These people are awesome and I am sorry that I haven’t given them a shoutout sooner. They are rockstars in my eyes and you should totally check them out. Not in that way, well, maybe in that way. If you want it to be in that way. I’m sure some of these people are single and could use a good checking out. Maybe? I don’t know. I don’t even know what I’m saying anymore. I’m going to move on from this point and get to the #FollowFridaying. (By the way, that is totally a verb).

@jakrose: Bio: Where we’re going, we don’t need roads… - Website: http://jasonkeath.com/

Jason Keath is such a rockstar that the level of his rockstarness should almost be illegal. He is a social media man, entrepreneur, community engager, blogger, speaker, and creator of SOCIAL FRESH (http://socialfresh.com/). Social Fresh (and Jason) brings amazing speakers, facilitates incredible conversations, and gets people together to collaborate and learn from each other. His content is solid and consistent. Oh, and he works his butt off.

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@sarkatbur: Bio: My joys of southern living as a PR/marketing professional include family, friends, music, laughter, fashion, sports and a black lab. - Website: http://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahburris

I first met Sarah Burris at a #TLWT (Triangle Ladies Who Tweetup) and she was such a great person to talk to. I didn’t know very many people when I first arrived and she immediately started talking to me and we got along really well. Since then I have been following her on Twitter and she is one of the most engaged people I follow. She retweets awesome content, is a conversationalist, engages in the space, and creates great stuff of her own. She adds a personal touch to everything which I think is awesome.

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@ElizabethPW: Bio: Elizabeth Potts Weinstein: Speaker of Truth. Lover of Passion. Video Blogging Addict. Tweetup Connoisseur. People Loving Introvert. Truth Evangelist. – Website: http://elizabethpottsweinstein.com/

This woman is easily one of the most inspirational women on Twitter (and, arguably, in the social media space). I read her blog regularly and she is no bullsh*t, in your face, honest, and transparent (even when she doesn’t want to be). She video blogs, she writes, she inspires. This woman rocks and I really hope to meet her someday.

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Tell me: Who are YOU #FollowFriday’ing this week?

Word.

I like to write. A lot. And sometimes 140-characters are just not enough characters for me to describe why these rockstars are so rockstary that you should follow them.

@ChuckHester – Chuck is the Communications Director for an e-mail marketing company, iContact. He is a ROCKSTAR on LinkedIn and facilitates an awesome meetup called LinkedIn Live! He provides great content, great commentary, and great insight.

@wellsonemedia - Steve Wells is a local sales and marketing specialist located in the Triangle region of North Carolina. He is awesome because he really engages in the community. He provides quality content, promotes the hell out of other people, and is hilarious. I really appreciate everything he says.

@thepitbbq - I have never even been to The Pit BBQ, but I am planning a trip out to Raleigh just so I can put a “face” to a “name.” I have been following them on Twitter and watching how they are totally owning the social space. They engage their customers, they engage their audience, and they do it right. @1918, Phil Buckley (no relation), wrote a great case study about how The Pit is using social media in a positive way. Businesses can learn a thing or two from The Pit BBQ.

@glowbird - Lisa is a speaker, writer, and awesome mom. I first met her at a #Triangle Ladies Who Tweetup. Since then I have been reading her blog and following her tweets and this woman is the bomb dot com. She really knows how to balance between sharing, generating, and commenting. She rules.

@Seiden – I just got an uber exclusive (well, I don’t know about uber exclusive, but I like to think it is) copy of Jason Seiden’s new book “How to Self-Destruct.” He is a speaker, author, coach, and awesome dude. I’m pretty pumped to learn how to self-destruct.

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Who are you #FollowFridaying this week?

Word.

Today, I simply want to pose a debate. There has been some major discussion in social networking platforms about the use (or non-use) of social media and it’s effect on the law, jobs, benefits, etc. There are two major recent cases that I want to use as fodder for this debate – and I really want to hear your opinions and get some good discussion going!

HEADLINE: “Canadian woman loses benefits over Facebook photos.”

STORY: Basically, this woman was on long-term sick leave for diagnosed manic depression and was receiving benefits for her disorder. Manulife, her insurance company, saw pictures on her on a recent trip to the beach, at a birthday party, and on a night out with friends where she was smiling and looked “happy.” Her insurance agent used these photos as evidence that she was no longer depressed and the woman’s health benefits were immediately dropped.

DEBATE: There are a couple issues here and I have posed the following questions:

1. It was reported that the woman’s photos were set to “private” on her Facebook page. With that being said, SHOULD these photos be allowed to be used as evidence if they were not intended for public viewing? Or is ALL content posted on a social networking site no longer “private”?
2. Even if the photos were public, just because someone looks “happy,” does that mean they are healthy? Or should further investigation been taken?

