The poster child of corporate culture and the usage of technology to connect with customers is Zappos. Zappos is ran by one of the smartest, most relevant CEOs on the planet Tony Hsieh. What does Tony do? Does he build brands, create corporate culture, deliver happiness or all three? I had the opportunity to hangout with Tony Hsieh and the Zappos Team in March 2010 in Austin, TX on the Happiness Bus at SXSW. I experienced the Zappos corporate culture for a few hours and I will validate he is doing all three.

I am an avid reader and I am excited to share with you the latest book that I am reading, “Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose” by Tony Hsieh. Tony is a proven leader who is living what he is teaching. He has developed two companies LinkExchange which was sold to Microsoft for $265M in 1995 and Zappos.com which was sold to Amazon.com for $1.2B in 2009.

Be a part of the movement his book ships June 7^th purchase part of his brain for under $25, what a deal.

Zappos’ Core Values

The Framework of the Culture

1. Deliver WOW Through Service
2. Embrace and Drive Change
3. Create Fun and A Little Weirdness
4. Be Adventurous, Creative, and Open-Minded
5. Pursue Growth and Learning
6. Build Open and Honest Relationships With Communication
7. Build a Positive Team and Family Spirit
8. Do More With Less
9. Be Passionate and Determined
10. Be Humble

Follow Tony/Zappos
Follow: @DHBook (Delivering Happiness Book Twitter Account)
Follow: @Zappos (Tony Hsieh – CEO of Zapppos)
Blog: www.DeliveringHappinessBook.com

Here are three forgotten ways to build your personal brand - and how you can put a “2010 spin” on each of them.

Seth Godin and Hajj Flemings - Linchpin Interview (Part I) from Hajj Flemings on Vimeo.

I recently conducted a personal branding interview with Seth Godin Marketing Guru and best selling author of dozen books including Purple Cow, Tribes, and The Dip to name a few. The focus of our conversation centered on Seth recently released book called Linchpin, which in my opinion is his most profound book.

In my interview with Seth Godin we discussed two significant topics from his book: Genius and the Factory. Being a native of Detroit both of these topics resonated especially the Factory concept. ‘The Factory’ has been the motor of Detroit for almost a century with the automotive industry building the middle class in our nation with mass production.

Seth also provides his perspective on personal branding.

On Monday, April 5, 2010: #MBAChat launches live via Twitter and for those in the Metro Detroit area there is a meet-up.

Many people have questions about the value of an MBA, the process of preparing and/or applying for an MBA program and personal development based upon the conversations we have monitored online via Twitter. The mission of the #MBAChat is to create an open dialogue with people who have an interest in participating in conversation about these topics. The #MBAChat will be moderated by @Hajjflemings. The conversation will be live streamed via Twitter and the re-cap will be compiled from participants tweets.

The #MBAChat will have an online/offline component. For those in Michigan area who would like to meet face-to-face there will be a physical meet-up. The physical location will be at various Biggby Coffee locations in the Metro Detroit Area which will be sponsoring free coffee for attendees.

To participate you can use http://search.twitter.com or http://tweetgrid.com/. Watch for tweets with the hashtag #MBAChat and follow the conversation on the @TechMBAOnline Twitter account.

#MBAChat Schedule and Locations (Physical Locations: Biggby Coffee)

• April 5, 2010 at 7:30PM-8:30 EST: 20570 Haggerty Rd Northville, MI
• April 12, 2010 at 7:30PM-8:30 EST: 112 S Old Woodward Ave Birmingham, MI
• April 19, 2010 at 7:30PM-8:30 EST: 4501 Woodward Ave Ste 105 Detroit, MI

Personal Branding

How does this apply to personal branding? Personal branding is about the development of your human capital one of the core reasons a person would consider getting an MBA.

Sponsors

Thanks to Co-Sponsors: Michigan Technological University School of Business and Economics ‘Tech MBA Online’ (@TechMBAOnline) Program and Biggby Coffee (@BiggbyBob - CEO of Biggby Coffee Bob Fish).

