The Day My Posts Got Monitored

About a week ago this little blue message appeared in the sidebar in one of my LinkedIn groups.

I won't write the exact words that spewed from my lips - that might cause this post to get flagged too, but you get the gist. I checked my other LinkedIn groups. The same horrifying little blue sidebar mention appeared again and again. My trusty egg timer signaled the end of my twenty-minute LinkedIn allotment for the morning but it didn't matter. I was now operating in triage mode.  Since I know what spam looks like - even though right this minute the Canadians are in the process of redefining it - and I preach relevancy online and offline -  I was off to get to the bottom of this. 

I clicked the link to “learn more” and read through an article on Moderation of Your Posts in Multiple Groups. It offered some nice and little known information about the inner workings of LinkedIn Groups, but nothing specific. I wanted details. I wanted to know what post had put me on group probation and where it occurred. If nothing else I saw this as a teachable moment that would serve not only me but everyone I work with.

I sent a note to LinkedIn customer service and tried to practice patience.

However, patience is not my strongest virtue so I decided  to make best use of my wait time by trying to figure this out myself.  I scrolled through all my recent posts and tried to determine which might be construed as "not relevant" or "spam."

Was it the article on How You Fascinate in which I share Sally Hogshead’s brilliant Fascination Advantage Assessment? 

Was it the one on How Social Networks Like Twitter Can Influence?

Or was it the one on The Upside Of The Stress Of Living In A Digital World? Yes, that was about my trip to Cabo but it had relevance to life in the digital age.

Had I posted in too many groups at once?
But if that sets it off, why would the Sharing Bookmarklet on  LinkedIn allow multiple postings to begin with? Google+ prevents sharing in more than one community at a time.

Was it my references in my blogs to my Your Digital You Workshops? 
But then who doesn't create content without at least an implied "ask"?

I admit it. I was traumatized. I felt censored. It was as if suddenly this brave new digital world that I evangelize had put a great big old gag in my mouth.  Yes - I could still post - but not without a secret review board.

Something felt so very wrong.

LinkedIn was pretty, and I will add impressively, quick to respond. Even if their answer didn’t suffice.  More links to  more articles that were supposed to offer insight as to what it might be and best practices for postings - but nothing specific to me. I wanted specifics. 

So I pushed. 

It was suggested that I contact all of my Groups managers. A lovely suggestion if I was in a handful of groups. But at last count I was in 26 and had no intention of writing to every manager  - nor did I think I should have to. 

Yes - I was getting edgy. 

I asked to be referred up the ladder. 

While I waited for that reply my imagination ran wild. 

Was there someone out there in one of my groups who had done this on purpose? 

Who was out to get me and what I do? 

Had someone dismissed me the way I do an annoying ad in my Facebook feed? 

What could I have possibly posted that was so misconstrued?

The Internet was supposed to be a place to freely exchange information and opinion?

What was going on?

A day of this obsessive brainstorming passed  before  I got an answer. LinkedIn gave me the name of the culprit group as well as the suggestion I reach out to them for details or “seek membership in a more receptive group.”

I won't name names but I will say it took me quite by surprise.

I reached out. The person I corresponded with apologized but shirked responsibility.  They said that the flag came from members of the group and was not something the administrator or manager had done. 

Which is not entirely true. I’ve since learned Group Managers can choose to allow or not allow member flagging and even set a number of flags barometer. And when that’s triggered, it still shows up in their cue as to what has been flagged - so the group manager knows. Whether they choose to intervene is on them. 

They did not specify what post or posts set this whole thing off. My guess is that while they are actively using it for their own self-promotion - which is why most groups are formed - I get it -  they really don't have anyone moderating  contributions other than their own.

Which left me, the self-proclaimed digital evangelist who promotes the sharing of relevant, useful and sometimes entertaining content both disconcerted and reflective.

It put me on pause. Since I still didn’t know what set the whole trauma off I found myself a bit fearful of writing something that would trigger it again. I felt stifled and uncertain.

And then I came to my senses. 

I don’t spread spam. I share good content. That doesn’t mean everyone will like it or even interpret it the way I intended. I can’t trouble shoot everything. I can employ best practices. But as long as I continue to share my blog I assume risks. Like being flagged in a group whose members might not think like I do.

In which case, LinkedIn offered very good advice. Seek more receptive groups.

How Social Networks Like Twitter Can Influence

When you go to a conference like the SHE Summit you leave with a lot of things. Renewed connections. New contacts. Ideas. A goodie bag. A pile of notes. And a lot of inspiration.

