Posted on November 24th, 2009

Biznik Welcomes Dom Sagolla, Co-creator of Twitter, in Seattle on 12/01/09

By Lara Feltin

Posted Tuesday, November 24th, 2009

Several books have been written by “social media experts” trying to explain the secrets behind Twitter - the 140 character online service that allows users to share, discover and connect with anyone, anywhere in the world - and how anyone can use it to their advantage. Convincing companies to incorporate Twitter into their marketing strategies has become easier since competing companies have seen phenomenal results. However, according to Dom Sagolla, a co-creator of Twitter and author of the new book, 140 Characters: a Style Guide for the Short Form (Wiley 2009), “The constraint of 140 characters is an opportunity for creative self-expression of all kinds. With Twitter and the short form, we have inadvertently invented a new genre of literature.”

In 140 Characters, Dom shares the way to develop a personal voice and make the most of your messages. 140 Characters aims to do for Twitter and other short forms, such as text messaging, email, and status updates, what Strunk & White’s The Elements of Style did for good writing via lessons in grammar and composition.

In a world of three second attention spans, the short form is not just confined to Twitter, but also Facebook, LinkedIn, and text messaging. Most of the advice in 140 Characters is focused on helping the reader to find the right words.

Twitter co-creator Dom Sagolla covers all the basics of great short-form writing, in 140 Characters including the importance of communicating with simplicity, honesty, and humor. For marketers and business owners, social media is an increasingly important avenue for promoting a business-this is the first writing guide specifically dedicated to communicating with the succinctness and clarity that the Internet age demands.

The most extraordinary thing about 140 Characters is that it’s more than a book about Twitter. 140 Characters is a concise field manual that will help you be more effective when communicating in small spaces. It’s an actual style guide that:
• Covers basic grammar rules for short-form writing
• The equivalent of Strunk and White’s Elements of Style for today’s social media-driven marketing messages
• Helps you develop your own unique short-form writing style.

140 Characters is a much-needed guide to the kind of communication that can make or break a reputation online.



Dom Sagolla will speak on Tuesday, December 1, 2009 from 5:30pm to 8:30pm, at the Pan Pacific Hotel Seattle, 2125 Terry Avenue, Seattle, Washington 98121.

RSVP HERE



The Biznik Innovators Series, in partnership with Kim Ricketts Book Events, connects independent business people with some of the most premier innovative thought leaders published today in a swank downtown venue (with complimentary wine!) When the authors visit Seattle, we find innovative ways to celebrate their books, while providing you with a unique networking opportunity.

The engaging Warren Etheredge, of The Warren Report, will lead an intimate and entertaining on-stage conversation with the author that takes the entire event up a notch.

In addition…

* Before and after networking with the author and other guests in an intimate setting at the elegant Pan Pacific Hotel

* Free-flowing award-winning wines from Erath Wineries

* Savory nibbles prepared by Seastar Restaurant & Raw Bar on the house

AND in addition to the wine & appetizers, a copy of the book, signed for you by the author after the interview, is included in the ticket cost.

VIEW video on the Biznik Innovators Series on YouTube.

No Comments | Posted in News

Posted on November 6th, 2009

Duct Tape Marketing: Ideas That Stick

By Dan McComb

Posted Friday, November 6th, 2009

I recently had the pleasure of being interviewed by John Jantsch, the founder of Duct Tape Marketing, for an upcoming episode of his Duct Tape Marketing Podcast. John and I had a great conversation about the findings of the Biznik member survey. If you’re interested in hearing our conversation and learning what we discovered, I highly recommend tuning into the interview. It will be published on the main pages of the Duct Tape Marketing Blog.

As it turns out, Duct Tape Marketing is not just another interesting small-business site: it offers a whole universe of marketing ideas AND a way for coaches to connect with new clients. Plenty of Biznik members are already big fans of Duct Tape, and a few, like Biznik member Bill Doerr of Connecticut, are certified Duct Tape Marketing Coaches, who work with owners of small to mid-sized companies to build marketing systems tailored for their businesses.

I’m impressed with the community that John and his team have built. And I’m looking forward to reading his book, Duct Tape Marketing: The World’s Most Practical Small Business Marketing Guide, which just arrived in the mail two days ago. If you’d like to make your marketing stick, check out Duct Tape Marketing!

No Comments | Posted in News

Posted on November 4th, 2009

Are You Tired of Being a Well-Kept Secret? Are You Ready to Get Known as the Expert You Are?

By Lara Feltin

Posted Wednesday, November 4th, 2009

PR is mystifying. How many times have you looked at the recipient of some great media attention and wondered how they were so lucky as to step in the path of a magic wand-wielding Fairy Godmother. Nancy shines a light on the mystery. She empowers you find your own magic PR wand and teaches you how to wave it yourself.

