Disqus - Friends of themshow

Re: Why Isn't Paypal More Successful?

whitneyhoffman — Tue, 26 May 2009 11:22:58 -0000

I love paying with Paypal and use it all the time, but as a merchant (when we've used it for sponsorships for Podcamp Events) it's been a nightmare, and google checkout is much friendlier. No hold times on withdrawals or limits on how much money you can transfer a month....much, much easier.

Re: Review – When You Are Engulfed in Flames

whitneyhoffman — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 07:11:47 -0000

I think what I like best about David and his books is the idea that he goes each day, not knowing what he might find that may be his next big passion, the next thing that totally enthralls him, because I feel that way. Before I started on the whole Podcasting and blogging thing, before I went to the first Podcamp, I had no idea it would change my life forever. Each day holds so much promise, and his optimism tinged with sardonic humor speaks to me. And I agree- as much as the books are fantastic, the audio is always the best, which is why I love hearing him speak in person, and try not to miss an opportunity.

Re: That’s not what I ordered…

whitneyhoffman — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 21:24:39 -0000

Damn.

I am so sorry to hear it, and anything we can do to help- let me know!!!! NIH trials, whatever you need!

I'll even knit you funky hats if you want.

*hugs*

Whit

Re: Winning against all odds

whitneyhoffman — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 09:51:48 -0000

Matt is reading Outliers right now, so we are debating this book yet again. I think you have to stitch many things together to begin to answer the big questions, for example:

Outliers + The Dip = 10K of experience gives you the experience and perseverance to know what's actually going on, and hopefully some insight into whether or not you can get through tough times towards success, or whether it's time to cash in your chips and try something new.

Tipping Point + Buying In + Predictably Irrational= You can make a guess at what people will or will not buy, product or service, by whether it fits a need, but success overall requires the ability to sustain a business through the rough patches to the Tipping Point, after which general popularity, fads, and the business model become self-sustaining. People won't always act perfectly rational and make the best decision, so if you can make your best case of why you have a better product or service and why you fill a need, you have a better than average shot at success.

We like to think in sound bites, but I think we all know these possible pearls are not yet a necklace. And even the outliers, like General Motors, can be vulnerable to opponents that know the game as well or better, and are willing to take chances, experiment, and make mistakes the well established companies may not. Even Outliers are outlived and replaced by new outliers. I think we have to focus less on the being lucky part, and more on building a strong foundation with tools on hand to leverage the assets we do have and make the most of it.

It works for me, every day.

Re: Tune Up Your Personal Message

whitneyhoffman — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 09:01:57 -0000

One of your best qualities is that you're always looking to improve and help others with lessons you've learned at the same time. I have been reading Brain Rules by Dr. John Medina, and there's a rough ten minute rule for attention. You have about ten minutes in a presentation before people's attention starts to wander- that's the mark when you have to do something to bring their attention back on track, most importantly, by making something emotionally relevant to the audience- tell a story, give a take home point- something that delivers and then lets them refocus on the next chunk of information you're going to give.
Attention and focus is biological, and part of remembering that our audience is human is also giving them information in the chunks they can most likely use and process.

Re: Rockstars of conversation

whitneyhoffman — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 08:59:47 -0000

When I hear about events like this one, I end up feeling like I live in a desert. Wish I were there.

Re: Untitled

whitneyhoffman — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 22:03:58 -0000

Great to hear your voice in a podcastlet, so to speak.

Getting ready to go away is sometimes the worst part of vacation- the hype, the prep. But once you start to just enjoy and be in the moment, it gets a lot better. I usually feel hassled at first, but then get into the swing of no routine, or a new routine if we're in a place longer than about 2 days. But my favorite vacations are those when we go and rent a house at the beach, or stay with friends- you get a home base with the comforts of home, but the ability to explore a new environment and play as well.

Hope you enjoy!

Re: What You Might Not Know About Personal Branding

whitneyhoffman — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 21:13:04 -0000

Distribution on the 'net may be less like McDonald's and more like newspapers- who much information do you have to impart and do you have a regular schedule on which people depend on receiving that information? I know I've found that the more regularly I produce fresh content, the more attention and more consistent attention I garner.

If you are saddled with a schedule and not enough great content to fill those spots, quality suffers; you're much better off with too much content and distributing out over time, essentially creating your own warehouse of content.

But I think we also need to take into consideration of some of what Seth Godin says about creating a sense of scarcity. Mass distribution seems to work short term, but long term, ubiquitous access creates not a sense of value, but a sense of common- non-special, non-unique, less valuable (think supply and demand curves here).

So I think it's always going to come down to balancing having adequate distribution out the channels, but the quality of the outlets may be just as important as the product itself, even in the marketplace of ideas.