(Note: The originator of online Twitter chats is @PRSarahEvans who started #journchat.)

I look forward to connecting with you online.

South by Southwest (SXSW) 2010 Interactive Conference in Austin, Texas is in the books (March 12-16, 2010). I am sharing my experience of attending SXSW as a Newbie. Not knowing exactly what to expect I jumped in feet first for it was inspiring and overwhelming all at the same time. I ran into Kevin Rose (Digg), rode around with Tony Hsieh (Zappos CEO) and the Zappos Crew on the Happiness Bus and got an advance copy of his book to name a few of my adventures.

There were over 15,000 people who attended SXSW Interactive. Imagine a city full of techies, interactive enthusiast with laptops, iPhones, Flip cams, video cameras, and mobile devices active all plugged up at all times.

My Reasons for Attending

• Online/Offline Relationships – Connecting the dots. The value in developing online relationships is solidified when the online world meets the real world face to face.
• Productivity – It is one of the easiest ways to connect with the movers and shakers in the interactive community. There are not too many other venues where you will have access to the majority of major players in the interactive communities all in one shot.
• Networking – Just like in college I felt like I learned as much outside the classroom as I did inside the classroom. Attending sessions is important but doesn’t trump connecting with people.
• Create Touch points – My focus was not to solidify business deals there unless something fell into my lap but to create a non-forced touch point to build trust. This creates a comfort level for future engagement when a non-threatening conversation happens with no strings attached.

Favorite Quote During the Conference

“It took me 8-years to get a 100 readers for my blog.” @ChrisBrogan

Lessons Learned

• Favorable Introduction – I talked with @WayneSutton and others who created favorable introduction. A favorable introduction is when someone introduces you to someone within their network as their friend or on their behalf. The favorable introduction is the most powerful way to meet a new contact. It removes the ouchwereness and creates a layer of trust.
• Always Keep your Devices Charged Up – You have to capture the moment. You have no idea who you will run into people from @GuyKawaski to @scobleizer (RobertScoble). If your devices cams, iPhones, Laptops are not charged and ready you may miss the moment.
• Don’t try and meet everybody – Following the #sxswi stream and foursquare it was easy to keep a pulse on what was happening. It also created the anxiously of wanting to jump from place to place, but fight the urge. You can’t do everything. Create valuable interactions with a few people versus lots of meaningless interactions with the masses. What does it mean to be at the Mashable party with thousands of people if you don’t leave meaningful engagement with key people.
• Don’t jock – The quote on quote rockstars get overwhelmed with business cards, requests, business offers and opportunities that they are not interested in. Jocking, brown nosing, or sweating the influencers is a no no.
• Be a Sponge – There is always something new to learn, be open to new experiences.
• Register Early – Hotel reservations are critical you want to be close to the action.
• Don’t Fill your agenda with only Panels – This is the real world you learn as much from listening and engaging off-line.

I hope this post was helpful. I look forward to seeing you next year at SXSW Interactive 2011.

Communicating your unique and differentiating value doesn’t stop once you get a job. Personal branding is important for all professionals across industries whether they are seeking new career opportunities or seeking opportunities for advancement within their current organization.

Here are 7 effective ways you can begin positioning yourself for movement up the corporate ladder:

Communicate Your Goals: Make sure that your managers and/or career stakeholders within your organization are aware of and kept up-to-date on your career goals. You can do this by scheduling career discussions or lunches with them every few months. This not only allows you to share with them your career aspirations, but also provides you an opportunity to solicit more casual feedback from them to better understand where you stand in their minds with respect to potential advancement opportunities. - Chris Perry, CareerRocketeer.com

Weekly Update: Employees often work hard at their jobs, but they do little to communicate to others what they’ve accomplished. Result: the perception is that they’re not that valuable. To avoid this oversight send your boss a weekly update on what you’re doing. Also, check with them to see if it’s OK for you to send a copy to senior management “to keep them up to date.” This 15 minute “Weekly Update” may have more impact on your career than any other report you write. - Jeff Mowatt, JeffMowatt.com

