Internet Geek Girl

Back in January when I wrote Re-design 2009, I never imagined that my redesign would include an executive position with a leading global public relations firm. In fact, I didn’t even realize that over the last few years I had become a “PR person.”  I just wanted more flexibility in my project choices and changed my business model accordingly. Today, I’m very proud to announce that I have become the EVP and Global Director of Digital Strategy and Social Media for Porter Novelli.

As someone that has been in online marketing for 15 years, I view the changes going on in the marketplace through a holistic lens. I don’t see these shifts as merely “social media phenomena.” I think about digital broadly, understanding all aspects of the evolution we’ve been experiencing for two decades now. Back in the 90’s I participated in the “e-commerce revolution” and worked for companies like Barnes & Noble.com to figure out how online consumer sales would change the world of retail. Guess what – it did! Media, publishing and communications are now experiencing these same cataclysmic shifts. My latest career choice is a symbol of this change and I’m excited to continue to push the envelope of this industry – now as part of the Porter Novelli team.

This was truly a kismet kind of situation (yes that is meant to be geek double entendre). Serving on a panel for @pepsico, I got to meet Marian Salzman and was blown away by her brilliance and spirit. For those who wonder why I’d want to give up working for myself in a very entrepreneurial way, I’ll quote my dear friend  Tara Hunt in her recent post describing her decision to leave San Francisco, “because it is time.”

Yes, large companies bring security and money. Honestly though, talented and experienced independents that know how to execute (and sell) do very well in this business.  I could have easily continued working for myself and had a very lush life.  This choice is about the opportunity and the team.  I’m ready to take on bigger challenges and play in a global pond. I am excited to work with an array of blue-chip clients and be backed by an organization with resources and a commitment to transforming their business through digital marketing. I am also excited to spend more time writing and thinking about trends in this business (when you work for yourself you spend a lot of time on sales and operations and the writing gets put by the wayside).

The Porter Novelli family stole my heart with their passion and smarts. The Executive Team (shout out to Gary, Anthony, Marian, Julie, Michael, Lisa R.) and Brad McCormick (who I will work with hand-in-glove) are total rock stars. Aaron DeLucia and the team in Austin are amazing (and I cannot wait to go visit them soon and have some BBQ and start plotting SXSW 2010). Together, we will cross-pollinate our ideas and experience and innovate in a way that differentiates us from the pack.

Stephanie Agresta Consulting, InternetGeekGirl, Affiliate-Karma and my other burgeoning ventures (TechSet and UltimateRaceDay), will continue in some form and fashion. I’d like to think of myself now as “Powered by Porter Novelli.”

You can find the “official press release” on the site.  As my good friend Jeremiah Owyang pointed out: “It screams so “PR;” I do hope you have a heart felt social way of telling the story too.”

Well I do.  My story is much deeper and more complicated than everything I can put in this post, but it’s a start. I look forward to seeing many of you in the coming months as I head out on the road to meet PN staffers. As I told Jeremiah – I don’t believe in throwing out the baby with the bath water. There is still a place for a collection of words and quotes and background information. How it gets delivered and to who is evolving. But ultimately, there are many ways to tell a story.

I want to give a shout out to the many people who I consult when I think about my life choices.  @chrismccaffrey, my family and non-industry friends make up the foundation of life. Plus my colleagues that I rely on for guidance and support and laughter:  Brian Solis, Tara Hunt, Chris Brogan, Howard Greenstein, Rick Calvert, Cindy L’Esperance, Hugh MacLeod, Steve Rosenbaum and so many more I can’t fit them in here. THANK YOU ALL!!

I get extremely excited writing about Dave McClure. It’s like blogger Viagra. Or since I’m a female, we’ll call it blogger Zestra. Why you ask? Well, Dave McClure, like all my guests here on InternetGeekGirl, is fantastic. I know I am a fan girl – actually I am for all my amazingly smart colleagues – but Mr. 500 Hats himself is truly special.

