though I can see why he appeals to the kind of guys who love the idea of the start-up lifestyle.)

I pre-ordered his book on a bit of a whim after a tweet from Ryan Carson and it arrived this week.  Its a slim volume – more of a pamphlet than a book (but I like this in a lot of ways, similar to Tribes by Seth Godin it means that it isn’t full of filler) and it covers his rise to geek royalty quickly and with a bit of humor before getting into the meat of the book which is about taking something you love and committing to it fully and using the powers of the social web to “Crush It” and make your fortune.

At times it reads a bit like something from a dodgy self help book or one of those ‘Make a Million Bucks’ seminars often ridiculed in movies and for the most part it isn’t really my scene.  I don’t see my network online as something to be used to my own advantage and I’m pretty sure if anything I’d damage my reputation more than anything if I tried that.  I’m also not interested in working every hour god sends in the pursuit of untold wealth.  I admire those that are willing to do that but I’m not one of them.

That said the idea that you should only do a job you love resonates with me these days and I also like how he still put family ahead of everything in his priorities.

The fact that for much of the book he avoids talking about specific technologies is smart as well as we all know how quickly things can seem out of date and there is no doubting that he practices what he preaches.  He peppers the book with his own email address offering further explanation of concepts mentioned in the book.  If people take him up on that and he really does answer them then he deserves all the success in the world as that is a brave thing to do.

I hope he does one day get to buy the Jets - the idea of him being the owner of a big team is amusing.  Maybe we can convert him to real football – I think he could do wonders over here as clubs are just starting to understand the web.

Anyway if nothing else the book did inspire me to get back to thinking about what really interests me and whether I could, if need be, make a living out of that.  I’m lucky to be back at JISC at the moment and I really enjoy my work but there is no guarantee beyond a year contract and the public sector/academia might not be such a welcoming place by then.  I’ve been thinking for a while about a few things a) working on becoming a better writer – maybe taking a journalism or PR course and b) focusing my blogging in a new direction with a little more discipline about the topic.

So today I started work on Pulp to Pixels a blog about the software, hardware and occasionally content involved in digital comics.  I’ve used Tumblr which I am a fan of but to be honest on this occasion I have used it because it was recommended in the book.  I am also going to start  tweeting more about digital comics focused topics (in amongst the usual drinking and footy tweets) so we’ll see how this goes!

Let’s face it, when everything is said and done it all boils down to people.  We put labels on it like B2C, B2B, C2C, Social Media, Web 2.0, and many more. However, when you really look at it all and drill down to the core, it is all P2P – Person-to-Person.

Brands are starting to understand, Marketers are learning quickly, Researchers are catching on and the game has changed.  Whether your business is selling to consumers, other businesses, cats or dogs, the bottom line is people.  A great item that I saw Gary Vee touch on today was simple, obvious, but compelling – it’s people that make decisions.  I told you it is nothing glamorous at first, but think about it.  There is a person(s) behind every brand, business, blog and pet.  If you truly start to understand and obtain people-based insights you are close to seeing how the game is changing.  Consumers and business professionals alike are moving toward this new personal model.  Gen X and the Boomers can remember when you used to make a “flyby” to the client, drop in and say hi and walk next door and talk to the neighbors.  These same conversations and interactions are occurring now, just in a different arena.

The ones who will truly advance are the ones who can engage in these new digital realms and then transfer that connection into real life – an in-person client meeting, dinning at your restaurant or flying on your airline.  That is the new direction and every day companies are beginning to get better at engaging the digital consumer.  What does this mean for us as researcher?

First – We must understand the game.  How does it work? Who are the players? What are the rules? How do I win? In other words, you need to get past the information search and understanding phase into the application and utilization phases. (This is where you should have an advantage as a researcher)  Even if you are not using the social web for research, your clients are beginning to use it in their business and will certainly require you to understand it as a research consultant.  Think of it as a new therapeutic category for all of you that are in the Pharma/Healthcare space. We are past “Social Media is Cool,” now we need to look at how and when to leverage its offerings.

