Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "networking"

Sacramento State Tweetup

2011-12-10T03:46:02Z

This is isn’t your parents’ networking event. Since 2006, Twitter has taken the world by storm. Ballroom 3 in University Union on the campus of California State University, Sacramento was the site of the first-recorded Northern California colligate tweetup on Wednesday night.

Alejandro Reyes (@alejandroreyes), a local social media guru recently said, “Social media done right won’t take away from the live interaction, it should enhance it.” This was part of the idea behind organizing the Sacramento State Tweetup (@sacstatetweetup).

“I believe that using social media for college students is a great way for them to get hired and make themselves known to the business community,” said Blake Menezes (@blakemenezes), a Sac State student currently studying international business and marketing who was one of the co-organizers of the event.

Connectivity happens at a quicker and quicker pace these days.

“It was very refreshing to talk to the students and other businesses interested in connecting with them,” Sac State alum Rachael Lankford said. “(Students) are less anxious to promote themselves and more interested in connecting with community businesses and learning about their options.”

Lankford (@Sacramento365) is a managing calendar editor at sacramento365.com, an initiative of the Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau.

“Working with fresh, young minds helps keep you on your toes,” she said. “It’s a great reminder that to stay in the game you have to be open to new ideas and methods of managing your business — and that these guys are often the ones to help make it happen.”

About 250 people mingled in small groups enjoying Broadacre Coffee (@broadacrecoffee) and entered to win gift cards from Scott’s Seafood Grill & Bar (@scotts_seafood) over the two-hour event.

Disclosure: You can follow me on Twitter @leland_beck

Cocktails, appetizers, networking and...ballet?

2011-11-07T22:00:40Z

Sacramento’s young professionals are invited to attend United Way’s unique twist on a networking event. Sacramentans can enjoy drinks and appetizers while learning about the origin of ballet at United Way’s Emerging Leaders Fall Event on Nov. 10.

Pamela Hayes Classical Ballet will present a costumed Ballet 101 demonstration at the event as well as a sneak peek at the group’s production of “The Nutcracker.” The event will take place 5:30-7 p.m. at Lounge ON20, 1050 20th Street in Sacramento. Tickets are $10 each and can be purchased at www.yourlocalunitedway.org.

Proceeds will benefit United Way California Capital Region and its nonprofit partners working on high school graduation rates, household financial stability and obesity through United Way projects: STAR Readers, $en$e-Ability and Fit Kids.

United Way’s Emerging Leaders are young or young-at-heart professionals who join together across varying backgrounds and industries to create lasting change in our community. The Emerging Leaders’ mission is to engage members to make a difference in their community through hands-on volunteer opportunities while providing members with professional and personal development through innovative leadership trainings and inventive networking events. For more information, visit www.yourlocalunitedway.org/el.

Disclosure: Kristin Thébaud is the marketing consultant for United Way California Capital Region, as well as other local nonprofits and philanthropic companies.

Photos: Wine in the Park

2011-04-25T06:12:36Z

If you didn't get your ticket early, you missed out.

Raley Field was the setting for Infuze Marketing's Wine in the Park wine tasting, featuring a selection of wines from surrounding area wineries, appetizers and a seat to watch the ballgame.

The sold-out event took place in the VIP tented section off the third base line before the Sacramento River Cats and the Tucson Padres started the first of a four-game series at home.

Participating wineries included Sierra Knolls Vineyard & Winery, Abundance Vineyards, Lucchesi Vineyards & Winery, Watts Winery and Mount Aukum Winery.

The event was sponsored by Top Speed Data Communications, Porter | Scott Attorneys and the UC Davis Health System, and a portion of the proceeds will go to St. John's Shelter Program for Women & Children.

The next Wine in the Park event is scheduled for June 11. Visit Infuze Marketing for more details.

UC Davis Professor to give 'Social Media & Social Uprising' lecture at The California Museum

2011-04-15T05:17:03Z

In the past several years, social media has played an ever growing role in calling for, organizing, and executing social uprisings and upheaval around the globe. Increasingly, these uprisings are bringing about significant social change in not only their country of origin but amongst those involved via social media channels. In contrast, some countries are dealing with unrest and the threat of uprisings by locking down Internet access and jailing citizens for sharing certain information online.

The Social Media Club of Sacramento (SMCSac) makes a monthly habit of examining the various ways social media is impacting our everyday interactions, culture, and society at large. The club has partnered with the California Museum to explore the fascinating topic of the role of Twitter, Facebook, Google, and other social media channels in bringing about global social change. Their upcoming event, Social Media and Social Uprising, will be held Tuesday, April 19th at the California Museum on 10th & O streets. Featuring keynote speaker Professor Anupam Chander, a leading scholar in the law of globalization and digitization at the UC Davis School of Law, SMCSac will explore how social media paves the way for citizens to shift from 'friends' to revolutionaries.

In his keynote address, Professor Chander plans to touch on topics that range from the role social media plays in unfree societies, to the corporate social responsibility of companies like Google and Facebook. After the talk, the discussion will be opened to the audience for a Q&A with Professor Chander. Audience members can discuss these topics further, or explore how these insights can be applied to their lives, community, and understanding of global social issues.

The museum gallery will open at 5:30pm, and the evening will commence at 6pm with a wine and appetizer reception hosted by Grace Patriot Wines and the new downtown restaurant Blue Prynt. Professor Chander will begin his keynote address around 7pm, with discussion and networking to follow.

Advance tickets are recommended and can be purchased online. If available, tickets may also be purchased at the door on Tuesday. For more information on the Social Media and Social Uprising event, Professor Anupam Chander, the California Museum, or SMCSac, visit the event website or call (916) 653-7524.

Disclosure: Megan Emmerling is a member of the Social Media Club, Sacramento

Art contest celebrates the local and global

2011-03-07T01:20:53Z

The Sierra 2 Center for the Arts & Community invites everyone to a lively art competition that benefits the local and the global. On Friday, March 11th from 5:30 to 8:30pm the Sierra 2 Center presents the Best Friend Friday Art Contest, a competition that has solicited pieces of art from all over the Sacramento region.

Artists were asked to submit a piece of art that reflected their unique interpretation of any aspect of life in Curtis Park or of the children of Belize.

Curtis Park is a charming neighborhood of approximately 2500 households just south of downtown Sacramento, known for its lush canopy of trees, eclectic architecture, and sense of community. More than half of the 360,000 people in Belize are younger than eighteen years old, making the inhabitants of the country one of the world’s youngest populations. There is no free public education system, so only fifty percent of the children in Belize can afford to attend primary school. Sacramento life coach, advice columnist and high school teacher Joey Garcia’s organization, Rise Up Belize! Advancement Through Education, provides educational workshops to these children each year on a seasonal basis.

This Friday attendees will get the chance to meet Rise Up Belize! and relax in the scenic Sierra 2 Center while they view art inspired by the charming neighborhood and the children of Belize. Best Friend Friday is the Sierra 2 Center’s biweekly soiree of social networking and community activism. At Best Friend Friday, attendees get to meet new people, enjoy terrific food and drinks, and learn something they didn’t know about their community and their world.

Friday evening’s Best Friend Friday Art Contest is being hosted by the brand new 10x10 Art Benefit Tour, a traveling show of artists who each present ten pieces of artwork measuring 10” by 10”. 10x10 Art Benefit Tour artists develop, show, and even create art onsite at venues, each piece dedicated to the cause they’ve selected to participate in.

Attendees at the Best Friend Friday Art Contest will be asked to vote for their favorite piece of art at the end of the night, a piece that will receive the “People’s Choice” award. Three finalists in the above two categories will also be chosen to proceed onto the next leg of the event, an Open House and a Gala on March 26th. The winning pieces will also be shown at the Sierra 2 Center and featured on the Center’s Facebook page, and their creators will be chosen for guest appearances with the 10x10 Art Benefit Tour.