The self-proclaimed “D-List VC”! [Dave sees himself as the Kathy Griffin of Silicon Valley (except Geeks are his Gays; and he likes it!] Personally, I think Dave is funnier than Kathy Griffin (and she’s freakin’ hilarious). And while Kathy is brilliant, I doubt she can match Dave’s masterful mind and intellect.

By day, Dave is an angel investor at the Founders Fund. By day and night actually. He travels all over the place looking for cool startups to invest in. Companies like Twilio and SlideShare. That’s the inspiration for Dave’s fantasy application – a desire to stay more connected to his family.  Like most of us struggling to balance life and work, we’re always on the look out for new, effective tools and strategies. Mobile technologies obviously have a big impact for staying organized and connected. Watch Dave’s fantasy application and imagine a world where staying connected to your loved ones is that much easier!

O’Reilly is in town and New Yorkers are a flutter!  Today kicks off the first ever Web2Expo in NYC at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center (655 West 34th Street). Co-produced by TechWeb and O’Reilly Conferences, @w2e_ny08 will wow NYC with it’s content and connection.  Be sure to follow them on Twitter, btw! You can find the detailed schedule here!

Web2expo in San Fran these last 2 years stand out for me as one of the best shows of the year (and that is saying a lot coming from someone who goes to as many conferences as I do).

I believe you can still register on-site! You can get a $100 off registration or a free expo pass if you use the code: webny08bd23.

By the way, we’re going to party like it’s Internet Week again! Assuming you’ve recovered from the June 2008 festivities, you should be sure to check out the list of events! I definitely want to highlight our TechSet event this evening at the Eden Rooftop . PLEASE RSVP ON FACEBOOK!!

I also want to make sure you know about web2Open, organized by Nate Westheimer.

Web2Open is the free “un-conference” side of the Web 2.0 Expo and takes place on September 17th and 18th, during the Expo. Inspired by the BarCamp movement, Web2Open is where the attendees lead create the conference content. It’s volunteer organized, and offers a fresh, community-oriented take on tech conferences.

One of the best parts of the Web2Open is that it’s free! To register, sign up for Expo pass using the code webny08opn (attendees with conference pass may also participate).

Brian Solis and I, founders of The TechSet would like to personally thank our sponsors for their support of the event tonight. Come out and meet them and be interviewed for Aaron Strout’s podcast, Citizen Marketer.

About our Sponsors (and please follow them on Twitter):

Mzinga (Twitter = @mzinga) is the leading provider of enterprise social media solutions that drive growth, innovation, and learning. The company combines a broad suite of social media and networking technologies with expert strategic consulting and moderation services to help businesses to harness the collective intelligence of employees, customers, and partners. Marketing, customer service, and human resources professionals deploy Mzinga’s “pervasive community” solutions to achieve higher revenues, lower costs, greater workplace satisfaction, and improved customer support.

Headquartered in Burlington, Massachusetts, Mzinga supports more than 14,000 communities and over 1 billion monthly page requests from 27 million users in 160 countries worldwide. Mzinga’s marquee list of customers includes such global brands as ABC, AOL, ESPN, CBS.com, iVillage, Chevron Corporation, Johnson & Johnson, and Prudential Financial.

---

Empressr (Twitter = @empressr) is the first of its kind rich Internet application that provides users with the tools to create and share Multi-media visual stories online. Armed with only a Web browser, users can combine photographs, artwork, text, music, videos, audio recordings and charts to produce anything from a simple slide show to a state-of-the-art business presentation. Empressr embraces the best of what the Internet has to offer with features such as asset tagging, Web mashups, embedded data and a comprehensive selection of rich media features. Once created, an empressr can be distributed in many ways. It can be published to the community site or your social networking page, sent in an email and even embedded in a blog or wiki.

---

HeyCosmo is your private concierge and secretary available from the Web and the mobile phone for FREE! Want to find out if your friends are available to hang out this evening? Looking for a plumber who can check out your problem within the hour? Want to find an Italian restaurant in NYC to accommodate your party of five at 6:00pm? Deliver your messages and get a confirmation in 60 seconds or less. Guaranteed!