01Dec
Ahhh, Christmas. With the turning of the page on the calendar from November to December comes my favorite time of the year. Past the hype of Cyber Monday and having survived Black Friday, I can now concentrate on the true meaning of the season for me - and my family: love. I know as a LinkedIn [...]
13Oct
My wife Stephanie and I are just returning from a 5 day trip to Boston and New Hampshire, where I was attending the Inbound Marketing Summit – the brainchild of Chris Brogan, Paul Gillin and David Merman Scott. This trip, like many others that Steph and I have been fortunate to take this year, is [...]
18Sep
This past Tuesday evening, we held our 14th LinkedIn Live Raleigh at the Lincoln Theater. 300 plus people in attendance. Massive amounts of door prizes. A good time had by all. While all the things I described above are great, they pale in comparison to what I believe LinkedIn Live is all about…paying it forward. To [...]
20Jul
Common Sense for Uncommon Living By Stephanie Hester Call it self-fulfilling prophecy or the power of suggestion. Whatever you call it, we, as spiritual beings, have been created with significant authority over our lives. We have been given the opportunity to decide whether we will grumpily survive life or live a life of passion and joy. Personally, [...]
16Jul
LinkedIn Live Raleigh Summer Edition was held this past Tuesday, July 14 at the RBC Center in Raleigh. To say it was our best LinkedIn Live ever could possibly be a phenomenal understatement. Everything about LinkedIn Live that Steph and I and our friends have worked to put together over the past two years was evident [...]
24May
I have been an “acquaintance” of Craig Newmark - he of Craigslist fame for a few years now. I first met him at a new media/political issues conference and have since seen him several times at other functions. We are connected on Twitter, and I’m honored to be on of the folks he follows back. When my [...]
06May
3:45 p.m. EST, Tuesday, May 5: Doctor: Are you Mr. Hester? Chuck: Yes, that’s right. Doctor: Well, I’m pleased to say it’s a BOOK! Chuck: *FAINT* It’s been a long time coming but Linking In to Pay it Forward: Changing the Value Proposition in Social Media is in print! Copies of the book are being delivered and will be shipped [...]
26Mar
Linking In to Pay it Forward: Changing the Value Proposition is now available for presale. We are that close to publishing that I’m taking preorders on this site. So, if you want to be the first on your block, your office, your state….anyway….go to our online store and order: http://tinyurl.com/lipifbook If you’re interest in bulk orders, autograph copies, [...]
22Mar
As the publication of my book becomes closer to being a reality, things are falling into place. The most recent “WOW” for me is the completion of the book’s cover design. It brings the actual book into focus for me and I’m excited to share it with you here. A very special thanks to Elissa James, [...]
17Mar
For many, living a pay it forward lifestyle doesn’t take a great deal of effort. It’s something you do every day. In fact, you may be paying it forward without consciously knowing you are, and without knowing that you’re making a difference. Have you ever been at the grocery story and the person in front of [...]
As some of you may know, I’m working on my second book: Social Media for the Rest of Us (tentative subtitle - A Boomer’s Perspective).
I will be creating a series of blogs relating to the book, and this is the first entry in that series. I want to, as I did with my first book, Linking in to Pay it Forward, offer some insight into the process of writing and also share information with more than just my readers.
On twitter (@chuckhester) you can find a Social Media for the Rest of Us ™ Daily Tip. Please RT if you like a particular tip and let me know if I’m off base in any way.
Social Media for the Rest of Us was created after something happened to me to make me realize that many people - both of my generation and much younger - are intimidated by social media and it’s increasing influence in marketing and our culture in general.
I gave a speech last year at a convention in Las Vegas, discussing LinkedIn and Twitter and how I used both for personal and professional branding. After the speech, we went in to the typical Q&A session. The first question related to Twitter, how to re-tweet, etc. I rattled off an answer and the questioner sat down.
The next question came from a gentleman about my age (I’m 51) who stood up and said “Excuse me, I don’t have a question, but a comment. I have know idea what the hell you’re talking about!”
That was what my wife would call an “Aha” moment for me. Many professionals out their feel they don’t know what people are talking about when it comes to social media. They see everyone around them - colleagues, friends - even their favorite TV and movie personalities - using social media and telling everyone how great it is. PLUS, they are conveying the message that if you aren’t up on social media then you’re going to be left behind.