If you’re tired of being a well-kept secret, you need to attend Publici-Tea™ Express for this Friday, November 6, hosted by Biznik, Nancy Juetten. I attended her last Publici-Tea Express. It was so packed full of resources - I found myself scribbling notes throughout the entire event. I highly recommend this workshop for all entrepreneurs at all stages in their business. Nancy will help you discover the story you can tell and provide tips on how and where to tell it.

This month, she’s included a special guest presentation by Patrick Snow, best-selling author of Creating Your Own Destiny (2002), who will help you figure out if publishing your book is the right path to build your reputation as an expert.

Register here: www.publici-teaexpress.com.

Bizniks can sign up at the VIP rate of $25 by entering “Lara Feltin” in the comments section!

I’ll be at a table in the back. Come up and say hello.

1 Comment | Posted in News

Posted on October 26th, 2009

Celebrating the life of Bryce Mohan 1975-2009

By Lara Feltin

Posted Monday, October 26th, 2009

It is with great sadness, that I write about the death of a Biznik who touched the lives of many in Seattle - Bryce Mohan, who lost his on-going battle with depression on October 25. Bryce Mohan is survived by his wife, Kirsten Mohan, and their two boys Sasha and Julien.

Bryce was an outgoing independent photographer. I met him at a Biznik event over a year ago and Dan and I instantly befriended him and his wife. Over dinners, at Biznik events, and on Facebook, Bryce could be counted on for his quick wit, sassy retorts, engaging conversations, and inspiring opinions. He was generous with his talent and extraordinarily thoughtful. Members may remember him as the professional photographer who donated his time at last year’s Anti-Office Holiday Party and The 2009 Biznik Oscar BashDan and Bryce bonded over a shared passion in health care reform. Bryce’s comments comments on the subject were both humorous and profound.

At Kirsten Mohan’s request, a memorial for Bryce in a variation on the tradition of an Irish Wake will be held on Sunday, November 1 from 3-5pm in Seattle. Emily Lauderback has graciously offered her professional space, called SPACE - 7601 Greenwood Avenue N, Seattle 98103 (enter on 76th). This is an adult-only service.

Friends of Kirsten & Bryce’s can find more information on Facebook.

In lieu of flowers, Kirsten has requested practical gifts be made to assist Bryce’s beautiful family in maintaining his legacy and bidding him the farewell he so richly deserves. Donations may be made in the form of a gift card to Target or Ikea; cash via their Paypal account at bryce@brycemohan.com; or in the form of Dibbits from Dibspace.com via an email to dominic@dibspace.com with “donation for K.Mohan” in the subject line.

6 Comments | Posted in News

Posted on October 20th, 2009

Biznik entrepreneur survey results: happiness matters

By Dan McComb

Posted Tuesday, October 20th, 2009

I’m in New York this week, along with a representative from iStockphoto, sharing the results of Biznik’s member survey with the media. The results are fascinating! We’re making a summary of the entire survey available for anyone whose interested at http://tinyurl.com/ybt7lbg.

The most significant news, in my view: 33 percent of you said that the most important reason you started your business is because you wanted to do something that you enjoyed! The fact that personal satisfaction ranked so highly caught us by surprise - we were expecting the number one reason to be “because I don’t want to work for someone else,” (which other studies have consistently shown to be the top reason for business formation) but that came in second with 26 percent. And this might be news to anyone who thinks entrepreneurs do it for the money: Just 5.8 percent listed that as their most important reason for starting a business.

The biggest challenges facing entrepreneurs? It’s three things:

1. Reduced income (44 percent)
2. Isolation (19 percent)
3. Long hours (15 percent)
4. Lack of access to health insurance (13 percent)

Speaking of health insurance, 91 percent of you said that health insurance must be reformed - 60 percent said reform should focus on a public option; 36 percent said focus should be on private options. And 20 percent of respondents have NO HEALTH INSURANCE at all - which shows entrepreneurs need health reform even more than the general public (which most estimates put at 15 percent lacking coverage of any kind).

Despite the challenges, you are happy with your choice to build a business. In fact, 91 percent of you are “very satisfied” (70 percent) or “somewhat satisfied” (21 percent). Only 1 person out of the nearly 700 respondents reported they were “very dissatisfied” with their choice to start a business. Growing a business is hard work, but we’re thrilled to learn that you believe it really is worth the effort!

Full summary is up at http://tinyurl.com/ybt7lbg.

