Device you would never give up?
A horrendous cliche, but I'd still have to say my iPhone. At least until a better Android phone comes out.
Your favorite software application?
A frivolous but beautiful iPhone app called Camera Bag, that converts your photos into classic camera shots (Poloroid, Holga, etc). You can see a few shots
here.
Blog you read most frequently?
Social media tool you actually use?
Favorite business book(s)?
Favorite newspaper(s)?
The Economist. It has a certain English tone of voice, which I find quite appealing. (NB: I'm English).
Person that inspires you?
Who was your best manager?
I've never really worked in a formal company with a 'manager', it's always small organizations with protean structures.
Your first "real" job?
A paperboy at 13. I had to get up at 6 a.m. every day for two years. I have no idea how I did it.
Where do you do your best thinking?
Around 1:30 a.m. on weeknights, at my desk.
What do you most value in employees/colleagues?
Intelligence and efficiency.
What would you like to be the world's best at?
I'd like to be the best at distilling and communicating complex information. The world is getting exponentially more complex within our lifetimes - the conduits organizing this information for the public are going to become increasingly powerful.
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Josh Bernoff is vice president and principal analyst at Forester Research. His landmark book on social media, Groundswell, has a special place on our bookshelves. We're also big fans of his blog, bernoff.com.
Device You Would Never Give Up?
I could give any of them up. I try to love people, not machines.
Your Favorite Software Application?
A great application (browsers, word processors) work so well you fail to notice it. How can something you don't notice be a "favorite?"
Blog You Read Most Frequently?
Seth Godin's blog. It transcends blog-hood into some zen other space.
Social Media Tool You Actually Use?
Wikis. Whenever possible.
Favorite Business Book(s)?
The Laws of Simplicity, by John Maeda. The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell. Neither of which is a business book, per se.
Favorite Newspaper(s)?
It would be the Wall St. Journal with the Boston Globe's sports page -- if only such a chimera existed.
Person That Inspires You?
My father - who showed how to balance pride in your work with honesty and love. Bill Bluestein, the quintessential technology analyst, to whom Groundswell is dedicated. Isaac Asimov, who never stopped writing about everything. Regrettably, of these three, only my father survives.
Who Was Your Best Manager? Why?
My first boss, Dena Brody, combined patience, sensitivity, and business sense. She's still a good friend.
Your First "Real" Job?
Technical writer for Software Arts, the company that created VisiCalc. Yes, I am that old.
Where Do You Do Your Best Thinking?
In bed.
What Do You Most Value In Employees/Colleagues?
Non-linear thinking and a sense of humor. Oh, those are the same, aren't they?
What Would You Like To Be The World's Best At?
Writing that makes you go "Hmmm . . . "
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Todd Defren is a founder and principal of the technology public relations firm, Shift Communications. He's widely known as the creator of the Social Media Press release and author of the blog PR Squared.
Device You Would Never Give Up?
I am sure the typical answer would be "my iPhone." In my case that's problematic, since I do not own one. Instead, the device I cannot live without is my cellular USB dongle. Instead of paying Boingo and T-Mobile/Starbucks or the hotel du jour, I now surf at broadband speeds wherever there's a cell connection: I've broken the wifi barrier.
Your Favorite Software Application?
I am a slave to Microsoft Office.
Blog You Read Most Frequently?
I read Seth Godin's blog for business inspiration; Chris Brogan for idea generation; and day-in, day-out, I read numerous PR and Marketing blogs (Shel Holtz, Brian Solis, Kami Huyse, Geoff Livingston, et al.).
Social Media Tool You Actually Use?
Google Reader. I access it on my laptop first thing in the morning, check-in throughout the day, and on the go via my PDA.
Favorite Business Book(s)?
Good to Great still holds a place of honor on the shelf. I am a big believer in "getting the right people on the (proverbial) bus" and "turning the flywheel." If you've read the book, you're already nodding your approval.
Favorite Newspaper(s)?
NYTimes. I am an unrepentant bi-coastal liberal.
Person That Inspires You?
George Washington. While he had the ambition to want the job, he also realized that beating the world's most formidable army with a band of ragtag volunteers was a foolish dream. But, he prevailed. And then, most importantly, after 8 years in office - despite pleas to stay on in a quasi-royal role - Washington simply retired to his farm: a modern-day Cincinnatus. Bravery - honor - humility.
Who Was Your Best Manager? Why?
My worst and best managers came one after the other. My worst manager barely trusted me to handle the job, yet rarely gave me any direction about how to improve. Ironically, figuring out how to excel despite his mangled management style was great preparation for my next job, under my best manager: he trusted me implicitly; he arguably gave me more freedom than I'd earned and was always ready to offer patient, experienced advice when I asked for it.
