Randi Zuckerberg's Blog, page 45

Social Media and the High School Reunion

It’s funny: I don’t think of myself as being much older than I was when I graduated from high school. But my reunion invitation keeps dangling a really big number in front of me—a reminder that the years have truly flown by. Twenty of them, to be exact.

And while my eyebrows have shrunk and my waist has…well, not, a lot of other things have changed, too. It all started with this crazy thing called the internet. When I graduated from high school, I had no concept that by the time I graduated college there would be such a thing as an “interactive copywriter,” let alone that I’d become one. And I certainly never thought this introvert would have the word “social” in my job title. But along came social media, and it turns out I’m kind of into it. And I’m loving the role it’s played in getting me excited for my 20-year (shhhh) high school reunion.

In high school, you happen to fall into groups of friends based on common classes, sports, and extracurricular activities. You know a lot of people on the surface, but you have no idea what really drives them at their core. I’m not great at keeping in touch with people, so chances are, without social media, I would be walking into this reunion with my limited high-school view of my former classmates. There would be the smart ones, the pretty ones, the dynamic ones, the quiet ones. Our conversations might have been awkward. “Where do you live these days?” “What do you do for a living?” “For fun?” It would be just like orientation all over again. (Minus the horrible ID picture, of course.)

Instead, I’ll be walking into a room filled with people I have a new understanding of and appreciation for. Because, thanks to (primarily) Facebook, I feel like I know people in a more well rounded way. I’ll be able to ask the intimidatingly smart guy from a few of my classes about the intriguing political site he runs, as well about his recent international family vacation. I’ll share parenting stories with the outrageously strong woman who went from being in the military to cheering for her little girl on the swim-meet sidelines. I’ll hear what life is like when you leave everything behind and start over on a tropical island. I’ll get to hug the friend who lost his dad too soon, while laughing about how some things haven’t changed at all.

While I’m not ready to accept the fact that my kids are closer to their high school years than I am, thanks to social media, I am ready to reunite with my friends—old and new.

By Amy Heinz

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Seven Survival Tips When Traveling With Small Kids

If you’re a parent you’ve probably learned by now that vacationing with kids is really not a vacation at all. As someone who loves to travel, I was blindsided once having kids with all the do’s and don’ts of vacationing as a family. Traveling is not always easy, and some trips you may find are more trouble than they’re worth. I admit in past excursions I’ve made serious rookie mistakes that cost my family’s temporary sanity, but each trip down has been another lesson learned. I’m not an expert yet, but there have been less tears and more fun infused in our recent vacations.

In lieu of summer break when families tend to go on their great adventures, I’ve compiled a list of survival tips when traveling with kids. You can thank me later.

 

 

 

 

It’s not about you – it’s about them. Once you realize this, you’ll enjoy yourself a lot more. Kids do not understand the concept of relaxation, nor do they care about white-sand beaches and exquisite food and wine. Choose a destination that welcomes and caters to kids. I love the Apps MiniTime and Trekaroo; they give you lists of kid friendly hotels, attractions, restaurants and shopping in any destination!

Lower Your Expectations. Expect the worst, hope for the best. Many of us build up these grand illusions of our vacations, only to be disappointed when real life gets in the way. There will be delays, fights, and snags in your plans. Accept it and prepare, that’s all you can do. When you set your expectations low, everything else will seem like a bonus!

Plan Travel Times During Nap Times. If you have a three-hour flight, try to plan it when your little ones usually nap. At first the excitement will take over, but once they feel the vibration of the plane – it’s lights out. Once your kids are asleep, that’s when your vacation really starts! Go ahead and have that glass of wine or dive into your book because this peace will not last.

Stay Away From Sugar. Don’t, I repeat, don’t give your kids any candy, juice, chocolate, etc., during travel times. You might think this is a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised. Once on a flight with my toddler, the flight attendant gave my son a piece of chocolate candy to try and deter him from yelling, “Wakey, Wakey” to all the sleeping passengers around us. In theory it may have been a good idea, but I still had two hours to tame the wild beast in him before we landed. I cried on that flight and luckily I had veteran parents around me consoling me. I vowed never to fly with him alone again – and I haven’t.