Re: Tomato Leather

whitneyhoffman — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 08:20:34 -0000

Add garlic, and you have dried tomato sauce; balsamic vinegar and basil, and then cheese, and you have portable caprese salad

Re: Compare 2 videos – TU-154 vs. Boeing 757

whitneyhoffman — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 08:12:38 -0000

I have no aerospace credentials, but I would imagine since the hijackers purposely picked long distance flights, newly fully loaded with fuel for maximum explosive effect, and the Iran flight was more "local", the fuel differential alone could be part of the difference.

Re: Why do we do these things?

whitneyhoffman — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 08:56:04 -0000

I would argue fairs are kind of like the mall. The purpose you're there is transparent. Many times it's community oriented, helping friends and neighbors, finding the small, one off batch of blueberry honey, etc. It's the bespoke, unique, non-mass produced all in one place, that you'll never find in the mall- The Purple Cow mall, in essence.
Carnivals, even things like the Car Show or Home Expo with its more high pressure and niche pitches have brought their share of ginsu knives into my house (And I have to admit I still love those silly knives- they work as promised.) I am not big on high pressure pitches, but I do know what to expect in those places, so I am prepared, and if I decide to bite, I know what I'm doing.

The Super Bowl ads, in contrast, I think have become the academy awards of the advertising industry- it's the largest and most expensive platform in TV, so we watch to see how people are using this short-format to try to win the prize- and to see what the long tail effect it has (or doesn't) for the company. We're even less concerned about the actual products than we are on how they pull off the creativity required for this high stakes game. It's "Advertising Survivor" (tm) - boom or bust for the ad agency and the client.

But the heart if the question is this- people are perfectly happy to opt in to situations where they have an opportunity to buy or engage with something new or unique. It's time limited, it's not every day. It's what Seth Godin talks about in permission marketing.. People who show up to these events know what's in store and give their permission to market your socks off to them- but that's not the case with most interruption methods of ads.

Re: George Did a Great Job

whitneyhoffman — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 07:44:10 -0000

I haven't met George personally, and as a family, we're frankly fans of the shoes- they are the perfect shoes for my husband who wears them in the operating room at the hospital, and my kids for the beach and pool.
That said, I am appalled by the actions of this one person who was trying to get something for nothing or go nuclear.

Let's clarify the threat thing, just so everyone's clear. This was a threat or blogola/blackmail that potentially could cross some lines.

For example, people use the term "They threatened to sue us" very haphazardly all the time. Even as a lawyer, having to talk to people frequently about unpleasant things like collecting money that's owed, you can't threaten anyone. You may have to tell people that unless they meet their obligations, you will be forced into resolving the matter in a court of law- but that's technically not a threat, because the person was already obligated under law to act and has failed to do so. In this case, George had no pre-exisiting obligation to the individual in question, so this was a classic libel/slander situation where "If you don't do X, I will try to ruin your reputation".

As we're all watching the apartment company who sued a tenant for alleging they had done nothing about a mold situation in her unit, for tweeting about the same, companies are going to start to push back and it may be very unpleasant. (While I support the tenant in this case and think the Apartment company are doing themselves more damage by suing before investigating the issue, it does point out that people are listening in the blogosphere, and bloggers are going to have to start choosing their words more carefully.)

If this kind of veiled threat, quid pro quo, "you give me what I want or I am suing you in the Court of Public Opinion" becomes more rampant, everyone will lose out in the end. No one will ever know what posts are honest, which are not, and the utility of the information will decrease.

As bloggers, we have a bigger stage than we realize, but with great power, as Spiderman says, comes great responsibility as well.

Re: The Esoteric Secrets of Pomegranate, Kisses, and Social Media

whitneyhoffman — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 09:29:38 -0000

Fantastic. Really. And needed to be said.

You need to have the experience, to challenge your preconceived notions of what's safe and sane and reasonable, and to stop asking for so much permission and just Do. I was scared out of my mind about traveling to the first Podcamp alone- what if I knew nothing? Would I feel like I was way over my head? Would I get anything useful out of it?

And what happened? I arrived early. As people started setting up, I asked if I could help. They gave me a job. I pitched in. Not asking for favors, asking to participate. And now I have a whole different life, really- largely because I asked to pitch in and lend a hand where needed.

It's a simple act you can replicate anywhere in your life. In retrospect, what this probably did was show my potential new friends that I was willing to lend a hand. It made me stand out a bit from the crowd. And that helps create that "Trust Agent" mentality- people who are willing to go out of their way for you are people you are likely to feel the same way about, and that is how friendships and human relationships work.

It doesn't take much to have an authentic conversation with someone, but you get so much farther with trying to help someone, even in mundane ways, like holding a door, than you ever get by starting a relationship by trying to impose on someone else, immediately demanding a favor. You have to earn that privilege over time.