1 Comment | Posted in News

Posted on October 13th, 2009

Can I trust you…

By Lara Feltin

Posted Tuesday, October 13th, 2009

Biznik is a social network that meets in the real 3-dimensional world. That means that while it’s a global online community, Bizniks get to see each other face-to-face, in the flesh. But that doesn’t erase the importance of showing your real self online too.

When you fail to include a photo of yourself on your profile, yet still interact with the community by RSVPing for events, commenting on discussions, starting conversations in the forum, interacting with others, it’s no different than you showing up at a party or a business meeting with a mask over your face. Who are you? But more importantly, Are you real? Can I trust you?

People do business with people they trust.


Melody Biringer’s in Amsterdam right now - and her blog has left me thoroughly Craving Amsterdam. Her trip started with attendance at Picnic - an international media, technology, entertainment, art and science festival - a place for innovative thought leaders to meet and create. This shot was from Paul Butterfield’s photos. (Dan, mark your calendar, we’re going to be there next September!)

1 Comment | Posted in News

Posted on October 7th, 2009

GARY VAY•NER•CHUK teaches us how to CRUSH IT!

By Lara Feltin

Posted Wednesday, October 7th, 2009

On Tuesday, October 20, Gary Vaynerchuk will be in Seattle for our second Biznik Innovator event, presented in association with Kim Ricketts Book Events.

Millions have logged onto Gary Vaynerchuk’s Wine Library TV - watching him boldly and unconventionally rate hundreds of wines. Viewers are attracted to his youthful energy, unique voice, and often outrageous descriptions, earning him the adage, “The wine guy for the average Joe.”

While we love wine, Gary’s pioneering, multi-faceted approach to personal branding and business has led to invitations to keynote conferences such as Web 2.0 and South by Southwest - and now Biznik is honored to have Gary address the Seattle small business community.

RSVP here.

After primarily utilizing traditional advertising techniques to build his family’s local wine business into a national industry leader, Gary rapidly leveraged social media tools such as Twitter and Facebook to promote Wine Library TV, his video blog about wine. As his viewership swelled to over 90,000 a day, doors opened to several national TV appearances (such as The Today Show, Ellen DeGeneres, Conan O’Brien, Nightline and more!), a flurry of speaking engagements around the world, and now a book: CRUSH IT!: Why NOW is the Time to Cash In on Your Passion (HarperCollins; October 2009).

Do you have a hobby you wish you could do all day? An obsession that keeps you up at night?

In CRUSH IT!, Gary shows you how to use the power of the Internet to turn your real interests into real businesses. One day, after years spent building his family business from a local wine shop into a national industry leader, he turned on a video camera. By using the secrets revealed in this book, he transformed his entire life and earning potential by building his personal brand. By the end of this book, any reader will have learned how to harness the power of the Internet to make their entrepreneurial dreams come true. Step by step, Crush It! is the ultimate driver’s manual for modern business.

ABOUT THE EVENT

• Includes discussion & book signing. Come ready with your questions!

• Social hour after the presentation, where you can meet other attendees, speak with the Gary and get your book signed.

• Cost: $40. ($35 Biznik Pros; $25 Biznik ProVIPs)

• As with all Biznik Innovators events, includes a FREE copy of Gary’s new book.

• Membership in Biznik is required to RSVP for this event, but membership is FREE or you can pay at the door. Upgrade your membership to receive a discount on this and other Biznik Innovators events.

• Space is limited and expected to fill up. RSVP now!

• Location: The Wine Outlet in Seattle’s Elliot Bay neighborhood - a unique Seattle wine shop dedicated to searching the world wine markets for high quality wines of extraordinary value. The Elliot location hosts their wine bar and Wine School (est. 1981), and is open every Tuesday through Sunday, 5pm to 10pm.

No Comments | Posted in News

Posted on October 6th, 2009

Bizniks Networking with a Cause – Green Halloween®!

By Lara Feltin

Posted Tuesday, October 6th, 2009

When: THIS Thursday, October 8, 6:30-8:30pm
Benefitting: Treeswing - www.Treeswing.org
Where: EcoHaus Seattle
4121 First Avenue South
Seattle, Washington 98134 (map)
www.ecohaus.com

Nosh & Sip: COMPLIMENTARY organic and local food and drink provided by Whole Foods Market, Kestrel Vinters, Equal Exchange, Larabar, Sierra Nevada, Honest Tea, Market Street Traders, Mt Townsend Creamery, Mighty O Donuts and more!

Cost: FREE, please bring a small donation for Treeswing, a Seattle-based non-profit building generations of healthy, active communities.

RSVP: on Biznik.com
(RSVPs are NOT required for this event. It’s open to the public, so feel free to bring along friends and business associates.)