Second – Avoid criticizing the unknown!  It wasn’t too long ago our industry and clients were skeptical of web-based surveys.  One of our Senior Advisors, Dave Gustafson, sold some of the first online work to big pharma companies, their questions – “How do I know the Dr. is really the one taking the survey” and so on and so forth.  Now, it is a given and common methodology.  The new game is not as simple and trivial as it seems, you need to spend more time online than e-mail, Google maps and airlines to figure it out

Third – Start to understand the younger demographics.  Whether you are in B2C or B2B, it is important to understand Gen Y and how they work and interact.  These are not just your customers but your colleagues, clients etc.  Do your research and do not overlook this group.

The good news is the information is abundant.  It is easy to ask questions and as researchers we see exactly what is headed our way and to the market.  It is really an exciting time for the research industry as we have many new tools, methods and skills at our fingertips.  As our clients start to engage in this new way, it is opportunity for us as researchers to help them along to success.

Stop by and say hi! www.SpychResearch.com

When I was a kid my folks told me that I could be anything I really wanted to be.  Although not entirely true – I will never be 5′8″ - I have found that I have nearly unlimited possibilities.  I’m a writer, a marketing consultant, a wife and mother, a business woman, a coach, a loyal friend, a passionate seeker of new challenges and also someone who loves the quiet solitude of reading on a beach.  That abundance of choices and gifts can sometimes muddy the waters when I’m trying to define my “brand” to myself and to potential clients.  

I’m working hard to be very clear about who I am and what I do.  When I succeed in communicating this with clarity,  I’m happier and more productive and so are my clients.  I’ve looked to successful leaders to help me identify some “best in class” practices that are helping me define my brand.  I hope you’ll find them useful and inspiring as well.

For examples of people who have “done it right” while creating their own personal brand, look to the exploding world of social media.  These social media rockstars have perfected the art of personal branding and become  major social media players.  

On Twitter and throughout the web, Gary Vaynerchuk, @garyvee, Pete Cashmore, @mashable and Mari Smith, @marismith are instantly recognizable wherever they appear and there is no doubt in the viewer/consumer’s mind what their brand is all about.  

Why?  They all know these five secrets to creating their brands.

1.  Create a focused brand.  Gary Vaynercuk’s earliest message on http://www.tv.winelibrary.com was “I taste wine and tell people about it.”  He began in 2006 and was in the forefront with his episodic  video blogging, combining his dynamic personality with video to demystify wine for the masses.  Pete Cashmore at http://www.Mashable.com began in 2005 focusing exclusively on web 2.0 and social networking news.  He succeeded in getting out in front of an industry that was about to explode and became a go-to resource for all things web and social.  Mari Smith, http://marismith.com, was dubbed the “Pied Piper of the Online World” by Fast Company and joined the fray in 2007, rapidly emerging as a relationship and social media marketing expert and teaching others how to jump onto this very fast moving train.  Each one of these leaders began with a very focused area of expertise.  Take time to decide what it is you want to share with the world.  Lesson: If you have more than one idea, focus on the one idea that excites you the most.  Creating a brand takes time, energy, and resources.  Put those precious commodoties to work on somethat that really jazzes you.

2.  Fill a need: Make sure there is a need in the world for what you offer.  People didn’t want to look foolish when ordering wine.  Everyone was talking about web 2.0 and very few people knew what that meant.  Social media and relationship marketing are hot, hot, hot and everyone is scambling to catch up and not be left out.  These three innovators filled  a need with their brand.  Lesson: Ask yourself if your idea fills a need, not just a desire, but a real need. 

3.  Engage in conversation:  You can be the most knowledgable brilliant person on earth in a specific area but  you’ll have trouble establishing your brand beachhead without engaging in conversation.  All three of our successful examples engage in extensive communications with the world through social media.  They blog, they teach, they speak in public, and appear at conferences and on television and radio.  But they began their rise by having intimate, informative, personal conversations with people who wanted to know what they know–people who shared their primary passion.  Those conversations took place on Twitter, Facebook, websites and via e-mail to name a few.  Lesson:  Join the conversation.  Get on Facebook.  Join Twitter.  Talk, follow, friend, listen and participate.

