Personal Branding Winner of the Month April 2009 Tom Johnson

Personal Branding Winner of the Month â€" April 2009 â€" Tom Johnson A few days ago I announced Im retiring the Personal Branding Award.   This is the last one Im giving out as part of a monthy series.   I might do one here or there if I get really inspired, but its time to move on to something else.   There are over 20 award winners now, and tons of great info and examples for you.   Next month Ill announce the new series, which Im really jazzed about! I have been really impressed with the blog from Tom Johnson.   I met Toms wife at a Utah Bloggers Dinner about a year ago, but he wasnt able to make it.   Then, at PodCampSLC I heard him speak and checked out his blog.   It was solid when I saw it a long time ago, and its solid now.   This is one of the best blogs Ive ever seen, with regard to personal branding (and blogging in general!). Tom is a really cool guy down to earth, approachable, etc.   He is a technical writer and his blog is called Id Rather Be Writing.   The tagline is a blog about the latest trends in technical communication.   Its pretty obvious what his expertise and professional passions are. Check this out: Tom does more than technical writing.   He is a podcaster and interviewer (that is what he spoke about at PodCampSLC), and he loves to do WordPress development for companies. Diluted brand?   Not necessarily.   Id love a copywriter (or wordsmith expert) to be involved in my web strategy.   How else could he convey his expertise, except through his blog? Ive said before, a blog allows you to showcase your professional breadth and depth, in a way that makes sense (breadth through categories, depth through frequent blog posts).   Tom is showing, in his blog, his knack for and interest in podcasting, graphics, and more. We are so easily stereotyped (Tom should be stereotyped as a technical writer), and its so hard to crack out of the stereotype.   But he is doing it well with his blog (and his Twitter account: @tomjohnson). Many of the things he is doing right are documented in the other monthly winner posts.   His messages are on-brand, on-topic, the blog design is clean (I like the white background!), and he showcases his expertise. Congratulations Tom! You join a special group of professionals and have earned a coveted link from my monthly winner’s blogroll area (on the left), six months of premium JibberJobber (you can transfer/award this to someone else ), and a cyber-high five! And, a new addition to the prize list is the two hour (!!) recording of Blog Marketing 201 501 (part of the CEO Training for Me, Inc. listed at $49.95 (but much more valuable than that!). You can see the other winners of this award, which has been going on for over two years, at the Monthly Winner category. Personal Branding Winner of the Month â€" April 2009 â€" Tom Johnson A few days ago I announced Im retiring the Personal Branding Award.   This is the last one Im giving out as part of a monthy series.   I might do one here or there if I get really inspired, but its time to move on to something else.   There are over 20 award winners now, and tons of great info and examples for you.   Next month Ill announce the new series, which Im really jazzed about! I have been really impressed with the blog from Tom Johnson.   I met Toms wife at a Utah Bloggers Dinner about a year ago, but he wasnt able to make it.   Then, at PodCampSLC I heard him speak and checked out his blog.   It was solid when I saw it a long time ago, and its solid now.   This is one of the best blogs Ive ever seen, with regard to personal branding (and blogging in general!). Tom is a really cool guy down to earth, approachable, etc.   He is a technical writer and his blog is called Id Rather Be Writing.   The tagline is a blog about the latest trends in technical communication.   Its pretty obvious what his expertise and professional passions are. Check this out: Tom does more than technical writing.   He is a podcaster and interviewer (that is what he spoke about at PodCampSLC), and he loves to do WordPress development for companies. Diluted brand?   Not necessarily.   Id love a copywriter (or wordsmith expert) to be involved in my web strategy.   How else could he convey his expertise, except through his blog? Ive said before, a blog allows you to showcase your professional breadth and depth, in a way that makes sense (breadth through categories, depth through frequent blog posts).   Tom is showing, in his blog, his knack for and interest in podcasting, graphics, and more. We are so easily stereotyped (Tom should be stereotyped as a technical writer), and its so hard to crack out of the stereotype.   But he is doing it well with his blog (and his Twitter account: @tomjohnson). Many of the things he is doing right are documented in the other monthly winner posts.   His messages are on-brand, on-topic, the blog design is clean (I like the white background!), and he showcases his expertise. Congratulations Tom! You join a special group of professionals and have earned a coveted link from my monthly winner’s blogroll area (on the left), six months of premium JibberJobber (you can transfer/award this to someone else ), and a cyber-high five! And, a new addition to the prize list is the two hour (!!) recording of Blog Marketing 201 501 (part of the CEO Training for Me, Inc. listed at $49.95 (but much more valuable than that!). You can see the other winners of this award, which has been going on for over two years, at the Monthly Winner category. Personal Branding Winner of the Month â€" April 2009 â€" Tom Johnson A few days ago I announced Im retiring the Personal Branding Award.   This is the last one Im giving out as part of a monthy series.   I might do one here or there if I get really inspired, but its time to move on to something else.   There are over 20 award winners now, and tons of great info and examples for you.   Next month Ill announce the new series, which Im really jazzed about! I have been really impressed with the blog from Tom Johnson.   I met Toms wife at a Utah Bloggers Dinner about a year ago, but he wasnt able to make it.   Then, at PodCampSLC I heard him speak and checked out his blog.   It was solid when I saw it a long time ago, and its solid now.   This is one of the best blogs Ive ever seen, with regard to personal branding (and blogging in general!). Tom is a really cool guy down to earth, approachable, etc.   He is a technical writer and his blog is called Id Rather Be Writing.   The tagline is a blog about the latest trends in technical communication.   Its pretty obvious what his expertise and professional passions are. Check this out: Tom does more than technical writing.   He is a podcaster and interviewer (that is what he spoke about at PodCampSLC), and he loves to do WordPress development for companies. Diluted brand?   Not necessarily.   Id love a copywriter (or wordsmith expert) to be involved in my web strategy.   How else could he convey his expertise, except through his blog? Ive said before, a blog allows you to showcase your professional breadth and depth, in a way that makes sense (breadth through categories, depth through frequent blog posts).   Tom is showing, in his blog, his knack for and interest in podcasting, graphics, and more. We are so easily stereotyped (Tom should be stereotyped as a technical writer), and its so hard to crack out of the stereotype.   But he is doing it well with his blog (and his Twitter account: @tomjohnson). Many of the things he is doing right are documented in the other monthly winner posts.   His messages are on-brand, on-topic, the blog design is clean (I like the white background!), and he showcases his expertise. Congratulations Tom! You join a special group of professionals and have earned a coveted link from my monthly winner’s blogroll area (on the left), six months of premium JibberJobber (you can transfer/award this to someone else ), and a cyber-high five! And, a new addition to the prize list is the two hour (!!) recording of Blog Marketing 201 501 (part of the CEO Training for Me, Inc. listed at $49.95 (but much more valuable than that!). You can see the other winners of this award, which has been going on for over two years, at the Monthly Winner category.

