newcoventry: Archive

Moving...

Hello friends, I am packing up my bags and moving from Tumblr to WordPress. The URL remains the same: http://www.newcoventry.com but the RSS feed changes. I’d love it if you’d adjust your Feed Reader of choice to reference: http://feeds.feedburner.com/newcoventry This way you can stay connected with me. Don’t get me wrong, I love me some Tumblr and will continue to host...

Oct 10th

Oct 4th

“The future of labor belongs to enlightened, passionate people on both sides of...”

– Seth Godin on Whatever Happened to labor

Sep 7th

1 tag

Concordia Cafe - August 11, 2010, 6-8 p.m.

If you live in Minneapolis or St. Paul and have an interest in a B.A. or an M.A. degree from Concordia University - St. Paul, check out the Concordia Cafe. I teach COM530: Interactive Media Management in the M.A. in Strategic Communication Management as well as MKM346: Electronic Marketing in the Marketing and Innovation Management program. You should attend if you’d like to learn more. Of...

Aug 9th

2 tags

“Find a job you like and you add five days to every week.”

– H. Jackson Brown Jr. (via Zappos.com CEO - Tony)

Jun 7th

3 tags

Delivering Happiness Meetup - June 7 @ 7pm

Over the past ten years I have served Concordia University - St. Paul as the Help Desk Manager. As the years have passed I have expanded in job duties, but I have always wanted to be involved with the Help Desk. This is because there is no greater way to make people happy than to work directly with people at moments when there is frustration. I am passionate about taking a negative experience...

Jun 2nd

3 tags

Graduation Welcome Address - May 15, 2010

The following is the graduation welcome address that I presented to students earning a Master of Arts or Master of Business Administration degree at Concordia University, St. Paul. I am graduating with a Master of Business Administration in a study that is focussed on Innovation and Leadership Development. The industry I studied was Social Technology. The speech follows below the fold. Friends,...

May 15th

2 tags

May 10th

1 tag

The Grad10 Project - #grad10

Summary: Rick Mahn described this project best: “Want to help some grads this year? Share some helpful thoughts, tips & tricks using #grad10” How can you take an event that can be awesome and freaky (graduation in a down economy) and cushion the fear? In a few short weeks, graduates will be hearing speeches full of positive words and Seussisms. That might work for some, but deep...

Apr 28th

2 tags

“If you’re crazy enough to do what you love for a living then you’re bound to...”

– Herb Kelleher, ex-CEO of Southwest Airlines (via Chief Happiness Officer)

Mar 27th

12 notes

2 tags

The Runaways

Last night I went to Walker Art Center and saw “The Runaways.” It opens in Minneapolis on March 19th, so it felt pretty cool to see a film before it is available to the general public. Kristen Stewart (of Twilight fame) plays Joan Jett (of freakin-awesome-rockstar Fame) and Dakota Fanning (of I Am Sam fame) plays Cherie Curie (of freakin-awesome-rockstar fame). What I loved about the movie...

Mar 14th

1 tag

How to install the HTC Hero keyboard on the...

I am really happy with the Motorola Droid, I think it is a great phone with great features. The only thing I haven’t gotten along with very well is the virtual keyboard. This was further confirmed while I was using my iPod Touch this weekend, the Apple virtual keyboard just feels better to type on. The HTC Hero keyboard has some similarities to the iPod Touch keyboard, so I thought it was worth...

Feb 26th

2 tags

Kitchen Nightmares

I love watching Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares. The formula for the show is simple. Poor Communication skills + bad business = failing restaurant. When things get bad enough, the restaurant contacts Gordon. He storms in with a bit of yelling and honest communication about why things are going downhill. Then he throws in a few lectures on passion, creativity, and simplicity. As long as...

Jan 24th

5 tags

Customer-driven Quality

I am nearing completion of the MBA that I am taking in Innovation and Leadership Development at Concordia University - St. Paul. Last week, I wrote a paper on Customer-driven quality and I felt like sharing it. I’d love to hear your thoughts if you can make it through my academic voice. The reason I am sharing this paper here is because it focuses on my passion of helping organizations...