Pack Heavy. This mostly pertains to toys and entertainment. Young kids have the attention span of a dog. Any shinny thing in their line of sight will send them running. Take a whole suitcase of toys, extra batteries, chargers, and coloring books, really anything that fits. Don’t be the idiot who forgets to charge the iPad before you get on a plane too – like me. Download a lot of kid friendly Apps that don’t require the Internet in case your flight or car doesn’t have Wi-Fi. Some of my favorites are: Moonfrye, KidsDoodle, PBS Kids, and Puzzingo.

Make An Itinerary. Create a schedule of events and stick to it. Kids are creatures of habit; they like to follow schedules and direction. Fill their days up with activities so at night they welcome sleep. More sleep for them, more peace for you. Trust me on this – a bored kid equals a disaster.

Bring help. If possible bring guests on your trip. Parents, in-laws, friends and nannies make for great babysitters when you need a break. As much money as you spend on these vacations you deserve at least one kid-free dinner with your significant other.

Overall, the most important thing you need to remember is to let your kids be kids on vacation. Once you allow this, it might just bring out the inner-kid in you.

Posted on 6/18/14

Holly is a native Texan but currently resides in the great city of Chicago with her husband, two sons and their Chihuahua. She spent over 10 years in Marketing, Communications and the Luxury Hotel Industry. She is now a Freelance Writer, www.hollyrust.com, which allows more time for sanity and family. She is the Co-Founder of Mother’s Guide To Sanity, a humor blog where she shares stories about raising a rambunctious toddler and a nocturnal newborn, all while trying to manage a career. Holly considers herself the ultimate foodie and loves to travel. She is also an avid runner and completed the 2011 Chicago Marathon.

 

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Combining Romance and Finance: It Can Be Done

There comes a point in most romantic relationships when the line between what belongs to whom starts to blur. One of my friends gives her boyfriend money for errands, then other times he’ll pay for their entire vacation and tell her not to worry about it. By the time they were living together, managing finances was left on the table for future discussion. Thankfully, it is possible to mix romance and money without spoiling either one.

 

It doesn’t have to be all or nothing 

Falling in love can make anyone ecstatic enough to consider a mentality of “what’s mine is yours.” However, after taking a deep breath, here are three scenarios that can help you deal with financial sharing:

• Keep everything separate: No matter how deep the love, sometimes it makes sense to keep finances separate, especially if you and your partner have different financial styles. And if your significant other has bad credit, combining assets and debts could put your credit score at major risk.

• Combine only some accounts: Each partner contributes an agreed-upon percent of their income to a joint account for all household bills, then maintains separate accounts for personal expenses. This way, no one can argue against personal purchases like a hot stone massage or the newest smart TV.

• Share everything: Although this is the route most married couples take, don’t be pressured to do it unless you feel ready and know it’s what you want. It can work, but it does take major work. Ideally, if couples combine all finances, they should have similar spending patterns and philosophies. And it also makes sense to set an impulse buying threshold to avoid unpleasant surprises in your joint account.

Establish clear roles and communication

Any level of shared financial responsibility means you’ll have to decide who handles what, especially when it comes to bills, investments and other expenses. When one partner earns significantly more than the other, it may make sense to divide bills accordingly so no one has to struggle to pay their share. If assets are divided, will they be evenly split? Keep in mind, that decisions like whose name goes on loans and credit cards can have an impact on the kind of loans you’ll get. If both of you agree on, and talk about, financial roles and responsibilities up front, you will avoid a lot of problems later.

And then there’s communication. Another friend’s husband maxed out their credit cards, and when my friend found out, it was nearly the end of their relationship. Honestly, I think she felt more betrayed by the fact that this happened behind her back than upset about the actual financial mess. Open communication is essential when romantic partners become financial partners. A weekly or monthly financial dinner date offers a neutral environment to discuss things you want to purchase with joint funds or how you want to handle household debts. The main thing is that there should be no secrets where joint finances are concerned.