The writer and the teacher in me is always looking for themes. Especially ones that circle back to the work I do. So when I hear people like Norma Kamali, Mariane Pearl and Kelly Rutherford reiterate the power and importance of sharing our story and how technology allows us access to more story, I admit to getting a bit tingly.

Or when Margaret White discusses social media with Krystal Ball and how it is a platform through which to drive change, I can barely stay in my seat. 

I know things have changed when not one, not two, but three people with Greek names as difficult to spell and pronounce as mine grace the stage - Eleni Gianopoulos of Eleni's Cookies, Evy Poumpouras, former Secret Service Agent and on-air Security and Investigative Analyst and of course my good friend Agapi Stassinopoulos, inspirational speaker and author of Unbinding the Heart. 

But I also know they haven't changed enough when the conversation continually turns to the fact that as far as women might have come from the days of Marlo Thomas' character in "That Girl" (yes - she spoke too and I was a bit star struck!) we haven't come far enough. Whether it was Geraldine Moriba of CNN or Ambassador Samantha Power sharing their stories or Justine Aitel, head of Cyber Risk at Dow Jones discussing the need for better role models so young girls will go into technology - the consensus was clear. 

Change is happening - but not everywhere - and not enough. 

This past Sunday the NY Times reported the list of the 200 highest paid CEOs and only 11 were women. 

Which gives pause that there is still much work to do.

As Marlo Thomas so beautifully illustrated in paraphrasing her acting teacher, Lee Strasberg - acting is in the doing and so is change. Take a step and one step leads to another and to another and to another. 

Which takes me back to Krystal Ball's conversation with Margaret White. In 2014 that step can be as small as optimizing the impact you - just one person - can have using a social network like Twitter.  

Twitter's influence is disproportionate to the amount of people who actually use it. And it's no secret that the Media is using it to find their stories. Turn on any show today and they've figured out a way to incorporate Twitter into the mix  or at the very least report on what Twitter is saying.

So use it. Tweet something relevant or useful. And occasionally funny. Share something someone else tweeted. Listen to what else is being shared. And see what you might influence.

At the end of the day on Thursday, Claudia Chan, the creator of the SHE Summit announced the event was trending on Twitter in NYC. I'd like to think at least one or two of my tweets contributed to this event getting the attention it deserves. 

That's what taking a step or a tweet can do. And as Marlo reminded us - one leads to another and to another. That's how you influence in a digital age. That's how things change.


Try it - if you like this blog - click this link to tweet! 
 

The Upside Of The Stress Of Keeping Up In A Digital World

It’s not easy keeping up in a digital world.

You take off for a week - to a location where internet service is unstable - not to mention expensive. The withdrawal gives you the shakes. You find yourself distracted in conversation, your hand keeps reaching for that iPhone, certain there is something important happening inside of it that you can’t get to. You worry your business might suffer and no one will sign up for your June workshops because you are suddenly absent from Twitter and haven’t blogged in a week. That fear you are missing out on something happening somewhere else is getting in the way of where you are. You keep hearing Agapi and her sister Arianna Huffington reminding you of what their mother used to say  - “don’t miss the moment” - but you realize you probably are anyway.

It takes a few days and slowly but surely, the stress subsides. The sunshine, the blue skies, the sand and the sound of the ocean win out. The views are breathtaking. A camera cannot do it justice.  Everywhere you turn you are surrounded by family and friends, some new, some old. There is laughter and conversation - the live and in person kind - not the texting kind. Joy and love fills the air - after all you are here to celebrate the marriage of two wonderful young people who found their soul mates. You dance under the stars to a live band and feel transported to that time not so long ago - before technology had overrun your life and it was still possible to hide from the rest of the world.

You come back - relaxed and tan and happy and yes - a little bit excited to sit in front of your computer and catch up and get back to the work you love.

But within hours you’re overwhelmed. 

There are 500 unopened emails in your inbox, most of which are junk, but you have to go through anyway in case an important one is hidden in the bunch. You vow to unsubscribe to them all even though you know you won’t. Your page views on your blog have shrunk. All those creative ideas that were running through your head on what to write next while you were sitting under the shade of an umbrella negotiating with a local for that multicolored sarong with the sequins that caught your eye has suddenly disappeared into the ether. LinkedIn reminds you it has “been 8 days…since your last update. Share something new to stay top of mind.” The 8 days are written in bold red.