Competency: I advise employees to demonstrate to the boss that they are capable and ready to be promoted. This may seem obvious, but employees should be able to show that they have mastered their current positions before they try to persuade the boss that they are ready for the next level. - Cheryl Palmer, CalltoCareer.com

Volunteer: Assume or accept leadership positions on projects. The more you show your willingness (first) and then the results (second) to take responsibility in your organization, the more visible you become. Hiding in the herd will not get you promoted. - Erik Vermeulen, ErikVermeulen.com

Call with No News: Answering questions/solving problems is a daily activity. Sometimes, however, it takes us longer than we expect to find the answer/solution. Calling to say, “I don’t have that answer for you yet, but I’m working on it,” goes a long way toward inspiring trust and confidence in others. - Frances Cole Jones, TheWowFactor-TheBook.com

Network Internally: Get to know people and make sure people know who you are through socializing. Brazen self-promotion would likely have the opposite effect, but sharing your insights and experience in a non-threatening and informational way will allow others to see your benefits. - David Kimmelman, GetTheJob.com

Stay clear of office politics: During the recession most companies have become breeding grounds for consistent complaint. Leaders are looking to retain and promote talent that will facilitate a positive workplace culture. - Alexia Vernon, GenerationWeCoach.com

Special thanks to everyone who contributed to this wealth of personal branding insight!

Chris Perry, MBA is a Gen Y brand and marketing “generator,” a career search and personal branding expert and the founder of Career Rocketeer and Launchpad.

Photo Credit: some_maya_sketches_by_hahatem, originally uploaded by _hatem_.

The “Age of Conversation 3: It’s time to get busy” authors were announced today. It is a collaborative book that brought together over 200 of the world’s leading social thinkers, marketers, and creatives in its third edition. It is an honor to be one of the featured authors to add a chapter and be a part of history.
The brain children behind this project are bloggers Drew McLellan (Iowa) and Gavin Heaton (Australia) who put in countless hours coordinating and managing this project.

Very soon you will be able to purchase it directly from Amazon or a number of other online book stores.

Book Cover Design: Chris Wilson (@freshpeel)
Follow the conversation in Twitter by following the hashtag: #aoc3

List of Authors

Michigan Technological University recently launched their AACSB accredited two-year Tech MBA Online program for the 2010-2011 academic school year.

I am joining the Tech MBA Online team as the Program Ambassador. As an active practitioner and content contributor in the personal branding world I have always had a passion for personal development and helping people grow their human capital. In this position I will be focused on building brand awareness of the program, coordinating the social media strategy with the marketing department and assisting in recruiting.

From personal experience, I can confidently say that communicating a strong personal brand in your interviews can be the difference between getting the position and going home empty-handed.

However, just verbally telling an interviewer what your personal brand is may not be enough. Part of communicating a strong brand is making a strong connection with your target audience (i.e. your interviewer).

The following are some top tips on how to make stronger and lasting connections in your interviews and in turn, more effectively communicate your personal brand:

• Don’t be afraid to ask questions. You need to make sure the job and company are a good fit for you just as they need to determine if you are a good fit for them. Think of it as a two-way interview. This will allow your character and personality to shine through, as well as give you insight into the position. - Lisa Quast, CareerWomanInc.com

• Help them relate to you. When doing informational interviews or interviews with managers beyond HR who are actually in your chosen functional area or industry, you can create a stronger connection with them by asking them to share their own career search journey. Ask questions like, “How did you break into [insert industry, functional area or company name]?” and “Do you have any advice for someone trying to get his foot in the door in [insert industry, functional area or company name]?” These questions not only engage them in conversation which often creates a more personal connection, but often remind them of what it’s like to be in the job seeker’s shoes which may help them relate to the challenges you are facing and which may motivate them to assist you in other ways to overcome them. - Chris Perry, CareerRocketeer.com

