It’s the third anniversary of my blog. Well, the real anniversary actually happened several days ago, but as I deleted the original from Blogspot, I have no sense of the exact date.
So, here we are three years later and I decided that it was time for a rebirth. As you can see: new name, new location. As I strive to reclaim my personal brand, I feel that starting fresh is really going to help. I look at it as moving past the terrible twos where posting was sporadic and consisted of gobbledygook half the time.
The name was the first thing that had to go. I came up with “Shop Talk” about two years ago with no real purpose in mind. It was bland. Was I talking about PR or something else? I knew that if I wanted to breathe new life into this blog, I had to search for something that encapsulates what I’m trying to achieve.
Enter, “Can We Talk?”. The name is based on the same Yahoo! group I started two years ago (now defunct). This new start is meant to encourage conversation and I know part of that begins on my end. The point of social media and the blog-o-sphere is not only to listen to what others have to say, but also to be an active participant. With blogging, I’ve been guilty of just listening and broadcasting, but not thoroughly interacting and I know that before long, the conversation becomes one-sided. It’s really not the best way to learn and exchange ideas. Therefore, I am truly looking forward to this fresh start and redefining my perspective.
I would be remiss, however, if I didn’t thank Robert French for his tireless effort in creating such wonderful communities through PRBlogs and PROpenMic. It was because of PRBlogs that I began to follow some of the most talented individuals in the industry. I also had an outlet to convey my thoughts, so I will always be thankful for that. PROpenMic has also been a wonderful resource connecting students, the next wave of practitioners, with their faculty and seasoned professionals – something this industry truly needed.
Of course, I also have to pay homage to the “O.G.” – my favorite PR guy, Jeremy Pepper, for pointing me to PRBlogs in the first place. Jeremy is so dedicated to this profession and helping young professionals find their voice in the industry. I probably haven’t told him this (and I should), but I tremendously respect his advice and the wisdom he brings to the table.
So, without further adieu — happy anniversary, blog. Let’s make this a great year.
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