After 17 months of funemployment, I have a real job…sort of. I’ve had some stints of underemployment in the past, but after nearly a year and a half of experimenting with freelance I am pretty happy to get back into an office. It has been really hard to continue to be motivated and creative without a people to work with. That and I was always broke. Quite honestly, the poverty was way easier to handle than wallowing in my crummy apartment every day. I eventually came to the conclusion that the two might somehow be related. It’s a contract however, so I get all of the benefits of working, but with none of the benefits. At the same time, with just two or three days worth of change left in the bowl, I decided that I could stand doing my own taxes in exchange for a desk and a chair.

My title is Web Video Manager, however I don’t really think that describes what it is I’m going to be doing very well. I will be managing social media and SEO for a network of real estate professionals owned by a charismatic Canadian small businessman. The project needs a lot of work, and it’s clear that they need some help creating questions and learning how to answer them. I also have a folder full of real estate videos to edit and publish, which is the video part of it.

They seem to be very successful in their field, however it seems that they’re been far less knowledgeable about the type of marketing I have been exposed to. They see the benefit of using PPC to find leads and have had success building a decent foundation, but I don’t think they know what to do next. That’s where I come in. It’s been a confusing week or so, but I think I’m starting to get the hang of it. There are a good amount of challenges ahead for this bad boy. There’s a ton of empowerment and also a lot of responsibility. It’s also very difficult to communicate with the CEO.

Wish me luck, if anything.

                          

I began exploring social media when I was throwing warehouse parties in Boston.  There were two email lists; Boston Raves, and later Ian Scott started the Boston Parties mailing list.  Boston Parties became wildly popular right out of the box, and the subscribers created a very strong, and loyal underground.  All we had to do was send out one Boston Parties email with event details, and we had more guests then we knew what to do with… but those are stories for another blog.

I didn’t ever think that social networks were useful for anything besides keeping track of my friends in other states.  I just got on board early, and really enjoyed it.  Trypnotik was my first username, when I created my Friendster profile in February, 2003.  Friendster didn’t go live until March 2003.

If you can be first person who can tell me what the Friendster Beta invitation code was, I will PayPal you five, lousy dollars!

I’m not the only one who thinks Trypnotik is the coolest word ever.  Check out the endorsements here, or here.  Google gave me those results, and a myriad of things with my name on them… most of them mine.  Some I had forgotten about for years.

This is half an apology, and half a request.  If you’re surfing around and you run into something with my name on it that..

1. …offends your more delicate sensibilities; Please accept my most humble apology.
2. …I might have missed, and should probably be taken off the Internet now; Please send me an email, right away.

Recently I heard the term “Social Equity” and it made me feel the same way that I did the first time I saw a jock wearing my favorite Green Day T-shirt.  To think all this time I was doing what I liked, and people are actually talking about things like social branding espionage and strategic ways to get more followers.  While this is all fine and good for those who are into it, I prefer a more personal approach to my online business identity.

Very soon now Trypnotik Visual will be once again open for business, and I will be attempting to supplement my unemployment check with real, live work.  My brand has gone through as many changes as I have tattoos.

Just like tattoos, there are some that are nicer to look at then others; but I wouldn’t get rid of any of them, even if I could.