• Identify their interests or passions. One way to make a personal connection with interviewers while still remaining professional is to comment on something in their office. Don’t pick anything too personal, such as family photos, but perhaps a piece of artwork on their desk or an item that appears to be a souvenir from traveling. If you’re able to make a genuine comment or pose a sincere question, it can be a great way to get interviewers to open up and talk about themselves. Pick the right item, and the interviewers will remember a warm conversation and that you showed an interest in them. - Laurie Berenson, SterlingCareerConcepts.com

• Try the path less travelled. When I was a consultant and had to regularly job hunt to keep the paychecks coming, I made a habit of requesting a walkthrough of the area and an introduction to a couple of people that I would be working with, so they could also look me over. I wanted to make a personal connection with as many people as possible, so they would be sure to remember me. Plus, I knew that most interviewees are too terrified to make such a request. While my interviewer was introducing me to someone, I would smile at the person and offer a warm handshake. I would then ask how the role for which I was interviewing would assist them with their daily duties. When possible, I would look for something around their desk that I might have in common with them and could comment on. This not only worked like a charm with respect to building a rapport, but once I started the assignment, I already felt like a part of the group. - Monique LaCour-Henry, CenterStageGroup.com

• Tell a story. Tell a brief story that illustrates one of your core values or skills. With the job market so tight, the employee’s character matters even more than ever before, and besides, telling the right story can highlight your communication skills. So how do you pick the right story? You can go one of two ways: tell about an event that helped make you the person you are today (i.e., someone they want to hire); or tell a tale that highlights your problem-solving ability. After all, that’s why you’re being considered — to solve a problem or fill a need that the company has. Keep your tale short and sweet. Make sure your anecdote follows the basic form of situation-problem-resolution. And if you pick a story with genuine emotion in it, your interviewer will feel a connection with you. - Bruce Hale, BruceTalks.com

Thank you to all of the experts who contributed to this wealth of interview insight!

Chris Perry, MBA is a Gen Y brand and marketing “generator,” a career search and personal branding expert and the founder of Career Rocketeer and Launchpad.

Photo Credit: untitled, originally uploaded by .faramarz.

Here are 7 ways to build your personal brand via mobile, at any time of the day and from anywhere in the world.

Original Blog Post: AMA Milwaukee Blog

As the world around us continues to change, people-powered brands are impacting the world of business. How important is your personal brand? If you would like to find out and learn steps you can take to manage it, make plans to attend the March16 AMA luncheon.

The interactive program will focus on the importance of developing a strong personal brand that matters in a noisy digital world. Participants will walk away with practical information and learn how to become a voice people trust. Many of us are listening, engaging, connecting, and participating online through social media channels. But are you processing the information gained and using it to develop real-world relationships?

Join the Milwaukee Chapter of the American Marketing Association and Hajj E. Flemings, founder of Brand Camp University, and get tips to help define your personal brand and leverage your off-line relationships. In addition to a great lunch and opportunity to network, you will gain insight from a noted author and educator and learn how to…

• INTEGRATE your passion into your personal brand
• POSITION and balance your brand in corporate culture
• RE-THINK your corporate job as a proving ground
• MANAGE your online brand reputation and build equity
• LEARN to project your personal brand off-line
• BUILD a strong personal network before you need it

A strong personal brand can help ignite the growth of your business and inspire your personal life. Register now to ensure you are armed with tactics to grow your personal and professional identity and help ensure you stand out from the crowd.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
Hajj E. Flemings is the founder of Brand Camp University and author of The Brand YU Life: Re-thinking Who You Are through Personal Brand Management, one of Fast Company Magazine’s 2008 Readers’ Choice Business Books of the year. He is also one of the authors featured in Age of Conversation 3, a collaborative book that brought together over 200 of the world’s best marketing, social media and brand thinkers. Flemings is a former collegiate athlete turned adjunct lecturer at his alma mater, Michigan Technological University, where he wrote the personal branding curriculum. He has been featured on ESPN.com, BusinessWeek.com, BlackEnterprise.com, various blogs and speaks across the nation. His clients include NFL athletes, Walt Disney, Ford Motor Company, Skechers Footwear, U.S. Department of Defense (Telecom Division) and numerous U.S. colleges and universities.