Contact info: Tracy Oklander Anderson – 206-297-7878

What is Networking with a Cause?

Networking with a Cause is a monthly Biznik event hosted by Tread Light Gifts, Solace Essentials, and L & R Realty. It’s a networking happy hour where Seattle small business owners gather and support great causes. It’s simple to attend. Just gather some couch change, latte money or more along with business cards and sparkling personality. At the end of the night, they cut a check from all the donations to the nonprofit of the month on behalf of the Biznik Business Community. This is a great opportunity for all of us to bond together and make a difference in our world. In past months, we have supported causes such as the Crohns and Colitis Foundation, Global Music Project, and Northwest Animal Rights Network.

For the October event, we’re excited about teaming with Green Halloween® to bring to you a night of networking, education, sampling of earth friendly and local food and drinks, and of course – supporting awesome causes in our community and world. Join us at EcoHaus, home of the Northwest’s largest selection of eco-friendly building supplies, as we explore ways that we can “green” our Halloween celebrations and daily lives. Win great prizes, too!

What is Green Halloween?

Green Halloween® is a non-profit, grassroots initiative striving to create healthier, eco-friendlier holidays– starting with Halloween. Launched in Seattle in 2007 by Corey Colwell-Lipson, the nationwide movement is all about educating and inspiring communities by showing how easy, affordable, and fun it can be to factor our earth and our health into our daily choices. (More…)

All the money raised at the October Networking with a Cause/Green Halloween will go to Treeswing, a Seattle-based non-profit building generations of healthy, active communities. Through innovative partnerships and programs, Treeswing improves the health of our children and prevents childhood obesity.

Event Highlights:

Visit with Corey Coldwell-Lipson, Green Halloween Founder, to get suggestions on how you can turn your Halloween this year into a “Green” Halloween.

Sample food and drinks from…
Emerald Valley Kitchen
Larabars
Kestrel Vinters
Honest Teas
Sierra Nevada Beer
Market Street Traders
Mt Townsend Creamery
Mighty O Donuts
Whole Foods Market
Equal Exchange
and more….

Participate in our raffle to raise additional money for Treeswing. We have some great items to raffle off, so don’t miss out.

Mingle with fabulous members of the small business community.

2 Comments | Posted in News

Posted on September 28th, 2009

“Why were these people all so goddamn friendly?”

By Lara Feltin

Posted Monday, September 28th, 2009

Here’s a great post about Biznik by the Communicatrix, Colleen Wainwright, a Biznik in LA.

I am the first to confess that I did not “get” Biznik when I first encountered it.

What was up with the cute name and the forum boosterism? Seemed pretty at odds with a saucy tagline (”Business networking that doesn’t suck.”) Mostly, why were these people all so goddamn friendly? Read more…

Thanks, Colleen!

2 Comments | Posted in News

Posted on September 14th, 2009

New Terms of Service for Biznik

By Lara Feltin

Posted Monday, September 14th, 2009

We’d like to let you know about our new Terms of Service. As Biznik has evolved, we’ve added new features like Biznik Groups, more benefits to the paying membership levels, and we’ve gained a better understanding of how folks use the service. As a result, we’ve updated the Terms of Service - the basic rules that go along with using Biznik. Think of this set of revisions as housekeeping.

You can read the Terms of Service online. Here are a few highlights from the updated page:

No MLM Policy—Biznik’s No MLM Policy is now defined in these Terms according to the rules we’ve been operating under for some time.

SPAM—Abusive behavior and spam is also outlined in these Terms according to the rules we’ve been operating under for some time.

Fees & Payments—Membership dues are collected once a month, and event fees are not collected until 24 hours before an event starts. The reason for this, is so that you can downgrade and cancel at any time without feeling penalized. As a result, once fees are collected, they are non-refundable. This has been stated on the order form, but now it’s in the Terms too.

Biznik Groups—This feature was only released last spring. We’ve now outlined the rules for Groups in Section 13.

AmbassadorsBiznik Ambassadors are fans who volunteered to help spread the word about Biznik in their area. They’re not employed by Biznik and are simply donating their time and efforts because they believe in this community. The Terms now explains that.

These updates compliment the spirit of Biznik. If we’ve left something out, or if the nature of our service changes, we’ll revisit the Terms as necessary. We’re always open to feedback and comments are welcome both here and at info(at)biznik.com.

It’s important that everyone, Bizniks, Biznik Pros and ProVIPs, or is simply those interested in Biznik understand that it’s not about the technology, it’s about how we all use the service that matters most.