From Corporate to Farmstead Entrepreneur - Classy Career Girl

From Corporate to Farmstead Entrepreneur A typical morning for a working mom usually starts off with taking care of the kids, getting them off to childcare or school before heading into work for the day. For Rachael Tuller, she spends her mornings milking goats with her newborn, Banzai, strapped to her chest and her enthusiastic three-year-old, affectionately known to her online followers as “Giz,” herding the goats and helping to milk. Rachael also shares personal stories and trials and tribulations with the farm to her more than 12,000 social media followers with blogs posts that never shy away from the messy truth. Rachael attended college at the Air Force Academy where she also competed on the track field. Shortly after graduation, she was deployed to Iraq where she served as a protocol officer. After she completed her service as a mortuary officer in the Air Force, she settled in Olympia, Washington, where she now owns and operates a farm, selling goat cheeses, yogurt, soap, pork products, and chicken and quail eggs. With the support of her husband, girlfriends, and her own grit and passion, somehow she makes it all look easy and glamorous. From Corporate to Farmstead Entrepreneur: A Conversation With Rachael Tuller Rachael sets up a photo studio in her home on The Farmstead. Rachael sees nothing wrong with wearing a formal ball gown with her baby goat, Yeah Yeah. Your life story is so unique and you have a lot of interesting history.  How have your experiences in the Air Force Academy, serving in Iraq, being a mom and working as a full-time corporate employee influenced or inspired you as an entrepreneur? In the Air Force, I learned to overcome adversity. In Iraq, to be quick and agile. As a corporate employee, I learned to give people what they wanted, even if they werent asking for that. And as a mom I learned to throw away all my expectations and laughbecause, kids. They are ruthless. Lets talk about the farm. How did you know your purpose was to become a farmer? Im not sure if I ever decided to become a farmer. I bought chickens, and anyone who has had them will tell you, chickens are the gateway drug to a farming lifestyle. Once you taste that first egg, you are hooked and all you want to do is make more food from scratch. Dairy has always been the holy grail for me because I love anything that has to do with dairy. And its hard to find farmstead operations that are raising animals and making products the way you want. What is an average day like for you? On a weekday I wake up early to check my corporate work email and log at least an hour of work until the kids start waking up. My daughter will grab a glass of chocolate milk (goat, of course) before we head down to the parlor. Giz loves to turn on the pulsator (one of the pieces of equipment that help pump the milk from the goats to the bulk tank), so thats her job. Milking takes about an hour. After we milk we have breakfast as a family and shuffle everyone out the door. I drop my kiddos off at our nanny and then head to work. I work a full day, then get my children and head to the farm. We play and enjoy the outside while doing chores and then head in for dinner and showers. My husband works as a nurse part-time, so on days where he is working I head back into the dairy after I put the kids to bed (hooray baby monitors) and I will either package cheese or make cheese until I head to bed. These make for really long days, but its how we keep the dairy moving when hes gone. The good news is he only works part-time, so when he is home he is able to get most of the dairy work done while Im at work. Most every night though we head back into the dairy to make or package cheese after the kids have gone to sleep. On the weekends we work Farmers Markets. We wake up at 4 a.m. to milk and are loaded up and ready to go by 6 a.m. We get home from markets around 4 p.m. and then start milking again. After milking, we try to take a breather and enjoy our family and farm. Then, we start the kids’ bedtime routine. Do Americans think farming is a dying occupation, or most  farms in America are run by large corporations? Do you see the small  farms making a comeback? Absolutely! Small farms are so mighty, we dont give them enough credit. The biggest obstacle for small farmers is community support. If farmers sold out every week there would be plenty of farmers making a living wage. The problem comes when we spend a large portion of our time and dollars having to market to convince people that real food, from local farms, is better for you. I used to be one of those people who thought farmers