That’s when I decided that writing Social Media for the Rest of Us made sense. In the book - and subsequently podcasts and other forms of media - I hope to let the “other” guy know that they don’t have to be intimidated by social media. That they can embrace it on their terms - not the terms of the “cool kids that get it.” (I probably have dated myself with that last phrase!)
Social Media for the Rest of Us will also be about how to use social media for the greater good, offer tips on social media etiquette and ways to make it work for you and your business.
So, stay tuned for more updates (and blogged chapters like the last book) as the book develops.
I hope to finish and publish by the end of the Summer. I look forward to interacting with you along the way!
Paying it Forward,
Chuck
Several things have occurred in the last few weeks that have prompted me to write this post. I want to address what I believe is an issue that has crept into our lives recently: the lack of the personal touch.
I have been in contact with two different individuals - no names here - that approach this in different ways.
One is an owner of a service organization - let’s call him “George”. Very successful, well known in the community. While trying to set up a time where we could meet, I emailed George with a few suggested meeting times. What I got back was a reply from someone I’d never heard of before from the same organization. It turns out he worked for the person I wanted to meet with and was “setting up the appointment.”
Now I get that we are all busy, but this individual was the one that wanted to meet me - and had prompted the emails in the first place! To say I was somewhat turned off would be an understatement. We have still not met, by the way - as “George” works out his schedule and I decide if I want to take the meeting!
Contrast with a more recent interchange with another very successful individual in the area. This is a gentleman that has a signficant stake in the Raleigh marketplace. Approachable (as was George in person by the way) but I’m sure extremely busy. We agreed we should meet over lunch and compare notes, and see how we could be of service to each other.
This man, let’s call him Ringo, was 180 degrees from George. He was accessible, and made himself available for a preliminary call before we actually met again.
While I was on the phone with Ringo, it struck me just how busy he was, as I could hear his assistant asking him a question. He excused himself from the call for a second, answered her, then came right back on the call. PLUS he apologized for interrupting our conversation.
For perspective, this is one of the most important men in Raleigh. He could have easily had an executive assistant set up the meeting and be done with it. Instead he chose to take his valuable time and give the personal touch.
It lead me to this question: Are you more of a George or a Ringo? Are you more interested in titles or transparency? Do you hide behind assistants and turn people off in the process?
Think about it! I continually say that we need to treat our connections like they’re standing right in front of us. Would you have an assistant take on an in-person conversation for you?
Remember, how we are perceived online translates into real life.
Pay it Forward by treating your connections like the real and important people they are. Show them the personal touch!
Ahhh, Christmas. With the turning of the page on the calendar from November to December comes my favorite time of the year. Past the hype of Cyber Monday and having survived Black Friday, I can now concentrate on the true meaning of the season for me - and my family: love.
I know as a LinkedIn maven and social media speaker I’m not supposed to be all soft and gushy, but this is what Christmas is all about for me. The chance to be with friends and family, and to pay it forward to those in need, that defines the reason for the season.
Enjoy Christmas this year by paying it forward and loving those around you. Be kinder, gentler, slower and more deliberate in your actions. Take a minute to add a buck or two to the Salvation Army kettle. Double the tip for your favorite server next time you have lunch. Adopt a puppy. Yes, I said adopt a puppy!
In my book - Linking In to Pay it Forward - one of the things I advise people to do is “treat your connections like they’re standing right in front of you.” I truly believe it’s important to be as nice and genuine with those you meet online as it is in person. It’s makes for a much more rewarding online - and personal - experience.
So, enjoy this most wonderful time of the year by finding a way to make this season remarkable for someone who’s not expecting it to be that way. You’ll be glad you paid it forward - and so will they!
Merry Christmas!
My wife Stephanie and I are just returning from a 5 day trip to Boston and New Hampshire, where I was attending the Inbound Marketing Summit – the brainchild of Chris Brogan, Paul Gillin and David Merman Scott. This trip, like many others that Steph and I have been fortunate to take this year, is an excellent example of how we like to take a bite out of business travel.