1 Comment | Posted in News

Posted on September 14th, 2009

Susan Evans of Office Nomads wins $500 Apple gift certificate

By Dan McComb

Posted Monday, September 14th, 2009

Congratulations, Susan Evans of Office Nomads! She’s the big winner in the drawing we held for the $500 Apple gift certificate, as part of the Biznik Member Survey we conducted last week. And a big thank you to iStockphoto, which made the incentive possible - they provided the gift certificate in return for participating in the survey.

I’m flying to New York next week to participate in a press conference put together by iStock, in which we’ll reveal what we learned. And there’s some really good stuff in there.

Here’s a sneak peek: 90.8 percent of Biznik members say it’s time to reform health care (although they disagree whether reform efforts should focus on public or private changes - 56.8 percent say public, and 34 say private). Maybe that’s because 19.2 percent of you have NO health insurance whatsoever. The national average is around 15 percent without health insurance, so we know from this survey that starting a small business makes you LESS likely to have coverage.

I personally know what that’s like - I put ALL my money into my first business, going without health insurance for about 7 years before I could finally afford it. I got lucky and didn’t get sick or injured during that time. But many aren’t so lucky. We hear you loud and clear: health care reform is an entrepreneurial issue. And the time to act is now.

2 Comments | Posted in News

Posted on September 12th, 2009

My First Year in Biznik…

By Lara Feltin

Posted Saturday, September 12th, 2009

Seattle Biznik, Kate Phillips just celebrated the turning of year since she began her involvement in Biznik, and she published this article:

My First Year in Biznik: How Do You Measure a Year?
A look at “before Biznik” and “after Biznik” - the difference a year of intensive involvement in a networking community can make.

In his song immortalized in the musical Rent, Jonathan Larsen asks, “How do you measure a year?”

”In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee.
In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife.
In 525,600 minutes - how do you measure a year in the life?”

(Seasons of Love, Jonathan Larsen - YouTube link)

I watched a film of the final Broadway performance of Rent last week, and the cast sings this song immediately following the intermission. Facing the audience side by side, there’s no movement, dancing, or drama accompanying the song. The action breaks while the cast ponders in song the meaning and value of a year.

Perhaps not coincidentally, I noticed last week that I had completed my first year in Biznik. So I took my own intermission; a short break in the action to step back and ponder how I might “measure” my first year in Biznik.

Connections.

Measured in people, 220 people joined my personal network. Of these people, over 80% were brand new contacts, and most of them I “know” on some level, at least through a conversation at an event or through Biztalk. (I.e., they’re not like random Twitter followers.)

This year I also created three “Groups,” which now have 441 members (with overlap). Although under-utilized, I’m starting to see some great connections there, too.

Seattle music producer Loren Weisman met me through Biznik and now holds events linking those in the Seattle Musicians and Performers Biznik Group with others in the music community at large. A woman posted an opportunity for “Seattle Cold Readers,” (actors reading scripts for an audience) in the same group, I messaged it out, and the next week another group member (who didn’t even know the first gal) was inspired to audition – and was cast!

Smarts.

The week I joined Biznik, I read dozens of articles full of helpful ideas and useful strategies. In the past months, many inspiring and insightful entrepreneurs have taught me through events, articles, wisdom and mentoring. They’ve made a difference for me through their suggestions, observations, and by being role models. A few I’ve had the pleasure of working with. Others I’ve been able to pay back with referrals and recommendations.

Clients.

Measured in clients, over half of my new clients this year came from my Biznik community, either directly or indirectly! Some were members, some were introduced to me by members. Some found me through an article or other Biznik link. Some found me at events I hosted or attended. One found me in a group. Another I had known years ago, but Biznik provided our reconnection.

Readers.

Measured in articles, I’ve written nine of them (this one included), and have outlines or drafts for more. Measured in views, those articles have been seen a combined total of over 10,650 times! Measured in comments, the articles have received about 300 comments total, with “Why Entrepreneurs Rule the World” receiving over 100 comments alone.

What has been immeasurable to me is the value of the personal comments, feedback, visibility, and the kick in the pants to write articles worthy of people’s time. Simply put, I’ve become a better writer. And like little ambassadors, my articles have gone out into the world and brought back inquiries, appointments, and best of all, friends.

Blog Traffic.

Thirteen months ago, only my mother and two best friends were reading my new blog. As I tracked my blog traffic over the next months, I couldn’t help but notice that on most days, Biznik had become my main source of traffic. If I had a featured article, I could get many dozens of new “hits” to my blog in one day. (That clickable link at the bottom of a VIP profile is magic… but only if you are participating!)

Online Visibility and Press.