 There’s actually an app for that

When it comes to financial transparency, apps are a good option for couples. You and your partner can have individual access to the details, especially for joint bank accounts, which can keep both of you honest and informed. Here are a few of my favorites, which are all available for iOS and Android devices:

• Home Budget with Sync: This app costs up to $5.99, but the cost is worth it for couples looking for a way to sync — in real time — multiple devices. You can also budget, pay bills, scan receipts, track expenses and link to accounts.

• Level Money: Providing easy money management, this app links to your bank and credit card accounts. You can enter your savings goals and it lets you know how much cash you have available for the day, week and month.

• Check: This app is designed to help you keep track of your bills, old bank statements and individual transactions all in one place. You can view snapshots of all your accounts with colorful graphics and pay your bills remotely.

Learning to share finances with a partner is a process, but it’s one that can be rewarding when you both work together.

Posted on 6/18/14

Alexandra Rice is a writer who loves talking about all things education. After living in the Mid-Atlantic, South and Midwest, she has finally settled down out West in San Francisco. When not thinking about education, Alexandra can be found at the beach, playing with one of the many dogs at her office, or searching for the perfect cup of coffee. Catch her on Twitter day or night at @Alexandra_Rice.

 

Company bio: NerdWallet has been around since 2009, helping consumers make smart financial decisions. We cover the spectrum of consumer finance — banking, credit cards, education, health care, insurance, investments, mortgages, shopping, small business, travel — you name it. We’re Nerds who create great tools, crunch numbers, check the fine print and give consumers all the results — unfiltered and transparent. NerdWallet has been featured by outlets such as CNBC, Entrepreneur, Forbes, Kiplinger, LifeHacker, The New York Times, Reuters, TIME magazine and The Wall Street Journal. Money Magazine has named NerdWallet the web’s Best Credit Card Site, and consumer advocates Clark Howard and Liz Weston have recommended NerdWallet’s products.

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No Time to Read? Try Blinkist.

As sad as it may be, who among us has the spare time to sit down and read these days? (140-character-long updates don’t count.)

It’s time to get Blinkist. Like CliffsNotes for adults, the new subscription service takes popular nonfiction titles including The Lean Startup, The Tipping Point, and The Omnivore’s Dilemma, and condenses them into expertly written summaries that take no more than fifteen minutes to read. (Each key concept is summarized in one ‘blink’ that can be read in about two minutes.)

Blinkist’s book collection spans categories like business, politics, history, health, and happiness. Every title is recapped by an actual human—not an algorithm—so you can rest assured you’re getting the most vital bits and won’t embarrass yourself at your neighbor’s cocktail party. While the app isn’t a substitute for reading actual books, it’s pretty great for busy, knowledge-hungry people. Plus, mobile optimization will give you something productive to do while waiting in line for your latte.

Who knows? Those fifteen minutes you spend reading the summary might encourage you to buy the book itself.

Subscriptions start at $4.17/month

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Confessions of a Start-up Dad: 7 Tips for Happiness at Work and at Home

Just in time for Father’s Day weekend, a digital entrepreneur shares his rules for juggling a family and a growing start-up while keeping his sanity intact.

By Craig Zingerline

1. Work-life balance is a myth. These days, there aren’t clear lines between work and life—at least in terms of when you are “on” one and “off” from another. Consider “work-life integration” for the long haul. Work-life integration happens when you realize the two are not distinctly separate, and you embrace this as the norm. Work with your family to come up with guidelines that benefit everyone. For example, I’ll put in a couple hours of work each night, after the kids have gone to bed. Sometimes this cuts into personal time for me and my wife, but we’re O.K. with this because we get to spend time together during “normal” work hours. Eliminate the idea that work and life happen in finite time frames.

2. It’s your schedule, so take control of it. My work never really turns off or ends (e-mails still come in all evening, and employees need input in real time). I realized that it’s up to me to dictate how I integrate my work with my life so that I’m productive and happy in the long run. Find the times of day (or night) when you work best, and treat those windows with respect. Also, make sure your colleagues know your work hours and set expectations about your accessibility.

3. Maximize the potential for good ideas. One huge benefit of work-life integration is that you have the ability to jump in and out of the office mindset on an ad-hoc basis. That gives people the advantage of thinking creatively and strategically about work and when it makes the most sense to them. (In other words, don’t expect all of your great ideas to happen in a 9-5 timeframe.)

