Confessions of a Graphic Designer

When you're in your twenties, you'll live forever. You're the center of the universe. You are invincible! But for some strange reason, one day shortly after I’d started my design business, something in the obituaries caught my eye and I began to read. As a young adult in my early 20s, it occurred to me these people were now gone, and reading about them in the obits was undoubtedly the last chance I would have to ever cross that person’s path. I was “meeting” them shortly after they'd departed. A social media friend once told me she'd asked her niece to contact me in case anything ever happened to her. And it made me think about my own relationships with friends on Twitter and other social media channels. Some are people I regard fondly, and I would want to know if something happened to them. And in turn, I would want them to know if something happened to me. Do most of us have some sort of plan in place? Local notices include the people in our own back ...

Common sense says you should follow whomever you want. But recently I read a post by a blogger who felt everyone on Twitter—especially those in "leadership" positions—should follow everyone back. It might sound good in theory, but here are some thoughts to ponder: Some followers may not be worthy of a follow back. If you check before you click the "follow" button, you might find: • Accounts that have posted no tweets. Maybe their abandoned accounts have been taken over by squatters, or they could be fake accounts created for people who buy followers. • Questionable content — X-Rated timelines; "Tweeps" (Twitter peeps) who use a lot of foul language; Businesses that tweet exclusively about their products and services; Tweeps who post spam or tweet the same message over and over • Accounts that broadcast one-way outgoing feeds with no interaction with anyone • Those who use TrueTwit validation to weed out "bots....

WE CUT PEOPLE LOOSE from our lives for a variety of reasons. Maybe they have been dishonest, unkind, or simply obnoxious. But even after jettisoning someone, they can persist in the back of one's mind. Instead of pledging to work out at the gym or go on a diet, for the new year, try lightening your load by exercising the power of forgiveness. Negative feelings take energy even when you're not thinking about them. It's like a faucet leak. You know it should be dealt with somehow, but it's easier to be passive and let that drip, drip, drip reside in the background. The process of forgiving To start, it means taking stock of what has gone sideways and moving forward with an action, like a phone call, email, or even meeting in person. The intent is to share the problem with the desire to sweep it away and start over. It's like giving someone a second chance. A former colleague did something unethical to me. At first I was hurt, then angry. The an...

The customer may not always be right, but will they always be a customer? How can a business convert a customer into a brand evangelist? One way is to be methodical. When I was designing projects for Andersen Consulting (now Accenture) one approach was based on the notion that employees can become emissaries who spread good buzz, as well as become extensions of the sales force. If someone isn't fully aware of all its company does or produces, it means an opportunity to provide a recommendation could be lost. By arming employees with knowledge, it increased chances for potential customers to learn about a company through an enthusiastic, trusted source. AC devised fun and rewarding ways to familiarize employees with the capabilities of their companies. Social media echoes a time when companies actually cared. Recently I had two very different, but equally vexing problems. Instead of going through the normal channels, I tweeted. Then I waited. In bot...

Watch for the warning signs of a heart attack Around 6 PM Sunday evening I started to feel a heavy, painful pressure in my chest. Having experienced something similar before, I wasn't too concerned, but as it grew stronger and more difficult to ignore, and as the pain radiated to my jaw, I started to worry. Google is my friend. Typing in keywords "heart attack symptoms in women," I scanned the list and recognized some of the signs. I walked into the kitchen and popped an aspirin. My husband and son were there and I let them know what was happening. My husband suggested I call the consulting nurse, so I did. The consulting nurse quickly came to the conclusion I needed to call 9-1-1. So I hung up and dialed, then waited. Within a few minutes I could hear a distant siren that grew louder and louder until it stopped in front of our house. Moments later I found a dozen people of all colors, ages and genders in my living room, including firemen, medics, paramedics...

Following up on my previous post about transparency , I'd like to share a list of 30 people who fit the bill. Beside being "authentic" and nice, their timelines include a mixture of content and conversation. I've come to know most via email, Skype, phone or in real life. They've trusted me and shared their lives, and I look forward to seeing them whenever our paths cross. I think you'll find most to be kind, funny, smart, or have a fascinating story—or all of the above. All have fewer than 10,000 "organically* acquired followers." And in my book, all are worth knowing. I hope you'll check them out! They are listed in reverse alphabetical order, including their follower numbers (in parenthesis) at the time this post was written: NOTE: When you follow someone new, it's good to post a friendly shout to say hello and let them know you're a new follower. It increases the chances they'll follow you back. @zaharoff (5,...

Why transparency matters What if you didn't know the real names of your doctor, lawyer or accountant? Most social media acquaintances aren't exactly on a parallel plane with professional or collegial relationships — but how about your friends? In 2008, when I began on Twitter, it wasn't unusual to see people using descriptive monikers instead of their real names. Only early adopters might remember @TrendTracker or @TrendyDC. Today we know them as  @GlenGilmore and @AnnTran_ . They recognized their Twitter identities were going to be significant and went public at a point where their major growth was ahead of them. It enabled them to start positioning themselves as brands, and I believe they helped others feel comfortable about following suit. It's about trust I think most of us appreciate it when their connections on social media are transparent about who they are.    If I'm being honest with someone, I hope they'll afford me the same courtesy. ...

Jack Dorsey on the cover of - Fast Company - Our new hero-archetype? When I was a kid, it was pretty easy to identify heroes. They were policemen and firemen, soldiers and astronauts. They were President John F. Kennedy, Miss America, doctors, teachers and others who showed courage or strength. They were people who were, in some way, extraordinary. Jack Dorsey, co-founder of Twitter and founder of Square, is on the March 2012 cover of Fast Company , and seeing him made me wonder — who do people admire today and why? Are entrepreneurs the new heroes? The fortunes made by innovators today might make a 20-something MBA's heart beat a bit faster because they have realized the American dream — using brains and hard work to achieve success and enormous wealth. But is the ability to turn ideas into money what we should admire or strive to emulate? Having aspirational goals propel us to achieve. And the ability to innovate, and at times create a need for things ...

Dedicated to Steve Jobs Special edition of Bloomberg BusinessWeek, dedicated to Steve Jobs When I heard the news that Steve Jobs died Oct. 5, like everyone else who loves him and Apple, I felt a sick sadness in my gut. I know what it feels like to say goodbye to someone dying of pancreatic cancer. A close friend and brilliant photographer, Jim Cummins, died of the disease. Toward the end he was very weak, but I had the opportunity to say goodbye and to tell him I loved him. There is a certain peace that came when I did. But when you admire someone from afar, it's not possible to express how much they mean to you. So when they die, people are left with an emptiness — grieving when one doesn't really feel they have the right—but grieving nonetheless. Over the past two and half decades, much of my life has orbited around Steve Jobs, especially as more and more Apple products have interwoven into every waking moment of my existence. I go to bed with my iP...