I’ve been traveling for business most of my adult life. To say I enjoy travel – for business and for pleasure – would be for the most part a huge understatement. I believe that this is because I choose to travel differently the some business folk. I make a concerted effort to enjoy not just the business meetings – but the places they’re being held. This latest trip is a great example.
It would have been very simple to fly into Boston on Tuesday night, attend the conference Wednesday and Thursday, and fly back out Thursday night.
I chose, however, to invite my wife to come up with me and do something we as a couple had not had a chance to do – see Boston and New England.
We took the time to meet our friends Paul and Dana Gilin in Boston for dinner, which turned out to be one of the many highlights of the trip. You know you’re enjoying the company when you are walking back to your car after dinner and realize it’s been over 3 hours since you sat down to eat!
Like I said, we could have stopped there – flown home on Thursday and been done. Instead we rented a car and headed north to New Hampshire for the weekend. We chose Portsmouth, NH, one of the prettiest seaside towns in the area, for what turned out to be the best three day weekend we have enjoyed in a very long time.
You see, it’s the peak of – as the locals call it – leaf peeping season. The Fall colors are bright and vibrant – oranges, reds and yellows mixed in with greens.
We traveled north to New Hampshire and purposely stopped at an apple farm and picked our own apples. We even ate them right from the tree! Not to mention the hot apple cider and cider donuts!!
This is an atypical trip for most, I get that part. But only by design. Even if you have a few hours in a city, I strongly suggest instead of eating out the familiar chain restaurant, find a local favorite. Don’t know where to find them? Try the Food Network website and look up a local Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives favorite! We’ve done this several times with great success.
Finally, one last piece of advice. As we were driving back to Boston to catch our flight home, I asked Steph her favorite part of the trip. After agreeing it was hard to choose, she finally said “the fact that we didn’t have anything scheduled.”
Case in point – as we were driving around Portsmouth, NH on Sunday we decided to drive across a bridge to explore the other side. We ended up in Maine! Totally unplanned, unexpected and a true delight.
So, my best advice to you, don’t live by a schedule when you take a bite out of your business travel. Set aside time to explore the city you’re in without an itinerary. If you miss something or run out of time, you won’t be disappointed. AND what you did discover will be a much richer experience.
The next time you find yourself on a business trip – no matter what city you find yourself in – stop and enjoy the local culture you’ll be glad you took the time to take a bite!
This past Tuesday evening, we held our 14th LinkedIn Live Raleigh at the Lincoln Theater. 300 plus people in attendance. Massive amounts of door prizes. A good time had by all.
While all the things I described above are great, they pale in comparison to what I believe LinkedIn Live is all about…paying it forward. To illustrate, let me share two stories.
Over the last year I have had the privlige of getting to know Rich Santoriello, a giant of a many in many ways. One of the things that strikes you when you meet Rich is that he’s always smiling. Somewhat unusual for a man who’s been out of work for several months.
Rich came up to me at the end of the evening on Tuesday, big smile on his face, and related this Pay it Forward Story. He was approached by a LinkedIn Live attendee who had won a $50 gift card to a local grocery store. She knew he was out of work and offered the card to him saying he needed it more than she did.
Now normally that would be a great story in and of itself, but here’s the kicker, and the reason that Rich was smiling so broadly when he talked to me. “My 11th Anniversary is tomorrow, Chuck,” Rich said, “and thanks to the pay it forward gift I received, I can go to the store, buy a cake for my wife and celebrate at home with her!”
Not sure if I can say anymore than that.
The second story comes from Chris Duke, proveyor of Anna’s Gourmet Cookies, THE BEST chocolate chip cookies I have EVER tasted.
www.annasgourmetgoodies.com www.outsidetheoven.com Chris is a dear friend and the humblest guy I know. Here, in his words, is the story:
I was just thinking as I was driving home that one of the best things for me about the LinkedIn Live events is that I always walk away thinking to myself, ‘Okay, what can I do now that would be very cool and would help someone else?” I decided that as a part of my door prize, I’m going to put that same card (that you read on stage) in the cookies that we send to the recipient from tonight’s winner, so that they in turn, can do the same thing for someone else, and pay it forward again. This type of energy is so contagious and so very valuable. I hope you grasp the power of what it is you really are doing.