The Sierra 2 Center for the Arts and Community, rescued from demolition by a group of concerned community residents in 1976, has been resurrected as a vibrant center that serves as a focal point for artists, teachers, students, parents, children, and seniors, who rely upon its dance studios, gardens, performance spaces, meeting halls and classrooms to provide a secure and charming home. Along with its parent organization, Sierra Curtis Neighborhood Association, the Sierra 2 Center has brought neighbors together for a diverse slate of year-round events, and has offered a versatile venue and a cohesive voice for community concerns.

The Sierra 2 Center for the Arts & community is located at 2791 24th Street in Sacramento. Admission for the Best Friend Friday Art Contest is $5. Anyone interested in more information on the Best Friend Friday Art Contest on March 11th can call the Sierra 2 Center for the Arts and Community at (916)452-3005.

Happy hour with a heart

2010-12-02T01:29:20Z

As the 2010 holiday season goes into full swing, the Sierra 2 Center offers the Curtis Park and Sacramento community at large a truly unique way to combine its indulgence in merriment with its interest in sharing with those in need.

On Friday, December 3rd, the Sierra 2 Center for the Arts & Community presents Best Friend Friday, an ongoing social gathering at which attendees get to meet new people, enjoy terrific food and drinks, and learn something they didn’t know about their own community. This Friday attendees will get the chance to meet Harvest Sacramento, an amalgamation of area residents, non-profits, community groups and businesses who work together to gather uneaten fruit and vegetables from backyards and small orchards and donate them to people in need.

Best Friend Friday is the brainchild of Terri Shettle, Executive Director of the Sierra 2 Center and Neighborhood Association. The Sierra Center for the Arts & Community was formed in the 1970’s when hundreds of Curtis Park neighbors came together to rescue the old Sierra School from demolition. Since then, the restored Sierra 2 Center has served as a focal point for artists, teachers, students, parents, children, and seniors, who gather frequently in its dance studios, gardens, performance spaces, meeting halls and classrooms. Except on Friday nights.

“I noticed not long ago that our Center had a lot of availability on Friday nights,” said Shettle. “During the rest of the week, we’re hopping. Our Center is filled with classes, business seminars, community meetings, and lots of other activities. But on Friday nights, most of our tenants aren’t around. Especially in the Garden Room. And I thought, ‘What a shame!’ The Garden Room is such a lovely, sunny space, with views of the trees on the property and a charming courtyard attached to it. It’s a perfect place to have people get together in, when they’re done with their busy day and week!”

But rather than just do a potluck or a wine bar, Shettle decided to think just a little bit bigger. “Like attracts like,” she explains. “The Sierra 2 is a nonprofit, and being in the field, I know there are a lot of other nonprofits who would welcome a place to come and share ideas on what the community needs, and on how their organization is addressing it.”

And Shettle knows her own community. “People in Curtis Park and Sacramento in general are very giving, very concerned. They like to hear about novel ideas to make a difference in the world. And they’re very social. So why not provide them with the story, give them the opportunity to hear about these great ideas and to mingle with like-minded people? Rather than pop in a documentary or read a brochure, they can drive over to an easily accessible Center, come in and have a glass of wine and some good food, and learn about ways that others are working to improve an aspect of their own community. It’s a perfect blend of the social and altruistic.”

It’s also more than reasonably priced. For $5, attendees get a glass of wine and a hot plate of food catered by catered by Sierra 2 Center tenant, La Famiglia Catering. Raffle tickets are sold separately, and games are played during which attendees, Sierra 2 staff and nonprofit regulars get to learn about the organization in a fun way, interact with each other, and win interesting prizes. Sierra 2 Center picks up the tab for the food and drinks, and the guest non-profit takes home the raffle ticket money. And everyone eats, drinks, and talks. It’s fun, relaxing,inspiring networking.

“It’s like the definition of synergy,” quips Shettle. “The nonprofit we host at Best Friend Friday has a built-in group of friends and supporters. They come and mingle with others who are interested in knowing what’s going on and in having a good time. They make new best friends. The two groups overlap, they network, they combine, and they become stronger after the interaction.”

On December 3rd Best Friend Friday will host Harvest America, a local nonprofit that provides a unique opportunity for people to engage in direct and tangible service to their community.

Harvest Sacramento germinated from a seed planted by two area residents, Mary McGrath and Robin Aurelius, who were pained by the sight of rotting oranges piled in the streets of East Sacramento every spring. A grassroots campaign in 2009 to harvest oranges in the McKinley Park area engaged over thirty volunteers and donated about 3000 pounds of fresh citrus to the Sacramento Food Bank.

From this success it was apparent that with more organization and effective outreach, substantial contributions of fresh fruit and vegetables throughout the entire year could greatly enhance the offerings of local food assistance agencies.

Harvest Sacramento is a project of Soil Born Farms, who operates two urban farms on over forty acres in Sacramento and Rancho Cordova. Soil Born Farms is a nationally recognized center for the promotion of urban agriculture, sustainable food systems and healthy food education. Along with the continued support of its original and new volunteers, Soil Born Farms has taken a lead role in tending Harvest Sacramento, as it lays all of the administrative groundwork necessary to make a difference in the lives of needy Sacramentans.

When Harvest America joins with the Sierra 2 Center for this installment of Best Friend Friday, they will be bringing their own holiday cheer and a special guest along with them. This Friday, Harvest Sacramento will be providing hors d'oeuvres made from produce donated by Soil Born Farms and persimmons gleaned from a local orchard. And all of it will be expertly prepared by Eileen Murray.

Well-known local vegetarian chef and instructor, Murray presents monthly dinners at the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op under the title “Eileen’s Kitchen.” As a nationally-recognized camp cook, baker, entrepreneur and instructor, Murray has been cultivating the art of cooking organic whole food for over thirty years. She is an accomplished macrobiotic cook who trained at the Kushi Institute in Boston, Massachusetts, and the Vega Center in Oroville, California.

Suzanne Flint of Curtis Park is excited that Eileen will be on hand, and that Best Friend Friday is hosting Harvest Sacramento. She’s one of the volunteers for the organization, and she’s been inviting everyone she knows to come to the Sierra 2 Center on December 3rd. “Harvest Sacramento” she says, “is a simple and lovely way to give back to our community.”

Begun in September, Best Friend Friday so far has hosted the Sacramento Tree Foundation and KCRA’s “Coats For Kids.” Harvest Sacramento is next, and Shettle has been in conversation with many other nonprofits. “Best Friend Friday is a social networking model,” she says. “But instead of Facebook and Twitter, where my two fiends meet your two friends via the Internet, we do it in person.”

For more information on Best Friend Friday, contact the Sierra 2 Center at (916)452-3005, www.Sierra2.org, or Facebook/sierra2center.

Wine & Food Pairing Event Benefits VIBE

2010-06-24T21:58:19Z

VIBE, a non-profit for Sacramento youth, will be the beneficiary of Infuze Wine & Food Pairing Friday, June 25 from 5:30 - 8:30 at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts 2450 Del Paso Road in Sacramento. The event is open to the public and tickets can be purchased at www.infuzemarketing.com for $25.

Infuze Marketing of downtown Sacramento is partnering with Le Cordon Bleu and four regional, family-owned wineries to provide a variety of tastes from around the world each paired to a different wine. Le Cordon Bleu will be featuring upcoming student chefs under the direction of master chefs to showcase their culinary talents.