HEADLINE: “Police arrest man for NOT using Twitter.”

STORY: 13-year-old singing sensation Justin Bieber was set to visit fans and sign autographs at Roosevelt Mall in New York last week. Well, Bieber stayed away from the mall because the crowd inside the mall had become too unruly. Bieber had tweeted for everyone to go home and that someone from his camp had already been arrested. Mall security was cracking DOWN! The police had asked James Roppo, an executive of Bieber’s label to send out a message via Twitter to get fans to leave and go home. Well, Roppo is not on Twitter – thus it was determined that he was “obstructing justice” and was arrested for not complying with police demands.

DEBATE:

1. Is the use of Social Media tools a viable source for “crowd control?” Do you think ONE Twitter message from a label exec would have controlled hundreds of screaming teenagers? BTW: Bieber did send out a message himself. Should that have been enough?
2. Were the police doing the right thing by canceling the event?
3. Should the police have been more understanding about the man NOT using Twitter and should they have offered another solution?
4. Is Social Media a viable resource/non-resource to warrant someone’s arrest? Remember the case of the woman who was arrested for POKING someone on Facebook?

OVERARCHING QUESTION(S):

• Are these social media outlets/tools/resources/whathaveyou being taken too seriously?
• Should legislation be passed to regulate them?
• Should it be up to the networks themselves?
• Who OWNS these things and who has a right to the evidence they provide?

“They” say that once that information is out there it is no longer ours to keep. However, what about the printed word before social media? Newspapers, magazines, books, diaries, leaflets? Did we or do we no longer own that information either? Is it that once something is written down, it is out there to be used against us?

Why can’t people just be positive?!

What do you think? I really want to hear your thoughts on this… because you rock. Yeah, you. Reading this right now. You. You rock.

Word.

photo credit: stephanie bond law.

Considering this video has over 7.5 million views on YouTube, most of you have probably already seen it. However, I wanted to share it anyway because I think it’s incredible. It is really humbling to think how small we are in the scheme of things. It puts things in perspective.

DISCLAIMER: AND it was researched and remixed by a good friend of mine and hilarious improviser, Jeff Brenman of Apollo Ideas.

What do YOU think?

Word.

This week seems to be sending me inspiration left and right. First my small talk post, now this week’s tip of the week! I was reading Chris Brogan’s blog (say THAT 3x fast) the other day, and he had a great post about the questions that we should ask ourselves and our business – especially with regards to social media.

As usual, his post brought up some great points and I got to thinking about each question and the impact it had on my business. (I’m not going to regurgitate all 7 questions here, you can check out his post by clicking this link).

Then I realized a question was missing. It got me thinking and here is the question I have posed:

When it comes to our practices, whether those be business, branding, or marketing, how are we differentiating ourselves from the pack? In essence, what makes US unique?

I know not all of you own your own business, plan to own your own business, or are even passionate about being an entrepreneur, but my point is that this theory can be applied to any of us, no matter our role. We are all, in and of ourselves, our own “business.” Our personal brand is our business. How we market ourselves, how we represent our brand, and how the world sees us, are all part of our overall “business plan.”

But in this day and age, it is easy to get lost in mix and mass of content out there. For example, when looking for a job, how do YOU make yourself stand out above the other hundred-or-so applicants? Or if you’re a business, how do you make your business stand out against your competitors?

The short answer is to find that unique angle or perspective that differentiates you from the pack.

The long answer is, unfortunately, that can sometimes be difficult.

For me, it has been a challenge. I am passionate about social media and marketing, but so are a gazillion other people out there. So how do I make my brand different than the rest? I don’t want to be better than anyone, but I do want to stand out and I want people to know my name.

My other passion, comedy, was something I thought for a long time that I had to keep separate from my social media brand. Then it dawned on me: Why do I need to separate the two? They are both part of me. Why not combine them? Which is where I came up with the idea of THE Molly Buckley – where I put the MEDIA in comedian.

I am who I am and I’m going to own it. THAT makes me different. THAT makes me unique.

So, my tip this week – is to find out what makes YOUR brand unique. From what angle do you approach your business so that you can stand out from the crowd? What makes your business special?

Find that niche and OWN it. Be the rockstar you know you are. What do YOU think?

If you can’t see the video, click here.

Word.

Today is Veteran’s Day. This day is really important to me… I’ll tell you why.

In lieu of a Social Media tip this week, I have more of a life tip. I promise, my story has a point.