4. Plan for fun. Give yourself a reality check if you’re in work mode when you’re with your family. Once you embrace work-life integration, you’ll likely need to schedule more precious moments with the people you love. To make sure you’re not constantly checking in on work, have a standing family date, like Wednesday-night pizza parties. Separating yourself from work and putting down your phone for an hour or two will also help you recharge.

5. Do more with less (time). Being a parent with young kids means time is the scarcest resource I have. I aim to be hyper-focused on whatever I’m doing at the moment, and to only do that one thing. When I’m reading a book to my kids, I’m not also fielding e-mails. Conversely, if I’m working on a presentation for a client, I’ll put all of my energy into that.

6. Encourage your company to embrace work-life integration. Unfortunately, a lot of work environments still demand fixed schedules. If your company doesn’t support flexible hours, find out why. Propose a schedule that works for you and explain how this will provide more value to your company. Push your peers to do the same, and share how you’ve been successful with this new approach.

7. There is no “perfect day”… And that’s O.K. Parenting adds a whole new layer of crazy to an already busy day. I’ve had to accept that I won’t ever get as much done in a day as I initially intend to. Focus on being productive and accept that you are doing the best you can. There are always more chores, more ways to be a better parent, and more emails to send. But you can’t do it all. And that’s fine.

Zingerline is the Senior Director of Product at Red Tricycle. He wrote this while trying to convince his two-year-old to put on pants.

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An App That Makes Sure You Get Home Safely

Ever promised to let your family know you made it somewhere in one piece, only to forget to check in by the time you’ve arrived? Spare your loved ones the worry (and yourself the guilt) with Kitestring, a free—and totally genius—personal-safety service that alerts your emergency contacts if you suddenly go MIA.

The web-based service works on any type of phone that has a browser: Androids, iPhones, or BlackBerrys. Sign up and enter your nearest and dearests’ phone numbers. Then log on to the Kitestring website, tell it when you’re leaving, and provide a timeframe of when to check in with you. After the designated check-in time, you’ll get a text asking if you arrived safely. If you respond with “OK,” Kitestring will do nothing. If you don’t respond within five minutes (or if your phone dies), it will text your emergency contacts to let them know you might be in trouble.

If your trip happens to take longer than you thought, just text Kitestring something like “15 minutes” to extend your travel time by fifteen minutes. Unlike similar apps like bSafe or Nirbhaya, which both alert your emergency contacts if you’re in trouble, Kitestring doesn’t require you to touch anything or shake your phone to send the distress signal.

The service isn’t only beneficial for those of us prone to forgetting to check in. It’s a foolproof precaution for staying safe when you’re on your own (because, let’s be honest: if you’re truly in danger, you probably won’t have time to enter your iPhone password and then call for help). One woman recently said Kitestring could have prevented her friend’s rape, had it existed a few years ago.

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The Best Tech Gifts for Dad

He may protest that he doesn’t want a gift, but everyone knows dads secretly love Father’s Day. This year, swap the old Hallmark card and tie for one of these cool new gadgets.

The handy new Game Golf software ($250) attaches to golf clubs and lets players track relevant stats, including where and how far they hit with each club. Then, dad can share his rounds and records on social media.
Lest he worry that he left the T.V. on while you’re out to dinner, get him a WiFi-enabled WeMo ($45), which lets you turn home appliances on and off from afar via your smartphone.
Know a builder? The Bosch GLM 100 C Laser Measuring Tool ($255) features an assortment of basic construction measurements, and can transfer those dimensions to photos of rooms in your home (like say, the ever-evolving man cave). The tool is also capable of measuring 330 feet with up to 1/16-inch accuracy.
The Nest Learning Thermostat ($250) will keep him cool and help slash those energy bills. This clever device stores your preferred household temperatures and turns itself down while you’re out of the house.
And finally, because the best gifts are the ones that benefit everyone, get him a Pebble watch (from $150), which will send him a reminder to pick up eggs while he’s at the grocery store.

