Arun Rajagopal

Getting to know ‘Age of Conversation’ Authors – 6 May 17, 2007

Hello there! Click here to visit the updated profiles of ALL ‘Age of Conversation’ authors on one page. UPDATED ON 16 JULY 2007.

The weekend’s here in Muscat and I managed to squeeze in some time today to profile some of the participants of the ‘Age of Conversation’ e-book project. I’ve just got a couple left now! And oh yeah, my annual vacation has just started… 43 days where I’ll be away from work. But I will hold on to blogging, and all I can tell you now is that there will be so much to look forward on this blog in the days to come. On with the show!

At ChaosScenario, Cam Beck (aka Cameron Beck), along with a motley crew of online media specialists, provides information, insight and commentary on the chaos that marketers are facing as the forces of technology, consumer apathy and marketing integration shape our world. Cam has spent his career looking for easier ways of doing things. As an information architect and content specialist for Click Here, the interactive unit of The Richards Group, Cam takes full advantage of troubleshooting skills developed over 14 years in to create an easily understandable, highly usable interactive land of milk and honey. He’s got a personal blog here (comes with some powerful commentary on US Government, politics and military), and let me share some insider dope: Cam is an ex-Marine, having worked as a Electronic Switching Equipment Technician with the US Marine Corps for over 8 years, and is the Webmaster for and Chief Operating Officer of OO-RAH.com, a unique company dedicated to helping United States Marines and their families flourish. Read this post on the origin of OO-RAH, the spirited cry of the US Marines. Way to go, champ!

At ‘My 2 Cents’, P.R. veteran David Reich muses on marketing, media, public relations… and life. David says: After 30+ years in this business, I still look forward to going to work. Rarely are two days the same, and the challenges are varied and stimulating. Before founding his own business, Reich Communications, Inc. in 1990, David worked in senior roles at Manning, Selvage & Lee and The Rowland Company. David lives in southern Westchester, 15 miles north of midtown Manhattan, in the same town where he grew up. “Money-earnin’ Mount Vernon” is how the town is now known, as a center of hip-hop culture, but it also claims as native sons Denzel Washington, Dick Clark, author e.b. White, Art Carney, Art Buchwald and Sean “P-Diddy” Combs. David plays an active role in his community’s civic and school affairs and has served as a pro-bono public relations consultant to two mayors and the city comptroller. If he were not a P.R. man, David would have been an all-night Jazz DJ. (After all, he’s co-hosted a jazz show with the master horror filmmaker Wes Craven, for a semester at college.)

Luc is a man who wears many hats – marketing communication specialist and film producer, head of TV for an international advertising agency, managing director of small size company and so on. He is always on the lookout for: new challenges (!) – strategic planning – innovation – technology – state-of-the-art – cutting edge – pioneering processes – project research and development. The title of his chapter in the ‘Age of Conversation’ e-book is : “The Dawn of Shared Consciousness” and it floats around evolution and revolution. His blog Mindblob is nominated for 3 categories on Blogger’s Choice Awards: Best Blog Design, Best Marketing Blog & Best Blog about Stuff. At the moment, he’s probably having a ball holidaying in South of France.

Sean Howard’s blog is titled… CrapHammer. Prone to addiction ofcoffee, gadgets, software, cats, ideas and exploration, Sean’s currently a partner in spinglobe inc., a word of mouth, viral and social networking digital communications firm in Canada. His interests include ultimate frisbee, philosophy, gadgets, cats, and anything resembling ultimate frisbee. Sean blogs on Social Media, Social Networking, Viral / Word of Mouth & Web 2. His LinkedIn summary reads: Hacker turned Juggler; Brief foray into 3D special effects and Animation; Web Developer in the early standard war years; VP at a dying CD shop; Partner in an Interactive Agency; on to a Senior Strategist at ICE; finally Head Banana at spinglobe inc.

Tim Jackson is a ‘life-long, dyed in the wool jersey bicycle geek’ who is now living out a dream as the Brand Manager of the bike he lusted after since he was 12 years old; Masi Bicycles. In Jim’s own words: If you ever saw the movie ‘Breaking Away’, then you probably recognize the name Masi as the bike ridden by the movie’s hero Dave. Since seeing that movie in 1982, I have been a compulsive bike geek with little hope of salvation. Tim’s blog is the ultimate journey to a bike geek land. Happy ridin’ buddy! Oh yeah, did I tell you? Tim’s daughter Katie is on the blogosphere too… Katie’s a bright creative genius, philosopher & kindergartner whose blog you must visit.

Patrick Schaber is a Marketing Manager at Transition Networks, B2B manufacturer of networking hardware products in Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Area. His blog is titled ‘The Lonely Marketer – a discussion for the small business marketing manager’ and serves all those with great marketing ideas, limited time and budget, and only a small crowd to hear you present your thoughts. Patrick believes that a small company Marketing Manager has an exciting position – maintaining a consistent marketing plan while expanding boundaries into new and unchartered territories. And the Lonely Marketer serves his purpose of writing about and generating discussions on a variety of current marketing trends for such marketing professionals.

‘The Copywriting Maven’ is the ultimate online epository of direct response marketing & SEO copywriting tips, techniques and reviews of incredibly useful resources for professional and aspiring marketing copywriters. And that just about makes Roberta Rosenberg the ultimate copywriting diva on the blogosphere. Click here to read her “elevator speech” about who she is and her experience. And what makes her so special for young writers such as myself: her need to share her knowledge. Here’s my high-five for you, lady. Tony D. Clark his home at ‘Success from the Nest’, a resourceful yet entertaining blog that offers inspiration, tips and advice for the home-based entrepreneur and those aspiring to one – laced with humor and cartoons. Being a work-from-home parent himself, Tony has given advice, shared resources, and helped others who are interested in working from home. When it comes to work, he is…an entrepreneur, artist, writer, and designer. He is also the founder and partner of EfficiencyLab, LLC – a software and Website renovation company and a regular contributor to lifehack.org – a productivity and personal development blog. And the cartoonist for Implementing Scrum – a site designed to help software teams with the methodology. Tony lives in North Carolina with his wife, 3 daughters, and a dog.