Lynda Van Devanter Buckley, 1947-2002.

My mom, Lynda Van Devanter, served as an Army nurse in the Vietnam War from 1969-1970. She left for war a young, naive, girl ready to serve her country. What she would see and experience would change her forever. The horrors of war affected her beyond her comprehension. She came home a very different woman.

For many years, she shut herself away afraid of facing the reality of her time in Vietnam. She was terrorized by nightmares, flashbacks, and couldn’t even watch fireworks for the longest time. She was haunted. Eventually, she channelled her emotions, her fears, and her anger into an incredibly honest, brutal, and life-changing memoir called Home Before Morning. One of the only war memoirs written from the perspective of a woman. After publishing her memoir, my mother continued to face challenges.

Many veterans, especially women veterans, were denied the support they needed and shunned by many members of society. She was spit on, called a baby killer, and ridiculed. Yet, despite the harsh criticism she received, she continued to fight for the rights of women veterans.

Suddenly in the fall of 1993, she became extremely ill due to her exposure to Agent Orange while in Vietnam. Essentially, her immune system was waiting for something to take it over. For ten years, she fought a disease that didn’t have a name, didn’t have an explanation, and didn’t have a cure – this battle went on about nine years longer than doctors had expected. Even through the toughest of times, she continued to speak about her experiences and lobby on behalf of women veterans. She was a revolutionary woman. She passed away November 15, 2002.

I learned everything I know from my mom. No matter what life threw at her, my mom always stayed positive, worked hard, and stood up for what she knew was right – even if it wasn’t the most popular stance. She was incredibly selfless, incredibly humble, and a brilliant woman. She left a lasting legacy and impacted thousands of people – many whom she never even met.

She was a hero and the person I have admired most in the world. I live my life every day with the hopes that I can live up to her legacy and hope to lead a life like hers.

I want to make a difference. I want to make an impact.

Is there someone in your life that you look up to or admire? Take them out to lunch, dinner, coffee, or even send them a note. Thank them. Tell them why they’ve made an impact on your life.

I may not have served in the military, gone to war, or saved lives – but I have goals and I have vision. I get the most joy out of helping others and making people laugh, and I hope that I will be able to make an impact in some way doing what I love.

In addition, because it’s Veteran’s Day – if you know a Veteran or have someone in your life who has served in the military, Thank them. Tell them you are grateful for their service. Many of us would not be here today if it were not for their bravery.

I want to thank you for taking the time to read my mom’s story and listen to my thoughts today. I tend to get very reflective at this time of year.

I want to hear Your thoughts. Who in your life has left a legacy and made a lasting impact on you? Is there any mantra/motto/thought that you live by? Tell me your story.

Happy Veteran’s Day.

Word.

GET WORDY, y’all. This is a new segment of my blog (hooray for new segments!). Since I was an English major in college and I taught high school English for two years, I love vocabulary. In school, I looked forward to making a gazillion vocab flashcards. Honestly, I LOVE words. So, I’ve decided to call this segment GET WORDY where I feature a word of the day/week/month/year that I am currently using, want to start using, or have made up. Yes, I like to make up words, too. I’m an improviser, making stuff up is what I do.

So, for my first GET WORDY post, I’m seeing double.

Today’s word: Doppelgänger

Main Entry: dop·pel·gäng·er
Variant(s): or dop·pel·gang·er \ˈdä-pəl-ˌgaŋ-ər, -ˌgeŋ-, ˌdä-pəl-ˈ\
Function: noun
Etymology: German Doppelgänger, from doppel- double + -gänger goer
Date: 1851
1 : a ghostly counterpart of a living person
2 a : double    2a b : alter ego    b c : a person who has the same name as another

Has anyone ever said to you, “You look familiar,” or “You look exactly like someone I know.” Say to them, “Ahhh, must be my doppelgänger walking around.” They will immediately show respect. Doppelgänger is a word that is a force to be reckoned with. I’m just saying.

Obvi. there are a lot of different types of doppelgänger’s, but they are all in essence the same thing: a double of another person (physically or name-ily).

I kind of want to meet my doppelgänger. Or create an alter ego so that I can say that I have a doppelgänger.

*SIDE TRACK: I work part-time at this awesome gallery and toy store called Wootini (@wootinigallery) in Carr Mill Mall in Carrboro, North Carolina. We just got a new toy from Kidrobot in called the doppelgänger. I was REALLY excited. If you live near Carrboro, come check them out because they are pretty sweet.

KIDROBOT doppelgänger. Now available at Wootini.