markets were expensive. But now that I am at them every week I can vouch, they arent. This is absolutely the best food money can buy and its not even that expensive. If we started prioritizing real food as a country more people would find it lucrative to get into farming, and boom, small farms COULD feed the masses. Youre a very modern day farmer in that you share so much of yourself on  your blog and with beautiful photos. What does it feel like to be so  open and share such personal information about your business to your  customers and social media followers? Do you think social media is  important or necessary to be a successful small-business owner today? Absolutely! Social media is important for small-business owners. We dont have the benefit of huge marketing budgets behind our products. We have one thing. Ourselves. As a small business owner, youre selling more than your product. Youre selling your story. Because the way we live at the farm is a way I would like to share with the world, I think sharing so much of myself is important. People cant model what they dont believe in. If I think its important to support local farms and eat real food, I have to show what a local farmer who eats real food looks like. Sometimes I worry that Im oversharing, but if I censored myself, then I would stop being genuine and I think my community would see that. And I honestly believe its the real guts of it all that makes people want to support the farm. How have you marketed to customers and earned their business? How much of your time is spent administrative duties versus milking goats, creating packaging and actually selling? Most of our customers come to us at farmers markets, so, venue. Weve also done quite a few grocery store demos. Through our virtual presence, were able to easily advertise our on-farm events and, if we ever did decide to ship, we would be able to attract customers through our website. So much time is spent with administrative work! When I first started a goat dairy I thought, wow, this will be so much fun, Ill just get to hang out with goats all day. But the truth is, I spend less time with my goats now than I did when I only had a couple and I was a backyard homesteader. Creating packaging has been another obstacle that I think we will always struggle with. The package, for us, is so important. We want it to be socially and environmentally responsible but we also need it to not cost a million dollars. It would also be great if it helped make packaging cheese easier and not harder. We are continually searching for other options. Whats the biggest lesson youve learned as an entrepreneur? Whats the  best advice you would give a busy woman who wants to start her own  business, or if youd like, the  best advice for those in the farming  industry? The biggest lesson Ive learned as an entrepreneur is that you have to have nerves of steel. Starting a small business is heartbreaking. One day youre on the highest high you can imagine and the next day youre not sure how youre going to pay to keep the doors open. You cannot be an entrepreneur without being comfortable taking risks, putting yourself out there, or hearing no. Also, get a message. And stick to it. And tell everyone. Anyone who will listen. The more people you have on your side the better. These will be the people who support you when you need it most. I leaned so heavily on my girlfriend that month without ever having to ask.  She would make my family dinner, watch my daughter, come help with the goats. There is no way we could have gotten through that first month without the non-judgmental love and support of our friends and family. Finally, the last lesson I learned, was to take a day off. In the initial grind of starting a small business, a day off seems like a pipe dream. But, three months in, we took a step back and said, we need some sacred time. We changed up our routines so that we ate dinner together as a family every night. So that our children could get undivided attention from us. And so that one day, every single week, all we committed to was milking goats. The rest of it was for family. Without that sacred time, we would be so run down that our time spent on the business would be less productive. How has the support and influence of other women (mom, friends, other  farmers) helped you thus far? Nothing means as much to me as the support of other women. We are a fierce sort. If we love something. We love it. If we dont. Get out of our way.  For me, the support of other women means I have the support of the world  (literally and figuratively). To learn more about Rachael and The Farmstead: Facebook Instagram Website