Thanks to Biznik, Google can’t miss me now. I discovered one article alone had aquired over 30 URL’s through Tweets and blog mentions. And my Biznik profile gets 50 -100 or more “hits” every week.

With the increased web presence, I’ve had press opportunities sometimes dropping from the sky! Reporters don’t seem to know how they found me (“my boss saw you online and asked me to check you out”). Newsweek called to get a quote for an article (“THE Newsweek?” I asked). Daily Candy ran a feature online, which then led to an interview on KIRO/KOMO news (NBC affiliate).

Other opportunities are directly traceable to Biznik. Tara Joyce from Toronto featured me in her Rise of the Innerpreneur blog. Biznik articles have been reprinted online by Mark Combs in Florida and a publisher in India, and I’ve received invitations to write articles for other websites.

All that buzz (and more) from a computer keyboard, a website on free Wordpress.org software, and my $24 a month Biznik membership!

Opportunities.

From invitations to sing (I’m a musician as well as a coach) to collaborations with event co-hosts and new business partners, the folks I meet on Biznik present an abundance of opportunities, to the point where I honestly can’t say yes to everything! I’ve belonged to “business networking organizations” before, but Biznik is more of a business playground! And now that I know my way around the playground, so to speak, I’ve been able to coach others how to play strategically.

Practice.

I hosted 21 workshops or events my first year and learned a lot about what works and what doesn’t in the trenches. What moves people, bores them, inspires them to want more or to leave early. I gained invaluable skills and experience speaking and presenting, thanks to the Bizniks who have participated and given thoughtful feedback. Biznik has made me a better trainer, speaker and presenter.

I’ve also honed curriculum for new classes and have found the ability to have a “testing ground” a valuable tool. Best yet, while I’m practicing, I’m also connecting, contributing, and - as a side benefit - marketing!

A Chance to Shine.

When I joined Biznik in August of 2008, it was a scary time in my business. I had transitioned from real estate to full-time coaching, and my resources were shrinking with the market while my business was still getting off the runway. I was losing speed just when I needed to build it.

I belonged to a weekly networking group that I loved, but it wasn’t monetizing. And aside from that hour each week, I felt isolated, discouraged, maybe even a bit depressed. I had gone so far as to send an email to friends saying that maybe it was time to (“gasp!”) get a job.

Seven or eight months later, I had a chance to have coffee with Biznik co-founder Lara Feltin. Trying to describe what Biznik had done for me and my business, I found the word:

Momentum.

Biznik gave my me and my business the momentum it needed.

Biznik wasn’t a magic bullet that changed my business overnight. It simply gave me a toolset that, when used strategically, helped me leverage my efforts.

Through my profile, article and events, I expanded my online presence and traffic significantly. It gave me endless opportunities to meet potential collaborators, referral partners, or even clients. And most significantly, Biznik gave me a place to grow and learn in the company of other like-minded entrepreneurs.

Partners. Mentors. Friends.

Last but not least, Biznik gave me a community. A conversation to join. New friends who live in my tiny town. New friends who live across the country.

If I’m collaborating on a project or event with another entrepreneur, chances are, they’re a Biznik. If I’m brainstorming business ideas, chances are, it’s with a Biznik. If I’m having a great time with people who “get” what it means to be self-employed, yep, I’m hanging out with Bizniks.

Now, this shocked me. I just looked at my last page of sent emails in my Yahoo browser. Half of the people I’ve emailed in the last two days are active Biznik members! Half of those, I met through Biznik and would not otherwise have met. Of those I met elsewhere, our relationship is richer because of this network and the opportunities it has provided.

All of those people, I consider friends. We joke with each other online, give each other encouragement, ideas and swift kicks when necessary, follow each other on Facebook or Twitter. However you measure it, Biznik has expanded the relationships in my life. Biznik has increased the support, the encouragement, and the love in my life.

“525,600 minutes - how do you measure a year in the life?
How about love? How about love? Measure in love.”

(Seasons of Love, Jonathan Larsen)

I’m still on the journey called “building a business,” but I’m far, far past the point of no return. When asked if I ever “got that job” I was looking for, I laugh. Giving up is no longer an option that enters my mind. This is who I am, this is what I do, and my life is not for sale to the highest bidder with a benefits package.

I’m proud to be a self-employed entrepreneur. I’m glad to be “Going it alone… together.”

1 Comment | Posted in News

Posted on September 10th, 2009

Optimizing Your Awesomeness Workshop 09/17/09 (Seattle)

By Lara Feltin

Posted Thursday, September 10th, 2009

The Biznik Business Essentials workshops are back! On Thursday, September 17 we welcome Brian Rauschenback, our own SEO guru, and Hazel Grace Dircksen, and our favorite Facebook expert, for this unique hands-on workshop taking a deeper look into building a strategy to effectively use and market your business with social media tools and sites like Facebook, Twitter, blogs, StumbleUpon and other kick-ass business networks (like Biznik).

