Independent Analysis: AI, SaaS, and Revenue Growth Strategy

Working from home is a topic that has been in the news.  Top benefits of working from home. For companies : Using the time normally allotted to commute to get work done Starting early and working late into the night  More focus and less interruptions during the work day  For Employees : No commute Being home to send-off kids, receive them Working when the kids go to sleep Easier for calls across multiple time zones Disadvantages: Being on the phone is not always the same as being in the room and you cannot understand the nuances of the conversation You eat a lot more instant noodles as you realize that the time has gone so fast and your colleagues could not stop by your cube and invite you to lunch You keep working till your spouse tells you to stop and it's already dinnertime You miss the water cooler conversations Unless you install a web cam and have people stop and tell you things you miss out on the "corridor conversations" Out of th...

Jill Schlesinger , WNEW’s morning drive business expert and editor-at-large for CBS Moneywatch is hosting the Small Business Breakfast on Feb 27th at the Bethesda the topic "How to use #SocialMedia to Grow Your Business". I am thrilled to be a panelist and look forward to the event. Look forward to seeing you there. Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013 Place: Hyatt Regency in Bethesda, Md. Registration and networking starts at 7:30 a.m. Panelists: Katherine Kennedy - Principal at Availor Partners social impact fund Zachary Claudio - Director, Digital Sales Development, CBS Local Kurt Roberts - Director of Creative Technology Shashi Bellamkonda - Sr. Director, Social Media of  Web.com Register now First published in my Examiner Column

If I am in town I have never missed a TechCocktail event in DC and for that matter Baltimore(Where the picture above was taken). There could be many reasons to attend TechCocktail and I will give you three. To meet entrepreneurs and exchange notes , ask questions, get advice and even check out your competition To meet VCs - You know why you want to meet VCs! To pitch to customers, prospects and of course journalists/bloggers who will be at the event The secret is that "Cocktail" in TechCocktail actually means what is says and so there you are one more reason to go to TechCocktail. When: Feb 28, 2013 6:30 pm Where :  1776, 1133 15th Street Northwest ,Washington, DC, United States, 20005 Map:  Google Map Get your Tickets now :  http://techcocktaildcfeb.eventbrite.com/ First published in my Examiner Column

More than a decade ago I arrived at a new job at Network Solutions that involved talking to customers and reported to a wonderful supervisor who was so young that we could not invite him to Happy Hours. Since that day my journey at  Network Solutions  (Now part of  Web.com ) has been filled with exciting conversations with customers, so many great communities and colleagues. I always got an adrenaline rush and it has been a superb learning experience. As many of you know, I really enjoy talking to people and have tried to make every role I held about people and perspectives. That experience included working closely with four different and diverse management teams. My journey went from  Customer Service, Product Marketing, Product Management  to my current role as  Sr. Director (Social Media) .   In fact, here is a cool way to show some of the key items I worked on over that time period in a  visual timeline (courtesy of a cool new DC-ba...

I am so happy that commercial companies have gone bananas. This favorite fruit of mine is so welcoming when seen at Starbucks like the picture above. Well if you are a banana fan there is no horrible feeling greater than arriving at the hotel and then remembering that you forgot the bananas. never mind that the nearest grocery store is miles away. Anyway I think business who can cover for customers specially when they go bananas , I mean need bananas,need a shout out. Just like the Courtyard Marriott on Old Augustine Rd  Jacksonville FL. They raided the kitchen for me and they did not have to. I love the touch of going to the extra effort and not saying "Come back tomorrow and there will be bananas on the buffet. Marriott I salute you and the way to this guests heart is through the bananas. Have you had any awesome experiences with business who went out of their way to make you happy? OOps! Before I forget I am a very minor shareholder of Marriott and bought them for ...

xPotomac , a new conference featuring leading voices in the field of digital media & communication, is coming up on   + February 25 , at the Source Theatre, at  1835 14th St NW,  Washington ,   DC   20009. Limited to just eight speakers and 120 registrants, this groundbreaking conference features the media technologies most likely to impact business and marketers in the immediate future, and will give attendees an opportunity to get up close and personal with those leading the space.  Geoff Livingston and team have done a great job before.The event is the right size for learning, networking and making new friends like I have done in the past. Speakers include:  TechCocktail  co- founder and DC's own Jen Consalvo; Founder & CEO of  Triberr , Dino Dogan; the creator of Google's Webmaster Central and author of  Marketing in the age of Google ,  Vanessa Fox  (keynote); Audiocafe.com founder, host ...

(Video credit Washington Business Journal - Minority Business Leaders Award 2012) Mark Feldman Co-Chair of MENGDC is a well connected person and I am honored that we have known each other for a  longtime. MENG is the Marketing Executives Networking Group,   www.mengonline.com . I am looking forward to speaking at the  MENG DC's  Thursday, February 21st  meeting that will focus on  "10 Steps to Social Media Success".  From my experience at Network Solutions (Web.com) and my teaching at Georgetown I will touch on How businesses should set up a social media program -- Tools and techniques you need to be successful Critical elements of creating a "social brand" Avoid corporate and internal headaches - how to establish social media policies and procedures and ways to manage social media in an organization  Integrating social media into existing marketing channels Location & Time  This meeting is at the downtown DC offic...