Holly Grande: Short and Sweet

Today is the sixth 20-Something Bloggers blog swap. Greek Physique was kind enough to write up a guest post. You can read my post over at his blog. Enjoy!

It probably started my first year of college. A cute girl was having problems with her e-mail, told me about it, and I sent her an e-mail giving her a link on how to fix it. Because I’m inept, I didn’t notice that she was interested in me—until of course her crush had worn off, and mine had mushroomed. And that was the beginning of my career as an Internet Middleman (dons cape)!

I have an odd passion for connecting people to people or valuable sources of information. I’m the guy who, six months after we met, sends you a link to Australian rugby stories because I suddenly remember that you play the sport. I once hosted a dinner for several blog friends in New York City, none of whom knew each other. Two of them started a long-term relationship soon after. And I’ve been known to also match people together who I thought would be great friends.

It's a nerdy skill, I grant you that. It's kind of hard to brag at a party that "Yesterday, Mom wanted to hear a sermon in German, and I found a church site in 5 minutes!" And for some reason, ladies don't swoon when I waggle my fingers in a typing motion and tell them I can meet all their search needs--strangest thing!

But life as an Internet middleman does have its rewards. It’s personally satisfying to solve people’s problems and get people from point A to point B. My passion and curiosity for finding good information is genuine, and it comes out in my work life too. On some social networking sites, people will e-mail me for tech help…and also where to find the blogs or sites for the prettiest girls to talk to, ha. It got to the point where I started being suspicious of the reasons why guys were friending me on social networks—and I had good reason to be! I'm an Internet Middleman, not an Internet Pimp. And yes, I've gotten to know and meet some people way out of my league because I was able to do them a favor.

But on the other hand, you can see the dark side of this. What if I tell you that so-and-so is a great friend or potential business source—and he turns out to be an idiot? Is it my fault for a bad recommendation? Or what if that web-site I recommended has a virus, or people are mean there to my friend? Verifying trustworthiness on the web is very difficult, and I’ve been burned before. And it becomes irritating that so many people seem to forget the service I rendered them. The couples or friends I create seem to be very bad at getting back to me and saying “Oh, thanks for helping me!” I don’t want to be paid, but I do want to be thanked, or have a business colleague reciprocate when I need something. And of course, I would like to get links and friend recommendations myself! In my most cynical moments, I worry that some people see me more as an impersonal computer robot than an emotional human being.

However, overall I enjoy working as an Internet Middleman. I think the key is just doing a better job of PR (of course I’d find a way to connect this to Holly’s blog!). I have to be honest with myself—when am I being generous for the sake of generosity, and when do I actually expect something in return? The person who I am helping should know that too. And if the person is too selfish to reciprocate, it is not my fault—there are others who will.

This post is a part of 20SB’s Blog Swap, sponsored by Bouncer.

Posted by Holly at 5:01 PM 3 comments Links to this post  

Labels: blog swap

Last night, I went to a Hanson concert. Yes, that Hanson. I've followed the boys from Tulsa since This Time Around and their pop-rock transformed into the earthy rock-and-roll it is today.

The concert was a blast. I went to the concert by myself, but I wasn't worried about being by myself. That's a really cool thing about Hanson fans: if you go to an event, you are going to make friends. Be it in line for the Walk, or dancing in the crowd, you'll meet someone.

I happened to meet some fans in the parking garage above the venue. I parked my car on the fith level, and on the way to the elevator, I saw a few other girls. No one said anything as we waited by the elevators until, finally, one girl piped up, "You're here for Hanson, aren't you?"

It turned out that all six of us were. Another fan added, "Hanson fans have a certain look, don't they?"

I don't know if it's anything about the look, but there is that overarching sense of community. I've talked about it before, this phenomenon that's developed thanks to the internet. Gemeinshaft isn't exclusive to tight-knit, real-world communities--it's popping up online as people connect through common interests, from skateboarding to Mmmbop.

As a band, I think Hanson has really taken advantage of it in an absolutely incredible way, too. The boys don't just put on performances or sell Mp3s, they engage their fans beyond music. With programs like the Walk and their partnership with TOMS Shoes, Hanson has used the sense of community that develops among fans and turned it into a massive effort to help the worldwide community as a whole. In fact, to date the band and fans have walked a combined 28,201 miles to fight poverty and AIDS.

It makes me really happy to be a part of that community.

Posted by Holly at 7:11 PM 2 comments Links to this post  

Labels: communication, germeinshaft

As those of you who follow me on Twitter might already know, I recently applied for a grassroots position with a non-profit organization. It seemed like a very promising position, and I thought the interview went very well. I liked the environment and the goals of the company--I thought to myself, this could be the one!

Then, I received a letter this morning. It was a thin envelop from the organization with a big, red stamp: Confidential.

Uh oh.

I opened it, and sure enough it was a friendly but succinct rejection from the firm of my dreams.

I felt a little like I had when my fifth grade crush told me that I wasn't his type. He was kind about it, but it sure broke my heart. I cried about it for hours, re-reading the folded note he sent me from across the classroom. This morning, I took a deep breath and re-read the rejection letter. There were significantly less tears this time, but it was still a blow to my ego.