“Your Awesome” is comprised of things you do that that others want to talk about.

SIX REASONS YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS THIS EVENT:

• Learn from the Masters: Brian is the guy we hired to optimize Biznik.com, that’s how much we believe in him.

• Hazel Grace’s Socialbees is a Facebook approved provider of Public Profiles for businesses, Social Ads and advanced Facebook for business strategy.

• This is an rare event. (That’s right. Hazel Grace is coming to town all the way from Silicon Valley for this event.)

• Includes interactive workshop & discussion. Come ready with your questions!

• After 5pm, gather for a social hour. That’s right, they’ll actually stick around to meet you in person.

Space is limited and expected to fill up. Register today!

RSVP here.

No Comments | Posted in News

Posted on September 8th, 2009

Meet Chris Brogan and Learn About “Becoming a Trust Agent for Your Company” (and Why it Matters)

By Lara Feltin

Posted Tuesday, September 8th, 2009

On September 15 we are kicking off a new partnership with Kim Ricketts Book Events and a series of public events featuring cutting edge thought-leaders/authors in social networking and entrepreneurship.

On Tuesday, September 15 we welcome Chris Brogan & Julien Smith, authors of TRUST AGENTS: Using the Web to Build Influence, Improve Reputation, and Earn Trust (Wiley; September 2009) for an exclusive public event.

Ranked amongst Technorati’s Top 100 Bloggers, Chris Brogan has built a career on observing how the latest trends and tools in Web networking are changing the nature of business relationships. In his new book Trust Agents, he joins forces with social media pioneer Julien Smith to answer the question nagging at everyone seeking to improve how they do business over the Web: “What do I do now?”

The event will take place at the lovely Columbia City Theater. We’ll start with casual time at 5 pm and no host bar; move on to the talk and end with more social time and booksigning.

Tickets for this event are available here.

And of course, a copy of the book is included for all attendees.

Who is Kim Ricketts? Kim founded KRBE in July of 2003 with an inspiration to find and develop new and targeted author-based events in Seattle. The company has expanded to a list of over 30 companies and groups, has branched into the greater Seattle area, the San Francisco market, and is exploring plans to expand even further. Some of the most notable authors have included Former Vice President Al Gore, Madeleine Albright, Malcolm Gladwell, Dan Pink, and Tim Ferris.

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Posted on August 31st, 2009

Biznik Wedding Bells

By Lara Feltin

Posted Monday, August 31st, 2009

Dan and I believe that one sign of a healthy community is people hooking up romantically as well as professionally. So we were thrilled to hear that wedding bells were the result of one Biznik hookup. This past weekend Sharon Gray and Jason Rumohr were married in Seattle.

Sharon shared the news with me last winter when Jason proposed: “I never imagined meeting someone so compatible in every way. Actually, that’s the same way I felt about Biznik! Well, almost… THANK YOU!”

Congratulations, you two! Does Biznik work? Yes!

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Posted on August 17th, 2009

Biznik’s big editorial shift

By Dan McComb

Posted Monday, August 17th, 2009

This morning, I sent the following email to the more than 500 authors who have had at least 2 published articles on Biznik. I’m reproducing it here for those of you who may wish to jump in and start publishing articles on Biznik:

First off, I’d like to thank you for the articles you’ve published on Biznik. The community gets richer with every published article, and I value your contributions highly. That’s why I’d like you to be among the first to know about a shift we’re making in our editorial focus, aimed at making Biznik articles more compelling and building a larger, more engaged audience for your work.

Beginning immediately, we are moving beyond the simple how-to article format and toward publishing more thought-provoking, timely and controversial articles. For example:

Health care - how important is it to small business? What would the impact of universal coverage be for you in your small business? Pro or con? We’d like to publish informed, well-written opinions on all sides of this and other issues important to entrepreneurs.

Advertising - is it dead yet? Or just beginning a new life? Do newspapers even matter any more? Or are we wasting our time and money advertising there?

Business models - What works? What works AND makes the world a better place? What’s exploitive? What’s just plain slimey and dishonest?

In addition to the serious stuff, I’d like to see oddball, edgy or simply entertaining articles based on your own experiences. One key requirement remains: every published article must have a tie to entrepreneurship. Beyond that - have fun with it, take risks, and have an informed point of view. Surprise me!

Write an article.