Are you in a mediocre relationship

Are you in a mediocre relationship Ive known ladies who have said they are going to break up with their boyfriends, and then they dont. I have friends who have broken up with their boyfriends, only to get right back together with them. There are women who are in relationships that give them zero gratification, but they stay just cause. So I ask- why do women stay in mediocre relationships? Personally, Ive been there too. I have definitely had my fair share of mediocre relationships. Those relationships with no spark, no fire, no personal connection. Relationship that provide you with a partner, but one that might not truly see who you are or is able to give you the things you truly need. My excuse was-I just wanted to be in a relationship so badly, it didnt matter who the guy was. Isnt that sad? I wonder if there is something about society and something about the defining yourself as a woman that makes us value being in a relationship more than the quality of the relationship. For example,  it doesnt matter who the date is for Valentines Day, just that you have a date is what is important. I think this is just one out of an infinite amount of reason for why people stay in a mediocre relationship, but one that I definitely relate to. So do you have another reason? Have you found yourself in a mediocre relationship before? Were you just hanging out with one guy until the next guy came along? Have you been in a relationship for so long you didnt realize it was mediocre anymore? Did you not know yourself enough to know what type of relationship you wanted? I think this is a big issue with ladies these days and Id love to hear what you have to say! Lets talk. Happy Thursday yall!