That got me thinking, though. My job hunt has been a lot like dating. From perusing wanted ads to setting up that first date/interview, I am starting to feel like an occupational Casanova. (Unfortunately, I can't claim the same level of success with my career as the famed Venetian adventurer can with women.)

Rejection is never easy, whether it is from a company or a crush. But, I'm going to pick myself up and keep going. After all, the career of my dreams is out there, and it isn't going to wait for me.

"Heart" by Agnieszka Bialobrzeska.

Posted by Holly at 6:50 PM 4 comments Links to this post  

Labels: career, rejection

The funny thing about working at a bar that features beers from local and independent breweries is that you start to pick up beer knowledge. I know a lot more about beer than I did six months ago, and I know more about the process and the people behind the beers.

One of these people is Matt Nadeau of Rock Art Brewery in Vermont. In celebration of the brewery's tenth anniversary in 2006, Nadeau created the Vermonster, an American Barley Wine with 110 malts per barrel and a 10% alcohol content (Clever, right?).

In September 2009, Nadeau received a notice to cease and desist the use of the name "The Vermonster" from Hansen Beverage Co., the makers of Monster Energy Drink. The company argues that the similar title might confuse consumers.

Yes. Really.

In response, Nadeau smartly took his fight to the Web where news of the battle has gone viral. In addition to trade blogs, well-read consumer blogs like Consumerist and news media have picked up on Nadeau's heartfelt plea for help.

I think it was a bold move for Hansen to go after Nadeau. Independent breweries make up a fairly tight community online. It's a niche, but a powerful one: beer affectionados blog about industry news, consumers visit brewery Web sites for information about tours or about starting their own homegrown operations and artisans connect online to share trade tips and ideas. There is a lot of intersection, and many brewers meet up at conventions or trade events--they have pride about being a part of this community. All this means that, regardless of the final outcome, Hansen will be irrevocably tied to the Vermonster, Nadeau and Rock Art Brewery for years to come.

It will be interesting to see what happens next.

UPDATE: Nadeau and Nelson reached an agreement as of October 21st. Hansen will back of as long as Nadeau does not enter the energy drink market with he Vermonster.

Posted by Holly at 12:21 PM 0 comments Links to this post  

Labels: communication, digital, public relations, viral

My little brother and baby cousin are on Facebook. They are both barely teenagers, and now they are on these social networks that I still see as "mine."

I wasn't sure how I felt when Little Bro sent me a friend request. He and a couple of his friends post quizzes about World of Warcraft and chat about gaming. They don't really post pictures, and I think they are still getting used to the novelty of the site.

He's also on Kiwibox.com, where he is a reporter. One of his articles has already been published, and two more are in the queue for next month. It's like...he's a person online.

It's really weird.

I mentioned earlier that for the past few months, I have been back on Kiwibox myself. Kiwibox is one of the earliest "social networks" for teens and preteens. Along with Bolt, Habbo and Alloy, Kiwibox was one of the first online communities to really appeal and cater to teens. It is a by teens, for teens magazine that actually publishes user content as articles. I signed up when I was 13, and I stuck with the site for years, ending up as an editor. As a result, I cite the site on my resume, and I get to talk about it. A lot.

One of the questions I receive most is about connecting with teens. How do you get them to stay interested? How do you get them to submit articles? How do you get them to be responsible?

I can't take full credit for that--KB was doing it long before I came on board--but I'll try to answer from my experience.

I'm only 23, and already my little brother seems like an alien to me sometimes. A decade can make a world of difference when you're so young, and he puzzles me. Sometimes, I sound like a grandma when I talk to him about when I was your age...

So, I try to listen to him instead. It's hard not to want to interject--really hard--and give him the "correct" answer, but I do my best to let him figure things out. At KB, I try to do the same thing. As I edit, I listen to what the reporter is trying to say, and I try to keep their voice in the article. A thirteen-year-old is not going to write like Maya Angelou, but she has a voice and ideas of her own, and it is my job to make her voice sing.

I listen to what they are talking about, too. Beyond High School Musical and Twilight, teens are almost-adults. They are worried about things in the news, they stress over classes and they think about sex and relationships--a lot of the stuff I thought about when I was a young teen. It's easy to forget what it was like, but it is not too hard to remember.

Most importantly, I encourage them. Sometimes, we have to decline articles. Sometimes, we have to decline articles that I can tell the reporter put a lot of work into. I let them know that I think they are doing alright (and I really do--the current batch of reports have really impressed me!). I try to reach out personally to offer them a different direction and to let them know that while that article was declined, they have a great idea (and they often do!). When they ask questions, I answer them as best I can. I try to never talk down to them--these kids deserve my respect.

I don't know if that can be a bible on how to attract and keep the next generation's attention, but I do think it is a good method for connecting with any demographic, not just teens. Actually, it still freaks me out that my little brother and cousin are online, but I'm warming to the idea. These kids are kinda awesome, and they have great ideas to share.

If you're interested in reading more about Kiwibox, Harbinger Research put up a really interesting report on the site last January. You can find it here.

Posted by Holly at 11:05 PM 0 comments Links to this post  

Labels: communication, teenagers

I am sure there is a post somewhere in here discussing Sesame Street's role in media and advertisements, but for now, I am going to enjoy the adorable.

Posted by Holly at 12:00 AM 0 comments Links to this post