As I was leaving, I spoke with a young lady I met tonight (I’m still not great with names), but she was out of work, had not been out for awhile and won a gift certificate. She said it is amazing how things just show up right when you need them. I could not agree more. The more you look, the more stuff shows up.
The more you look, the more stuff shows up. Amen Brother! Paying it Forward is easy, once you get in the habit. Thanks Rich and Chris, for reminding me what LinkedIn Live is REALLY all about!
Common Sense for Uncommon Living
By Stephanie Hester
Choose A Better Life by Stephanie Hester
Call it self-fulfilling prophecy or the power of suggestion. Whatever you call it, we, as spiritual beings, have been created with significant authority over our lives. We have been given the opportunity to decide whether we will grumpily survive life or live a life of passion and joy. Personally, I choose the latter.
Our Lives are made up of a series of choices. Once we realize this we can take control of those choices and choose a better life. When we deliberately make choices with intention we can focus on the positive, generate energy and passion and open the door for a better future.
Sounds idealistic? Perhaps. But, realistic? Definitely!
I hope you will joing me in choosing a better life.
Chuck and Stephanie with theThe LinkedIn Live Summer Edition Lotus!
LinkedIn Live Raleigh Summer Edition was held this past Tuesday, July 14 at the RBC Center in Raleigh. To say it was our best LinkedIn Live ever could possibly be a phenomenal understatement.
Everything about LinkedIn Live that Steph and I and our friends have worked to put together over the past two years was evident that night.
Compuware, our title sponsor, secured the Arena Club at the RBC Center (where the Carolina Hurricanes play hockey!) and as a result we blew open registration, allowing more than 400 people to attend.
Pay it Forward was all around too, with over $3000 in door prizes - including two round trip tickets anywhere Southwest Airlines flies and a luxury beachfront condo vacation for three days and two nights in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina.
Our sponsors - iContact, Select Group, Yellow Wood Group, Extrensic and Hosted Solutions were more than generous and Noah Broswell provided the race car you see above, complete with special LinkedIn Live signage!
Our local NBC affiliate - NBC17 was on hand to cover the event - something I have not done since the first LI Live in 2007. I believe these events are not about me and what I do, but rather our way of giving back to the community and paying it forward. Therefore, I have stayed away from outside publicity - a rare occasion for me as a PR guy.
Which brings me to a point I want to make here. My book talks about “putting the social back in social media” and “treating your connections like they’re standing right in front of you.” LinkedIn Live is my way of walking the walk, not just talking the talk.
LinkedIn Live Raleigh, for many of us, is about connecting with people we have met online - through LinkedIn or Twitter or Facebook and finding ways to connect in person and help one another.
It is about community. Being part of it, nuturing it, and helping others grow within it.
I am very proud - not of my accomplishments - but of the extraordinary people who have surrounded me at LinkedIn Live.
I often joke about LinkedIn Live being me, Stephanie and 300 of our closest friends. In a way that’s really true.
Thanks to all our sponsors and door prize donors, and especially to all of those who have participated. It’s been quite a ride, I can’t wait to see what happens next!
I have been an “acquaintance” of Craig Newmark - he of Craigslist fame for a few years now. I first met him at a new media/political issues conference and have since seen him several times at other functions.
We are connected on Twitter, and I’m honored to be on of the folks he follows back.
When my book - Linking In To Pay it Forward came out this month I sent Craig a PDF and asked for his opinion. He read it, and then agreed to write a quick review. Here it is:
Maybe…
People gravitate toward helping each other out, but we’re all busy, and
need a little nudge now and then. On the Net, we don’t know how easy, or
productive that can be, but Chuck’s “Linking In to Pay it Forward” does
the job. It shows us how mutual assistance, via social media, helps others
and also manages to help ourselves, and that ain’t bad.
- Craig Newmark
Did he have to:
1. Read the book?
2. Review the book?
3. Say anything remotely positive?
The answer to all three is of course not. But, that’s Craig. He’s a rare “celebrity” that gets it. He understands that people look up to him for what he’s done with Craigslist, and what he’s now doing with his many causes.
