The Business of Connecting and Doing What We Need

Filed Under Business Life, Successful Blog | 32 Comments

Okay, Rodney, I Finally Gave In!

It was about a year ago that I heard these words from my friend, Rodney Rumford. You’re a connector! That’s what you are . . . like in the Tipping Point.

I thought, Yeah, I can see why someone would say that, but I’m not one word.

Yesterday, Rodney said, “How’s business, Liz?”

I said, “Rodney, I finally gave in. I’ve taken on the title, Connector. Try as hard as I might to say that’s not what I am. When I looked around, all I saw was me connecting — people, ideas, relationships, steps in a process.”

I have to admit that since the day that I connected with the word, connector, my whole life has made more sense. I’ve connected all of my strengths. I’ve connected all of my values. I’ve sorted out my major disconnects. I know my unique purpose. I know what I bring and what I need for success.

The Business of Connecting and Doing What We Need

Have you noticed how easy it is to be with folks who know where they’re going? The energy that we lose trying to focus on too many things gets released when we set our sights on purpose number 1 — what we most need to do for ourselves is what we best do for everyone else.

Every bit of me needs to be connected — relational and whole. Fragments frustrate me. Loose ends nag and aggravate me. I’m best when I connect parts into meaningful big ideas. The business of connecting is right for me. I see relationships — among people, ideas, and things — that are are relevant and whole.

What does every bit of you need to be? . . . at peace, in service, authentic, useful . . . what word drives you? What business are you really in?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Are you looking to get unstuck?

Liz and Lorelle at WordCamp 2008

Filed Under Community, SOB Business, Successful Blog | 13 Comments

Okay So, Lorelle Is No Surprise!

One might expect to see Lorelle VanFossen, THE Lorelle of Lorelle on WordPress, to be speaking at an event such as WordCamp Dallas. But, I’m delighted to announce that I’ve been invited to participate as well.

The event, WordCamp, was started by WordPress founder, Matt Mullenweg, and has become an international event. Here’s a bit of the history described by the Weblog Tools Collection Blog.

The first WordCamp conference was held in July of 2006 in San Francisco. Matt Mullenweg pulled this event together in only three weeks time and ended up with about 300 people in the Swedish American Hall. The first international WordCamp event was held in Beijing China on September 1st, 2007. However, not too many people knew of the event. So the first KNOWN international WordCamp event took place in Israel on October 25, 2007. Since then, there have been WordCamps all across the world including Hamburg, Melbourne and soon to be Dallas.

WordCamp Dallas is a two-day event being held in Frisco, Texas at the George A. Purefoy Municipal Center on March 29 and 30, 2008. Here’s the list of speakers and what presentations are about.

You can see plenty of reasons to attend! Click this logo to register now!

Let me know if I’ll get to see you there!

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!

SOBCon08 Registration Is OPEN!!

Filed Under SOB Business, Successful Blog | Leave a Comment

Go On, Sign Up!

Registration for SOBCon08 is open.

Click the logo below to sign up now!

See you in Chicago, May 2-4!!

Can’t wait!
–ME “Liz” Strauss

If you’d like to help us, email me at lizsun2 [at] gmail [dot] com. Be a sponsor! Help us find some!

Performancing Awards 2007: How Do You Choose the Most Influential Blogger?

Filed Under Community, Successful Blog | 21 Comments

Performancing Awards 2007 Reader’s Choice Poll

I’ve received several emails pointing out that I’ve been selected as a candidate for the Performancing 2007 “The Most Influential Blogger” award. I didn’t know how to respond, except to think . . .

Wow! It’s stunning to be on a list with people I so admire.

Darren Rowse (ProBlogger)
Seth Godin (Seth’s Blog)
Brian Clark (Copyblogger)
Michael Arrington (Tech Crunch)
Lorelle (Lorelle on WordPress)
Liz Strauss (Successful Blog)

Thank you, for noticing the incredible people who come here.
Thank you, for noticing the conversations and relationships we share.
Thank you, too, for handing me a question to ponder.