 

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Get To The Point Or Pay A Painful Price

There are immediate and real risks when you can’t get to the point in today’s attention-starved economy. Delayed decisions, ignored e-mails, endless meetings, harsh performance reviews, stalled sales and being avoided at all costs are among those consequences.

Brevity is emerging as a new business staple. Busy professionals expect it and get annoyed when it’s missing. In my new book Brief: Make a Bigger Impact by Saying Less, I outline the reasons why professionals struggle with brevity and how to embrace a “less is more” mentality.

Consider the growing hunger for people who know how to be clear and concise. Attention spans are in a tailspin. In 2000 the average length was 12 seconds, and now it’s only eight. Professionals are interrupted 6-7 times an hour, often unable to get back to the task at hand. The majority of people admit ignoring half of the e-mails they get every day, especially the complex and lengthy ones.

It’s not enough to be smart or have good ideas. Capturing and managing elusive mindshare now shape and define professional success. Even if your recommendation is brilliant and your update is buttoned up, you still lose out if you can’t consistently be brief. Shorter e-mails, more organized updates, and tighter presentations are immediate indicators that you’ve got what it takes to succeed in an attention economy.

Getting to the point is a non-negotiable standard. The reasons why people struggle with brevity are plentiful. In my experience, however, there are three common traps people fall into: they under prepare, over explain and simply miss the point completely.

People are afraid to take a stand, to be succinct and then be done. The temptation to say more, at times, can be too much for some people to handle. The next time you hear a client or colleague say, “And one more thing” you’ll know what I mean.

Ten years ago, brevity was a nicety and meant primarily for long-winded types that couldn’t shut up. Today, being clear and concise is an absolute necessity; it’s what successful people need to be mindful that their audience is mind-filled.

The mandate goes far beyond knowing the importance of brevity; it means the discipline of doing something about it.

Since raising your awareness isn’t enough, here are three things you can do to make an immediate, noticeable shift:

1. Take more time to prepare. It takes a concerted effort in advance to be brief. Write down your main point and three key ideas before you walk into your next meeting or jump onto the next conference call.

2. Respect that people’s time is precious. Their time is just as valuable as your own. When you sense you’re getting on a roll, it’s time to wrap it up.

3. Get to the point and let them talk. Be convinced that the people you communicate with are buried, that they want you to deliver the headline, and then let them react to it and tell you if they want to hear more. With a deeper sense of understanding you’ll trim information when others pile on.

Brevity is your professional responsibility. Though it may seem obvious, it really is hard work that requires constant vigilance and discipline. The payoff, however, is worth it when you, your ideas and your company clearly and quickly stand apart.

Posted On: 6/5/14

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joe McCormack is an experienced marketing executive, successful entrepreneur and author. He founded and serves as managing director of The Sheffield Company, an award-winning boutique agency recognized for its focus on narrative messaging and visual storytelling. His new book, Brief: Make a Bigger Impact by Saying Less (Wiley & Sons, 2014; http://amzn.to/1gA8hBw) tackles the timeliness of the “less is more” mandate. In 2013, he founded The BRIEF Lab (http://www.thebrieflab.com) as a specialty institute to help business and military leaders become lean communicators. There are currently facilities in Chicago, IL and Southern Pines, NC. 

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We’re Hiring! Our Parent Company, Zuckerberg Media, Is Hiring For The Following Two Positions

Dot Complicated: Editor & Community Manager

This is a part-time position, which could eventually be expanded to full-time.  Positioned is based ideally in the San Francisco Bay Area, but we are open to a rock-star working remotely.

Job Description: This person will assist Dot Complicated’s Editor-In-Chief in writing and editing articles for Dot Complicated, writing and managing our bi-monthly newsletter, and managing and grow our community of guest writers.  From time to time, this person may also be tasked with working with some of Dot Complicated’s advertisers and sponsors on an integrated sponsorship campaign.

Skills Needed: Looking for someone passionate about technology and its impact on our lives.  Must be an excellent writer.  Extremely organized and detail-oriented.  Able to manage many moving pieces at once seamlessly and effortlessly.  Able to turn around high quality work on a tight timetable.  Extremely knowledgeable of the top social networks and platforms and considers themselves an “early adopter” in knowing about and trying new technologies.  Self-starter who will be motivated to work hard even when working remotely, without explicit direction.  Knowledge or WordPress, MailChimp, Google analytics a plus, although for the right person, we are willing to train.

