Esvienne

So I’ve had this blog for a long time. almost 4 years to be exact.

In this time, It’s changed from a personal blog, to a science and tech blog, to a tech blog, to a social media blog. And then, it died.

I started listening to advice from people on what to do with it, what direction to take it, what to put or what not to put on it. And in the process, I feel like the whole motivation behind the blog died.

No longer will I wait til some great news comes out to write something. No longer will I pretend to chase down something that is probably regurgitated on 80 billion other blogs. Yes, I work in the internet marketing industry, and as such, my blog should reflect that.

But you know what? I guest blog my thoughts and strategies for internet marketing on plenty of blogs (our BlueGlass blog included) and I really don’t have the time or effort to make this into some “top social media blog”- and it doesn’t need to be.

My time is going where it should be- work. I can’t sit around and blog all day about the industry because I’m (happily) working in it and learning everyday.

I like tech. I like advertising. I like science. I like ridiculousness. I like stupid videos. I like serious stuff. I like music. I need an outlet for this otherwise who would I be? A shell of who I am?

I like what I like, and I really think that this blog (branded after myself) should reflect that. I feel like this blog, like other interests or passions of mine, has been skewed to what I do on the daily and not necessarily reflective of the direction I want to go.

So, in order to take charge of everything in my life, I’m starting with this blog. I’m going to learn what I want to learn. I’m going to find a way to make it.

No more distractions. No more wasting time. No more letting other people decide things for me. I know what I want and I just need to have tunnel vision. All this sidetracking and wondering what other people want to see on here is going to be my doom.

Like this change, or not, I don’t care. I’m sure you’ll be back to read anyway.

Oh, foot in mouth syndrome. We all inflict suffer from this- and if you say you don’t, you’re probably not even aware of it.

I’m a foot in mouth offender almost on the daily, it seems. And this used to bother me all the time. I would spend a lot of time crafting what I wanted to say. It’s not because I would speak faster than I was thinking, it’s quite the opposite. I would be thinking so much (and so far ahead of myself) that I simply don’t have time to really be in the moment with what I’m talking about.

Problem number 1.

And often times this can come off as arrogance, confidence, or aloofness. Really, it’s hit or miss. Nobody likes short answers, nobody likes to hear the bare bones of what you’re trying to get across. Nobody likes the nitty gritty.

People like fluff.

They like that extra added floofy stuff that kind of masks what you’re trying to say; when in all actuality, you’re not doing them a favor at all with this- in both a personal and professional life.

With that said, if you don’t give people fluff, they don’t know how to take it.

Problem number 2.

Now don’t get foot in mouth and haste confused. Saying things in haste is wrong- if you’re responding quickly, negatively and intentionally to something, that’s haste.

If you’re simply responding to something honestly, that’s foot in mouth syndrome. I never say things in haste (anymore) though I was very guilty of it way back when I had a really short temper. I’m become pretty zen in my old age. haha.

So what’s the cure to this foot in mouth syndrome that I speak of? It’s a simple cure (and probably not the right one, but it’s the one that I’m going with) and not something that will take a major personality of lifestyle realignment to successfully complete.

Stop letting it bother you.

Foot in mouth syndrome actually has some similarities to the Schrodinger’s cat scenario. If you say something that’s questionable, and no one hears it or sees you say it, is it really offensive? Is it in a state of limbo until the words are heard?

Are there two realities existing until one of them is made definite- instantly transforming it from a string of words into a sentence that isn’t received well?

Possibly. Or maybe I just miss quantum theory.

But when it comes down to it, life is too short to spend time regretting how you’re crafting your words. Those around you should already be accepting to who you are and if you’re constantly regretting things that come out of your mouth- don’t sweat it.

There’s too many people in this world that only say things how others want to hear them. We need to break this barrier down with those close to us, or those we spend lots of time with. Again, life is too short.

Adapting is tricky business- especially when you’re in a really creative yet analytical field. Creatives get buried sometimes in business, but there IS a way to maintain both your creativity and your analytical mind set.

Sometimes you have to be malleable- able to shape-shift and be flexible, and other times you need to keep your feet glued to the ground to keep from taking flight. Nothing I’m saying below means we all have to be boring drones. We can still be ourselves and be creative, while growing with a company.

When I first started at my company, we were a small tight knit group.

I jumped right in the water and adapted to the industry very quickly. We were extremely hard working and knew how to get the job done. We were used to our workdays and knew what to expect when we came in during the morning- we were super concentrated, hyper focused.

The environment was casual- most internet marketing companies work best this way. You need to bounce ideas off each other, be comfortable. There’s also the ability to listen to music while you’re working, block out what’s happening around you if need be, and get to it. Then during lunch time, you’d go out to eat with everyone you worked with because you could.

We were all awesome at what we did. And then, we merged with others who were of our caliber in the industry. Well respected, badass at what they do, and hard working.

We became BlueGlass.

As our company grew, so did our responsibilities. It was such an amazing opportunity to continue learning and growing- I loved (and still love) every moment of it. But as companies grow, so does the culture. New people come in, the employees increase. Your teams grow exponentially- it all comes with a company’s success and is much welcome.

It’s a great thing to see this happen, but if you’re not used to being on the fast path to success, it’s easy to get lost.

So here’s some things I’ve learned along the way. This industry moves fast, and (in the words of Ferris Bueller) if you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you might miss it. Stay on the top of your game.