4. Build a following through service:  All that conversation is wonderful but wouldn’t have led to the leadership status that each one is now enjoying IF they had not provided real service.  The conversations that Gary, Pete and Mari are having with their followers is successful because each one provide service while sharing their knowledge.  They offer something useful, desirable and valuable and deliver it through “conversation.”  Lesson: Be of service to people who “give” you their time and trust.

5.  Evolve, engage and extend.  To rise to the top in your field, you need to become a leader.  Participate fully in the community in which you are, or want to be, and expert.  For example, in marketing and social media, the landscape changes rapidly.  This means that to be a leader, you must be fully engaged in social media avenues to keep your clients abreast of what’s new. In a very short time Facebook eclipsed MySpace, Twitter exploded and made blogging into microblogging and YouTube is changing television viewing habits.  Your brand will need to adjust to new developments, evolve and grow in response to consumer needs, engage with your peers and fan base to keep current with their needs and extend your brand to become a thought leader in your field. 

The next *great idea* could come from your brand.  Have fun creating Brand You!

Gary Vaynerchuk (Wine Library TV), Building Personal Brand Within the Social Media Landscape. Sehr unterhaltsamer Vortrag über Garys persönliche Erfolgsrezepte beim Aufbau seines Brands für den Video Blog Wine Library TV. Sein Ratschlag: Hör auf, uninteressantes zu machen und beginne mit dem, was du dein restliches Leben wirklich tun willst. Die traditionellen Gatekeeper sind weg, die Möglichkeiten sind unbegrenzt und liegen am Wegesrand.

Gefunden bei Ed Wohlfahrt: Ed, welche Plattform ist wichtig?

It’s official, I’ve been Twitterfied. Er…Twitterpated? Call it what you will, but for the past few days I’ve been glued to the micro-blogging sensation like a 12 year old boy who stumbles across some porn while searching the web for information on the White House for a school project. (circa 1999, its .gov… NOT .com)
I digress.
I signed up for my account with Twitter clear back in May of last year after hearing about it on Tekzilla, but I wasn’t too impressed to begin with. It seemed like a site full of Facebook status updates with none of the other perks. But the rise in media attention sparked my interest as to what all the fuss was about and here I am, a certified addict. Even though I’ve never considered myself much of a voyeur, (and let’s face it, that’s what Twiiter fans are) I can’t get enough of this site.
Anyone who knows me knows that when I get into something, I dive in all the way. It usually only lasts a short while, (even though the Concerta works fairly well, I think my ADHD still peeks out now and again) but while I’m in, I’m IN. So naturally I went about finding a way to satisfy my addiction without having to use my browser. Any shortcut, however ridiculous, is always a plus. So far, I’ve found two Adobe AIR-based desktop apps, TweetDeck and Twhirl.

