The News

I have been silent for some time now since my last blog post here and on my AugmentPro blog. This is due to the fact that one month to this day on February 1, 2010 I started my new role as the Strategic Manager of Social Media & Emerging Technology for Samsung Mobile USA.

Getting this role has been an amazing journey both personally and professionally. I was fortunate to start and grow a web development company that laid the foundation for my digital marketing experience and then apply that knowledge to various agencies such as BOSSdev and MRM Worldwide. While at BOSSdev, I was able to dive deeper into Social Media strategy and speak at multiple events and conferences on how to leverage social media for brands and businesses. Along the way, I had the great opportunity to work with great clients,  fantastic agencies and more than that meet and work with amazing people within the digital marketing industry.

Looking back I am humbled by this new opportunity as I see every career milestone a major stepping stone for this amazing role with Samsung Mobile.

The Conversation

I started my conversation with Samsung Mobile back in early December 2009,  and after several interviews and meeting face to face with the Samsung Mobile digital marketing team in mid January 2010 I was offered this new role of the Strategic Marketing Manager of Social Media. This means setting the over arching Social Media strategy for the Samsung Mobile brand, new poduct launches and managing/growing all existing social channels for Samsung Mobile (Facebook Fan Page, Twitter, Youtube, and others).

It is an amazing opportunity for a leading major global brand in the mobile industry.

One of the most difficult decisions I had to make was to move away from Metro-Detroit to the Dallas, Texas area together with my Queen and Princess leaving behind my extended family and wonderful personal and professional friends I have made in almost 30 years of living in the Metro-Detroit area.

Everyone will be missed.

The Future

After almost 4 weeks ‘on the job’, I have absorbed myself with all things Samsung Mobile. Of course, I was given an option to choose a Samsung mobile device indifferent of a carrier and I chose the Samsung Moment as it is the most “uncloaked” Android device along with a super crisp AMOLED screen and fast processor (800Mhz).

I am extremely excited for what is in the works at Samsung Mobile in the next few weeks, the rest of 2010 and beyond.

Of course the challenge is to make Samsung Mobile a “Social Savvy” brand in the US market as it currently has a limited voice online but a nice social footprint.

The road has been set, Now it’s time to pave the way.

I know this is not a movie review blog but I just discovered the leaked trailer for the 2010 movie adaptation of my childhood super dream, “The A-Team“. Where can I get my advanced ticket?

“I love it when a plan comes together” – Hannibal Smith

I want to take a moment to announce that I am profoundly moved by the fact that today a moment of internet history is coming to an end.

Today, Monday October 26, 2009 marks the end of Geocities.

My first introduction to the world of creating ‘web pages’ and being able to publish my designs and works online on a ‘home page’ was due to the fact that a service like Geocities existed.

Geocities skyrocketed as the premier place to build homepages for free along with other players at the time which were always in second place to Geocities. Then in 1999 Yahoo bought Geocities for absorbant dot-com bubble price of $3.6 million dollars so they can gobble up the service in their suite of ‘other services’. Like many ill advised acquisitions by Yahoo as internet history shows us, Geocities is by far the biggest loss.

So in memory of Geocities as when I was first introduced to them, I want to share a screenshot of their homepage from October 22, 1996 and a screenshot of the ‘final home page’ that was known as Geocities.

Geocities circa October 1996

Geocities – “Final Home Page” October 26, 2009

As I am sitting here at my local Starbucks, I just purchased a $1.85 Tazo Calm Grande Tea and plopped myself down in a comfortable table with a nice view people coming and going while working away.

A thought occurred to me. How many small businesses and entrepreneurs actually have Starbucks as their office outpost?

I did a quick google search, but wasn’t able to find any solid numbers. The reality is from back in the day when I started a company, I remember signing my first big contract right there at a table at Starbucks. It helped launch my company for the next couple of years.

If you step into any Starbucks today you can always see a person with their bluetooth headset and coffee in hand talking to their client and coworker. If it is not that one person, it is a two or more at a table and you just know based on how the papers and folders are spread on the table that they are doing some presentation or trying to sell something to someone!

All of this for a small investment in a purchase of a warm beverage.

Since most Starbucks have some form of Wi-Fi and the ability to connect to the web, now my time spent here could elongate into hours. A strategy by Starbucks to keep me here to purchase more product? Maybe.

All I know is that it is a perfect place to come for an office away from the office and still get alot of things done. (Panera Bread included). Viva the Starbucks Outpost!

Where is your office outpost?

I must confess that last night I was driving by a local DSW Shoe store and a sudden urge hit me. I wanted to get a pair of Converse Chuck Taylor “All Star” shoes.

Why not?

Not that I am trying to be the cool / chic / musician wannabe / fill in the _____ person. I always wanted to buy a pair. So I ran in to see what they had and of course they had their typical black ones, low top, high top, crazy top versions.

I looked for my size and on the bottom of one of the styles was my size. I opened it up and it was a different color than the pale blue ones that were stacked on top. There all alone was a pair of pale green Taylor’s haplessly waiting to be discovered.

I looked around to make sure someone didn’t notice this amazing discovery and gem and I slipped them on. I was amazed at the comfort of these lonely soles.