You start to wonder if you really do love all this technology as much as you think you do. You question if you can really keep up or if you even want to.

Then you sign on to Facebook and notice you have new friend requests from the people you just met. Those same people are sharing pictures from the big group vacation instigated by this destination wedding. People are commenting and liking and you get to relive each moment. 

You can’t stop smiling. 

And you remember - this is why you keep up. This is why you love all these social networks and digital tools. For the connections that get to continue when face to face is not an option. 

Registration for Your Digital You - the blueprint - 

a workshop designed to improve your digital profile 

is now open for June 12 and June 14. 

Grab your seat now!

Ten Ways To Waste Time Without Ever Leaving Your Desk

I get on it so much about saving time and finding ways to create more of it, I thought it was time to fess up. I am also really good at wasting time. But then what self-employed, creative entrepreneur isn't?

The key word here is creative. When creativity is part of your game it's a lot easier to waste time. In fact, often when faced with the ugly green eyed monster who gets in the way of one's creativity - the only thing creative you can come up with is ways to waste time.

In the digital world the possibilities are endless. Without even leaving your desk look at all these things you can do.

1- Unsubscribe to all those email newsletters you keep getting that you (a) don't remember subscribing to or (b) are sure you did and can't figure out how they keep coming back.

2- Read Jerry Seinfeld's AMA on Reddit. It's really funny.

3- Go through the sponsored Ads on the side of your Facebook feed, one by one, and click the button that says you don't want to see that ad anymore.

4- Change the display on your computer screen every ten minutes until you find one that suits your mood.

5- Delete all the apps on your iPhone you haven't used since the day you downloaded them.

6- Read through your back-up of Google Alerts and discover that the National Association of Professional Organizers has deemed February National Time Management Month. Who knew?

7 - Google the Kardashians and see if you can figure out what it is they actually do that earns them a living. (this one can waste more time than you ever thought possible)

8 - Create a Spring Fever Pinterest Board for no other reason than to dream of Spring.

9 - Search for contests you can enter to win and enter them. (here's a cool one from The Travel Channel)

10 - Write a blog about wasting time instead of working on the five other projects you still have not finished.

I could go on - but I've wasted enough of my time and yours - at least for today. It's time to go back to work.

If you'd like to hear the other side of this - how to create more time - instead of wasting it - my popular little book, It Takes An Egg Timer, A Guide to Creating the Time For You is available on Amazon for just $.99!  

What Can Happen To You In My Voicemail

I have a friend who refuses to text. She's not much for email communication either. Her Facebook profile is just that. A profile. Not much interaction. So except for the rare times we see each other I don't know much about what goes on in her life.

This poses a couple of problems. 

The voice mail she left on my cellphone the other day was listened to while I was on the run. She needed a mutual friend's address. Which I had and was happy to give her. 

The problem was I forgot until two days later when I saw her name in my list of recent calls. That can happen to voicemails. They can get lost - like socks in the dryer - if you don't keep your eyes on them.

I would have texted her the information but as I said - she doesn't text. So I emailed. Even though I know how slow she is to retrieve it. She didn't give me any other choice.

The truth is I don't have the time to return the phone call so I can read out loud - s-l-o-w-l-y - what she needs while she writes it down. Not today. Probably not tomorrow. 

The phone is just not an efficient use of my time. Yes, I still use it and think there are times when it is a refreshing choice and will make the most impact - but the list of people I speak to on the phone continues to shrink. It is reserved for my mother (who as you know has no computer), a few select friends and clients with money to spend. Even my brother who I am in communication with almost every single day over something having to do with Mom rarely gets a phone call or vice versa. But texting? All day. Every day.

According to Adam Singer at The Future Buzz,  the Harvard Business Review has decided ( as he had already) that voicemail is irrelevant. I would not go so far as to use the word irrelevant - but I would say - as I already did - that it is inefficient.

It's nice to hear someone's voice. I love getting on the phone for long visits with my friend in Australia and my cousins who live in California. I don't get to see them that often and it is a great and still relevant way for us to connect. But when I need a question answered or information and I need it now - I text or I email - depending exactly how urgent the request is. 

That's the beauty of digital technology - making your life easier.

Had she done that what she needed would have been delivered as soon as I read it. But she didn't. 

She's one of those people who pushes against the tide of change when it comes to communication. I suppose she thinks that will make it stop - but it won't. We're too far into the age of digital now. 

Which brings me to the second problem. She should know better.  She's a marketer. 