You can learn more about Flemings by visiting his blog, following him on Twitter or reviewing his information on LinkedIn.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND:
The luncheon is open to AMA-Milwaukee members and interested individuals and is designed to benefit marketers of all levels – from seasoned professionals to students – and is ideal for job seekers and those interested in strengthening their networks.

WHEN: Tuesday, March 16, 2010 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m.

WHERE: Crowne Plaza Hotel, 10499 Innovation Drive, Wauwatosa

PARKING: Complimentary parking is available in a private, surface lot.

FEE: $25 for AMA members
$45 for non-members
$20 for students or individuals in transition

RSVP: Register no later than Thursday, March 11, 2010.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER ONLINE
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD A REGISTRATION FORM A

On Saturday, February 27th I had the opportunity to teach a social media session, “Closing the Digital Divide” for @PowerOrgMATH who conducted an on-site workshop for students and parents in the Columbus Ohio area. One of the best parts of this session is that I was able to participate from Michigan via Skype . Based upon my positive experience I thought I would post a blog about ‘Personal Branding with Skype’.

Historically I haven’t been a heavy Skype user. My recent usage of this tool has exposed me to the significant personal branding opportunities. The power of this tool is not that it gives you that cool Jetson type feel, but its ability to connect people in different locations while providing a face-to-face interaction real-time.

Understand it is a free tool and you are only as good as your internet connection and hardware.

Skype Basic Set-Up
To get started download the free-of-charge Skype software. You will need to set-up a profile, have access to an internet connection and some basic hardware: laptop/desktop computer/mobile device, web cam, headset, and recording software (the recording software is only required for recording audio and/or video).

Skype Profile

• Skype Handle - I recommend establishing a Skype handle (which is your number or contact) using a name that is consistent with your other social network profiles. (My Skype handle is ‘HajjFlemings’ which is my real name).
• Avatar – Use the consistent avatar that you used across all of your social networks (actual photo).
• Bio – Brief bio that should be consistent with your other social networks.

If you are a high profile person, celebrity, or have stalker concerns use a Skype handle and profile that is appropriate and safe for you.

Hardware/Software

Web Cams – Only required if video is being enabled. One of the best web cams is the Logitech Quickcam Pro 9000.

Headset –The headset is strongly recommended for recording purposes. The biggest factor that will go into the type of headset you will need is the type of device you will using (desktop computer, laptop, or smartphone). I would recommend you doing some research. I personally have a Plantronics.

Recording Software – The personal branding value is maximized when the video functionally is ultiized. To record you have to download a third party application.
I have listed a few different options.

• Vodburner (PC Only)
• Call Recorder for Macs
• Screenflow – Screenflow is a screencasting software that can be used to capture the video is a cool application that a friend of mind Henry Balanon swears by.

Personal Branding Value:

In the example I used I was able to extend my reach to a group of educators that were outside of my network with no cost to me except my time.

Products that can be produced from Skype
• Audio Podcasts
• Video Podcasts
• Video Interviews
• Workshop Presentations

Value Provided By Using Skype
• Extend your network
• Extend your reach
• Reinforces your relevance in the new media space.
• Its FREE!!! It saves you money and time.
• Sharable content if recorded, uploaded and linked to.

I hope this short blog post opened up your eyes to the possibilities of using Skype as a personal branding tool. Please share your thoughts in the comments section about how you have used Skype as a personal branding tool.

Is Foursquare a silly game? Is Foursquare just another cool iPhone app? Or is it just another social network? From a personal branding perspective I would like to add a different angle.

Foursquare has the potential to be a great personal branding lifestyle social network (with the integration of Twitter at this point). Personal branding is a lifestyle not just a career choice. It is something that is lived 24/7 not just from 9-to-5. Foursquare naturally integrates your DNA, your brand associations, and your habits into its social networking game with each check-in.