Sep 4th

6 tags

Mafia, Innovation, and Lists

I am flattered to have been included on a few lists that have been posted in the local Twin Cities community about Social Media and Innovation. Arik Hanson’s crowd sourced Top 20 Social Media Innovators, David Erickson’s Top 30 Minnesota Social Media Innovators, and then today on City Pages clever Social Media Mafia List All of this conversation about innovation has got me thinking: How is my use...

Aug 6th

1 tag

Shatner on the Mountain

This song has been in my head since I first saw the video. I think there is some future in the battlecry: “Hug the Mountain! Envelop the Mountain!” Special thanks to @seanbonner for bringing it to the attenion of the Internet.

Aug 6th

6 tags

Social Media Innovators in the Twin Cities - My...

Last week Arick Hanson posted a request for people to suggest five of what would become a Top 20 list of Twin Cities social media innovators. The post really got me thinking, what does it really mean to be an innovator in social media? Is it possible for an individual to be innovative in her or his use of social media or is that domain left primarily to companies who do amazing work with social...

Jul 31st

2 tags

Let's "do" Social Media

“In contemplating social media, the first question to ask is whether yours is a brand worth sharing. If yes, then social media tools can enable that sharing. If not, it’s time to redirect your energy back to question number one.” - by Tom Fishburne I came across this great quote in the article Social Media Bandwagon, from The Management Cartoonist Blog. Far too often it...

Jul 21st

4 tags

Integrating Podcasts and Video into your PR...

Albert Maruggi is presenting on Podcasting and Video for Public Relations. I’ve known Albert for two years now, thanks to Social Media Breakfast and a chance meeting at White Rock Coffee Roasters in Highland Park. He begins by showing us the ancestors of social media: Mr. Rogers and Jon Adams one who taught us to share and that everyone was special and the other who with the help of Thomas...

Jul 13th

3 tags

Small Brands. Big Results.

This was a great presentation by Blois Olson. Blois is from Tunheim Partners. They do PR for Punch Pizza. I have been a huge fan of Punch’s social media campaigns. They really get connectivity to the public. It was very intresting to hear from Blois on how they worked with Punch to reach such a peak of social media connectedness. I loved hearing the background to the #snowmagedon09...

Jul 13th

4 tags

Online Reputation Management: Your New Marketing...

Some great wisdom from Greg Swan Steps to respond: Breathe Ask, “Is what’s being said true?” Be honest and have thick skin. (Don’t call the lawyers right away). Ascertain if responding will add water or gasoline to the flames. What are the response options (comment on the story, write your own perspective on a corporate blog) Who will respond: Be in it for the long...

Jul 13th

3 tags

Using Social Media Behind the Firewall

This was a great presentation by Gary Koelling and Cameron Gross Much like the cake, the firewall is a lie. Internal is continuing to become a myth and the wall will break down even more as Generation Y/Millenials enter the workforce. Everyone has the capability to publish and they want to communicate with you and about your business. What we really are doing with social media and the work place...

Jul 13th

3 tags

Public Relations 2.0: The New Tools of the Trade

I am really excited to be working as a technical support guru for the Public Relations 2.0: The New Tools of the Trade conference hosted by Kane Consulting and Mashable . I am sacrificing a day of vacation in order to attend, but I know this is totally going to be worth it. Especially considering how great Kane Consulting’s Social Media Bootcamp series has been. I had a blast assisting...

Jul 13th

4 tags

Lowry Bridge Implosion

I used to drive over this bridge almost every day when Erin and I were first dating. Amazing end to a lendgendary rickety bridge in Minneapolis.

Jun 22nd

Ten Great Takeout Spots in the Twin Cities →

Thanks to CityPages for pulling together a great listing of the best local take out. My personal favorite lunch takeout is at Nelson’s Cheese and Deli. Their flagship sandwhich: the Cheesemaker is large enough to be lunch for two. After waiting in line, grab a sandwich and head to Como Park for a great lunchtime picnic.

Jun 18th

5 tags

Jun 12th

Barn Swallows in Lucerne

These two barn swallows have a nest in the rotted out post from an old dock in Lucerne, Washington.

Jun 12th

Re-roll the CEO

I just said, “sometimes companies need to re-roll their CEO” in MBA chat. Not many RPG/MMO folks in that program… there was much confusion.

Mar 10th

Dec 18th

Dec 5th