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Posted on August 13th, 2009

Startup Weekend connects tech entrepreneurs Aug. 28-30

By Dan McComb

Posted Thursday, August 13th, 2009

If you’ve got an web-based startup idea, Startup Weekend just might be the place to give it legs. I met two of the people behind this event, Marc Nager and Clint Nelson, earlier this week. And they’re a couple great guys who really want to support entrepreneurs, who have been working hard to make this event successful. It happens in Redmond Aug. 28-30. Marc and Clint invited me to present some behind-the scenes Shine clips, which I’ll be doing at the event on Sunday afternoon at 1pm. Here’s the full scoop:

Startup Weekend is excited to announce our next event at Microsoft headquarters (building 33) in Redmond on August 28th-30th.

Startup Weekend is an intense 54 hour event bringing brilliant minds (entrepreneurs, VCs, developers, designers, marketers, lawyers etc.) together to create a company (or as many as companies as the participants decide) from concept to launch! Interactivity and forging positive, value-added relationships is the core philosophy of a Startup Weekend. Each Startup Weekend is organized and sponsored by people and companies from the local community.

This is an open source event, all entrepreneurs are encouraged to attend! Microsoft experts will be present to provide support for developers building applications. We will have other experts in the startup community speaking as well.

All developers and entrepreneurs are invited to participate. All Eastside and Westside communities are also invited no matter what your technical background to come get down and dirty Startup Weekend style with some of the most prominent names in the Northwest.

Get connected with local developers, innovators and entrepreneurs. Build Community. Start companies. No Talk. All Action !

Attendees What you Get:

Pitch startup ideas and get to work on them with a team
7 meals
Drinks
T-Shirt
Software
Server Space
Chance at winning seed money awarded to a team Sunday night
Tickets are only $50 and are going fast! Get yours here: http://bizspark.startupweekend.com/

Speakers:

Friday night - TBA
Andy Sack – Saturday 2pm
Dan McComb – Sunday 1pm

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Posted on August 11th, 2009

Figuring out that you’re an entrepreneur is a lot like coming out

By Dan McComb

Posted Tuesday, August 11th, 2009

Shine trailer #4 is now live: “Figuring out that you’re an entrepreneur…it’s a lot like coming out. Coming out of the closet…I’m not like everyone else here… what would it take for me to actually express that unique part of myself?” Starring Karrie Kohlhaas, Sandy Glaze, Rebecca West, and Goldie Jones.

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Posted on August 7th, 2009

New feature: you can now message everyone in your network - sort of

By Dan McComb

Posted Friday, August 7th, 2009

“Is there a way for me to send a message to everyone in my network all at once?” That’s a question we’ve been asked a lot here at Biznik, and today for the first time we can answer “Yes - sort of.” We’d been dragging our feet on this feature, for fear that it would be abused, i.e., that members would use it to spam each other with unwanted messages. But we’ve deployed some better behind-the-scenes methods for catching spammers recently, so the time is right, and as of this morning, you can message your network.

Here’s the catch: This feature is available only to premium members. AND, we’ve initially limited the number of messages you can send at once to 50. So, if you’ve got more than 50 people in your network, you’ll have to add them manually, one at a time.

To send a network message, visit your profile, and click on the Network tab. You’ll see a row of links immediately below the tab:

Your network | message | bookmarks | referrals | connections

Click on “message.” A compose message form appears, and you’ll see everyone in your network displayed in the right column. You can now click on any of their names, to add them as a message recipient.

If you’ve got 50 or fewer people in your network, you’ll see an option to ‘Add all members’ at once, which is a nice shortcut from having to manually select each member.

We’ll be keeping an eye on this in the coming days, and if all goes well, we’ll likely raise the number of messages so that you can message everyone in your network even if you have hundreds of people in your network.

Please treat this feature with respect, and understand that with great power comes great responsibility. If a message that you send is interpreted as spam by even one recipient, it’s likely that you could lose a friend. And if you notice that you are receiving unwanted messages, remember that all you have to do is remove the person from your network to halt unwanted messages of this kind.

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Posted on July 25th, 2009

Support SHINE: put this widget on your blog

By Dan McComb

Posted Saturday, July 25th, 2009

Want to show your support for the SHINE project AND help us raise the funds we need to complete an important film? Grab the code below and paste it into the sidebar of your blog. Or website. You can see what it looks like in the right sidebar of this page. It’ll always display the very latest version of the trailer (we’ll be releasing new ones once a week) and shows up to the minute how much funds have been raised and how much is left to go. Here’s the code (simply cut and paste it into the sidebar of your blog):

<script type='text/javascript' src='http://biznik.com/shine/widget'></script>

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