Five Things Youll Learn About Yourself on Vacation - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Five Things Youll Learn About Yourself on Vacation - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career I’m writing this from 900 feet above sea level on the upcountry slopes of Haleakala on Maui. This week I’ve been fortunate enough to spend time on Maui visiting friends family and also  going  to places I have been visiting for many years. It got me thinking about what has changed as well as what  has stayed the same. I was able to boil it down to Five Things I noticed on my vacation. Going forward  I might expand upon this list as the trip continues and perhaps with any comments you add below. (PS In case you are wondering what I mean by many years its more than 30.) It got me thinking about the upcoming holiday season for travel. Even though you might not view these trips as vacations. As the  season  gets going  here are a few things you might notice about yourself too. Even if you see holiday travel as more of an obligation than a vacation you may be thinking, planning and dreaming about your mid-winter vacation. Whether it’s to a sun drenched tropical destination or light-as-air powder snow location high in the some far off alps. As we enter the holiday season you will inevitably start to travel to see friends and family or they might  come to you. As mentioned, perhaps you won’t think of these trips as vacation and perhaps as more of an obligation. If that’s the case you may want to stop reading now. However, if you do think of your holiday travels as vacations and adventures and opportunities for personal discovery … read on. Below are five things I noticed about myself on my trip to Maui. For starters it was great seeing friends that I don’t get to spend time with nearly often enough. It was also fun  cruising through towns I have been going to and thru for many years and seeing what’s changed. It was interesting to notice that some things have changed and some things really haven’t. While this should not be too much of a surprise it kind of was. I  expected more houses, more businesses and more people. All of which were there… in some places much more than others. However, it was equally interesting to see how some things haven’t changed at all. I guess this is just one of those things where Vacation Destinations parallel real life. Especially those vacation destinations that you have been to over and over again. Finally, I also noticed that Life Imitates Art and vice-versa, specifically with music. It seems there have been a lot of songs about working for the man and about how things change when and where we least expect them too. Sometimes in ways we would have not expected. Which, much as in life, is not too surprising… or at least it shouldnt be. Music Emulates Life … and vice-versa The Five Things They paved paradise and put up a parking lot Originally by Joni Mitchell and immortalized by Jimmy Buffet. Much to my chagrin there have been more than a few places that have been paved over either literally or figuratively. In life and in business too we have to be able to deal with these kind of gross changes. It doesn’t mean we have to like it, but we do need to ready for these things and be able to adapt. Take it Easy The classic Eagles song is a great way to think about vacations. Perhaps not too literally, rather more figuratively. Yes, you should plan what you want to do, Yes you should  think ahead and Yes perhaps even know a few things that you absolutely  want to do. But… be ready to adapt and change and go with the flow. Work Will Always be There As my mobile phone dinged with another email or text I realized that it would continue to do this unless I did something. That something was taken care of a little bit by where I was staying, but was re-inforced by my actions. I put my phone in the room and turned the notification sounds off. I was there to spend time with my friends. So, I did. And so should you. Sure, I’m writing this while on vacation. But, I set this time aside to do so. Spend the Money. You Wont Regret it Money is transitory. Spend it now and enjoy the moment. Whether it’s take that cruise to  Molokini to snorkel or  pay a few extra dollars to get on the tram to the top of the mountain first. Spend it now and  make it count.  See Peter Shankman’s article on using money to make for better travel experiences. Use is the operative word here. The money… not the people. And the last one … You should have been here yesterday I’m a lifelong surfer and windsurfer. If I had a nickel for every time someone said… “You should have been here yesterday” I’d be a semi-wealthy man. Well, you are here today. Make the most of it. Make your own stories. And, be ready to tell anyone that asks… You should have been here yesterday! Time to Get Back to It So, there you have it. Five things  that  I think apply to all of us and that I think you will learn about yourself on vacation. Take them for what they are worth and remember… Take it Easy and that Work will Always be There. Now, I need to get back to my vacation. Ill let you know in follow-on posts if I come up with another list of five. Drop a comment here and let me know what you’ve learned about yourself on you vacations.