The four featured wineries include Chateau Routon Winery of Fair Play, Elkhorn Peak Cellars of Napa, Lucchesi Vineyards of Grass Valley, and Pilot Peak Vineyard of Penn Valley in the Sierra Foothills. Each winery will have two of their wines paired with a different offering from a chef. In all, there will be eight wines paired with eight dishes.

Infuze Marketing works with a growing number of wineries among other businesss and conducts events in the area at a variety of venues to feature some the best, but lesser known wineries in the region. Infuze also selects a specific non-profit to benefit from the event and represent themselves at the event. Infuze will also be conducting wine tastings at two upcoming Rivercats games.

VIBE is a non-profit committed to providing the youth of Sacramento a safe environment for activities and career counseling.

Le Cordon Bleu's participation is especially exciting due to the unique possibilities of enjoying specifically tailored pairings between wine and food. Their excellent care in preparing and matching tastes from around the world with high quality wines promises to provide a delicious and friendly experience.

The Job Search According to Facebook and Twitter

2010-05-25T20:08:57Z

It was testimony to the tenuous state of the Sacramento job market that a full house attended the Sacramento Social Media Club’s May event, “Putting Social Media to Work: leveraging social networking tools to find and fill jobs.” The panel discussion, held at the Urban Hive last week, featured four local professionals speaking of their experiences and expertise using social media to implement and accelerate job searches.

The overall message of the four speakers was that social media--Twitter, Facebook and the like--have the potential to vastly broaden the parameters of a job and/or employee search.

Speaking from one side of the hiring table was Curt Cetraro, CEO of ConnectPoint Search Group, a local recruiting firm that enables companies to establish an employment brand in social media, track applicants, and increase internal recruiting efficiencies. Curt uses his expertise in that regard by offering a free seminar series to help job seekers increase their job effectiveness, and he brought a number of elements of that series to the discussion Tuesday night. He spoke of the need to target one’s goal in the search as well as the ways social media can be used while you’re still employed to research what you want to do next.

On the other side of the hiring table was Natalie Paulsen, Director of Business Development for 3Fold Communications. Although she loved the job she had, Natalie saw a greater future in social media and wanted to work for a company that was effectively using it. So she quit her job and applied her well-honed face-to-face networking skills to social media in finding a new one. “I targeted the companies that I was interested in and then applied networking principles to Facebook and Twitter.” She friended the decisionmakers at those companies and over time established a connection with them. By the time Natalie interviewed with the prospective companies, she had established her identity and her persona with them. “They knew who I was and they were happy to see me,” she says.

Christina Rogers is a career counselor and owner of Angeles Career Consulting, LLC. One of the aspects of using social media to find work that she discussed came from the workbooks, guides, and curriculum that she has developed for schools throughout California. Specifically, Christina spoke to the issues inherent in presenting oneself online as a job seeker. “Your followers and friends are your network. Ask them for their opinion of your social media presence. What does your brand look like?”

The fourth member of the panel was Helen Scully, president of Scully Career Associates, a Nationally Certified Career Counselor and corporate trainer as well as the author of Elevations®, an online career assessment tool. Helen advised job seekers to not target the latest trend in employment, but to go for one’s passion. “To find your future, you are the most reliable element in your job search...and that requires analyzing your social media presence so that it is in sync with your job search.”

The panelists spoke of how best to come across while using social media. Helen Scully, who tweets from @careertests where she sharies tips regarding jobs, career changes and the workplace, talked of the importance of creating a consistent voice on all your social media forays. Natalie Paulsen echoed that, “You can create a personality in 140 characters. My personality on-line is pretty much who I am.”

As far as what not to do when using social media tools in the job search arena, Curt Cetraro had this to say: “Keep your social media presence current. When you don’t update your Facebook page, for example, that raises questions about you in the employers mind that you don’t want them to have.” And Helen Scully added, “Don’t sit on the side of the swimming pool. People don’t think they know enough to qualify for a particular job and that’s often a big mistake. Jump in.”

The monthly events that the Sacramento Social Media Club presents are part informational and part networking. To that end, in addition to socializing over light refreshments before and after the panel, there was a SMCSac Tweetup Afterparty at the Lounge ON20. Next month's topic will be Social Media and Music.

photo credits: April Irene Fredrikson

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA SOCIAL MEDIA SOCIETY LAUNCH PARTY 3-23-2010 AT MIX DOWNTOWN IN SACRAMENTO

2010-03-29T22:47:36Z

The Northern California Social Media Society is a new organization that aims to provide its members “access to a broad ecosystem of support to help you grow your business, enhance your leadership, and expand your impact as a socially responsible business leader.”

Its launch party was held last Tuesday at Mix Downtown’s rooftop location at 16th and L streets. It was a sunny, comfortable setting for the introduction of the media society as well as good conversation among the enthusiastic attendees, who enjoyed light refreshments and raffle prizes donated by the leadership team and fans.

The team includes Nicole France of Buzz Sense Media, Beth Diebels of A Social Media Group, Peri R. Re of Re-Invent Marketing, Joseph Yocca of Capitol Venture LLC, and Bryan Srabian, social media consultant for the San Francisco Giants.

France described the organization as an educational and networking resource that provides practical information to help businesses use social media. The organization plans to serve all of Northern California.

Standard membership is $99.95 per year, with a limited number of discount memberships for those who sign up at http://norcalsocialmediasociety.org and use discount code XBRMKFZJ.

Membership includes unlimited access to the Members Only section of NCSMC’s web site, members-only forum discussions, an online member directory, a members-only edition of the quarterly newsletter, a monthly e-newsletter, a research lab, seminar and conference opportunities, invitations to local gatherings and partner events, educational discounts, teleseminars and webinars. The group also plans an expo and convention.

Monthly meetings will be held at The L Wine Lounge, 1801 L St., sponsor of NCSMC.

Disclosure: The author of this story is a member of the Social Media Society but does not benefit financially from any funds raised.

Sacramento Small Business Celebrate the Holidays in a BIG Way!

2009-11-29T07:29:42Z

There is no doubt that businesses in general have suffered through our ever-changing economy. Businesses on multiple levels have had to make sacrifices; downsizing, cutting salaries, furloughing, laying off, and certainly cutting expenses.Small business, especially in Sacramento, is no exception. One expense that seems to be a commonality, is the Company Holiday Party.

Historically, no matter how large or small an office or business is, company's have celebrated the holidays and their accomplishments with their partners, employees, and sometimes, vendors and customers. It is a time when people put work aside, and come together over food, drinks, entertainment and memories that often survive the company itself.

This year, small and medium sized businesses, consultants, solopreneurs, coaches, recruiters, relators and attorney's are all invited to participate in Get Networking Now's inaugural "Sacramento Region Company Holiday Party"! On Thursday, December 17, business owners, their employees, their vendors and key clients will enjoy a "BIG" celebration on a small business budget! Part of the proceeds will also benefit a local childrens' arts organization, Chalk It Up!

Chef Simon Mandell, co-owner of Courtyard D'Oro a new restaurant and banquet faciliaty in Old Sacramento, is preparing a "feast" for these hardworking entrepreneurs consisting of four cuisines, followed by dessert, dancing, music, entertainment. and "swag bags" with special offers, samples and promotions from local businesses. The event is scheduled from 6-10 pm at Courtyard D'Oro, which is located at 1700 Front Street under G Williker's Toy Emporium.

Ticket prices are $40 at the door, $35 presale. Special Pricing is available for small businesses with profiles on www.sacgnn.com and is FREE with paid monthly membership to Get Networking Now. Tickets may be purchased at: http://sacareacompanyparty.eventbrite.com/

Get Networking Now (SacGNN) is a local networking resource assisting small and medium sized businesses to grow "small talk" into "BIG Business" through education, training and networking events. SacGNN offers a free online community for local business owners to exchange leads, information, and resources and assist one another in growing their businesses in Sacramento.