But, more importantly, he also understands that we’re all just people living in the same places and desiring the same things - friendship, understanding and the chance to help others.
To quote him once again:
…mutual assistance, via social media, helps others and also manages to help ourselves, and that ain’t bad.
No, Craig, it sure ain’t!
Thanks!
3:45 p.m. EST, Tuesday, May 5:
Doctor: Are you Mr. Hester?
Chuck: Yes, that’s right.
Doctor: Well, I’m pleased to say it’s a BOOK!
Chuck: *FAINT*
It’s been a long time coming but Linking In to Pay it Forward: Changing the Value Proposition in Social Media is in print! Copies of the book are being delivered and will be shipped out to all pre-orders in the next week.
Thanks to all that helped make this a reality - Greg Hyer, Elissa James, Jack Tacket - and a host of others.
Couldn’t of done this without you all.
Have you ordered your copy? Before you do, email me for a special bonus….chuck@chuckhester.com
See you in the bookstores!
Chuck
Linking In to Pay it Forward: Changing the Value Proposition is now available for presale.
We are that close to publishing that I’m taking preorders on this site. So, if you want to be the first on your block, your office, your state….anyway….go to our online store and order:
If you’re interest in bulk orders, autograph copies, etc, please email me directly at chuck@icontact.com and we’ll work out the details.
As some of you may know, I’m working on my second book: Social Media for the Rest of Us (tentative subtitle - A Boomer’s Perspective).
I will be creating a series of blogs relating to the book, and this is the first entry in that series. I want to, as I did with my first book, Linking in to Pay it Forward, offer some insight into the process of writing and also share information with more than just my readers.
On twitter (@chuckhester) you can find a Social Media for the Rest of Us ™ Daily Tip. Please RT if you like a particular tip and let me know if I’m off base in any way.
Social Media for the Rest of Us was created after something happened to me to make me realize that many people - both of my generation and much younger - are intimidated by social media and it’s increasing influence in marketing and our culture in general.
I gave a speech last year at a convention in Las Vegas, discussing LinkedIn and Twitter and how I used both for personal and professional branding. After the speech, we went in to the typical Q&A session. The first question related to Twitter, how to re-tweet, etc. I rattled off an answer and the questioner sat down.
The next question came from a gentleman about my age (I’m 51) who stood up and said “Excuse me, I don’t have a question, but a comment. I have know idea what the hell you’re talking about!”
That was what my wife would call an “Aha” moment for me. Many professionals out their feel they don’t know what people are talking about when it comes to social media. They see everyone around them - colleagues, friends - even their favorite TV and movie personalities - using social media and telling everyone how great it is. PLUS, they are conveying the message that if you aren’t up on social media then you’re going to be left behind.
That’s when I decided that writing Social Media for the Rest of Us made sense. In the book - and subsequently podcasts and other forms of media - I hope to let the “other” guy know that they don’t have to be intimidated by social media. That they can embrace it on their terms - not the terms of the “cool kids that get it.” (I probably have dated myself with that last phrase!)
Social Media for the Rest of Us will also be about how to use social media for the greater good, offer tips on social media etiquette and ways to make it work for you and your business.
So, stay tuned for more updates (and blogged chapters like the last book) as the book develops.
I hope to finish and publish by the end of the Summer. I look forward to interacting with you along the way!
Paying it Forward,
Chuck
Several things have occurred in the last few weeks that have prompted me to write this post. I want to address what I believe is an issue that has crept into our lives recently: the lack of the personal touch.
I have been in contact with two different individuals - no names here - that approach this in different ways.
One is an owner of a service organization - let’s call him “George”. Very successful, well known in the community. While trying to set up a time where we could meet, I emailed George with a few suggested meeting times. What I got back was a reply from someone I’d never heard of before from the same organization. It turns out he worked for the person I wanted to meet with and was “setting up the appointment.”
Now I get that we are all busy, but this individual was the one that wanted to meet me - and had prompted the emails in the first place! To say I was somewhat turned off would be an understatement. We have still not met, by the way - as “George” works out his schedule and I decide if I want to take the meeting!