The quote you use from Ze Frank frequently about emotional after-taste is important here as well. You need to have the experience in order to really judge its worth, and what stays with you long after the experience itself is over. Do you remember the rush of speed from your first roller coaster ride? Do you cherish those first moments of holding your newborn child? These experiences can be written about, even shown on video, but those are ghosts of the actual in the moment experience itself.

We can aggregate information, video on the web, podcasts, everything, but all of these are mere simulation of an experience, and I'm glad you gave us all a reminder of this.

Re: Arguing against your limitations

whitneyhoffman — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 13:31:36 -0000

John Robison was at Podcamp. He has Asperger's Syndrome, yet he has had a remarkable life, and continues to do so, writing books, helping folks, helping researchers find out more about the disability. He doesn't let it limit him in any way.
I understand I do not have the genetic gifts that make a life of professional basketball possible, being a 5 ft. 3 inch female, so instead, I use what i have to maximize my potential- and that'[s what we all have to do- play the cards we have, rather than wish we were dealt a new hand.

Re: I Love the Livescribe Pen

whitneyhoffman — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 21:52:07 -0000

I have had one for over a year; I bought a second one for my kids at Christmas last year. I got to interview their educational advisor, Andy Van Schack from Vanderbilt University on the LD Podcast last year- it's amazing how great this works for me taking notes in meetings, at conferences- it's simply amazing.

The ability to "pencast" and share out information when necessary is great as well. I am a huge fan.

Re: Not Rocket Science

whitneyhoffman — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 09:38:23 -0000

It's never in the big words- it's in the clarity of the meaning and content, and that's why Chris succeeds so well with blogging. He makes things clear, simple and actionable.

As a lawyer and someone regularly accused of having a large vocabulary, I can tell you it's never about the SAT words- it's about nuance, about clarity, and often translating the complex into the simple, but not elementary, so people understand what they are doing or signing. It doesn't have to be complex- it does have to be clear.

Re: Attention To Detail- A Video

whitneyhoffman — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 08:22:38 -0000

Well, I just went and bought their album because of this video- never heard of them before, but I love it- and the video just sold it completely.

Although as someone who occasionally contemplates playing with video, the amount of work and patience this took, not to mention time and creativity makes me envy Ross Ching completely. Simply Wow. Makes my head hurt contemplating executing anything in this style....Way to go, Ross!

Re: A bottle of awesome

whitneyhoffman — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 09:13:53 -0000

I read a book a while ago about this, called Time Shifting by Stephan Rechtschaffen. He's a holistic physician, and he talks about how time management is not as much of a problem as time awareness is. We take pictures and record every moment, but fail to actually enjoy the moments when they're there. How many times, for example, do we try to answer email while someone is talking to us on the phone, paying too little attention to both? By actually being in our lives, being in the moment, instead of always worrying about what comes next, or spending time regretting what has come before, we will have those memories. When we don't remember stuff, it's often because our attention and focus was distracted- we weren't there- we were too worried about thinking what we would say next, or do next, not just listening.

It's not easy to live in the moment, but whenever I am feeling crazy or pressured, I try to remember to take Stephan's advice and enjoy the now instead of always worrying about the future or the past. This is another one of those gems that seems trite, but once you try it, it shifts your understanding and focus, and changes the way you spend time with friends and family.

Live in the now. Not as easy as it sounds.

http://www.amazon.com/Time-...

Re: Evaluating Your Business Ideas

whitneyhoffman — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 08:34:32 -0000

I always recommend people go through a write up a real business plan. There are simple forms on line to follow, and it's a great exercise to get you to think through and answer the inevitable questions people will ask you about business models, revenue streams, etc.

As Hugh MacLeod says- The market for something to believe in is infinite.

The tricky part is taking those amazing ideas and doing the plodding, hard work, day after day, it takes to make them a reality. Watch shows like Dragon's Den on BBC America and see how venture capitalists look at start ups, returns on investment and the like. It puts all of this into cold relief, and you are much better being objective about your plans from early on, knowing the short comings, and being prepared to slog through the tough parts.

Re: Subscriber drive, now with more pie!

whitneyhoffman — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 09:04:06 -0000

Actually, I made Pocket Pies this summer- Get a can or jar of pie filling. (Extra points if you want to peel your own apples, peaches, etc.) Get premade pie crusts in the dairy section. Roll out the crust, cut into shapes with cookie cutters or pocket pie molds available from Williams-Sonoma. Seal about 1- 2 T pie filling in between two shapes and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes. Small pies, limited calories per indulgence, and worth it, as well. As still- as easy as pie.

Re: When Should You Use Your Own Language

whitneyhoffman — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:12:59 -0000

I agree there's a lot to aligning yourself with the ideas of others; and also acknowledging the source as often as possible. These big ideas are like passwords, a lexicon or vernacular that can define a community and/or isolate it from others.

