Just like I do every week, I’ve been compiling a list of people who have been highly engaging this week. Following are my July 24 recommendations for #FollowFriday.
@aaswartz I briefly met Angie in San Diego in January and she immediately struck me as one of those women you want to know. Since then, she’s proved my first impression right. She does EVERYTHING! She’s an author, a radio show host, and the owner of several different businesses. It’s not often that you run into a woman in the business world who has it together as well as Angie does. She’s smart and really funny! She loves a great practical joke and isn’t afraid to ask for your help.
@coupaud Paul is a tech guy who is retired from the Air Force. He’s smart and has a lot to offer about the more technical side of Web 2.0. He’s also a Phoenix Suns fan and he’s in a house full of women, so be nice to him. Plus he grew up in Chicago and is a HUGE Cubbies fan…I need all the support I can get.
@ChicagoDiane I just met Diane a couple of weeks ago and immediately liked her! It’s always strange for me to meet new people on Twitter that live in Chicago…as if I should know all 12 million people who live here. Diane is a Northwestern grad and the VP of market development for Trading Technologies. But what I love most about her is her undying devotion to the Cubs. Like many of us in my office here.
@Daveisbell Dave is my new BFF! I LOVE to see his smiling face in my Twitter stream. He’s a coach, of sorts. He helps people figure out what they’re really good at and then helps them monetize themselves. This is something all of us could use help with so give Dave a follow.
@DebDobson Deb lives in Kansas City, which is where I spent six years of my life and where I still have great friends. Because of that, I’m immediately drawn to people like Deb. She is so witty and so engaging it’s difficult to put it into words. Add on top of it that she’s a cycling fan and her avatar is her in front of a huge Livestrong yellow band, and you can’t help but love her.
@BrookeBeason I first met Brooke on Twitter when I wrote the blog post about whether or not interns should run your social media program. She is an intern who is running a social media program and she did great job of articulating why it’s okay for some interns to do this. Since then she’s been very engaging, even if we don’t always agree…which is what I love about her. Plus she’s been quoted as saying, “I’m a social media nut, not an expert.” I love anyone who can admit none of us are experts at this!
@shandrab There is so much to love about Shandrab! Let’s start with the fact that she loves to give @JeffMello a harder time than I do. Add on top that she’s brilliantly creative – she designs interiors, furniture, AND children’s clothing! Plus she’s a Tigers fan, which has to make @CesLSU sad because it’s not his LSU Tigers. Regardless, it’s always two degrees of separation with Shandrab.
@JonCarlston Jon works for Process Peak, who we worked with a little more than a year ago. He is a franchise leads expert who is seen araound a lot in the industry because of his thought leadership, but also his personality, which just shines. He lives in San Diego and is a huge surfer, which makes me very envious because that’s one active thing I’ve never done. But following him on Twitter is almost like being there with him.
@JulieGammack Julie was one of the first Vistage Chairs on Twitter, which we love about her. She understands how social media can help her grow her Vistage groups, but also help her members become better leaders. She’s not afraid to solicit advice or help on Twitter and she knows how to translate what she learns for her clients. If you’re in the Baltimore area, she’s one you should meet in person.
@akarado Amy is another Chicagoan I’ve not yet met, but look forward to seeing her smiling face in my Twitter stream. She’s a PR pro and always tweets from the PRSA lunches, which I always seem to miss. So she’s my source for information from the lunches, which is great for any PR pro, even if you’re not in Chicago.
@BekahLockner I just met Bekah on Twitter a week or so ago because she RT’d something I’d posted. But what attracted me to engage with her is the way her name is spelled. Bekah. I love that! When I told her she said, “I’ll tell my mom you think so!’ I love that, too!
@BuyColorado Bill lives in Colorado Springs and I “met” him a few weeks before I went out to hike Pike’s Peak. He gave me daily weather updates and even tweeted me the morning of to wish me good luck. He’s a Missouri native who LOVES his Midwest veggies and talks about getting home to bring boxes back. If you love Colorado like I do, Bill is a great follow because he’ll give you mountain updates to make you properly homesick. Engage with him…and ask him if he’s still planning to be my sherpa up Kilimanjaro.
@antithetical The thing I love about him is he’s from South Africa so I have his accent playing in my head when I read him. Plus his Twitter bio is really stinking funny so it’s worth following him just to read that.
@CSMetro Clay is of my Phoenix contingent, of which I’m amassing quite a few friends. He tweets for Metro Studios, which is creative house. They do video, audio, photo, and Web. He does an amazing job of tweeting great information, but also engaging at a level that only a few of us do (i.e. obsessive, like me). I love that he looks beyond Phoenix and engages with people across the country.
@MatthewBreddan Matthew is a family law attorney who seems to really have his sh*t together. His blog is in Q&A format and he offers questions that he often gets and answers them, according to the law. Even if you don’t have need for a family attorney, his blog is full of really interesting information that makes you think. It’s a great resource for that friend we all have who might need someone like him at some point in their lives.
@aakomas Amy is another Chicagoan I’ve not yet met, but I love her attitude and her personality. She’s a journalism student at DePaul and I love that she’s not intimidated to follow, and engage, a CEO of a PR firm in the city. This is what makes the difference when she goes to look for a job…and someone that all college students should follow. She’s developing relationships with the right people who can help her network and affect her finding a job when she’s ready.
Past #FollowFriday recommendations:
July 3 (which is a culmination of the previous five weeks)
For an easy way to follow everyone here, plus those on earlier lists, you can copy and paste the Twitter handles into NinjaFollow.