BACK ON TRACK: So, pretty sweet word, right? Try finding a reason to use it in a sentence today. Your friends will love you for it. Question: have you met YOUR doppelgänger? If so, I’m jealous. Oh, and let me know about it! Tell me your story.

Word.

Look! It's a POKEN!

Hooray! My awesome-nerdy-tech-savvy day has finally arrived. I have a Poken! (Actually, I got two, but I’m going to give the other Poken to a deserving individual). I learned about Pokens for the first time a few months ago, but didn’t get one. Then I attended the Social Media Business Forum and they were giving Pokens away. I saw them in person for the first time and realized how AWESOME they are. I was really hoping I would win one that day, but alas, I didn’t.

I was sad.

Subsequently (I love that word), I started chatting with @pokengirl on Twitter and mentioned how much I wanted one. I was asked to review the Poken and make a video about it, I obliged, and alas, I got my Pokens! HOORAY! Seriously, this just made my day. (It’s the little things when you’re a tech-nerd).

Oh, and for those of you that are saying to yourself, “What in the *bleep* is a Poken?” Basically it’s a digital business card that you can carry around with you that stores all of your social contact information – you can pass information along and store other’s information. Don’t fret… I’m going to blog about it soon.

So, expect a review and video in the next week. I’m excited to set up and play with my new Poken. …that sounded awkward, but it was not intended to sound awkward – get your mind out of the gutter!

Let me ask you: Do YOU Poken?

Word.

Although this is a local-topic post, the message is relevant no matter what city you live in.

For the past two and a half months, I have been spending my early Wednesday mornings attending the Chapel Hill Leads Group. Three months ago, I didn’t even know what a Leads group was, let alone did I know about one to attend. Well, as I was cold calling businesses trying to network, I met a man by the name of Jamey Tippens, a local home inspector. As I spoke to him about being new to the area, networking, and the like, he told me about the Chapel Hill Leads Group and suggested that I come check it out.

So I did.

For those of you that don’t know, a Leads group is a meeting/forum for individuals and/or businesses to meet, network, and talk about their business and goals. In just two months, I have met some incredible people at the Leads group, so I’m very grateful to Jamey for encouraging me to check it out.

I even had the privilege of volunteering for a few hours at the annual Chapel Hill Leads Group Food Drive to benefit the Food Bank of North Carolina. We collected over $1,400 and enough food for 10,001 meals. That’s right… 10,001 meals. How awesome is that?

*Quick plug: for those of you in and around the Triangle, NC area, you should definitely come check out the Chapel Hill Leads Group. They meet EVERY Wednesday morning at Extraordinary Ventures in Chapel Hill. It’s FREE your first time, and only $5 a week after that (which helps to support the facility and pays for delicious goodies). It really is a GREAT way to meet new people, make friends, network, and learn about amazing new opportunities in business and career development. The group is really welcoming, fun, light-hearted, and well connected. They are really there to help you out.

If you don’t live in Chapel Hill, know that there are Leads groups that meet all over. I’m sure Google can help you find one in your area.

I also wanted to take a moment to plug the CHAPEL HILL LEADS GROUP BUSINESS AND CONSUMER EXPO.

When: Tuesday, November 10th

Time: 5PM – 9PM

Where: Extraordinary Ventures

Who: Anyone and everyone!

The BUSINESS AND CONSUMER EXPO presented by the Chapel Hill Leads Group will feature businesses from all around the surrounding Triangle and Triad communities.

Why not start your holiday shopping Early? Get gifts, food, clothing, and even services all in ONE location. Do a little networking! Bring business cards and make great new connections! Free admission and free catered dinner for ALL attendees!  Bring a friend. Network. Support local businesses. I’ll be there! Come see me!

Check out the event on FACEBOOK. Check out the event on EVENTBRITE.

Okay, back to my original point. Why is this relevant? In an economy such as this, many small and local businesses are struggling, yet small and local businesses put money back into the community. A community thrives through the strong support of small and local businesses.

Movements like the 3/50 project or LocalMotive are great for supporting the local economy. Check out movements in your area. Tell me: how are You helping to support your local economy?

Just food for thought.

Shop local. Buy local! See you at the Leads Expo!

All for now.

Yes, this exists.

For this week’s Thuper Therious Thursday, I thought I’d share this incredibly scary, adorable, weird, funny, [insert adjective here] video by @iJustine. iJustine is a blogger, vlogger, tech geeker, and tweeter. I have to give her credit, although it’s cheesy, it covers the entire Twitter spectrum. Hashtags and all.  Anyway, enjoy!

If you were to write your own Twitter song, what would YOU call it? It can be an original or a spoof.