For more information on this event, or Get Networking Now, please contact Rebecca Johnson 916-868-7562 or rebecca@sacgnn.com

Niche TweetUps—There’s One For Every Interest

2009-11-24T06:58:41Z

Have you been to a TweetUp? They come in every size and shape and there is nearly one for every interest! A TweetUp is a social event that is promoted and organized on Twitter.

“It's basically a place to meet and network with people in the Sacramento area who use Twitter,” said Alejandro Reyes, co-organizer of #SacTweetUp, a monthly networking mixer that regularly attracts over 100 attendees. “We wanted to create an atmosphere where people using Twitter could connect on a much deeper level, build new relationships, and have a lot of fun.”

#SacTweetUps usually occur in the evening at a downtown or midtown hot spot; but what if big crowds or night life venues aren’t your thing? For those who prefer smaller groups or a different venue or focus, the Sacramento region has much to offer.

“Niche TweetUps, like the #ZooTweetUp we had in October and our upcoming #HikeTweetUp, are a great way to bring folks with similar interests together in a fun setting,” commented Jim Hoglund, co-organizer of the upcoming #HikeTweetUp. “I've always found that meeting an online friend in person has made for a richer connection online and often times a friendship beyond that of the digital realm.”

Outdoor TweetUps: Next Saturday, November 28, the first #HikeTweetUp is happening at Hidden Falls Regional Park in Auburn. This TweetUp features a leisurely 3 mile round trip hike to Hidden Falls followed by a late lunch at Awful Annies. The group is meeting in the parking lot at Hidden Falls at 11:00 a.m. For more details or to register to attend, check out the event on Facebook.

Holiday TweetUps: On Thursday, December 17, Sacramento “tweeps” will gather for the first annual #HoliTweetUp at The Park Ultra Lounge in downtown from 6 pm to 9 pm. This festive TweetUp is co-hosted by SacTweetUp and the Social Media Club Sacramento. Attendees will eat drink and be merry and all will be entered into a raffle for prizes supplied by the hosting organizations and their sponsors. Register to attend this free event at holitweetup.eventbrite.com.

Family Friendly TweetUps: In October, The Sacramento Zoo hosted its second #ZooTweetUp (the first was in June). Attracting about 25 participants, this event featured half-price admission to the Zoo. The event kicked off with complementary refreshments and Zoo Crafts for the kids at a private party in the Discovery Room. Attendees enjoyed a free ride on the Conservation Carousel, an Animal Encounter in the Amphitheater, and animal enrichment talks with the Ring-tailed Lemurs, Ground Hornbills and the Spotted Hyena. As a special treat, attendees were invited to check out the new Giraffe Observation Deck, which is scheduled to open on President's Day weekend next year as part of the newly renovated exhibit.

"#ZooTweetUps are a fun and casual way to meet animal lovers and Zoo supporters, explained Jamie Wilson, Web Development Coordinator and official Tweeter for the Sacramento Zoo. “We talked about social media & Twitter app--I always learn something new! The Zoo Tweetup brought out lots of families, but even more adults without kids. Even though we are a family-friendly venue, the TweetUp reminded people the Zoo really is fun for all ages."

Generation Specific TweetUps: On November 12, the first ever #GeezerTweetUp happened at Scarlet’s Saloon in Folsom. The term “Geezer” was used tongue in cheek—this event was for anyone born before 1970. The group considers itself “tech geezers” because most of them graduated from High School before personal computers were invented. About 30 people who remember the 70s because they lived through them—not because they saw “That 70s Show” --gathered to enjoy a drink and to meet interesting people with shared life experiences.

“The #GeezerTweetUp is a great example for the social part of social media--groups of people who connect on-line are able to meet in person and develop stronger relationships,” commented Jim Pelley, Creative Director at Laughter Works Seminars and co-organizer. “It's also good for local business; Scarlet's offered to host the event, and in the process found some new customers.”

all Photos of #VinoTweetUp by John Onate

Wine Tweet Ups: In July, three wineries came together at the L Wine Lounge in midtown to host a #VinoTweetUp. For a nominal charge, attendees enjoyed appetizers and were able to sample wines from James David Cellars, MAS Wine Company, and Radee Wine.

“Not only have I developed relationships and exposure from participating in TweetUps, but have really had a great time at each and everyone,” said David Cole, Proprietor at James David Cellars. “At the #VinoTweetUp I meet Sarah Campbell of Twinsoup.com and have now worked with her and her sister Rachel on their Stiletto Crawl events around Sacramento and Roseville, each of which sold out and were a ton of fun to do!”

Arts & Entertainment Patron TweetUps: In May, The Sacramento Press, in conjunction with Social Media Club Sacramento and Capsity Offices, hosted a TweetUp that featured belly dancing from Red Tent Belly Dance, performance art from Phoenix Gallery, wine tasting from MAS Wine and James David Cellars, break dancing from Capitol Roots Dance Studio, chalk drawing from Chalk it Up! artists, a presentation from the Sacramento Opera, and music from DJ Reason.

“We wanted to host a TweetUp to meet our Twitter followers. It became an ‘Arts TweetUp’ when we noticed how many people in our Twittersphere are artistically amazing! A definite highlight was when the Capitol Roots dancers managed to get our Managing Editor, David Watts Barton, to join them and show off his dance moves,” reports Mona Romero, Social Media Lead at the Sacramento Press

Other TweetUps: In addition to the monthly #SacTweetUp, other organizations have also hosted more generally focused networking mixer TweetUps. In February, the first ever Sacramento TweetUp was organized by Ricardo Robles of Capsity Offices and Andy Arnott of AdCause and hosted by Pangaea Café. About 30 people, including me, attended this inaugural event which set the stage for future Sacramento TweetUps. “It is an event that businesses can participate in as well as regular people to network and meet in person,” said Robles. In August, The Urban Hive in partnership with Sacramento365, hosted an #Only2DegreesTweetUp which featured wine tasting by James David Cellars and a presentation on social media by @Only2Degrees. While most of these TweetUps have happened in Sacramento, in March #SacTweetUp hosted an event at The Boxing Donkey in Roseville.

Have you organized or participated in a TweetUp in the Sacramento region that is not listed above? Let us know about it in the article conversation section below. Not finding a TweetUp that fits your niche? Organize one! All you need is a Twitter account to spread the word. It’s a great way to make new friends with shared interest.

Twitter tip: The # designation--called a hashtag-- is a Twiitter practice that helps people to categorize tweets about certain topics. For example #sactweeup, #holitweetup and #hiketweetup are tags the organizers and attendees use in their tweets about the event.

Social Media for the Social Good—Non-profits Explore New Methods of Outreach

2009-11-20T04:17:59Z

Three local non-profit organizations were featured in a Sacramento Social Media Club panel on Tuesday evening hosted by the Sacramento State College of Continuing Education. The panel included Celia Cortez, Projects and Event Manager for the Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; Jordan Blair, Board Member for River City Food Bank; and Jon Benorden, Program Coordinator for the Center for AIDS Research, Education and Service (CARES). Lesley Miller, Media Director for 3Fold Communication, also sat on the panel. Moderator Josh Morgan, principal at Morgan/Dorado and program director for the Sacramento Social Media Club, focused the discussion on how non-profits are using social media to educate, engage, and build lasting relationships with their communities.