Both are pretty straightforward, easy to use. They both have the same tools for using Twitpic, shortening URLs, TweetDeck only uses bit.ly shortener while Twirl has a couple of options. It’s not clear to me yet if this makes a difference. TweetDeck has a dropdown menu for frequently used hashtags, Twirl doesn’t that I can see, but again, not really a huge thing.
I haven’t found a way to adjust the refresh rate on Twirl, so while running both simultaneously, TweetDeck gets the updates a bit quicker. Unless your obsession has reached critical, possibly fatal levels however, this too should not be a big deal breaker.
Near as I can tell, the biggest difference comes down to aesthetics. TweetDeck allows you to customize the colors of it’s UI, while Twhirl sticks you with pastels. TweetDeck only lets you choose between two fonts, where Twirl has all your basic font choices. I haven’t found a way to shut off notification sounds on TweetDeck, but you can turn them off on Twhirl.
And that’s really it. Personally, I prefer TweetDeck so far, despite the inability to turn off sounds, mostly because I’m more of an Earth-tone person and I don’t really care for pastels. And I’m a big Poe fan, so the TD icon reminds me of “The Raven”. However, Twhirl lets me use the Georgia font, which is prominently featured in just about anything I can put it in, so that’s good. I just like the way it makes numbers look. You’re like “That’s just like Times!” But then I retort with a little of this…1234567890. Yeah, how ’bout that?
There I go digressin’ (and speakin’ all apostrophied.)
But, back on track here, really, you just have to decide which one you prefer to stare at. There’s no big WOW feature that stuck out to me on either one. Let me know what YOU think though. Try ‘em out, give me some feedback. I’ll even disagree with you for the sport of it if you’d like.
In the meantime as well, you can follow me on Twitter @ddsmith3. Follow some of my favorites too,
@rustyrockets (Comedian Russell Brand)
@garyvee (The amazing Gary Vaynerchuk)
Speaking of him by the way, there’s an amazing video he did that analyzes a clip of Howard Stern hating on the web. Vaynerchuk is who inspired me to get into blogging, he’s so right on and so inspirational. Check it out.
@JohnCleese (Monty Python’s John Cleese… duh.)
@DAVID_LYNCH (his movies kick ass, and if you wanna know conditions in LA each morning, he’s your man)
@lilyroseallen (Lily Allen, her tweets are great)
@quoolquest (Roots drummer QuestLove. Tweets during tapings of Late Night. So cool.)

There’s just a few, check my page for more. Also check back for a video I plan on making to accompany this post. Vaynerchuk’s got my wheels agrindin’.

Edit: I found that there is a way to turn off notification sound in TweetDeck. It was right there in the settings the whole time. I screwed the pooch on that one. But, here I be, retractionin’. So there.

Gary Vaynerchuk of Wine Library TV was the last speaker at FOWA. If anybody could finish a day with such energy for all attendees, Ryan Carson picked wisely. When you thought you couldn’t hold anymore information in your head, Gary stepped on the stage and made us all sit up straight again. If the audience wanted to know how many red bulls he was on, then it was rightly so because I’ve never seen anybody with so much energy. The line I really took away from it all, “the tipping point is the day you start!”.

munky needs to know where garyvee gets his energy!

January 24, 2009

We’ve been talking about doing a wine tasting party for a long time now, and we finally decided to put it together. We gathered a small group of friends to taste a variety of wine, cheese, fruit and chocolate. I also did a bunch of research about wine tasting, so that we could all learn about tasting wine without having to feel like we were wine snobs.  One of my goals was to help us start training our palate to identify the subtle tastes in wine. I got information from a number of sources, but my number one inspiration was an awesome guy named Gary Vaynerchuk of WineLibraryTV. Especially this incredible episode (it’s kinda long, but completely worth watching – Gary has a brilliant palate, and he’s hilarious!).

We had nine types of wine available for tasting at the party: Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz/Sirah, Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio and  Chardonnay.

As I mentioned, we also had a number of foods available. We wanted to pair the wines with some nice cheeses and chocolate. The respective cheeses and chocolates make the wines taste better and the wine makes the cheese and chocolate taste better. Here’s how we paired them:

Camembert: Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Chardonnay

Brie: Pinot Noir, Merlot, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc

Sharp Cheddar: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz, Sauvignon Blanc

Montgomery Farmhouse Cheddar: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz, Sauvignon Blanc

Gouda Parrano: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz, Zinfandel, Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Grigio

Parmesan Argentine: Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc

Drunken Spanish Goat Cheese: Zinfandel, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio

Bittersweet Dark Chocolate: Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel

Dark Semisweet Chocolate: Pinot Noir, Merlot

Dark Chocolate: Merlot, Shiraz

Milk Chocolate: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc

To help train our palate, we made the following available (these tastes are commonly found in wines):

Pears: Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio

Mango: Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc

Papaya: Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc

Red Currant Jam: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir

Blueberry Jam: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, Shiraz

Blackberries: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, Shiraz

Green/Black Olives: Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon

Cinnamon Toast Crunch: Riesling, Pinot Grigio

Wet White Rocks (this was Vaynerchuk’s idea): Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio

Cardboard: Corked Wine (yuck!)  