I will be speaking at BlogHerPro a conference for professionally-minded online influencers interested in taking their business, marketing and technical skills to the next level. If that's you join me there and use promo code PRO13FF for 30% off BlogHer Pro '13 Registration!



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Selling Is Sleazy - Or Is It?

You say sell and people think sleazy. 

They picture Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman or Herb Tarlek of WKRP in Cincinnati. They remember Alec Baldwin's classic performance in GlenGarry Glen Ross. They think used car salesmen in plaid pants and a mismatched tie attempting to sell them a lemon.

And if they are not old enough to remember any of that - they still scrunch up their faces and scowl. 

The word 'sell' continues to conjure up images of inauthenticity and old school marketing tactics.

But not for me. I know better. I know that learning how to sell - especially in today's new economy - is essential if you want success. 


Selling is the cornerstone of commerce and has been since the beginning of time. Without something to sell, we have no economic model. Without someone to sell it there is no money earned. And last time I checked - that is the currency we use so we may put food on the table and a roof over our heads. 

There is no doubt that how we sell (like just about every other profession and industry) is in a state of disruption. Customers are more educated than ever before. And in the age of noise, we all hate - more than ever - to feel as if we are being pushed.

But the truth is that in today's brave new digital world - whether we want to admit it or not - we are selling every day. 

All of us. 

If not a product, we are selling ourselves. Through social networks and at cocktail parties. To our bosses, our employees, our husbands or wives. To that guy who might be the new boyfriend. 

Selling only becomes sleazy when 
- you don't believe in your product or service
- you don't believe in yourself. 
- there is no real value to what you are selling. 
- you try to convince someone to buy before you know if it will solve their problem.
- you don't know what their problem is and/or don't care.
- your product or service has no real use - to anyone.
- your "spin" has become so far spun that it is no longer authentic. 
- you are so busy talking you have forgotten to listen.

Selling is not just about taking the order. It's about understanding  people and their appetites. It's about creating need and filling that need. It's about understanding problems and offering solutions. It's about learning to tell a story that engages.

Nothing sleazy about that in my book.


Note- I will be speaking on why sales is a critical skill at BlogHer Pro in San Francisco October 22-23 !

BlogHer Pro is for professionally-minded online influencers interested in taking their business, marketing and technical skills to the next level. If that's you - sign up today!




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That First Impression

One thing that has not changed in the age of digital is the importance of a  first impression. It still counts. 

But what has changed is the amount of time we have in which to make one.

Our average attention span is purported to be that of a goldfish - less than nine seconds. That makes the idea of the elevator pitch sound like an eternity of time in which to capture someone's attention.

Photo-shopped pictures. Catchy headlines. Slick video. Podcasts that can come on a walk with me.

All vie for our attention amidst the sea of chatter that washes over our lives each day - feeding our impatience as we all fall victim to systemic ADD.

Don't have what I like and I'm gone. 
Don't make it easy for me to find and I'm gone sooner.

It would be easier for me to snag more than the requisite nine seconds of your time if we happen to meet in person. 

Human connection still rules above all.  


But your first impression - your first clue to my personality or that of my brand or that last item you plunked down your American Express card to buy- most likely happened here.

On line. 
More and more - on your smartphone or tablet.  


The question is does yours match up? 


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On Being Brave

I wasn't a brave kid. Take me someplace new and I did not stray far from my mother's side. I was shy. Afraid to open my mouth. Never knowing what to say. Terrified I might be  made fun of.  

I remember how it felt to be like that. When fear would consume my core and render me immobile. Unable to take a step much less even explain what I was feeling. 

To know me today, this might sound hard to believe. But it's true. Just ask my mother. She'll illustrate with the story of what happened when we first moved to Glen Oaks. 

The neighborhood, which sits on the outskirts of Queens, was an idyllic place to raise a family in the sixties. The apartments surrounded big grass courtyards lined with benches and filled with baby boomer kids allowed to play outside without having to schedule a date to do so. The neighbors watched out for each other. It was a safe place.

Apparently I was not convinced. 

One of those first days in the new apartment I was outside. My mother heard me screaming at the top of my lungs and raced to my side to find me standing in the middle of a circle of kids, tears streaming down my face, tiny fists clutched tight to my doll carriage.

I was too busy crying to say a word so she asked the kids what happened. They told her they didn't know.They told her they were just trying to be my friend.

That's how not brave a kid I was. 