Facebook was the unanimous point of entry into social media for all three organizations. Cortez said the Sacramento Hispanic Chamber selected Facebook because it was the most popular platform among their member organizations; Blair choose Facebook for River City Food Bank because it is the platform upon which he spends the most time. “Facebook provides an easy way for people to connect with causes and non-profits thanks to its one-click ‘become a fan’ feature, “commented Morgan. River City Food Bank, where many of their long-term contributors are past retirement age, is finding that Facebook helps them to engage with the next generation of donors. However some of their loyal supporters are stepping out into social media as well; an 85 year old volunteer joined Facebook just so he could “friend” the River city Food Bank. Benorden said that their “old school” supporters are beginning to mesh with the new people they’ve engaged through their group & page on Facebook but that CARES still has a long way to go.

Both the Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and CARES are also using Twitter to promote their organizations and causes. Miller said 3Fold encourages their clients to cross post on multiple social media platforms to increase the traffic among all the sites. For example, use Twitter to remind people the organization is on Facebook or create an event on Yelp and ask people to write a review. I frequently use Twitter to drive traffic to SARTA.org’s website or LinkedIn group where more detailed membership and event information is available.

CARES created both a group page and a fan page for its campaign “Are You the Difference” which strives to eliminate new cases of HIV in the Sacramento region by 2015. Benorden plans to expand the campaign to include other platforms like Flickr and YouTube. On YouTube, CARES wants to personalize and promote their campaign by featuring user generated videos about how individuals can be or are the difference in eliminating new cases of HIV.

The biggest challenge for all of the organizations is finding the time to manage and maintain their social media accounts. Cortez shared that she uses cross posting tools to lessen the amount of time she spends managing each platform the Hispanic Chamber employs. Tweetdeck, Hootsuite and Seesmic were mentioned as free services for managing multiple accounts and platforms and Radian6 was recommended as a new professional service for this purpose. Benorden prefers to uniquely post to Facebook and Twitter to keep variety in the CARES messages, but he sticks to a common theme. Blair, who in addition to his responsibilities as a board member of the River City Food Bank works a full time job, schedules time on his weekly calendar to tend to his social media chores. When asked if a volunteer could handle the job, the general consensus among the panelists was that most volunteers and interns do not have enough depth or experience with the organization or its causes to determine social media platform content or to respond to questions and remarks received by followers and friends on the sites. For CARES, sensitivity to and experience with HIV/AIDS is a must for anyone representing the organization on its social media platforms.

The panel wrapped up with a discussion on event promotion using Facebook ads and other tools. All of the organizations are considering using Facebook ads and River City Food Bank has budgeted money for this purpose next year. Benorden pointed out that even if no one clicks through an “Are You the Difference” ad, if enough information is included about the campaign, there is value in people seeing the ad multiple times. Miller said 3Fold advises their clients to put nearly as much energy into post event promotion as they do pre event. Blair followed this advice after a recent River City Food Bank fundraiser, uploading event photos long into the night. The post event promotion is a valuable investment in the success of future events and helps those who attend feel more part of the organization—especially if they are featured in a photo!

After the panel ended, participants informally exchanged ideas on how they are using social media and also had a chance to meet the panelists and ask more questions. The event was live tweeted by volunteer Ira Cohen on behalf of @SMCSac using the hashtag #smcsac. The venue provided by Sacramento State College of Continuing Education is well equipped for meetings and seminars and the Senior Program Coordinator, Toni Ramirez shared that the college is considering offering courses on social media in the future.

Social Media Club, an international non-profit organization, brings together journalists, publishers, communications professionals, artists, amateur media creators, citizen journalists, teachers, students, tool makers, and other interested collaborators. The Sacramento chapter was founded in March of 2009 by local users of social media. Free events are normally held on the third Tuesday of each month, but in December, the group is planning a Holiday Party or “holitweetup” in partnership with SacTweetUp on December 10 at Hot Italian in midtown. In January, the normal schedule of monthly panels will resume. For information about the Sacramento Social Media Club and its events, join their groups on Facebook and LinkedIn and follow them on Twitter.

Photgraphs by Marie Young Photography. For more photos of this event visit her Facebook Page

Sacramento Social Media Club Leadership Team:

Julie Berge, Angela D'Arcy, Laura Good, Suzanne Hopkins, Ronnie Ledesma, Jeff Marmins, Josh Morgan

Unemployed Sacramento professionals find help with job networks

2009-10-09T18:19:15Z

Sacramento county has been one of our state’s hardest hit areas for job loss in recent years, and for job seekers that can mean streaming through newspaper want ads, scouring the internet, or going business to business dropping off a resume or application to get a career back on track. Following that type of job search formula can often lead to more headache and frustration than satisfaction when local unemployment is at a blistering 12.3 percent in this shrinking job market. However, for many area professionals they are turning to other methods such as attending job clubs or network groups for help and those dividends seem to pay off.

Job clubs are nothing new when it comes to the circles of job hunting, but since the down turn in our economy has left more and more professionals out of work they are taking some proactive steps to reenergize their efforts to land another job, and it all starts with some networking. One such organization that has been providing a source of network connection is the Sacramento Professional Network or SacProNet (www.sacpronet.com). On a typical Monday meeting there can range from 30-40 professionals who formerly worked as Project Managers, Corporate Executives, Architects, Educators, Web Developers and a host of other professions all taking in a job workshop, getting resume advice, going through a mock interview, and of course networking for that next job lead. “What I get out of attending these meetings is a opportunity to meet other people and learn from their experiences trying to find a job, when jobs are so scarce”, says Pat McConahay, who is a media and public relations professional and looking to land a new job.

SacProNet began as cluster job group through the Experience Unlimited network, a volunteer job program that soon progressed with an emphasis on helping highly skilled and educated professionals regain some leverage on the career fast track. Although it can’t promise its members jobs, the primary goal of SacProNet is to provide the resources which allow both employers and job seekers a chance to find a match of needs. SacProNet claims to have a great success with its many members who typically find work within 6-8 months on average after joining the group. Moreover, employer representatives and other career advice professionals can showcase their job openings and offer services about finding the hidden market jobs. In a tough job market those hidden jobs are largely made up from small business organizations who often don’t mainstream advertise. Similar to those businesses, a lot of SacProNet members find out about the group through a referral or website search, that is how Rebekah Green, a unemployed Executive Assistant found out about the group “I had been recently laid off and a friend of mom’s told me about the One Stop Job Center, where I met a representative who told me about Sacramento Professional Network”.

It is currently an employers market for finding new candidates to fill openings, and most employers are inclined to fill those openings with referrals from the people who work for them. Career analysts, recruiters, and job coaches tend to suggest potential candidates take stock in the referral method as it is the simplest way to letting someone know you are looking for work. “I often will spend a few hours a day searching the internet for jobs, but it helps to know someone else to network with”, says Green. Green and McConahey are both more encouraged with their job prospects since joining SacProNet. We are in a time period where even technology can’t outdo good old fashion knowing a friend of a friend as a way making that personal connection. While these aren’t the times of our father’s generation, personal techniques still matter in job hunting, and while technology can be helpful it often can be impersonal when a candidate’s resume may be one of thousands that a recruiter or hiring manager has to comb through to fill openings. “Finding a job is like a job and it comes down to the approach and application” says Don Moore, an unemployed Education Administrator and SacProNet President. “What we orientate our members to is having a 30/60 second presentation because you never know where your next lead may come from” says Moore. That 30/60 presentation approach is a key tool that each member is encouraged to develop and practice in each meeting.