We all had a blast, learned a lot, and also worked in some Rock Band 2 by the end of the night. As an added bonus, we provided some pipe cleaners to act as wine charms. Well, people had a lot of fun with their own arts and crafts time, shaping pipe cleaners. Also, we finally got to use all the fancy serving trays we got for our wedding!

Gary captures the essence of getting it done here:

• Hustle is the most important characteristic to success.
• Passion and patience, allow time for the business to build and for yourself to learn the new skills.
• Care about your clients. Be authentic, seriously actually give a damn.
• If you are pumping out good stuff, that you are passionate about, people will notice.
• Take the time to build brand equity, this will protect you through any down turn.
• Become completely transparent. Everybody can see and know everything about you.

Hey guys, well it’s 2009. Before we start talking about the New Year let’s talk about 2008. Get it? We’re going chronologically. Okay, 2008 was one crazy year for my friends, family, and me. There were so many life changing experiences: mistakes, misfortune, luck, legal issues, and…well it was mostly a negative year. That’s fine though, negative always comes before positive in life. That’s how my life has always been. It’s always been negative events before the positive ones can come along. I’m not sure if that’s true for everyone or only me.

I feel like this is gonna be a great year for change. A year to change my life. A year to be the person who I really am. A year to brighten up life. A year to make some small improvements that will make huge differences in my future. I’m pretty stoked about it. But I’m also anxious about it. I’m going to make some more videos, more live shows on BlogTV, and more writing. I love writing even though I’m not very skilled at it.

My Spring Semester of school starts the 13^th. That’s not going to be any fun. But I’ll try to fit in enough time for you guys. I have to admit two hours and forty-five minutes of class is better than eight hours a day in a crappy high school. By crappy, I mean it’s really crappy! I won’t say which one but its nickname is Crapids High School, lol.

Hopefully everything goes well this year. My main resolution is actually kind of a different one. It is to smile more, laugh more and talk to strangers. I want to smile and laugh more because I figure if I do that, then I will look happy and then I will feel happy. The last part about talking to strangers sounds kind of weird. I’m not talking about going up to random people and start talking to them but more like talking to those people who you walk by everyday and you don’t say a word to them, you don’t even know their name. Yeah, I wana talk to those people…well and complete strangers.

This next thing is the most important thing that I’ve learned in the previous year. It’s the best advice I’ve ever been given. Ever. This has changed my life for the good. If you get anything out of this post, let it be these words from Gary Vaynerchuk:

Do what you’re passionate about. There are too many people doing things they hate. Please stop doing that! There’s NO reason in 2009 to do shit you hate! None. Promise me you won’t because you can lose just as much money being happy as hell. If you’re one percent not happy doing what you do, quit. It’s not worth your time or money. Walk away from everything you have if you have to.

Don’t let anyone tell you differently. If you’re passionate about gummy bears go work at a gummy bear company. If you’re passionate about dog food, be a dog food tester. If you’re passionate about fortune cookies, be a fortune cookie writer. I’m not fucking kidding.

This is like the turning of a page… For the young kids, this is like the turning of a channel. Love more (there’s a reason why love is first.) Live more. Think more. Thank those who are with you every day. Thank God. Drive safely even with all those crazy idiots out there; just turn on the radio and relax. Don’t be afraid to talk to people, public speaking is America’s biggest fear. Are you fucking kidding me? We’re afraid to stand and talk. What the hell’s wrong with us? I’ve also learned its okay to cry. I’ve learned that laughing at someone doesn’t make you cool. It makes you a fucking asshole. I’ve learned that being gay is okay and that doesn’t make it right to call them a fagot. I’ve learned there are kids who look up to me like how you look up to God. Not everyone can be my friend. And that’s okay. I don’t want jerks in my life. Forget about the past. Forget about your fears. Leave the hate behind. Have fun. Spend precious moments with your loved ones. Celebrate your age and don’t be afraid to. I promise you that 2009 will be the best year of your life so far; as long as you want it to be the best. I’ll put a hundred dollars on each of you for that. Let’s make this one hell of a year.

