Follow Friday – May 28th, 2010 #FF

May 28, 2010 | blog

Follow Friday Another Friday, another chance to share some recommendations with you of the folks who really inspire me to do, create, and share.  Rather than put a flood of twitter names in a handful of tweets where I can’t tell you why these folks are great, I’m putting them together here in a post with a bit more about each person and links to their Twitter and blogs (where available).

This week, I’ve listed 5 of the top Women Twitter users in Minnesota.  They’ve got unlimited ideas, knowledge and passion for what they do.  I invite you to follow them and see for yourself how great these gals are.

Erica Mayer Erica Mayer (@ericamayer) – Photographer, proponent of great causes, and producer for WCCO TV in Minneapolis, Erica understands how social media can be used for a good cause.  In the first 4 months of 2010, she’s raised 100% of her Charity Water campaign goal ($10,000) over two weeks before its end date.

Kay Loire Roseland Kay Loire Roseland (@KayLoire) – “Networker and marketer extraordinaire!”  That’s how AgencyBabylon describes Kay.  Search long and hard, but you won’t find a more outgoing and vivacious individual in social media.  Founder and blogger at Shareology, Kay follows the social media happenings in the Twin Cities (and beyond.)

Leslie Carothers Leslie Carothers (@tkpleslie) – Think social media is the sole domain of marketers and PR folks?  Think again, as this ecologically aware furniture industry expert & interior designer uses her social media skills to the her client’s story of their products.  Leslie is also the CEO of The Kaleidoscope Partnership, and author of Furniture Today’s “Retail Ideas” blog.

Meg Gerritsen Canada Meg Gerritsen Canada (@dotmeg) – A true 21st century librarian who understands the power of social media and uses tools like Twitter for engagement with patrons of the Hennepin County Central Library in downtown Minneapolis, MN.  Meg is also co-founder of UnSummit.org, an “unconference” style conference which focuses on crowd sourcing the speakers, content and of course the attendees.

Lisa Foote Lisa Foote (@footenotes) – As co-founder of MixMobi, Lisa’s passion around the mobile space allows her to take the lead on demonstrating new media ideas on the go.  Her focus on Mobile + Social + Realtime is unique in my Minnesota friends – she truly understands where things are going in the future.

So there you go, some of the best in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis & St. Paul.  I highly recommend following them all.

Until next week then!

Follow Friday – April 16, 2010 #FF

Apr 16, 2010 | blog

Follow Friday Icon I’ve been a bit lax the last several weeks in participating in Follow Friday on Twitter.  I always liked the concept and tried to do a couple good ones every Friday.  Over the past year or so (I think it’s closer to two) I found that I kept sharing the same folks.  While these tweeps are excellent to follow – great conversation, smart, helpful – I just felt I was repeating myself over & over again.

So last week Chris Brogan blogged about a different tactic to Follow Friday.  Such an obvious one that a person hates to admit they never thought of it (I hadn’t), though I’m sure he’s not the first to think of it.  Knowing Chris, he won’t mind if all of us borrow this one though.

Rather than try and cram as many twitter handles into that 140 characters, I’ll call out a handful of folks right here and tell you a little bit of why you should follow them.  Here goes.

  • Paul DeBettignies (MNHeadhunter) @MNHeadHunter – There was little doubt who was going to be my first #FF shout out. Friend, mentor, biz advisor, collaborator, critic, and cheerleader – Paul DeBettignies is a Minneapolis based independent IT Recruiter who’s helped more people than I can count in job search, career help, and more.  He’s also the biggest U of M sports fan in existence.
  • Phil Gerbyshak (@PhilGerb) @PhilGerb – If you don’t know Phil Gerbyshak, now is your chance to meet & follow him. Author of 10 Ways to Make It Great, Phil is a Milwaukee social media strategist, relationship geek, and lover of interesting things. His enthusiasm and fountain of ideas can help kick-start your business or blog, for either professional or personal interests.  Ask him about Milwaukee!
  • Bryan Person (@BryanPerson) @BryanPerson – Founder of Social Media Breakfast itself, Bryan Person is the guy I emailed back in 2007 about starting an SMB here in Minneapolis. Loved his advice of “why not you”. Originally from Boston, and now in Austin, Bryan is currently the “LiveWorld social media guy”.
  • Lisa Grimm (@lulugrimm) @lulugrimm – Looking for smart, witty, and a great example of how digital public relations professionals are using social media? Follow Lisa Grimm to find out how someone at the nexus of GenX/GenY embodies the best of characteristics of both. It also turns out that she’s a great speaker and moderator of panels.
  • Don Ball (@donmball) @donmball – Cofounder of CoCoMSP and Unsummit, Don Ball is a great resource in the St. Paul & Minneapolis are for freelance, independent contractors/consultants and startups in general.  Supportive, idea rich and willing to share his enthusiasm for you to succeed is how I describe Don.

Okay, that’s a good start for today.  I’ll work at doing a better job (read: more) next week, but it’s hard to pic a handful of really good, valuable people out of so many I know and write a short blurb about them.  Or it could be that it’s late on Friday and I’m looking for a way to get this posted while it still is Friday.

😉

In any case, check out these great folks and let me know some of your suggestions below.  I’m sure there’s many I haven’t met yet that I’d really like to talk with. Now go have a great weekend!

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