4-Ways Your Personal Brand is Impacted

1. Lifestyle: Your habits and choices are stamped with each check-in. For example I workout at Lifetime Fitness and after becoming the Mayor it encouraged me to continue working out more frequently. Whether I get unseated as Mayor is not the issue, it communicates commitment and that being physically fit is critical to my personal brand. Can I tweet that I am going to the gym? Absolutely. A stronger message is sent however when you physically check-in at the gym?
2. Brand Associations: It connects you with establishments or brands you want to be associated with, whether it is a food establishment that provides healthy food or a eco friendly store that you purchased furniture from.
3. Money Trail: To truly identify what is important to a person follow how they spend their money, there isn’t a clearer indicator of values.
4. Local Market Branding: Adding tips can be a great personal branding tool it connects you with desired establishments/brands in local markets. It can also create opportunities especially as you frequent specific locations more often. In local markets it can add name recognition and adds a virtual presence even when you are not physically at the location.

Optional #5: Work Time Stamp: Work habits are reinforced since check-ins can only be done with mobile devices when you are in the physical area.

Two Basic Tips for Using Foursquare

• Tips: Create unique tips that people will find value when they visit or are near the establishment.
• Shouts: Brand your choices, each check-in provides you an opportunity to reinforce why you have selected the establishment or brand you are visiting.

There is a noise factor that has to be managed with Foursquare I will admit. Broadcasting every move you make might not be the digital footprint that you are trying to create. Below is an example @Nolascratch tweets about going to the bathroom. I am not taking a shoot at this person but I just wanted to show an example. This tweet is about going to the bathroom which we all at some point have to go. You must determine for yourself what reinforces your personal brand message with this tool like you do with the other social networks.

Foursquare is a social network that will continue to evolve much like Twitter and Facebook as time progresses. see a great opportunity to reinforce your personal branding lifestyle through Foursquare.

Other Articles on Foursquare
5 Ways Foursquare is Changing the World
Foursquare vs. Gowalla: Location-Based Throwdown

Here are 5 unique ways to create your own buzz, observed from Super Bowl XLIV brand advertisers.

Are you focused on building a better resume? Then my first question is why?

This is a rhetorical question and your answer probably goes something like this. To get my dream job I was taught to go to college, get an education and work that job for 30 plus years.

Part of that process is to put your experience and education on a 8.5 x 11 inch rectangle and tell the world how great you are. What if I told you not to forget about your resume, but to change your focus and focus on creating something that matters? i.e. A Project

Evan Williams talk at TED centered around side projects, which is how Twitter was birthed.

The Building a Better Mousetrap Mentality

We have all heard the saying, “Build a Better Mousetrap.” William C. Hooker invented the spring-loaded mousetrap in 1894. Since its creation there have many different versions: electric, live-catching, glue, inert gas and the list goes on. What has the outcome been of these upgraded mousetraps? Better materials?? Bragging rights?? You feel cooler about using them??

How do you build a better resume? The same way you build a better mousetrap right? You create an online resume with links right? You use social channels right? As a practitioner in the personal branding it is easy to force-feed this mindset down peoples throats. (Note: I am not saying go drink the Kool-Aid and throw away your resume, but re-think what you are focused on.)

Game Changers and their Projects

Listed below are four people who are working on some cool personal projects who won’t need a resume to get their next gig. Guaranteed. These projects are creating major opportunities for these individuals and I guarantee you they are not tweaking their resume to death. They are working on projects that people care about that they have a passion for.

• Noah Brier – Creator of BrandTags.net - Fast Company 100 Most Creative People in Business (2009)
• Evan Williams - Founder of Twitter (Enough said)
• Gina McCauley – Founder of Blogging While Brown - Essence Magazine 25 Most Influential African- Americans (2007)
• Noah Everett – Founder of Twitpics - Twitter’s most popular photo sharing site. Valued at $10 Million?

What is your side project?