Okay, so I hope you all have an amazing new year.
-Kyle Webs

The growing twitter-sensation Tweet Bomb was looking for a new page design with instructions on how it works. I gave them a new logo with it. Check it out and let me know what you think… Tweet Bomb. Their most recent victim was AJ Vaynerchuk owner of PleaseDressMe and little brother of Gary Vaynerchuk of WineLibraryTV.

Follow me at @pstonier.

I came upon the world of the Vaynernation through using Cork’d to find a review of a wine. It was a pretty nice site. It got the job done. Then on there I saw a link to WineLibraryTV, a video blog where Mr. Vaynerchuk tastes a few wines each today. One video was all it took to get me hooked. Over the past several months, I’ve been religiously watching each episode. It’s a great way to learn about a subject that I knew a little about and wanted to know more. Over the past couple weeks, I began actually following Gary a bit more closely through Twitter and chatting on UStream. It was then that I realized how smart he was in taking advantage of these resources to keep in touch with his fan-base. He can post on Twitter that he’ll be on a show and hundreds of people will log on to chat with him. Doing so has done a variety of this to develop his personal brand that is further expressed at GaryVaynerchuk.com, where he provides his thoughts and advice on building a business and personal branding.

I highly recommend you follow Gary. You’ll definitely be entertained and you might just learn a thing or two.



P.S. Kerry Rhodes ftw.

If you have never heard of Gary Vaynerchuk and you have anything to do with new or social media – get familiar with his work… fast. Also, if you are a fan of wine, the New York Jets, or foul language, you will REALLY like Gary. He has some kick-ass energy and I love the guy (but hey, I’m married, and I’m a Cowboys fan, so I don’t think it would work between the two of us. But I digress…)

REPOST from Mashable.com

The wine and web marketing expert Gary Vaynerchuk was canvassing on the streets of New York on Wednesday night: bringing the “Yes We Can” mantra to the web community.

The meetup, co-organized with Mashable, began as a cozy indoor networking affair. But with high volume levels inside, the group gleefully marched out to the street for an upbeat pep talk; a location much more suited to the themes of improvisation and resourcefulness.

Video: Staying Upbeat in a Down Market

The full video of the “sidewalk keynote” is posted below, courtesy of CenterNetworks. (Warning: contains strong language throughout.) Or skip to the “7 Points” below for our summary.

Gary’s 7 Points on a Social Media Upturn

1. “Hustle” - improvise, be resourceful, do whatever it takes to care for your community. Tough times require creative solutions.

2. “Next 24 months are the biggest opportunity for social media” - social media is mature. “It’s a baby. But it’s mature. It’s a baby with a mustache.”

3. “Large companies will cut social media because they don’t understand it” - the longer the big players stay away from new web technologies, the greater the opportunity for new entrants.

4. “The new barrier to building a brand is your time, not your pocketbook” - nobody can stop you from starting a global media brand from your house; all you need is time.

5. “Telling main street about Twitter is a waste of time” - keep it quiet; knowledge of new web technologies is your competitive advantage.

6. “Take Your Money” - go to Google, type in the keywords in your space. Look at the ads next to the results: these are people who pay to market in your niche. Call them. Convince them to spend those dollars on you instead.

7. “Anything that gets eyeballs is monetizable” - 2500 unique visitors a day should be enough to live on.

So… we didn’t have any big plans on election night… and, when in doubt participate in a wine tasting of some sort.  I decided to purchase a ‘Secret Election Pack’ offered by Gary Vaynerchuk’s Wine Library to open on election night.  This is a first for me. 

The general idea behind the election pack is to offer wines to a large number of people and gather friends around and taste the wines along with Vaynerchuck (does that seem odd?).