Contrast with a more recent interchange with another very successful individual in the area. This is a gentleman that has a signficant stake in the Raleigh marketplace. Approachable (as was George in person by the way) but I’m sure extremely busy. We agreed we should meet over lunch and compare notes, and see how we could be of service to each other.
This man, let’s call him Ringo, was 180 degrees from George. He was accessible, and made himself available for a preliminary call before we actually met again.
While I was on the phone with Ringo, it struck me just how busy he was, as I could hear his assistant asking him a question. He excused himself from the call for a second, answered her, then came right back on the call. PLUS he apologized for interrupting our conversation.
For perspective, this is one of the most important men in Raleigh. He could have easily had an executive assistant set up the meeting and be done with it. Instead he chose to take his valuable time and give the personal touch.
It lead me to this question: Are you more of a George or a Ringo? Are you more interested in titles or transparency? Do you hide behind assistants and turn people off in the process?
Think about it! I continually say that we need to treat our connections like they’re standing right in front of us. Would you have an assistant take on an in-person conversation for you?
Remember, how we are perceived online translates into real life.
Pay it Forward by treating your connections like the real and important people they are. Show them the personal touch!
Ahhh, Christmas. With the turning of the page on the calendar from November to December comes my favorite time of the year. Past the hype of Cyber Monday and having survived Black Friday, I can now concentrate on the true meaning of the season for me - and my family: love.
I know as a LinkedIn maven and social media speaker I’m not supposed to be all soft and gushy, but this is what Christmas is all about for me. The chance to be with friends and family, and to pay it forward to those in need, that defines the reason for the season.
Enjoy Christmas this year by paying it forward and loving those around you. Be kinder, gentler, slower and more deliberate in your actions. Take a minute to add a buck or two to the Salvation Army kettle. Double the tip for your favorite server next time you have lunch. Adopt a puppy. Yes, I said adopt a puppy!
In my book - Linking In to Pay it Forward - one of the things I advise people to do is “treat your connections like they’re standing right in front of you.” I truly believe it’s important to be as nice and genuine with those you meet online as it is in person. It’s makes for a much more rewarding online - and personal - experience.
So, enjoy this most wonderful time of the year by finding a way to make this season remarkable for someone who’s not expecting it to be that way. You’ll be glad you paid it forward - and so will they!
Merry Christmas!
My wife Stephanie and I are just returning from a 5 day trip to Boston and New Hampshire, where I was attending the Inbound Marketing Summit – the brainchild of Chris Brogan, Paul Gillin and David Merman Scott. This trip, like many others that Steph and I have been fortunate to take this year, is an excellent example of how we like to take a bite out of business travel.
I’ve been traveling for business most of my adult life. To say I enjoy travel – for business and for pleasure – would be for the most part a huge understatement. I believe that this is because I choose to travel differently the some business folk. I make a concerted effort to enjoy not just the business meetings – but the places they’re being held. This latest trip is a great example.
It would have been very simple to fly into Boston on Tuesday night, attend the conference Wednesday and Thursday, and fly back out Thursday night.
I chose, however, to invite my wife to come up with me and do something we as a couple had not had a chance to do – see Boston and New England.
We took the time to meet our friends Paul and Dana Gilin in Boston for dinner, which turned out to be one of the many highlights of the trip. You know you’re enjoying the company when you are walking back to your car after dinner and realize it’s been over 3 hours since you sat down to eat!
Like I said, we could have stopped there – flown home on Thursday and been done. Instead we rented a car and headed north to New Hampshire for the weekend. We chose Portsmouth, NH, one of the prettiest seaside towns in the area, for what turned out to be the best three day weekend we have enjoyed in a very long time.
You see, it’s the peak of – as the locals call it – leaf peeping season. The Fall colors are bright and vibrant – oranges, reds and yellows mixed in with greens.
We traveled north to New Hampshire and purposely stopped at an apple farm and picked our own apples. We even ate them right from the tree! Not to mention the hot apple cider and cider donuts!!
This is an atypical trip for most, I get that part. But only by design. Even if you have a few hours in a city, I strongly suggest instead of eating out the familiar chain restaurant, find a local favorite. Don’t know where to find them? Try the Food Network website and look up a local Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives favorite! We’ve done this several times with great success.