Your First "Real" Job?
Writing obits and events calendars for $8/hour at a small daily newspaper in Connecticut.
Where Do You Do Your Best Thinking?
In the car - in the shower - anywhere where it's near-impossible to write it down!
What Do You Most Value In Employees/Colleagues?
Humor, loyalty, eagerness and patience. If someone has a "dark cloud" over their head, it brings the entire office down.
What Would You Like to Be The World's Best at?
I'd like to be the best eagle hunter in Mongolia: these nomadic hunters can ride across the steppes at a full gallop with a golden eagle perched on their arm, ready to strike out for the day's dinner. This requires preternatural balance, concentration, and a hard-won symbiosis between man, horse and bird. (When you spend years in front of a computer screen, you tend to fantasize about being great at tasks that are both far simpler and yet far tougher than pruning RSS feeds.)
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Chris Brogan is a leading social media writer, thinker and practitioner. He is vice president, strategy and technology, at Cross Tech Media, but we know him best for the knowledge he shares copiously on his blog and with his 14,000+ Twitter followers. We're also looking forward to his upcoming book on trust agents.
Device You Would Never Give Up?
Smart phone like my BlackBerry Curve
Your Favorite Software Application?
I use Google Reader and Google Docs almost equally the most.
Blog You Read Most Frequently?
I read 700 blogs almost daily. Best guess? Seth Godin.
Social Media Tool You Actually Use?
Twitter.
Favorite Business Book(s)?
Winning - Jack Welch
7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Stephen R Covey
Pirate's Dilemma - Matt Mason
Re-Imagine - Tom Peters
Favorite Newspaper(s)?
??? Okay, maybe the NY Times / BITS section.
Person That Inspires You?
Jeff Pulver
Who Was Your Best Manager? Why?
Debbie Millin - Demanding and deeply compassionate, all in one.
Your First "Real" Job?
New England Telephone - Installation department, in customer service.
Where Do You Do Your Best Thinking?
Sadly, in bed, right when I should be falling asleep.
What Do You Most Value In Employees/Colleagues?
The ability to rapidly connect ideas together and form new ones.
What Would You Like To Be The World's Best At?
Connecting people together in meaningful ways.
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Ok, so maybe Aaron doesn’t quite reveal all in this Proust Questionnaire, but it’s rare that I get to make a title rhyme so easily so I couldn’t resist. And, he does have some surprising revelations.
First off, a quick introduction to Aaron Wall. Aaron’s an SEO (Search Engine Optimization) black-belt. He’s the guy behind the very popular SEO blog, http://www.seobook.com. When I first got into the SEO game years ago, I quickly came across Aaron and his blog. At the time, he was offering a great book on the topic of SEO (hence the website name, SEOBook.com). I read it front-to-back in two days. I was riveted. Most of my early education in SEO came from Aaron’s book. He’s one of those guys that really gets it. He’s on my short list of people that I trust to have a thoughtful opinion on the most nuanced and subtle aspects of SEO. If you’re not reading his blog yet, you should be. Aaron also offers premium training for SEO.
Device You Would Never Give Up?
Super Nintendo, Nintendo Wii, and iPod.
Your Favorite Software Application
Many of our SEO tools were tools I had created because I wanted to use them. Beyond those I am a big fan of Microsoft Ad Intelligence and Google's keyword tools.
Blog you read most frequently?
Social media tool you actually use?
Some of my sites get good traffic from StumbleUpon, but the only social tool I actively use much is
Del.icio.us. And
Del.icio.us is the only one I usually promote on my websites.
Favorite business books?
The Cluetrain Manifesto, The Purple Cow, Here Comes Everybody, Don't Make Me Think.
Favorite Newspapers?
The Wall Street Journal and the Financial Times.
Person that inspires you?
My wife.
Who was your best manager? Why?
Probably one of my mentors when I was new to the web. It is easy to be small minded when you first get on the web, but he always had the ability to shift my thinking to bigger and broader things.
Before that, when I was in the military a man by the name of Troy Meyers was top. He believed in hard work, and if there was a crappy job to be done he would be the type of guy to stand beside you and help out with the project. Conversely, if you screwed up he would let you know about it.
Your first “real” job?
Not sure when real starts. In junior high I had a paper route and shoveled snow. In high school I washed dishes, detasseled corn, and sold baseball cards.
Where do you do your best reading?
Usually when reading a book and trying to relate it amongst the context of my current environment and knowledge.
What Do You Most Value In Employees/Colleagues?
Being driven and true to their word.
What Would You Like To Be The World's Best At?
Probably nothing to do with what I am known for now. Probably something outside the field of marketing...I think in the next few years I will explore creative outlets outside of marketing and blogging.
Which business visionary would you most like interviewed next?
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