Aloha!

I'll be working from Hawaii this week, so response might be slower. I'm promising myself to enjoy the spirit of the islands more this trip.

Still, it's a working trip - so...

Best ways to reach me this week are via email, text, or Twitter DM.  Or just find me each evening at the Mai Tai Ala Moana

I (and you) know a lot of people looking for work.  Or going free agent.  Or both.

They are filling out applications. Sending resumes. Talking with their monster every day. Indeed!  Good luck.

Times have changed.  That's probably why you're looking. Change with them.

• Get a visual CV
• Put up some video - maybe a video "pre-interview" and send it along with the other "stuff"
• Get your own domain name
• Create some content on a blog, on slideshare, on twitter -- wherever
• Be findable. 

Just do it. Sometimes the unexpected gets noticed -- even remembered.  Or you can stay stuck in LODBAU (Land of Doing Business as Usual as Mark Stevens says)

To pick up your spirits, here's a tweak on a tune by Prince. We'll call it Resume Buffet (to the tune of Raspberry Beret)

Part of a Resume Buffet
The kind you find on Monster.com
Drowning in Resume Buffet
I wish I wouldn't have to send anymore

They say free agency can sometimes be the greatest
I'm not sure I'm ready for that
But I tell ya, If I ever have to do this again

I'm gonna do it diff
Cause my current try is toast
And I need stop being so stiff

Two weeks. Not one.  Not six.  Two.

Two weeks of practice (aka rehearsal) before we launch your blog.  That's both a minimum and a desired maximum.

Until you write your first blog post, you are perfect. But then, perfect makes practice, hmm?

The goal of the two weeks is to get familiar with the blog tools and software. And the only way you're going to get used to the tool is to use it.  

When we first set up your account (WordPress, Typepad, whatever...), we make sure to option OUT of allowing search engines to index your site during practice.  At launch, we opt IN for search engine indexing. This allows you to write a bunch of trash without anyone finding your stuff. (Don't worry, you'll write crap after launch too - but people will know about then).

But you gotta write the crap. Hemingway said his crap-to-masterpiece ratio was 90/1.

Two weeks of practice hidden from search engines allows you to build these muscles:

• Time management for writing
• Developing your voice, style, and size
• Using Eye Rests (bullets, images, bold phrases, links, etc)
• Begin building an inventory of posts for your launch

So don't wait for all your blog posts to write themselves.  Two Weeks of Trash Talking to get started on the right footing, K?

Image courtesy of Shutterstock

"If we did all the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astonish ourselves."

- Thomas Edison

I am amazed at how many of us simply stumble upon our own success. I often hear "Fake it 'til You Make it" or Do it Like You Believe it, Until you Believe it." Especially in the Midwest (what's up with that?)

Here's an idea - STOP HEDGING YOUR BETS. 

Just go out and do it. Fail? Fall Down?  Fine. Get back up and get 'er done.  Just ask David Armano's Value of Visual Thinking deck (see slide # 57). 

We can go one of two ways:

1. Learn how to skate by falling on our backside a few times. 
2. Or,  sit on the fence and let lukewarm knock you on your apathy

I've shared how important I think storyboarding is to both your presentatiions and your blogging.

Here is a few images this morning as I prepared my presentation for tomorrow's Highlight Midwest event (I'm on at 10:45 prompt!) 

The storyboard acts as your compass for both you and your audience. (Click to enlarge the images below)

1. Start with a scratch pad and 16-20 squares (top left). 
2. Fill out each square with either a short sentence or napkin-drawing for the image I'll need.
3. Work with image sites and power point to place images in the presentation
4. Drop in Text Boxes where appropriate (sometimes, I don't use ANY text on a slide)

We're at the Des Moines Social Club (13th & Locust) all day - so stop by and hear some great tech-preneur voices. It's not a Generational Thing - It's All In the Attitude.

I'll be among a cavalcade of techpreneurs presenting at Highlight Midwest this Friday at Des Moines Social Club. The borders of Iowa won't keep our voices within -- after all, our borders are water not walls:

Speak to the Back of the Church: Build a Global Voice to Reach a Local Audience

Focusing on your target geographical audience is important in building your business, but ignoring the global audience can be perilous to our findability. This session examines why your global voice is important, why it's easier to go global than local, and how to do so.

Lots of speakers with a short time liimit to speak (45-minutes includes setup and breakdown). I'll be "flipping" mine and hope to get a good Ustream out of it.  I've found one "trailer" and I hope I don't go up against this one from ShowIgniter

A full (almost) roster of presenters  can be found on the HMDM site. You can also follow on Twitter with the Hashtag of #HMDM (already a bit of buzz around this event on Twitter).

I'll be sharing the clicker and classroom tonight with Sargent of Strategy at McLellan Marketing, Tim Hayes during ISED Ventures new business owners class.

Tim will be leading off and talking about the importance of your business having a strategy and plan -- and working at those daily. Tim is also going to be talking about extending your ears in the conversphere.

I'll be following up with some social media expertise with special attention to having a global voice.

I'll be taking some notes via Cover-It Live, as much for my own benefit, as for those in class, as well as those not. (Hey, Perfect makes Practice)

Ran across this deck on Visual Thinking while eating breakfast this morning. David Armano paints some powerful points to why we all should be stronger visual conversationalists. Pay special attention to slide Nos. 19 and 57 (these two slides are great for anyone trying to do anything).

Your turn! An opportunity to share your suggestions and opinions with researchers and policy makers BEFORE decisions are made.

Angela Maiers will be hosting a discussion with the team from the Carnegie Corporation of New York and the members from the TIme to Act Adolescent Literacy Panel for a discussion of their groundbreaking report set to shape the upcoming agenda for literacy reform and initiatives.

The event, to be held Monday, October 17 at 4 PM ET on Elluminate's new Learning Central platform. Register for the event today and let your voice be heard.

• Behold | Search High Quality Flickr Images
  search "High Quality" images, using CC searchability
  (tags: photography digitalstorytelling presentations AM21C)
• Metadata as a 'filing system' - Feature - Lifehacker
  Staying organized for your MAC with a "tagging" like file system. Use Spotlight and Quicksilver
  (tags: lifehacks productivity tagging AM21C)

• How to Secure Your Social Media Brand & Personal Identity : Sierra Friend- Blog Site Coach
  The Why and How of securing your name (& company name) on SocNets & other SocMed tools
  (tags: socialmedia socialnetworking brand marketing)

I'm excited to be appearing as a guest today on Michael Libbie's show, Insight on Business. We'll probably be talking about a few things that are making the news in the business and business blogging worlds.

Some of the things I hope we get to talk about:

• The bit how 54% of companies have banned the use of social networking while on the job. 
• When and why your company (maybe) shouldn't blog at all.
• Should your company hire a Social Media Expert Escort Service Evangelist
• 21st Century Marketing: It's not about the tools
• What sound does orange make?

That last one will come up, and it's an important question. The response may be even more important.  Stay tuned.

Update: Here's the show below...

Chris consistently proves himself as a learner and one who easily transfers what he learns and believes - in a simple way - to others.