While a 30/60 is important, for many professionals job hunting can sometimes mean trying to transition into a new career field altogether. There is an abundance of professionals who have spent X number of years within the same profession and or industry and suddenly find themselves unemployed. The trend that most employers look for is how well can your past skills and work experience transfer into a new position or industry. According to recruiting expert Duane Roberts, employers are more willing to hire candidates with broad experience and a host of skills, “If employers are filing through hundreds of candidates with similar backgrounds its important for many that their skill sets stand out”. Standing out is one thing that SacProNet has done in taking a back to basics approach with job seekers by providing them with an array of services from peer coaching, referrals, job fair calendars, contact hot job leads, job search strategies, resume review, practice interviews, and a Personal Strategic Plan.

SacProNet meets Mondays from 9:30am-1pm at Sacramento Works One Stop Career Center located at 5655 Hillsdale Ave. Suite 8 in Sacramento. For more information about SacProNet or how you can attend an orientation workshop visit the SacProNet website at www.sacpronet.com .

Act entrepreneurially when it comes to your career

2009-10-08T23:31:19Z

Today, 30% of the US job market, about 42 million workers, are independent contractors, temporary staffers, or self employed, according to the July 2009 issue of Money Magazine.

No longer just the realm of creative professionals like writers and artists, freelancing is spreading to accounting, engineering, health care, law and sales.

“Now’s the time to think and act entrepreneurially when it comes to your career.” (Money 59) And in Sacramento, as teachers, state workers, and others, face layoffs and furloughs, they have both the time and the inclination to turn towards this professional avenue.
Perhaps you have started researching freelance or self-employment options? Maybe you saw the trend a year ago and got ahead of the curve?

Where do you get experienced-based answers to your questions? Where can you network and meet people who run successful freelance businesses? How do you form partnerships and collaborations? How do you find clients?

According to Janna Santoro, a freelance writer who is organizing Sacramento’s first Freelance Camp, October 17 at The Urban Hive in Sacramento, Freelance Camps—whose motto is “In Business for Yourself, Not by Yourself”—offer a venue for freelancers and self-employed people to discuss and explore different approaches to running a successful freelance business or service company.

“Freelance Camps are highly productive, yet informal gatherings where businesspeople can share their expertise with each other. They are a radical break from routine business conferences. Rather than sit back and be talked to, participants select topics they’re interested in and then break into discussion groups,“ says Santoro.

Freelance Camps are a revolutionary form of user-generated events—also known as “unconferences”—whose content is fully provided by the participants. Anyone with something to contribute or with the desire to learn is welcome and invited to join. To date, dozens of Freelance Camps have been held on three continents, with more cropping up almost daily.

Each camp is run by a local team of volunteers and is put on for the benefit of the community (not profit). Hosted by The Urban Hive co-working center in midtown Sacramento, the Sacramento Freelance Camp will welcome anyone who provides business services (or is considering it): designers, accountants, bloggers, journalists, realtors, lawyers, carpenters, engineers, financial advisers, marketers, salespeople, musicians, artists, inventors and more.

“Events like this jumpstart relationships and innovative ideas in the area’s creative community. At last year's SacBarCamp, [a participant-driven networking event for Sacramento techies held last April] I was shocked to see how many talented, creative and generally fun people are practically my neighbors. A year later, I’m still exchanging advice with them and have a fabulous pool of people I’d recommend to my own clients," says Jenny Koreny, founder of a freelance web and online video business (jennykoreny.com).

She adds that if people are out there building a business on their own, or want to position themselves as a leader in the Sacramento region, attending an event such as the Sacramento Freelance Camp is advantageous.

"Freelance Camp is a fortuitous way to make contacts, enhance your knowledge & showcase skills and trends to your peers," says Koreny, who plans to attend the October 17 event.

Enrollment in the Sacramento Freelance Camp includes a full day of informative seminars, networking and connection opportunities, breakfast, lunch, and an after party for participants.

According to Santoro, “This is the event that local freelancers, self-employed people and small business owners will not want to miss.”

Freelance Camps are not-for-profit, volunteer-run events. The Sacramento event is being sponsored by The Urban Hive (theurbanhive.com), Cassia Communications (cassiacommunications.wordpress.com), Sacramento Marketing Labs (sacramentomarketinglabs.com), Jennifer Basye-Sanders of Write By The Lake (writebythelake.com) and Jealousy Catering (jealousycatering.com).

The Sacramento Freelance Camp 2009 will take place on October 17, 2009, at
8 a.m. to approximately 5 p.m. at The Urban Hive, 1931 H Street, Sacramento, 95811

For more information: Janna Marlies Santoro, 916-837-1646
Website: www.freelancecamp.org
Twitter: #freelancecamp
Registration: http://freelancecampsacramento.eventbrite.com/

References: “How to Profit in the New Economy: The Rise of the Freelance Nation.” Money. July, 2009, 59

Editor's Note: Robin Martin co-works at the Urban Hive.

Sacramento Clean Tech Showcase Announces Keynote Speaker Daniel Sperling

2009-10-03T01:39:34Z

The Sacramento Clean Tech Showcase keynote speaker Daniel Sperling is an internationally-renowned expert on transportation, energy and sustainability issues. In December he co-authored the book Two Billion Cars which projects that within 20 years the number of motor vehicles on the planet will double from its current total of one billion due primarily to growth in India and China.

Sperling is a Professor of Engineering and Environmental Science & Policy at the University of California, Davis, and Founding Director of the university's Institute of Transportation Studies. He also serves on the California Air Resources Board, chairs the Future of Mobility Council of the Davos World Economic Forum, and has authored 10 books and over 200 technical papers and reports on transportation and energy.

Recently, The Clean Tech staff sat down with Dan Sperling to discuss the future of green technologies in the Sacamento region and the upcoming Sacramento Clean Tech Showcase.

CleanTech: How important will green technologies be to the economic growth of the Sacramento region?

Dan Sperling: Green technologies could provide a large economic boost to the Sacramento area. UC Davis and Sacramento State provide the knowledge base and, very importantly, the scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs needed to build green technology companies. Angel and venture capital investors are key to launching entrepreneurial start-ups, while larger biotech and IT companies have the resources to expand their Sacramento initiatives.

CleanTech: Can you give us a preview of your keynote address?

Dan Sperling: We need to transform our vehicles, fuels, and mobility systems if we are to significantly reduce oil use and greenhouse gases. It is less a question of cost than vision, leadership, and will. Most vehicles of the future will be powered by electricity, hydrogen and biofuels. Such a future transportation system would be very efficient and could be very low carbon.

The two places with the most troublesome emissions problems - California and China - are taking the lead in developing effective strategies that can help wean us from our reliance on conventional, petroleum-fueled cars.

California's embrace of eco-friendly policies, supported by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and China's willingness to confront the twin environmental and energy crises wrought by exponential growth in cars, suggest that if they can develop ingenious and effective solutions, there really is reason for hope.

The Sacramento Clean Tech Showcase features some of the nation's key thought leaders on green and clean technology. It is the ideal venue to network with experts, explore new technologies, navigate regulations and examine workforce concerns.

The Clean Tech Showcase will be held Friday, October 16 at Sacramento State University. For more information or to register, visit www.cleanstart.org.

The Sacramento Clean Tech Showcase is produced by CleanStart, an initiative of SARTA (Sacramento Area Regional Technology Alliance) designed to accelerate the development of clean technology ventures within the Greater Sacramento Region. SARTA is a non-profit organization founded to foster entrepreneurial growth and attract investment capital to the greater Sacramento region.

Join the Sacramento Clean Tech Showcase Facebook Page

Six degrees of separation…no longer!

2009-06-10T20:24:47Z

Have you heard of the concept that we are separated by only 6 degrees? It refers to the idea that, if a person is one step away from each person they know and two steps away from each person who is known by one of the people they know, then everyone is at most six steps away from any other person on Earth; A believable concept when contemplating how small the world really is. It is particularly evident these days with all the social media avenues being utilized by young and old alike. There’s Twitter, Facebook, My Space, and a world of other social networking sites for connecting with others. And so was born Only2degrees.com.