I've struggled with being courageous and with speaking my mind for most of my life. I know what's it like when my body reacts, my mouth goes bone dry or my legs feel like they might give way underneath me.

Sometimes I've been clumsy in how I've gone about overcoming my insecurities. Somedays I still am. Somedays that inner child, the little insecure girl afraid of doing or saying the wrong thing wants to come out and play. 

I've learned how to deal with her now. But she has also made me acutely aware of what it takes to be really brave. She knows that even if it looks easy, it never is. And she still reminds me to pause and take note when someone else is stretching into their own courageous acts.

When I see a young woman, like Christina Huffington on the Today Show talking openly about how her addiction to cocaine almost killed her, I am in awe. When I read her articles on the Huffington Post and her story in Glamour, I am struck by her ability to be that articulate and honest about something that - given the option - which she had - most would hide from the public. She chose to be brave. She chose to demonstrate courage. She doesn't need the notoriety. She was born into it. Her mother is Arianna Huffington. She chose brave so that she might help others with her story.

I don't know what it's like to have that kind of substance addiction to anything but chocolate or coffee. 

But I do know what it's like to push past what might otherwise limit us. I know how appealing the choice to run and hide and not say a word can be. I know the risk that comes from putting yourself out there as fair game in a digital world in which there is no topic we will all ever agree on and something called Twitter that invites open discussion which too often includes spewing not so nice comments. 

I still struggle with being brave every day. Each time I hit publish on this blog and expose a little more of who I am and how I think  I get a little braver. But I never stop being scared.


Note: The doodle is an original - created on a very cool new social site called Doodle.ly


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7 Non-Techie Ways To Make An Impression - Day 28

I love all things digital. I admit to getting a bit geeked out over a cool new App or some new techie tool designed to make my life easier. But when it comes to standing out from the crowd and making a good impression the best and simplest way is by indulging in one or more of these good old-fashioned human tricks. 

1- Say what you'll do and do what you say. A lot of people will tell you what they are going to do, but the fact remains that very few follow through.

2- Be on time. This is one of my pet peeves. Just ask my NYU students. For that matter ask anyone who knows me. I'm always on time. For two reasons. I consider your time valuable and do not want to keep you waiting. The second is I consider my time valuable too.

3- Listen. Actively and with interest. Most of us don't listen very well. We're off in that delusion that multi-tasking is cool. So why just sit and listen, when I can listen and check my emails or texts at the same time. The message you send is that the person in front of you is just not that important. Worse, they are likely to be telling you information that could help you, but you will never really know because you were only hearing, not actively listening.

4- Ask questions. We're all so busy talking today we forget to ask questions of the person in front of us. Asking questions shows interest in the other person. It builds relationships. It makes you different.

5- Do your homework. So, so easy to do today. But so many fail to do it. Just type it into Google. Check a Twitter feed. I never meet with anyone new without first checking out their LinkedIn profile.

6- Be authentic. I'm talking true authenticity. Not the staged kind. Corporate speak is so very 20th century.

7- Smile. It changes everything. We've gotten so used to staring at our computer screen that sometimes we forget how to emote when in front of another human. We forget what a lasting impression one smile can make.


note: This is Day #28 of the 30 Day Experiment.   Here are the details on how it all started.

What To Do If You Get A Pink Slip - Day 17

The dirty little secret no one wants to tell you is that good economy or bad economy, job security is a myth. All it takes is one new person in charge of your group or one management consultant telling the powers to be how a little reorganization will save money and your day will come.  The one when you're handed the dreaded pink slip.

Case in point. Bank of America just reported their second-quarter profit jumped to 63% to just over $4 billion despite a revenue increase of only 3.5%.  According to Bloomberg, one of the ways they achieved the profit was through payroll cuts of 6.6% over the last year or 18,300 fewer paychecks. 

Enough said.

As you know, I’ve had some experience with this. I’ve handed them out and I’ve had them handed to me. Twice. Like every other scary thing you might be faced with in life, once you’ve experienced it and made it safely to the other side it’s not as terrifying as when it’s a big unknown.

So what do you do if it happens to you? 

#1. Mourn your loss. This is a big deal. Even if you hated your job, even if you prayed you would be in the next round of layoffs, this was your livelihood. So really mourn. Get out the black clothes and cover yourself in ashes if necessary. Listen to your favorite sad music. Write a hate letter to your former boss and then toss it in the fireplace if that helps to release your angst. (Never mail it!) Greeks believe it takes 40 days to mourn a loss. Your personal cash flow will determine how generous your mourning period will be. Even if you can only afford twenty-four hours, so be it. Just make sure to get down on your knees and wail.