I try to acknowledge the source as often as possible, because it would be a shame to lose that Ze Frank came up with "A Brand is the emotional aftertaste" or your own phrase about people who come on too hard, too fast in business- "I was trying to shake your hand, and you kept trying to stick your tongue down my throat"- priceless phrases I always try to credit. While I wish I thought of them, they become almost like proverbs of new media. (Now there's an idea for a blog post right there...)

Re: The Audacity of Free

whitneyhoffman — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 08:03:16 -0000

Podcamp Philly is this weekend, and we charge $20 to attend in advance, $25 at the door. All ticket sales go to a local charity- this year, Covenant House, to support homeless youth. While this may seem like mandating a charitable donation, we look at it this way. The team works hard to put together the event, and we want people to place a value on the experience. We set that minimum value, but since our costs to produce the event are low and covered generously by our sponsors, including Blubrry, Microsoft, Springhouse, and A Weber, we decide to use the value of the experience to help out others in our community- a "pay it forward" concept to keep the sense of community alive beyond our event itself.
The monetary value is somewhat arbitrary, like a co-pay at the doctor's office, but it makes people think and commit before signing up for an event. It makes planning easier, (although with our massive inflow of attendees here at the last minute, the coffee may run out sooner than we'd like) and we've seen sign ups versus attendance numbers change dramatically from near 50% to well over 80% consistently.
I thought Seth's post was brilliant- in that we add a monetary value to create friction, to make people think, to make them choose rather than just go with the flow. Dan Ariely has done amazing research in behavioral economics that proves the point over and over again that valuation changes our perception of the quality of a product as well.
Free invites everyone and reduces the friction or hurdles to participation. But sometimes, jumping a few hurdles has its own rewards as well, including ensuring that the people who are there are opting in with both their time and their wallets to the larger community. They've all "pre-qualified" and said this event is worth their time and their money, and you have, too. Everyone there is serious about learning and meeting others and sharing- there are no tourists.
The small charge we have instituted for some (but not all) Podcamps creates a quid pro quo among the community that I have a hard time viewing as a bad thing. Especially since we're dealing with a non-profit oriented group helping other non-profits make the larger community a better place to live. And as someone once said "We can't all do great things, but we can do small things with great love."

Re: The most amazing moment of PodCamp Philly 3

whitneyhoffman — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 06:39:43 -0000

Thanks for your constant support and for being a part of Podcamp Philly year after year, Chris! There are always challenging moments putting together conferences, things behind the scenes you wish you did differently. But in the end, seeing so many people new to Podcamp have an amazing time, to see people learn and share makes it all worth while.
Podcamp remains a great way to learn about creating digital media for the web, and with the SearchCamp sessions, figure out how to maximize any of your online projects. I learned more about the details and philosophy behind search this weekend than ever before. Gaining perspective from some of the best in the business has made me rethink how I counsel clients, and how important reputation is more than ever.
Being able to deliver content, not only for people new to digital media and Podcamp, but for those who have mastered the basics but need to know more about taking projects to the next level is part of the genius of Podcamp and the flexibility it brings in its format. A few weeks before the event, when I swear I will give this up because of the stress, is always replaced by a sense of pride at how great it is to get everyone together and share.
The campfire is still alive and well.

Re: CutestMarketerCompetition.com – $20 Reward

whitneyhoffman — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 07:49:47 -0000

Thanks for the mention guys- and happy to be a guest whenever!

In the vein of full disclosure, this is not my primary area of practice, however, having done work with federal regulations for years (primarily the Americans with Disabilities Act) reading regulations and guidelines, as well as preparing industry comments for agencies is something I have some experience with, so the post is not without value. Sitting on the line between law and social media as a practitioner may end up being a very interesting place to be. :)

Re: My Thoughts on the FTC Disclosure Rules and Bloggers

whitneyhoffman — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 10:12:46 -0000

Chris- you do an excellent job of disclosure all the way around, and are a great role model for this- I notice how well you disclose client relationships even in your twitter stream, so I have no doubt that the FTC rules mean any more than business as usual for you.
The FTC's getting involved in the internet, which in inherently a global communication service, not one that you can isolate country by country very well, is going to be interesting to watch. On one hand, I'm thrilled that they are officially recognizing blogging, podcasting, tweeting and more as valuable communication spaces for commercial messages worth regulating- it means we're no longer just a bunch of hobbyists on steroids, but real business people, further opening up the flood gates for people to make a living doing what we do every day. On the other hand, the web is almost the ultimate democratic platform, where everyone has their say and control left the station a long time ago, so how reasonable/feasible will enforcement become?
If it does take the wind out of the sails of some of the spam, I will be grateful. Do I believe it will probably just move overseas? You bet.