Only2degrees.com is an innovative talk radio show created by Darcy Jones and Lisa Vinton after realizing the power within their circle of social networking and the difference their connections made within their community. Knowing the reach of the Internet, they took advantage of “online” social networking. The opportunity to communicate both locally and around the world to provide entertainment, education and a connection to others is the shows premise. Narrowing the gap between business owners, individuals and the communities they serve to only2dgrees.com.

Darcy Jones is a Financial Advisor and Planning Specialist with Smith Barney, a published author, and keynote speaker. She is actively in involved in Rotary International, Murrieta Chamber of Commerce, Professional Women’s Roundtable, and Susan G. Komen Foundation. She has an incredible way of using humor and enthusiasm to encourage individuals to step out of their comfort zone and do something great for both themselves and others.

Lisa Vinton is President/CEO of Services for Success, Inc. and founder of the Southwest Pregnancy Counseling Center. She’s also a published author, keynote speaker, and has recently starred in Worlds Strictest Parents, a reality TV show. She is an active member of Rotary International, Murrieta Chamber of Commerce, and could be considered a “professional” volunteer since she is extremely active in the community in which she lives and desires to improve the lives of anyone in need.

JP Raineri is a TV and Radio personality in Southern California who has taken a step away from the microphone to assist Lisa and Darcy with their vision. He works behind the scenes with only2degrees towards his dream of becoming a top notch player in TV and Radio Production. The show is professionally produced in cooperation with JP’s company, Bad Fish Productions.

Through the show, Lisa and Darcy seek to provide entertainment, education, and connectivity to business owners as well as individuals who are looking for more creative ways to develop relationships both personally and professionally. They offer their world wide listeners segments on wine tasting (one of their favorite past-times), business spotlights, as well as helpful tips on running your own business in the black. They use humor and human interest stories to communicate how we all can better serve each other.

Since Darcy and Lisa live here in California, an idea to go on the road and do a Capitol Cities Tour was formed. What better place to start than in their home state? The weekend of June 20-22 the party begins, here in Sacramento! Only2degrees is working with recommendations from Sacramento365.com and the Convention & Visitors Bureau in showcasing some of Sacramento’s finest establishments. Saturday and Sunday nights there will be Meet and Greets to introduce the hosts during the course of their weekend visit and show tapings (Look out for announcements!). So far, in addition to Sacramento365.com, we’ll be interviewing the owner of Culinary Specialists & Mulvaney’s B&L, Patrick Mulvaney; the CEO of MetroHub Network, Jon Lee; and the Director of Fairytale Town, Kathy Fleming, to name a few.

A follow up with more information regarding the time and location for the meet and greets will be posted as the event nears. Here’s to narrowing the gap right here in Sacramento from 6 to only2dgrees!

For further information, contact Michele Arreguy at chiefcom@rocketmail.com or 916-295-8341.

A networking night to remember

2009-03-11T06:53:19Z

The Sterling Hotel on 13th and H Street was filled with enthusiasm, entrepreneurial energy and estrogen, Tuesday, March 10.

A group from the Sacramento Press was fortunate enough to attend the monthly Accelerated Networking Dinner for eWomenNetwork. It was the first networking dinner any of us had attended.

Upon checking in, participants received their name tags and were encouraged to mingle among the other business professionals.

Two ballet dancers from the Sacramento Ballet performed while the attendees were getting set up and mingling.

Ron Cunningham, artistic director of the ballet, gave a speech about the upcoming events the ballet has planned (30 more for the rest of the season) and discussed the organization of the Save Our Ballet group, which hopes to raise $150,000. He also mentioned that the ballet had a new home on 14th and H Streets, where the Center for Performing Arts will house four of Sacramento's major classical arts in one building.

The event officially started at 6 p.m. when Suzi Sherman, executive managing director of the Sacramento eWomenNetwork, read the group's mission statement and introduced the women who had set up booths for the evening.

For a timed 60 seconds, each person sitting at the table gave an infomercial about who she was, what she did and what she was looking for in the next 30 to 60 days. Some women were looking for a new laptop, free publicity for an event they were organizing – it was not confined to just obtaining new clients.

Women from all different walks of life were in the mix, and there was one male member out of the more than 40 women in attendance. There was a DJ, green consultant, one-of-a-kind garment designer, professional display sign vendor, life coach, jewelry designer, and writing services specialist, to name a few.

The goal of the dinner was to make connections, not to pass out as many business cards as possible. Not everyone exchanged cards, only those who felt they could benefit from knowing the new contact.

Before dinner was served, attendees were split up into groups of eight to 10 by a pink deck of cards placed on the table for one more round of speed networking.

As dinner finished, Michelle Gamble-Risley, who has over more than 20 years of experience in communications and is a professional writer, public relations and marketing expert, according to her website, began her speech on being successful even in this economy.

Gamble-Risley was not the original scheduled speaker, but her interactive presentation on creating a vision proved to be very useful for the women and man involved.

The Accelerated Networking Dinner concluded with a raffle, which included a pedicure and wine adventure, two tickets to the Sacramento Ballet's Modern Masters, Abbreviated, an Afternoon Tea gift pack and cookbook and many other prizes.

Many of the women in attendance admitted that they have been to many networking events over the course of their careers, but that the eWomenNetwork dinners were the most enjoyable and the most successful.

To learn more about the Sacramento eWomenNetwork, visit ewomennetwork.com.

eWomenNetwork to hold accelerated networking dinner

2009-03-06T08:34:48Z

Social connections are more important than ever in business, especially in todays fast paced environment with increasingly large social networking options. That's exactly why on Tuesday, March 10, eWomenNetwork will be hosting an Accelerated Networking dinner.

eWomenNetwork recently held an event called Real Woman, Real Fashion on Feb. 26, where approximately 200 businesswomen and men (including Mayor Johnson) viewed the works of local fashion designers and raised money through a silent auction for nonprofits in town. "We had [local businesswomen displaying] 20 custom looks - 10 were professional and 10 were evening, and it was just a really good time", said Suzi Sherman, Managing Director of eWomenNetwork's Sacramento Chapter.

The group, which meets every Tuesday of the month, usually consists of between 70-90 people, but has been growing recently, and Sherman hopes to raise the number of people to 120 to help improve the quality and quantity of businesses in Sacramento.

For the month of March, the eWomenNetwork meeting will be held March 10, at the Sterling Hotel at 1300 H Street. Sue Malone, the President of Strategies for Small Business, and the number one provider of the SBA Community Express Loan Program, will be speaking at the event.

"I have to say it is one of my favorite organizations. At least two times during the event we break into small groups and it's kind of like speed dating for business. So we get to know each other and the organization attracts some high quality professional women," said business owner, author, and Sacramento area resident, Stephanie Chandler.

Jennifer Novak Landers, who is an artist, and life coach in Sacramento, has benefitted from the eWomenNetwork events. "My involvement gives me an opportunity to share myself and my business in an authentic way, which ultimately has brought me an abundance of clients that I am very grateful for and so excited to work with," she said.

eWomenNetwork consists of mostly women business owners, female executives within the corporate world and entrepreneurs but they also have male business owners and businessmen as members.

"There is always a ton of networking and everybody gets heard, which makes it a very comforting and welcoming vibe," Sherman said. "In unsteady times people definitely do need to cultivate their relationships. [People who network] are the ones who find opportunities to move businesses."