Finally, one last piece of advice. As we were driving back to Boston to catch our flight home, I asked Steph her favorite part of the trip. After agreeing it was hard to choose, she finally said “the fact that we didn’t have anything scheduled.”
Case in point – as we were driving around Portsmouth, NH on Sunday we decided to drive across a bridge to explore the other side. We ended up in Maine! Totally unplanned, unexpected and a true delight.
So, my best advice to you, don’t live by a schedule when you take a bite out of your business travel. Set aside time to explore the city you’re in without an itinerary. If you miss something or run out of time, you won’t be disappointed. AND what you did discover will be a much richer experience.
The next time you find yourself on a business trip – no matter what city you find yourself in – stop and enjoy the local culture you’ll be glad you took the time to take a bite!
This past Tuesday evening, we held our 14th LinkedIn Live Raleigh at the Lincoln Theater. 300 plus people in attendance. Massive amounts of door prizes. A good time had by all.
While all the things I described above are great, they pale in comparison to what I believe LinkedIn Live is all about…paying it forward. To illustrate, let me share two stories.
Over the last year I have had the privlige of getting to know Rich Santoriello, a giant of a many in many ways. One of the things that strikes you when you meet Rich is that he’s always smiling. Somewhat unusual for a man who’s been out of work for several months.
Rich came up to me at the end of the evening on Tuesday, big smile on his face, and related this Pay it Forward Story. He was approached by a LinkedIn Live attendee who had won a $50 gift card to a local grocery store. She knew he was out of work and offered the card to him saying he needed it more than she did.
Now normally that would be a great story in and of itself, but here’s the kicker, and the reason that Rich was smiling so broadly when he talked to me. “My 11th Anniversary is tomorrow, Chuck,” Rich said, “and thanks to the pay it forward gift I received, I can go to the store, buy a cake for my wife and celebrate at home with her!”
Not sure if I can say anymore than that.
The second story comes from Chris Duke, proveyor of Anna’s Gourmet Cookies, THE BEST chocolate chip cookies I have EVER tasted.
www.annasgourmetgoodies.com www.outsidetheoven.com Chris is a dear friend and the humblest guy I know. Here, in his words, is the story:
I was just thinking as I was driving home that one of the best things for me about the LinkedIn Live events is that I always walk away thinking to myself, ‘Okay, what can I do now that would be very cool and would help someone else?” I decided that as a part of my door prize, I’m going to put that same card (that you read on stage) in the cookies that we send to the recipient from tonight’s winner, so that they in turn, can do the same thing for someone else, and pay it forward again. This type of energy is so contagious and so very valuable. I hope you grasp the power of what it is you really are doing.
As I was leaving, I spoke with a young lady I met tonight (I’m still not great with names), but she was out of work, had not been out for awhile and won a gift certificate. She said it is amazing how things just show up right when you need them. I could not agree more. The more you look, the more stuff shows up.
The more you look, the more stuff shows up. Amen Brother! Paying it Forward is easy, once you get in the habit. Thanks Rich and Chris, for reminding me what LinkedIn Live is REALLY all about!
Common Sense for Uncommon Living
By Stephanie Hester
Choose A Better Life by Stephanie Hester
Call it self-fulfilling prophecy or the power of suggestion. Whatever you call it, we, as spiritual beings, have been created with significant authority over our lives. We have been given the opportunity to decide whether we will grumpily survive life or live a life of passion and joy. Personally, I choose the latter.
Our Lives are made up of a series of choices. Once we realize this we can take control of those choices and choose a better life. When we deliberately make choices with intention we can focus on the positive, generate energy and passion and open the door for a better future.
Sounds idealistic? Perhaps. But, realistic? Definitely!
I hope you will joing me in choosing a better life.
Chuck and Stephanie with theThe LinkedIn Live Summer Edition Lotus!
LinkedIn Live Raleigh Summer Edition was held this past Tuesday, July 14 at the RBC Center in Raleigh. To say it was our best LinkedIn Live ever could possibly be a phenomenal understatement.
Everything about LinkedIn Live that Steph and I and our friends have worked to put together over the past two years was evident that night.