#2 Do not start interviewing immediately. There is no surer way not to get a job than still seething over the fact you just got fired. Before you want to sit in front of a potential new employer, you have to get clear on what you want to do next. Maybe it won’t be interviewing for another job doing the same thing. Maybe this was the Universe telling you (as it was for me) it's time for a change. There will be a host of people suggesting you get out there, right away without pressing pause. I'm not one of them.

#3 Take Care of You. Exercise. Go to the gym. Play tennis. Take a daily walk in the park. Eat healthy foods. Make sure you take a shower and get dressed and out of the house at least once a day. Avoid excessive alcohol.

#4 Purge. This is one of my favorites. Get rid of stuff, especially stuff that connects you to the old job. Purging is cleansing. It feels good. It’s part of letting go of what was to make room for what will be.

#5 Get to Know You Again. Between our jobs and our personal lives, if we're not careful it's easy to lose sight of who we really are. This is an opportunity for you to get to know you again. Make a date with yourself and go do one of those things you kept saying you had no time to do.

#6 Avoid the Naysayers. In case you hadn’t noticed there are a lot of people out there who are insistent on telling you the sky is falling and you better run scared because there is just “no way, ever,” you are going to get a job again, with things “the way they are”. They'll say you're too old. Too inexperienced. They prefer to see the hole while others see the donut. Stay clear of these types. You will get another job. But not with their energy surrounding you.

#7 Go Digital. If you've been resisting understanding what all this digital stuff is about, get over it. Two big reasons. 

The first is  your on-line profile is your new calling card. Networking and making new connections is no longer limited to in-person cocktail events. It’s happening right now, on-line as I type. That woman you met the other day who is considering you for a job is Googling your name. Right now. Give her something solid and updated to find. And yes, you must include a photo.

The second is that understanding digital is not limited to those who are creating and selling this stuff. To stay marketable today and in the future, you need to be able to use digital tools - especially social networks.

#8 Learn Something New. Read a book. Take a class in social networking. Learn how to use LinkedIn.

#9 Make New Friends. Widen your circle. We can get complacent when we're in one spot for too long. Get out there and mingle in person whenever you can. If you feel naked without a business card order an inexpensive one from websites like VistaPrint. Stay in contact with the networks you've already cultivated, but be prepared. Some of those you considered your “best buds” might be afraid to get too close to you now for fear what you have (no job) is catching.

#10 Keep a sense of humor. Above all remember to laugh. You lost your job but you did not lose your life. Yes, things might be a little tough for a while, but you will get through it. If you believe you will. Besides every time we laugh we switch our vibration up towards the positive and we burn three calories. What’s not to like about that?


note: This is Day #17 of a 30 Day Experiment. Here are the details on how it all started.

Three Ways Technology Helped Me To Say Goodbye To Corporate Life For Good - Day 14

I owe a lot to digital technology. In fact, I'm pretty convinced that if not for the advances of the last five years I would probably be sitting in a glass-walled office someplace rather than at my desk in my living room.

Looking back, these are what I see as the top three reasons technology has allowed me to follow an entrepreneurial path.

1. It kept me connected. One of the hardest things to adapt to when you leave a busy office is not having all those human beings around all day. At first it seems like nirvana, being able to work uninterrupted and not having to pretend to be interested in a conversation a colleague has dragged you into. But it can get lonely at times. Which is where social networks come in. They keep you connected. You need a break and a little interaction and all you need do is sign on to Facebook or Linkedin. And you don't even need to get up from your desk.

2. It helped me learn what I needed to in order to move forward. A lot of people discount social networks, especially Twitter. They think it's nothing but mindless jabber.  Sometimes that's true. But more often than not it's also a great source of news and information. It can connect you to like minded people, influential bloggers  and potential business prospects as can other nets like Google+ and LinkedIn. The trick is learning how to use them right - which ironically can often be found at the end of the right link in a good Tweet. 

3. It allowed me to inexpensively set up shop in the living room. Let's face it, even ten years ago it was not as easy or seamless to create a business with nothing more than an iMac and the geniuses at the Apple store to show you how to unravel its mysteries. Five years ago it was. Today even more so. 

Lucky me. Lucky you. Lucky us. Thank you technology!

note: This is Day #14 of a 30 Day Experiment. Here are the details on how it all started.