Sacramento Embraces Coworking Trend at Capsity Offices

2009-02-23T20:21:10Z

Shared Office Space Equals Greater Networking Potential

As the definition of work has changed, so has the destination. Entrepreneurs not content to serve a sentence isolated at home or ready to take on the overhead of an office staff are joining forces in new coworking spaces where they can network with other creative types while sharing resources. The growing trend is visible at 3rdward in New York City where desk space starts at $300 per month with access to a digital media lab, wood shop and dance studio. It also pops it’s well-groomed head up at Conjunctured in Austin, Texas, where a team of four technologists share space and ideas with creative entrepreneurs in a remodeled old house. And in Sacramento, the solution born of economic necessity is called Capsity Offices.

The Capsity perch at the corner of P and 23rd streets in Midtown Sacramento is the brainchild of founders Ricardo Robles, Captain Visionary; and Jeff Louie, Chief Operations Dynamo. The goal for the duo was to mix dynamic entrepreneurs in a warm, informal space to facilitate the growth of new projects. That is why they turned a Midtown office complex on into Sacramento’s first rent by the hour, day or space studio geared for entrepreneurs who want to get out of the house and coffee shop into a cost-effective professional space that gives them access to a conference room, reception services and other motivated professionals.

“Capsity Offices is designed to be comfortable, professional, and entrepreneurial,” Robles explains. “What started as simply providing open office space blossomed into a community of entrepreneurs, thinkers, leaders, organizers, catalysts, freelancers, teachers, technologists and activists.”

Some of the first young business owners to flock to the art-filled space include Room to Breathe, PDC Technology, MidtownGrid.com, America's Youth United, Clear Printing and Graphics, Art Peace Massage and The Purnell Partnerships.

A January 2008 Christian Science Monitor article traces the coworking trend back to a lonely San Francisco software programmer who, with a few friends in similar circumstances in the heady days of 2005, leased an office space, installed printers, fax machines and wireless Internet and called it coworking. The article pegged the number of similar setups across the country at 29. A more informal version of the 1990s incubators, the collaboration can be spontaneous and powerful.

Robles and Louie are more than creative landlords, however. They see themselves as entrepreneurial boosters. The two have led in such community-building efforts as Global Entrepreneurship Week, Bikeramento and the first-ever Sacramento Tweetup – a physical meeting of networkers who connected on the growing Twitter micro-blogging site. Capsity hosts classes on effective networking and has become a hub in the live-work neighborhood. Their energy has not gone unnoticed. Louie was named Ambassador of the Year by the Sacramento Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce.

About Capsity: Capsity Offices is an Entrepreneurial Fueling Center located at 2321 P Street in Midtown Sacramento, providing virtual offices and executive suites in a comfortable, yet professional, setting. Affordable virtual offices feature access to conference rooms, meeting spaces and professional business services such as shared receptionists and office equipment. Paired with the creative power of networking with fellow entrepreneurs, Capsity is the perfect first space for technology and business services start-ups as well as executives looking for a local home base or downsizing from a large footprint. Capsity was also the launching pad for Global Entrepreneurship Week and Bikeramento. Learn more at www.capsityoffices.com.

Editorial: Facebook and community

2009-02-03T03:00:44Z

Jill Duman's column "My View: We need more than Facebook 'friendship'" in The Sacramento Bee today is scary. However, the online comments below the story are encouraging. Link here.

I am having trouble actually putting together a proper response, but I will try.

The thrust of the column is that Facebook cannot replace real friendships and community. That could have made for a fine column. Unfortunately, she uses most of her column to demean those who participate in social networks while dismissing the community these networks foster. Hint: facebook does not replace friendship, it supplements. Facebook is a tool.

Here are a few choice cuts with some of my responses:

"[Facebook] apparently is the grown-up equivalent of asking everyone you know to sign your yearbook. It's Facebook, and it gives people with too little to do (or a lot of work to avoid) a way of creating a personal billboard in cyberspace."

Nice way to start the discussion, demean the people who use online social networking services. Oh, by the way, Jill has a profile on linkedin.com.

The notion that a service like facebook is the equivalent of yearbook signing makes me a little sick. Hundreds of software engineers toil to build something special just so that she can spit on their work. I guess newspapers are just like toilet paper that you can read?

"I suppose there are advantages to using Facebook. It's certainly a good networking tool for the thousands of us who are unemployed or underemployed. It's a way to keep track of family bloodlines and avoid inadvertent intermarrying."

More of the same demeaning. Thanks for the solid insights. She goes on:

"It allows us all to quickly check in and skim headlines from the lives of people wanting to maintain us as friends – here a great job; there a wonderful apartment in the big city; across the country, a new baby."

This is where I find the column takes a turn for the scary. She clearly realizes, through her sarcasm, that Facebook is delivering important news people care about. This is the kind of thing newspapers should stand up and notice! This is the kind of thing newspapers ought to emulate! Instead of celebrating personal and local news, Jill dismisses it. I honestly fear that this kind of thinking is rattling around inside The Bee.

I want our local newspaper to survive and thrive. This is my plea to stop this kind of madness. Facebook is a tool. It is not a community, it is a tool for community building. It is a way to deliver news and information. It is a way to allow for responsiveness and multi-dimensional conversation. Facebook is not your enemy, it is a tool.

Please use it to drive readership and inform young people about local news. Please use it to get feedback from your readers and create rich conversations. Do not print things that demean 95% of young people who graduated college in the last few years. Please stop putting down the readers and writers of the next century. Make an honest effort at this and fight back. Do not fade into the sunset and then blame fantastic services like facebook while you willingly disconnect with the future contributors who want to make Sacramento better.

"I guess what is troubling about all this cybercontact is that it creates the illusion of community without the commitment. Facebook will allow two dozen former friends to reconnect, but will they really do more than exchange e-mail addresses? Will they watch each other's children grow up? Could you really call a long-lost Facebook friend with a dissolving marriage, a positive biopsy or an imploding mortgage?"

I have to say, the answer to all those questions is: YES! I do not want to get into personal details, but reconnecting with someone from high school on MySapce led me to a wonderful and fulfilling relationship with my girlfriend. When someone gets sick or is getting divorced, Facebook can bring so much love from friends. Then those people can go meet up in person.

I suppose if by using Facebook I abdicated my right to actually go see people in person then the column would make some sense, but that is hogwash. Facebook friending is not about relieving you of your duties as a friend, family member, or community member. All it does is allow for a richer relationship with more communication. It is a supplement, not a substitute. People love real community. Online social networking is built on the idea that people love community.

"In a real community, you meet over common ground – the bike path, the dog park, the PTA meeting. You share interests and concerns. And most important, you respond. You're the back-up baby-sitter or kid pick-up. You have the needed hammer, wrench or phone number.

"You'll pick up your neighbor's newspaper when they're on vacation. You'll buy Girl Scout cookies or Boy Scout popcorn. And when someone dies, you'll bring a casserole, go to the funeral and hug the bereaved."

Real communities can benefit using tools like Facebook:

create support for the bike path and organize an event on Facebook to keep it clean once a month.
create a dog park group to pressure local government to add the second gate that is so sorely needed
take the PTA online so that parents who cannot attend can watch a video uploaded to facebook of the meeting and respond with comments below
ask your friends for a recommendation of a baby sitter or see who has time to help watch the little ones (same with pick-up, hammer, or wrench)
The Girl Scouts would make a killing selling their cookies using a facebook application
these days when someone young dies many times their MySpace page becomes a living memorial to that person

Whew! You all get the idea.

One final time: Facebook is a tool. Real communities and real friends communicate and interact in absolutely vital, engaging ways using social networks. You don't have to use them or like them, but please do not attack those of us who do. And if you work for The Bee please ask your editor to respond and distance yourselves from this kind of mentality.

By the way, I have a feeling the column will make it onto The Sacramento Press facebook page.