The Secret Election Pack was $75.99 and included the following three wines:

• 2004 Thunder Cuvee
• 2006 Anwilka
• 2007 Hortus La Bergerie Blanc

The election pack episode of Wine Library can be viewed at http://tv.winelibrary.com/2008/11/04/the-election-day-secret-pack-episode-570 

2004 Thunder Cuvee Napa Valley Red

I opened the Thunder Cuvee the night before the election since there was no way my wife and I would be able to finish three bottles in one night and make an early morning flight on Wednesday.   Blend of Napa fruit, 48% Merlot, 34% Sangiovesse, 5% Syrah and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon.  Basic dark fruit on the nose including currants and mulberry along with some dust.  Simple tannins and dark fruit in the mouth.  No thunder for me with this wine. 

2007 Hortus La Bergerie Blanc

This is definitely a new wine for me.  Interesting blend of 30% Chardonnay, 30% Roussanne, 30% Sauvignon Blanc and 10% Viognier.  Golden yellow color.  This is a busy wine – on the nose I picked up honeysuckle, tropical flowers and strong lemon aromas.  Great acidity and mouth feel (silky-ish).  I believe Wine Library sells this for $14.98.  Very interesting wine for $15.

2006 Anwilka

Really liked this wine.  A blend of 66% Cabernet Savignon, 29% Shiraz and 5% Merlot.  Deep dark purple color.  Big chocolate and vanilla on the nose complimented by dark plum, blackberries and old garage aromas.  I left this one open for a while and the vanilla aroma wafted from the bottle each time I stopped by for a sniff.  Strong tannins that were matched by the dark chocolate and blackberries in the mouth.  Listed at Wine Library for $38.98.

This was an interesting selection of wines coupled with a unique experience of tasting wines while watching another person also drink the wines online.  After I did it, I wasn’t sure why I participated in this election day wine experience.

_____________________________

This weekend was a faboululs weekend that started in the planning several weeks back.  My beautiful wife celebrated a birthday.  We took the weekend to relax and have awesome family time.  On Saturday we chilled at home, slept in and then headed out to journeys for a morning coffee, while there I took the girls for a walk and play time in the back while my bride had a chance to sit and just have some quiet reading time. Later in the day as the girls were napping I asked if she wanted to watch the most recent episode of WineLibrary.tv … to which at the end of the show Gary V gives a big birthday shout out to my bride, AWESOME.  That took a little planning but the timing was amazing and she was stoked.  The evening was topped of by having lined up the babysitter for the girls and heading out for dinner at a dualing piano bar.  It was a great day and she was stoked.  Happy Birthday my love.

For what it’s worth.

Does all this economic talk have you down? Don’t worry, you poor bastard, just live frugally. You don’t have to give up everything and move in with your mom (apologize to those of you actually living with your mom. To each their own).

Even if you feel the financial noose tightening, you can still partake in some of the “finer” things in life– like wine. On today’s Wine Library TV, Gary Vaynerchuk– who is a total badass, by the way– tries 4 wines which are all under $13. If you’ve never seen Gary, this is a perfect chance to check it out.

There’s only a couple solid picks on this episode, but there are plenty of kick ass wines out there for under 15 “bones.” So check out Wine Library TV and check out Gary V, one of the most accessible people you’ll find on the web.

Here’s the inimitable Gary Vaynerchuk reviewing our Four Graces Pinot Noir which he gave a more than respectable 91+ score:

(Depending on where you work… Not safe for work. GaryVee is PG-13 coarse)

So What!? Just watch the passion. Zone in on his contagion. He’s totally spot on in so many ways particularly if you in any way believe in what your next big thing is. The Q&A (particularly after the 14 minute mark…) is priceless. I am 1,002 percent bought into Grocio. I believe in it and not only do I drink the KoolAid… I manufacture it too!

In the past, the personal brand was reserved for the elite. Celebrities with an army of coaches, publicists, image consultants, etc. had the personas with reach.

For us regular folks, those who had the guts to get up in front of 100+ people had a shot at building a personal brand with some legs.

But the farthest most of us got was the ‘personal mission statement,’ shaking some hands and pitching that statement…AWKWARD! For the shy, impossible. And for the majority, that was enough to put the “personal brand” on the shelf and go back to the daily grind.

Now with the social web having tipped, the field is noticeably leveled. All (including shy folks) who have something to offer, enjoy the promise of extending their unique reach outside their eighteen inches of personal space. They have the ability to create a personal platform, the foundation being the web, the activity being 24-7, and the reach being global. Boundless.