Compuware, our title sponsor, secured the Arena Club at the RBC Center (where the Carolina Hurricanes play hockey!) and as a result we blew open registration, allowing more than 400 people to attend.
Pay it Forward was all around too, with over $3000 in door prizes - including two round trip tickets anywhere Southwest Airlines flies and a luxury beachfront condo vacation for three days and two nights in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina.
Our sponsors - iContact, Select Group, Yellow Wood Group, Extrensic and Hosted Solutions were more than generous and Noah Broswell provided the race car you see above, complete with special LinkedIn Live signage!
Our local NBC affiliate - NBC17 was on hand to cover the event - something I have not done since the first LI Live in 2007. I believe these events are not about me and what I do, but rather our way of giving back to the community and paying it forward. Therefore, I have stayed away from outside publicity - a rare occasion for me as a PR guy.
Which brings me to a point I want to make here. My book talks about “putting the social back in social media” and “treating your connections like they’re standing right in front of you.” LinkedIn Live is my way of walking the walk, not just talking the talk.
LinkedIn Live Raleigh, for many of us, is about connecting with people we have met online - through LinkedIn or Twitter or Facebook and finding ways to connect in person and help one another.
It is about community. Being part of it, nuturing it, and helping others grow within it.
I am very proud - not of my accomplishments - but of the extraordinary people who have surrounded me at LinkedIn Live.
I often joke about LinkedIn Live being me, Stephanie and 300 of our closest friends. In a way that’s really true.
Thanks to all our sponsors and door prize donors, and especially to all of those who have participated. It’s been quite a ride, I can’t wait to see what happens next!
I have been an “acquaintance” of Craig Newmark - he of Craigslist fame for a few years now. I first met him at a new media/political issues conference and have since seen him several times at other functions.
We are connected on Twitter, and I’m honored to be on of the folks he follows back.
When my book - Linking In To Pay it Forward came out this month I sent Craig a PDF and asked for his opinion. He read it, and then agreed to write a quick review. Here it is:
Maybe…
People gravitate toward helping each other out, but we’re all busy, and
need a little nudge now and then. On the Net, we don’t know how easy, or
productive that can be, but Chuck’s “Linking In to Pay it Forward” does
the job. It shows us how mutual assistance, via social media, helps others
and also manages to help ourselves, and that ain’t bad.
- Craig Newmark
Did he have to:
1. Read the book?
2. Review the book?
3. Say anything remotely positive?
The answer to all three is of course not. But, that’s Craig. He’s a rare “celebrity” that gets it. He understands that people look up to him for what he’s done with Craigslist, and what he’s now doing with his many causes.
But, more importantly, he also understands that we’re all just people living in the same places and desiring the same things - friendship, understanding and the chance to help others.
To quote him once again:
…mutual assistance, via social media, helps others and also manages to help ourselves, and that ain’t bad.
No, Craig, it sure ain’t!
Thanks!
3:45 p.m. EST, Tuesday, May 5:
Doctor: Are you Mr. Hester?
Chuck: Yes, that’s right.
Doctor: Well, I’m pleased to say it’s a BOOK!
Chuck: *FAINT*
It’s been a long time coming but Linking In to Pay it Forward: Changing the Value Proposition in Social Media is in print! Copies of the book are being delivered and will be shipped out to all pre-orders in the next week.
Thanks to all that helped make this a reality - Greg Hyer, Elissa James, Jack Tacket - and a host of others.
Couldn’t of done this without you all.
Have you ordered your copy? Before you do, email me for a special bonus….chuck@chuckhester.com
See you in the bookstores!
Chuck
Linking In to Pay it Forward: Changing the Value Proposition is now available for presale.
We are that close to publishing that I’m taking preorders on this site. So, if you want to be the first on your block, your office, your state….anyway….go to our online store and order:
If you’re interest in bulk orders, autograph copies, etc, please email me directly at chuck@icontact.com and we’ll work out the details.
I am a pay it forward power networker on LinkedIn. If you want to connect directly to me, go to www.linkedin.com/in/chuckhester or just click my photo! You will find all the information you need to do so. I live the pay it forward lifestyle - if you are helped, don’t help that person, instead “pay it forward” to someone else in need. The blessing will come back to you!
Visit my LinkedIn profile
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