The Ultimate Guide To Office Etiquette For First Time Employees

The Ultimate Guide To Office Etiquette For First Time Employees For many millions of people all around the world, offices are at the centre of their working lives.From journalists to engineers, recruiters to charity workers, offices provide a place of work for people in every possible industry.However, for some, the world of office work can seem pretty alien. If you have just left school, university or have simply worked outdoors a lot, you might find the transition rather strange.evalMany office jobs run on 9 to 5 shifts, something which many people find difficult to adjust to, especially if they haven’t experienced it in the past.Just take a look at this post from The Penny Hoarder which discusses this problem of adjustment in more detail.Another issue people struggle with when starting work in an office for the first time is the unwritten rules which exist.Offices, over the years, have developed a type of etiquette that all good employees largely abide by. While you won’t find them in any job contract, you will find that disobeying some co uld land you in a fair bit of bother.Thankfully, Silverdoorhas created a helpful infographic to give those more inexperienced people a heads up. It’s called ‘The Ultimate Guide To Office Etiquette For First Time Employees’ and you can take a look below.It covers a great range of tips some much more serious than others. For example, at the more serious end of the spectrum, it discusses how to be mindful on social media and the content you post, both at work and at home.At the other end of the spectrum it explains why it’s not a great idea to bring smelly food into the office!Infographic Credit â€" silverdoor.co.ukeval

Motivation Monday Make It a Productive Summer

Motivation Monday Make It a Productive Summer For some of you, the kids are done with school and so begins another week of their vacation but dont let that interfere with your job search. Or maybe you are living back home after graduation.   Here are some ways to keep your job search moving forward while you enjoy the summer months as well. Get Out of Your House As long as you are out side of your house, you will inevitably meet people! Be inquisitive. Before you confess you are in job search or your canned elevator speech, spend time learning about the new person you are meeting. Be other-focused! Turn your trip to the beach/water park into an information gathering session If you are headed out for the day or for a week, plan to meet new people and learn about what they do. Ask questions. Organize a Reunion If you are home from school, contact classmates from high school and college for a get together. Take a Walk Invite a friend, neighbor or new acquaintance for a walk (either outside or at the gym). Barbeque Anyone? This is the perfect time of year to gather friends, family and past colleagues to chill out and grill out! Moneys tight, so make it a BYOB and a invite them to bring a dish to pass. Invite Others to an Event Going to an outdoor concert, festival or other event? The more the merrier! Invite friends to go with you. Remember: all of these activities offer you the opportunity to connect with people. Turn each of them into an information gathering session. It can be even more beneficial if you do a little research about some of your friends on LinkedIn to see who they know.   You may even be able to identify some people they know that you would like an introduction to. And be sure to follow up after with your marketing plan/target list of companies so your contacts know what your are looking for and how they can help. Please, please, please! Do not take the summer off from your job search. Find ways to convert your summer vacation into a productive job hunt!

Hiring Resume Writing Experts In Bend, Oregon

Hiring Resume Writing Experts In Bend, OregonIf you are looking for a job in Bend, Oregon then you should be sure to use the services of resume writing experts. These professionals have a variety of options that can help you be hired and be successful in your new career. Here are a few tips for getting a great job in Bend, Oregon.If you need assistance with resume writing experts in Bend, Oregon there are a couple of different places to look. First, check out an employment agency that specializes in helping people find the perfect fit for their resumes. This is a great way to get started if you are looking for a job.When you are looking for employment, these experts can also help you fill out your resume and create an effective cover letter. There are so many great jobs that are available and these professionals can help you land on the top of the list. By using a professional service you can get a very impressive resume and get you onto the first round of consideration for the perfe ct job.Then you have the employment agencies. These services will help you hire an employee that has the skills you need. You can have your resume professionally written by an expert so that you get noticed in your new career.Your resume needs to stand out in order to be seen. To do this, it needs to stand out from all of the other resumes that are already out there. You need to find a place that can help you write a great resume for the position you are applying for. With the right help you can get a great resume without having to go through the other options.By checking out Bend Employment opportunities and getting a resume from them, you can search out companies that have openings in specific fields such as computer programmers, writers, analysts, or managers. Once you select a company that has a vacancy for your field, you can contact them. You can fill out your application and speak with the employment agency about what kind of help they can provide for you.Once you are filling out the application, the assistance of the professionals will be able to show you how to write a CV in various types of writing styles. They will also show you examples of resumes that others have filled out for various positions. This is an excellent way to see what a job requires.When you are looking for a job you will need to make sure that your resume stands out. You can get this by hiring resume writing experts in Bend, Oregon. This will allow you to be seen and achieve the success you want. The job offers are plentiful and when you use the services of a professional you can take advantage of the selection.