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#FollowFriday: Keith Privette
I was in LA a few months ago when I received a Facebook message from Keith Privette. He selflessly recommended a #FollowFriday for me.
At that point, I said to myself, “Add him to your list of those to recommend.”
And now his time has come.
He’s not a PR or marketing pro, which tend to be those who read Spin Sucks. Instead, he started started his career as a business analyst and has evolved to become a digital sociologist….or social business analyst, whichever your prefer.
At Stratactical Consulting, he works with companies to incorporate changing technologies into the businesses, which he was doing long before the term “social business” was trendy.
But, in my opinion, one of the most important things he is doing is getting startups and entrepreneurs involved in the Norfolk, Va., area.
Starting with Start Norfolk, he created an event to help businesses get started and off the ground. Just like they do in Silicon Valley, Austin, and a few other cities inclined to help startups, this annual event allows entrepreneurs to pitch their ideas and then form teams around getting them launched.
And, after the event (which was held in April this year), he extended the conversation to a Twitter chat so entrepreneurs can continue to get the mentoring they need as they grow.
His blog is not the typical social media echo chamber. Rather he spends his time promoting new companies, new ideas, and business in Norfolk. In fact, the latest blog post is about Founder Dating, an exclusive dating network for entrepreneurs that help you find your co-founder. Kind of a cool idea and they’re raising funds to support it now.
He is married with two kids and, even though it was sold as salvage, his RV (Pulling Tin) has a blog. I’m not joking. It’s pretty funny. You should check it out.
And check him out on Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, Facebook, his blog…and in the comments here for the day!
Hey fellow Canadians!! Look closely at that picture of Keith......he's "squishing your head!" HAHAHAHA!! #KidsInTheHall
@belllindsay Yes! #KidsInTheHall
@KDillabough @belllindsay Now there's a keen eye. haven't heard that in AGES.....boy, am I old.
@rdopping @KDillabough yes, he was just one of the party. :D Definitely see you at #SocialMix2012! Can't wait!
@belllindsay @rdopping @KDillabough That"s what I love about canadians. They show up everywhere. Unassuming bunch. See you at #SocialMix2012 ?
@rdopping @KDillabough Aren't we all! I was at a wedding a few weeks back, Kevin MacDonald was there, the bride's uncle! Kinda neat. He looks *exactly* the same!! :D
My first time weighing in on this, but totally like "meeting" Keith. What a pleasure knowing that, as I constantly remind my students, people don't always wind up doing what they started out doing...said the Civil Engineer turned 18th Century British Lit Scholar turned PR Guy turned PR Professor. Follow your heart!!
@KirkHazlett I have a friend who wants to start a blog featuring people who are doing things they didn't start out to do. Turns out there are lots of us!
@ginidietrich @KirkHazlett Yes, there are!
@Erin F. @ginidietrich
We're everywhere...falling out of every tree and bush on the planet! :-)
Sounds like an awesome guy -- the projects he works on reflects that. Another great pick, Gini! :)
OMG, it's a challenge to come in after @HowieSPM . Again, I wonder what types of hallucinogens allow you come up with such creativity.
This story hit home for me especially on today because as we speak, TODAY, yet another one of my friends is moving away from our beautiful town because there is no work for her here. I keep thinking there needs to be some type of incubator or support for businesses to move to this area, particularly, tech. We need more SMB/startup friendly legislation and outreach.
So, I'm all connected and following, and looking for inspiration! Nice to meet you, Keith. I think that's awesome!
@Lisa Gerber But, but! I thought you were getting an Apple store?!?
I first told @ginidietrich about @keithprivette in 2003. I said this dude is totally follow friday material. She said 'what is follow friday?' I knew she was in the slower track in school. That is why we humor her so much.
anyway Keith was trying to decide between moving to Greenland to pursue his passion in Butterfly catching or Virginia Beach and get into business consulting when I ran into him in 2001 at the big Mashable convention in NYC. I said butterflies are boring. I mean you got the monarch and the swallowtail and you are done. But you can be a cross pollinating bee in the business world. He responded...'but I am a butterfly whisperer that makes me special'. I responded 'But do you know how much butterfly whisperers get paid? oh and you are a dime a dozen my sister and neighbor are ones too'.
After many tequila poppers and some drunken tears and hugs at dinner that night Keith finally figured out his destiny. I told him one day he will get a Follow Friday from Gini Dietrich if he works hard and stays focused. He said 'What is Follow Friday?' that was when I knew they both went to school together and we in the same classes. I said trust me remember her name. She is going to be huge in the coffee world you will see. Ever hear of a place called starginibucks? That was before the Tim Horton buyout spearheaded by the evil @belllindsay .
And now look at Keith. Rock star cross pollinating bee of destiny. He got his follow friday. Book called marketing in the square to be released soon. A&E Biopic being developed. Life is good. Grats to you Keith!
@HowieSPM Oh my goodness. That. Was. Awesome.
@HowieSPM I want your brain
@HowieSPM Did I ever tell you about the time I got arrested because I told Timmy Horton Junior that his father's donuts were a piss poor imitation of Dunking Donuts.
Well little Timmy tried to tell me that they were better than that and that just made me laugh. How would a man who buggered Polar Bears know a damn thing about donuts.