How Do You Recognize an Influential Blogger?

I”m struck to realize that a person cannot achieve influence. At best, someone might grow it like a garden –with passion, talent, hard work, and a climate that bestows it.

Musicians are influenced by those who went before them, those they follow, and those they perform with. Writers, actors, and bloggers are influenced in similar ways. How do we choose who has influential power?

We’re all so interconnected. It can’t be only links or traffic. It can’t be the numbers that Google sends our way.

Made via Touchgraph

So many people have touched and changed the way I relate and write. So many have been models when I wondered how to respond or when I needed information. I couldn’t list the people. I had to list the qualities they share.

The people who influence my thinking have these traits in common . . .

Character and Talent . . . They can be trusted and are leaders because they have matched their talent to their life.
Expertise and Curiosity . . . They did the work and still look with wonder.
Rebels with Rules . . . They have deep sense of tradition and still reach to improvise.
Depth and Drive . . . They go for it and reflect on where they’ve gone.
Wisdom and Street Cred . . . They’ve been around the block and taken value from it.
Sameness and Uniqueness . . . They understand that we’re all the same in that we all must write our own version.
Passion and Detachment . . . They invest their hearts, but evaluate with their minds.
Humility and Pride . . . They know they stand on the shoulders of those who went before them and still value what they have accomplished on their own.
Introverts in extroverts clothes . . . They share themselves in amazing ways and still are private.

I suspect that if you asked them they would say, they know they have influence, but they often wonder why.

I’ve been thinking about my time as a blogger and wondering how I could possibly choose just one person who was Most Influential. The idea seems overwhelming, even when presented with a short from which to choose. We all so influence each other.

How do you choose the Most Influential Blogger?

Performancing is offering you that choice.

Go on, place a vote!

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!

Shining Dots

Filed Under Connecting Dots, Successful Blog | Leave a Comment

Connecting dots with The Idea Dude’s Friend

My friend Vernon Lun, the Idea Dude, made this weekly column fill with light. Not only was he

“Touched by the stories I read, inspired by the words of giants, I wanted the world to know these stories, these words. And most of all, these people. Ordinary people, like you and me but so special because they gave us gifts through their blogs every day. The gifts? their voices, their thoughts, their hearts.”

but he touched our thoughts and hearts as well with what he wrote.

That’s some act to follow.

Do any of us know our value?

I met Vern talking about SOBCon07. and as I come to know the man, The Idea Dude, I stand in awe of his humility. Vern says, We never think of what it is about ourselves that make us remarkable, Does he know he is talking about himself?

I hear his heart shine in his words.

I turn around and in my mind’s eye I see Rodney Rumford late at Open Comment Night with a new idea he bringing to life. The pictures tell Rodney’s story. I wonder does he know that’s it’s his joy that makes him so attractive?

Life twinkles in his eyes.

And driving in a red Ferrari are Glenda and Mike, while Chris, and Tim, and Joe throw Klondike bars and wait patiently for a chance to hit the dance floor.

How do they make sun shine when they want to?

And Char, and Marti, and Becky, and Susan, and Connie, and AnnOhio doing cartwheels. They add the rainbow colors in the way they tease.

No need for a Second Life when the first one glitters so.

So, it’s as you said, Vern, “It is really just the end of the beginning.”

You started something brightly shining, and shining dots are a wonder!
The dots will be here with your initials on every one . . .

May the dots be with all of us!

Liz Strauss, Friend of the Idea Dude

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Liz Strauss at Successful Blog

Thinking, writing, business ideas … You're only a stranger once.

Okay, Rodney, I Finally Gave In!

The Business of Connecting and Doing What We Need

Okay So, Lorelle Is No Surprise!

Go On, Sign Up!

Performancing Awards 2007 Reader’s Choice Poll

How Do You Recognize an Influential Blogger?

Connecting dots with The Idea Dude’s Friend

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