At ‘Todd And – The Power To Connect’, Todd Andrlik blogs at the very serious yet often comical crossroads of marketing and media. Todd says that the power to connect is vital in today’s global economy and broadband society. In addition to ‘Todd And’, he’s also a contributor to Forward, a blog providing career development and professional perspective for students and young PR professionals. Todd has spent several years working for global PR firms, including a four-year term at Weber Shandwick, before taking up his current position as director of marketing and PR for one of the largest construction firms in the US. Tony and his wife are parents to an eight-pound Silky Terrier, Wrigley. He enjoys European travel and improvisational comedy. In 2004, Todd retired from his improv troupe after 14 years of performing.

Uwe Hook is Director, Interactive Marketing Strategy at Genex, a full-service digital agency in California. Uwe has over 15 years of creative advertising, marketing, strategic planning and client experience, coupled with 10 years of online media experience. His blog’s where ‘Real Life 1.0 meets Web 2.0’. His Interests: Anything. Except Professional Darts. Click here to check out his profile at AdGabber. Or click here to read his articles on imediaconnection.

Here’s the scoop on social media marketing expert Toby Bloomberg. A native of Boston who found her way to to Atlanta. Over 15-years experience in marketing. Hooked on potential of the Internet in ’97. Always reseach-based. National speaker and facilitator of Social Media Marketing and traditional marketing topics for organizations like the American Marketing Association, the Olympic Organizing Committee and SCORE. “Other life” includes serving on boards of the American Marketing Association, the Atlanta Interactive Marketing Association. Has most fun chairing the American Marketing Association’s online communities and being moderator of Internet/eCom SIG. Blogspeak: Diva Marketing is a state of mind. It’s an approach to marketing that’s fun, bold and savvy … but always strategically aligned with your brand’s objective. Steve Woodruff is Founder of StickyFigure, a consultancy that provides ‘sticky’ creative branding, identity, and market strategy services. Steve is a complusive lover of effective communications and can’t help thinking about more impactful logos, taglines, and market strategies. Steve led sales, marketing, and business development efforts for two decades in the healthcare field before launching StickyFigure and a consulting business on pharma sales training. Steve describes himself as ‘an unusual hybrid of conceptualizer, strategist, analyst, wordsmith, semi-techie, and all-around nice guy.’ Except when there’s bad coffee or lousy wine. Steve also writes as a contributor at the Small Business Branding blog, has been interviewed as an industry expert by TheStreet.com, recently launched the Marketing Bloggers Portal, and is working with other marketing bloggers on some new collaborative initiatives.Steve’s chapter in the ‘Age of Conversation’ e-book is titled ‘The Lowered Fence of Collaboration’.

Steve Bannister is a speaker, coach and educator from Canada who uses high-energy customized programs to empower people and organizations to get results. A ‘positive change catalyst’, Steve motivates people and organizations on how to get from planning to performance. An expert communicator and motivator for 20 years, Steve has a Masters in Education specializing in Teaching & Learning and is certified as a Professional Speaker with the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers (CAPS). Click here to read his article ‘The Secrets of Effective Decision-Making’.

Steve Roesler is the guy behind ‘All Things Workplace’, a blog on ‘Life at the intersection of people and work. . . for executives, leaders, employees, and their consultants’. Married to “B”,  Steve and his better half live 20 miles from Philadelphia in a tranquil, wooded area surrounded by lakes. Steve incorporated the Organization Effectiveness firm Roesler Group in 1977, specializing in communication training and development with an emphasis on improving systems, relationships, and large-scale change. He has spent lengths of time developing up-and-coming managers in Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. He has also served as a Drill Instructor in the Army, musician and singer, and has been involved in broadcasting for more than 30 years. He has attended various institutes for the study of human behavior, but believes that none of them equals a single day’s education watching people at an airport check-in line.

Profiles of ‘Age of Conversation’ authors: Stanley Johnson, Spike Jones, Nathan Snell, Simon Payn, Ryan Rasmussen, Ron Shevlin, Roger Anderson, Bob Hruzek, Rishi Desai, Phil Gerbyshak, Peter Corbett & Pete Deutschman.

Profiles of ‘Age of Conversation’ authors: Nick Rice, Nick Wright, Mitch Joel, Michael Morton, Mark Earls, Mark Blair, Mario Vellandi, Lori Magno, Kristin Gorski, Krishna De, Kris Hoet, Kofl Annan & Kimberly Dawn Wells. 

Profiles of ‘Age of Conversation’ authors: Karl Long, Julie Fleischer, Jordan Behan, John La Grou, Joe Raasch, Jim Kukral, Jessica Hagy, Janet Green, Jamey Shiels, Dr. Graham Hill, Gia Facchini & Geert Desager.

Profiles of ‘Age of Conversation’ authors: Gaurav Mishra, Gary Schoeniger, Gareth Kay, Faris Yakob, Emily Clasper, Ed Cotton, Dustin Jacobsen, Tom Clifford, David Pollinchock, David Koopmans, David Brazeal, David Berkowitz & Carolyn Manning. 

Profiles of ‘Age of Conversation’ authors: Craig Wilson, Cord Silverstein, Connie Reece, Colin McKay, Chris Corrigan, Cedric Giorgi, Becky Carroll, Andy Nulman, Amy Jussel, Kim Klaver, Sandy Renshaw, Susan Bird, Ryan Barrett & Troy Worman.