The next thing I know he has picked up a life size cardboard cutout out Don Cherry and is trying to beat me over the head with it,
Fortunately I had a role of Tooneys in my pocket that I had intended to deposit that very day. I took it out of my pocket, wrapped my fist around it and clocked him and then yelled "Down Goes Timmy!" "Down Goes Timmy!"
Things took a turn when I referred to the Toronto cop as Dudley Do right and asked him if he would introduce me to Nell.
in the end it worked out for me because Canadians are so damn nice. Two of the witnesses couldn't bear to think that I might think badly of Canada so they gave sworn testimony that I was just defending myself.
My apologies for hijacking Keith's Follow Friday, but that story was just too good not to share.
@TheJackB And I was happy to give sworn testimony:)
@TheJackB that was an awesome story!
@TheJackB @KDillabough @HowieSPM @Kaarina Dillabough @rdopping K, you got me. Cause I *hate* Starbucks. ;)
@belllindsay You might have tried to rat me out, but I would have anticipated that and asked you to hold the bloody cloth that we used to mop up after that donut poseur bled all over.
The coppers would have known you to be an accomplice and then what- Starbucks for you...
@KDillabough @HowieSPM @Kaarina Dillabough @rdopping
@KDillabough @TheJackB @HowieSPM @Kaarina Dillabough @rdopping Yes, yes we are. But I would have ratted you out in a *heartbeat*!! :D
@TheJackB @HowieSPM @belllindsay @Kaarina Dillabough @rdopping Yes we are:)
@HowieSPM Canadians are fun, really just ask @belllindsay @Kaarina Dillabough @rdopping etc.. ;)
@HowieSPM What's the Vermont air doing to your brain?
@ginidietrich you mean now that I breathe fresh air vs smog?
@HowieSPM @ginidietrich @belllindsay That by far the most intriguing story told about my life....I must've had to many poppers to remember!
@keithprivette @ginidietrich @belllindsay trust me you did. I had to call you a cab. You totally didn't remember me the next morning until I showed you photos of you with that super model doing body shots at the Tunnel at 4am.
@HowieSPM @keithprivette @ginidietrich Er, that was me.
@HowieSPM @ginidietrich @keithprivette BAHAHAHAHAHA!!! I've said it before, I *wait* for Howie's comments every single time!!! Perfection!!
I've been following Keith for quite awhile now! Super duper fellow. Nice choice this week Gini. Also, he's now got the Curse of the Spin Sucks Follow Friday!! Mwaaahahaahaha!! cc @skypulsemedia
@belllindsay The curse?!?! Bite your tongue!
@belllindsay @skypulsemedia I gladly take that curse! Thank you Lindsay!!!!
@keithprivette @belllindsay @skypulsemedia Your inbox is likely exploding at this very minute.
@amysept Yay!
@ginidietrich I like the way you do your #FF — adds real meaning to it
@amysept Thank you. I much prefer that to the lists of Twitter handles
I've had the pleasure of meeting Keith once in person at an event in Chicago, but was following him long before that. I'm really looking forward to spending some more time with him one of these days.
I've regularly seen Keith jump into the social media pools and devote his energies to helping people; people in need of help on both personal and professional levels. I admire him greatly for that. Like you Gini, he's one of the "good ones."
@Sean McGinnis Thanks Sean that means a whole lot coming from someone I highly respect! We will get a chance one of these days, I promise!
@Sean McGinnis Wait. Did you just call me one of the good ones??
@ginidietrich I think it was a typo.
@ginidietrich I know. I think the Mayans were right.
@Sean McGinnis @ginidietrich Well putting both of us in the category, we are building snowmen down there then!
@ginidietrich Same thing. Either was, it is the END OF DAYS... ;)
@Sean McGinnis Either that or hell has frozen over.
Love when you highlight the non-PR-y people...
@faybiz It's hard because there aren't many of you who come by here!
@ginidietrich Are you asking the non-PR-y to appear more often? ;)
Right or wrong not only PR folks read this blog. This kind of thinking, ideas collaboration, needs to permeate the A+D world. Talk about breaking down silos. Thanks for the connection.
@rdopping I'd venture to guess 15% of our readers are not PR or marketing types.
@ginidietrich Do the 15% get a prize? Pick me:)
@KDillabough @ginidietrich oooooo I want in on that deal too!
@ginidietrich @rdopping I think I represent sales all by myself.
@Sean McGinnis @ginidietrich @RebeccaTodd @rdopping Was there a player to be named later and some cash involved?
@ginidietrich @RebeccaTodd @rdopping Clearly, you need to nip that in the bud. Soon.
@Sean McGinnis @RebeccaTodd @rdopping My agent and my industry were never notified. I was just introduced as PR extraordinaire. Somehow the message is still out there.
@RebeccaTodd @ginidietrich @rdopping It's a good thing Gini's not in PR anymore then.... She's a Marketer. Unfortunately, her agent was never notified of the trade.
Her uniform changed colors somewhere along the way. Maybe she's color-blind or something and just never noticed it. ;)
@Sean McGinnis @ginidietrich @rdopping Yay! Gini once told me sales "was a dirty word" over here in PR land...
@RebeccaTodd @ginidietrich @rdopping Nope. *waves* :)
@ginidietrich That's great! Smart too, huh?
@ginidietrich You do realize that you got that the wrong way around.
@rdopping Well, for most...you I'm not so sure.