Get to know who you’re working with: As new people come into the company, it’s easy to get so caught up in work that you forget to welcome them, or get to know them. Take some time and go say hi. Remember, they’re coming into a growing company too, and sometimes it can be overwhelming for them as well.

Learn on your own time: Okay. we all know this industry moves fast. If you have a true love of your work, this shouldn’t be a problem. Generally, you’ll find me online at all hours of the night. Why? not because I don’t have a life. Because I love what I do and I’m interested in getting the most of my career and passion as possible.

• If you’re super busy, make sure you pull your favorite blogs into an RSS reader (Google Reader works great. There’s also Reeder and Pulse News for iPad- an extremely visual app that blows any RSS reader away)
• Follow your favorite brands on Twitter by saving your hashtag or keyword searches. Check your streams in the morning, at night, whatever. Keep on top of it.
• If you’re doing this for clients in your free time… bonus points for you. Not really though, cause you should want to do this anyway.

Be friendly, but stay professional: When you’re transitioning from a smaller company, this can be harder to get used to… especially when you’re used to being close with everyone that you’re working with. As your company grows, definitely be friends, but remember: this is a professional atmosphere. Granted, private marketing companies are usually more laid back than a regular corporate office, but still. Respect your boundaries.

If you’re leading a team, it’s especially important to respect these boundaries. It’s great to be close and personal, but remember, it’s still professional.

Dress decently: I’m guilty of this- cmon, we’re creatives when it comes down to it. We want to be comfortable. I love hoodies. I love sneakers. I would rather wear sneakers than kill myself in heels. In a smaller company you can dress super casually and it doesn’t matter. But when you’re growing, and you have new people to put an impression towards or clients coming in, make sure you’re not letting go too much.

You know, I made a new years resolution to wear my dress pants every day, but it’s not happening. These stretchy skinny jeans are just too comfy. I need to take my own advice, apparently. :)

Respect your higher ups: This is another thing as the company culture shifts and changes and the easiest line to cross. Roles will change. Responsibilities will change.

As your company grows, so will you. Sometimes it’s easy to forget boundaries and let things go, but as your company grows and expands, make sure you’re willing to work with whoever you need to work with. I’m younger than a lot of people I work with, but I take responsibility seriously.

Don’t let age play a factor in how you treat others, or how others treat you. I love working with my higher ups- they are true industry professionals and they’ve all built their respective businesses from the ground up. They have immense amounts of knowledge that they’re happy to share with us and it’s going to help guide me down the path to being a respected industry professional too. It’s important to remember how respected and well-known they are, even though I spend everyday with them. I don’t take that for granted.

Meeting others online, in the industry: We work in an online industry- the majority of people you meet, initially, you’ll probably meet online. While your company is growing, so is your opportunity to meet others and connect.

So, reach out. Whether that be because you absolutely love their blog, whether you follow their updates on Twitter, whether they’re well known and extremely respected in the industry. Take some time to reach out and meet others. You never know who you’ll run into at a conference.

Represent your company in the best light: Again, when you work online, and in social media, it’s easy to let your own personal brand meld into your professional brand. I’m guilty of this. I’ve been growing this site for so long, that many of the followers of this name, have also moved and followed me on my professional name. It’s awesome to be yourself on your professional name, but there’s always some boundaries you shouldn’t cross.

Remember- your professional image, is just that. You and your company. Be meticulous in how you connect and engage with others- don’t cross any lines. Be respectful. You can still be awesome and fun and do all of the above. If there’s something to talk about that shouldn’t be public, take it to a DM or message.

Convey what you need quickly and efficiently: When your company grows and you start working with more teams and divisions, it’s easy to get caught up in long emails. Convey what you need quickly and efficiently- before it gets buried :)

Be firm in what you need but flexible along the way.

Don’t waste time: As you’re growing and keeping up with others in the industry, make sure it’s not taking up a ton of your time. Sure, take some time to send a few tweets throughout the day, and share some things.

After all, you ARE in social media and you need to maintain your profiles and relationships. It’s easy to take for granted the freedom we get in the industry, but I definitely try to restrain myself from talking to friends while I work on Facebook, instant messenger, or whatever (I do talk to the boyfriend- that’s a given), I find it distracts me more than anything unless it’s for client purposes.

I doooo usually join #ProfsChat every Friday- if you have some time, get involved in some industry twitter chats. It’s another great way to connect and learn at the same time.

Take some chill time: Something you lose in a bigger environment is the ability to just shut everything out and wind down when you need to. Sometimes you’re working on a campaign where it’s absolutely necessary that you’re in quiet time to brainstorm and plan out a strategy. If you need to, go into another room. I always bring my laptop to work for this reason: sometimes you need to just block everything out and work. It’s necessary for your sanity.

and most of all…

ABC.

Familiar with this? Great business and real estate term. Always be closing- meaning, always be selling. I’m not talking about blatant selling, I’m talking about spotting an opportunity, doing some research, taking the person aside (or emailing them) and making things happen.

When given the opportunity, I’ll always talk about what I do. Sometimes it leads to opportunities, and sometimes it doesn’t. But at least you’re out there. And same as before, represent your company in the best light. If you’re selling what you do, you’re selling your company, and you’re a direct extension of that.

So when it comes down to it, I work in a creative industry that’s growing very fast. Sometimes it’s easy to forget where you’ve come from, or where you’re going. But one thing is for sure- there are tons of doors opening to me with BlueGlass and for that, I am grateful.

Ummm and that’s it. </end>. I’m tired and hungry. Hope this gave you some insight into adapting into a shifting and growing company.