A couple of weeks ago, Lisa Gerber and I were headed to Sean McGinnis’s #Cocktails4Causes and stopped at the Bloomingdale’s building on Michigan Avenue for a latte and biscotti. Coming up the escalator, we see a woman on her phone who, on second glance, I recognized.
It was Liz Strauss. Liz and I have spoken on a couple of panels together and have, for more than a year, been trying to figure out a way to work together. So I really didn’t think much of chatting with her for a few minutes and introducing her to Lisa. But, as we stood in line for our snacks, Lisa said, “Wow. That doesn’t happen at home. I don’t just run into people I really respect.”
Lisa, for those of you who don’t know, left her husband, her dogs, and her life in Sandpoint, Idaho to come work with us on Project Jack Bauer. So running into someone like Liz Strauss randomly like that is a pretty big deal. After all, Liz is a pretty big deal.
And she is today’s #FollowFriday.
Though she probably needs no introduction, Liz, along with Terry Starbucker, founded SOBCon, a think tank of the successful online businesses that keep ahead of the trends and form the theories that drive other online companies forward. Started in Chicago four years ago, SOBCon launched in Colorado last year, and (without putting words in Liz’s mouth) I think they have plans to move across the country. It’s limited to only 150 people and it’s the not-to-be-missed event if you’re doing business online.
SOBCon started as Successful and Online Bloggers and Liz’s blog still reflects that branding. She highlights up-and-coming blogs every week and has guest bloggers highlighted almost daily. But when Liz, herself, writes, it’s a true gem. Last September she blogged, “Five Signs a Social Media Star’s Reputation Is Spin,” for us and it remains one of the most popular guest blogs.
When she blogged earlier this week about the trust and credibility Groupon is missing and how they can fix the backlash from their Super Bowl ad, 370 people tweeted it, 79 people commented, and I can only imagine how many people linked back to it.
Liz is one smart cookie and she’s a must have in your daily blogging reads, as well as your Twitter following. If you aren’t already paying attention to her, please do. You won’t regret it and you’ll learn a thing…or 10.