It’s become important for anyone who wants a meaningful career to come with a personal brand. One example David Armano points out on his blog is the likelihood of a potential employer checking you out on Google. Brand U.O Personal Brand Matters. Same goes for potential clients.

Where to get started on building a personal brand?

Start with a digital footprint.
Take advice from Chris Brogan, who says his personal brand went from “a guy in a cube named Chris Brogan to a guy people know and want to talk to.” Don’t get me started on how humble this guy is. Organizations stand in line to pay Chris to show them how this stuff works. Use this post: Social Media Starting Points.

Understand the etiquette of the social web.
Simple. Use the same manners you would with your friends and colleagues (and your mom). Don’t be cheesy. Use the social web to improve your industry, not sell. The selling naturally takes place when you’re seen as “the guy (or gal)” who does this. One way (which you can do now) is to get involved with or start a provocative conversation on relevant issues in your space. I’ll bring back this post from Brogan-no need to reinvent the wheel here: Best Social Media Advice From This Site.

Love the ones you’re with.
Nurture what is now your community, or your audience. Know that to someone, you are a rock star and build from that. The folks at The Web Pitch share a great post called Community Starts at One, which includes a quick vid of Gary Vaynerchuk, a sharp-witted ‘every day guy,’ New Yorker and likable wine geek telling folks to “stop crying” about the size of their community but to be grateful and grow it from that one colleague who “cares about what’s going on in that beautiful brain of yours.”

Revisiting this post set me strait just this morning, when I went to check in with my Twitter followers/followees whose number was drastically reduced when the folks at Twitter ran their routine “maintenance.” My tweet last night was whiny, “Lost half my followers/followees…” Well I’m gonna nurture who’s still ‘with me’ and keep building my own ‘lil personal brand from that.

What thoughts do you guys want to add about the personal brand?

Thanks, Randy, for the opportunity to post on your awesome blog. – Bridget Zeuner (Zoy-ner) aka bridgetztalk on Twitter.

Bridget Zeuner
Marketing & Public Relations
Phone | 602.628.8292
FAX | 866.591.1533
Email | bridget@bridgetz.com
Web | bridgetz.com

Note: This is the first of many guest posts on The Life of DJ Ksar. If you would like to blog about brand marketing, social media, or viral promotions ping me at rksar at yahoo dot com.

Randy Ksar
Support the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society by Making a Donation Today to Fund the Cure for Cancer

Gary Vaynerchuk along with his wine web show Winelibrary.tv has been sweeping the wine world with his no-nonsense attitude to a good glass of red. Gary spoke to Mahalo Daily guest-host Kevin Rose of Digg and Diggnation fame, about the particulars of wine tasting, the advantages of decanters, and where the good grapes are these days.

Source: mahalodaily.com

so i wanted to start a personal blog in additon to My Take so i can write about everything else i want to.

So, Veronica Belmont commented on My Take. That’s cool. Hope she wasn’t too offended by my dissing Qore. Be neat if she could get me some ad cred so I can make money writing reviews of everything and quit my current job. Hahahaha…  Speaking of my current job, that’s where I am now. Lemme tell ya, having a blast. I’m a night dispatcher for the county sheriff’s office. pretty sweet deal. (it’s hard to convey the sarcasm in text form, but that was sarcastic.) It’s not too bad. I live in Podunk/Mayberry so nothing much happens. I just sit here on my laptop and chill for a while. Play a little free cell, some PSP, jam to some tunes, watch movies and get paid. Some might be envious, but trust me, atmospherically it’s like a prison, and the office politics are off the charts. I’d rather just write for a living.

I want to be Peter Travers.

I wouldn’t mind doing a webcast like Gary Vaynerchuk, but I almost feel conceited expecting people to read my opinions, let alone scream them. Not that Gary’s conceited. I like his show.

Maybe if people start reading My Take I’ll tape something and see how it goes.

Pavement is cool.

Imma go now.