I instantly ran to the cashier with them and 2 minutes before the store closed, I walked out the door with my All Stars.

Now I have the “sole” to spear head my drive to conquer the digital world.

Saturday June 6, 2009 from 9:30am – 12:30pm I will be participating at the International Academy of Design and Technology – Detroit annual Interfaces Conference. Last year I was asked by the Chair of Digital Media to do portfolio reviews for the students and left the option open to be able to share with the students at the next conference of speaking on a relevant subject involving the interactive professional world.

When I got the call to participate as a speaker, i jumped in!

My Topic:

I will be speaking on: “Social Media Personal Branding” – Best Practices for Promoting Your Work Online.

Confirmed Speakers for Interfaces 2009:

Mark Acero, Sr Action Designer, Bioware
Chris Avellone, Creative Lead & Co-Owner, Obsidian Entertainment
Wael Berrached Founder & Chief Creative Officer, eView360
Alex Braidwood, Prinicpal & Founder, FormalPLay
Matt Bromley, Sr Level Designer, THQ, Kaos
Eric Bruneau, Compositing Supervisor, With A Twist Studio
Jeff Caldwell, Principal, the Vega Project
David “Zeb” Cook, Lead Content Designer, Zenimax Online
Akil Dawkins, 3D Artist, Stardock
Steve Derrick, Executive Group Manager, Vicarious Visions
Dennis Fraser, VFX Artist, Armstrong White
Cosmin Ghiurau, Interactive Solutions Architect, BOSSdev, Inc.
Meredith Morrison, Designer, Formal Play
Colin Moulder-McComb, Game Designer, 3lb Test
Ryan Oddey, Office Manager, 2K Boston
Stone Perales Art Director, 4KidsTV
Matt Sakey, IGDA Columnist
Stephen Schend, Game Designer, Author, Adjunct Faculty
Jessica Serran, Object-maker, Interactive Artist
Justin M. Smith, Executive Vice President & Executive Creative Director – Interactive, Doner Advertising
Tim Smith, President, Skidmore Studios
Ed Wolfrum, Owner, Audio Graphic Services
Brent Yax, President / CEO, Awecomm

I am excited to be included in such a great lineup of speakers at this event that draws alot of current and future creative students that love using technology.

According to TechCrunch this morning, Apple’s World Wide Developers Conference in June is SOLD OUT. What is crazy is the fast that last year they only sold out a couple of weeks before the show. At $1,000 a ticket to this show and a supposed “recession” it’s amazing that it is already sold out.

Then again, the rumor is that the new Apple operating system “Snow Leopard” will debut, and more than that a new “iPhone 3G”. This is the same venue that launched the iPhone 3G at $199 in 2008.

Personally, I purchased the first generation iPhone and was disappointed and returned it for a Blackberry 8820. The iPhone 3G was alot better and many of my friends give me a smirk that I still use a Blackberry. However, my master plan is almost fullfilled because this new iPhone should be the device that has ALL of the bells and whistles I need as a heavy mobile phone business user.

So here I am just finished with breakfast with the family. It will be 80 degree and sunny today. Something UNHEARD of here in Michigan for this time of the season. With us celebrating our 10th anniversary today, I wanted to take my Queen and Princess somewhere. To do something.

I do a quick search on google for “things to do in michigan” and I visit a few of the sites. We want to do something that is around the metro-detroit area but the pickings are slim.

We may just go ahead to the Henry Ford Greenfield Village. What I like is the fact that it is an outdoor attraction and at the same time very unique.  I have never been there even though I have lived in Michigan for over 25 years. Sometimes we tend to think there are better placed hours of driving away when we have great attractions right here in Detroit.

I am an early riser and I hate wasting time in the morning on things that are routine. I need to pick up some tricks from this  guy! Enjoy!

Click here to view the embedded video.

On April 25, 2009 I will celebrate my 10th wedding anniversary! When I tell people I have been married for “almost 10 years” they look at my with wonder. Why? How?

1. People think I am “young”.
2. It is rare to see a “young” person married for such a long time.

It is true. Our marriage has been a rarity. I have been beyond blessed with my “Queen”. Together with my “Princess”, my “Ladies” have been an absolute dream. As marriages in our day seem to have less and less of an importance when it comes to commitment, I couldn’t imagine my life without this creation.

I recently was listening to a podcase by Mark Driscoll from the church Mars Hill out in Seattle. He was recommending a book on marriage that is a MUST HAVE for anyone currently married or those that are looking to get married. They book is written by Andreas Kostenberger and it is called: God, Marriage, and Family: Rebuilding the Biblical Foundation

It seems to be a rare book that talks directly about marriage from a “cultural crisis” standpoint. With such chapters as “To have or not to have children, Abonding natural relations: The Bible Verdict, Seperating what God has joined together, Divorce, and many other thought provoking chapters. I am really looking forward to begin to dive into the book as I just got it a day ago and am beginning to read it.

So why a blog post about my wedding anniversary? Quite honestly we always hear of negative aspects of marriage and when we hear positive stories they are seen as sappy, feel good stories that are only for fiction. Well, it has been  reality for me and it can be for anyone with hard work, determination for a commitment, and geniune love.