Please e-mail hello@zuckerbergmedia.com if you are the right person for this job!

Zuckerberg Media, Healthcare Marketing Manager

This is a part-time position.  Initial timeframe is 6 months, through the end of 2014, but may be extended beyond that. Position is based ideally on the east coast, but we are open to a rock-star working remotely.

Job Description: We are looking for a highly motivated person, knowledgeable and passionate about launching new technology products for the healthcare industry, to work with one of our newest clients.  This person will work closely with the client on a day-to-day basis and will be responsible for everything from creating marketing collateral, overseeing the development of the clients website and mobile app, creating promotional/marketing videos for client’s product, event planning and support, creating and running social media campaigns, and assisting the client in brining on consultants to assist with SEO and PR support.

Skills Needed: Highly knowledgeable of the healthcare industry and passionate about the intersection of healthcare and technology.  Excellent communication skills and ability to work directly with very senior level clients.  Having good contacts in the industry is a must.  Ability to juggle many moving pieces and work at a high level under quick deadlines.  Excellent writer, organized, and detail-oriented.  Must be willing to get hands dirty and take on new projects/skills, even in areas with no prior experience.  Willing to travel for meetings, events, and conferences.

Please e-mail hello@zuckerbergmedia.com if you are the right person for this job!

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Navigating Friendships on LinkedIn

Your browsing through your LinkedIn suggested contacts when *GULP* there she is. Her profile pic is way cuter than yours. It looks like she got it professionally done in a studio and she’s posing for a Cover-Girl ad. She has an MBA. Clearly, she’s way smarter than you are.

No, I’m not talking about your ex-boyfriend’s new flame. I’m talking about the girl who has filled your role with your ex-employer.

I think most of us have felt the pang of jealousy when we see the new significant other on our ex’s arm. Sure, we know we shouldn’t be torturing ourselves stalking their profile. We should have unfriended them as soon as we broke up. But we do it anyway, maybe because we think we are going to be friends with them still, or maybe because we want to prove that we are above it all.

Things can get complicated on Facebook, but at least it’s pretty unanimously agreed that keeping an ex as a Facebook friend is just inviting feelings of inadequacy, jealousy, and inappropriate longing for what might have been.

But what do you do when we’re talking about an ex employer? How do you cope with the feelings of inadequacy and jealousy when you want to maintain a professional relationship? And are the rules for professional networking sites, like LinkedIn, really so different from the rules of social sites like Facebook?

Interestingly, it would appear that the rules of engagement are different for LinkedIn and Facebook. Research out of the University of Colorado at Denver shows that the top reason people unfriended someone on Facebook was because of polarizing comments related to politics or religion made on their feed. It is also generally agreed that once you end a personal alliance, whether it be with a significant other or a “real world” friend, ‘unfriending’ is an acceptable course of action.

The general consensus regarding LinkedIn contacts is that you should “unfriend with care”. It is suggested that one should look for alternatives, such as hiding them from your stream, or “muting” first. Some believe you should never unfriend contacts on LinkedIn because it can be a “bridge burning act of rejection”. It is generally agreed that it is ok to remove someone from your contacts list in instances when the contact is “spammy” or is only connecting with you to get access to your network but doesn’t really care about fostering a relationship with you. But previous employers? That can be a very grey area.

It certainly can hurt your self-esteem when LinkedIn suggests your replacement as a contact. I’ve found that when you are on the wrong side of a business transaction, especially something uncomfortable such as being let go, it’s rare to not take it a little personally, at least initially.

So what would you do? Would you ever unfriend an ex co-worker or boss to avoid reminders of what went wrong? Have stories of how you coped with difficult ex employer situations? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.

Posted On: 6/4/14

Vanessa is an Event Choreographer with a special interest in event marketing and communications. When she isn’t writing or dreaming up event concepts, Vanessa loves training for endurance events, cooking, and traveling.

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