Yes, I know I have not blogged in about 2 months. Again.
Frankly, I've been a little webbed-out lately and the blog has fallen to last place among the other self-promoting online presences and the cat-herding they require. I just completed my 3rd month as a small business owner and, in additon to this blog, I now have a website for the biz (www.ruthfrobe.com), a fan page on Facebook, and a Twitter account...these, of course, supplement profiles and professional networks on LinkedIn and Biznik. As of today, I've managed to get the Facebook Fan page to talk to/through my Tweets, but the rest of the cats are not completely herded. I'm sure "there's an app for that," and my love affair with my iphone grows daily.
This I have learned: Social networking is not for sissies.
However, I'm getting some tips here and there ...went to one workshop this past week on "The 10 tips for Marketing a Small Business," (guess what she said: use LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Biznik...cool, I'm on the right track) and another lecture by one of the inventors of Twitter, Dom Sagolla. He, of course, is about 12 years old (ok, maybe double that, but not much more) and talked about his 21 month old son who has-- and easily manages --an iphone and a laptop. Fortunately, Dom's presentation included a take-away copy of his book, "140 characters, a style guide for the short form" to coach my Tweeting. This book (yes, the irony of a book in actual print about using Twitter and Facebook was acknowledged by the author) is now on my stack of reading material with "Book Yourself Solid," "Outliers," and the book Seujan's mom recommended, Magic Johnson's "32 Ways to be a Champion in Business." I'm hoping that one has a strategy for how to manage 32 business building tasks at once.
The other small business owner trick that's not for sissies is improving the actual product as well as the promotion of it. That aforementioned book list also includes "Job's Body," (been trying to get to that one for a year)... and I also went to another workshop this past week on "Navigating the suboccipitals." Last week there was a skills calibration for the Washington State Sports Massage Team and I'm now on board with them and worked at the Seattle Marathon last Sunday (super fun). Believe it or not, I actually had a few clients in between all the training for how to get them and treat them this past week.
Massage School was great, but the business instruction was a little short on how to get and keep the plates spinning once you're "out there." I need a personal assistant. Oh yeah, that'd be me. And a librarian....oh yeah, that'd be me. And an accountant...think that's me again (did I mention my first conversation with the Dept. of Revenue on Friday as my first submission to the State Tax people was a little, um, tardy? Oops, all cleared up now though)...and a Marketing/Social Networking Director...K, think I'll pick up that job, too. But hey, bottom line is that what I don't need --and don't have--- is a boss or a requirement to have my butt in a cube every day from 8 to 5. THAT works for me and I'm digging it.
In unrelated and nicely familiar territory, I'm happily flattened from my longest run in 14 months. I did 11 miles today...10 running + 1 mile walk/run. I'm kind of on strike from the bike these days and the running has been fun and coming back again...not totally hammie pain free, but just being able to DO it is great...
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