Monthly Archives: January 2016

Periscope

Posted on by
Reply

So do you use Periscope? I discovered periscope and live streaming soon after periscope was launced and was introduced by my son, Tristan, who is also my business partner in Allthingsnetworking.com I love the new platform and can see the benefits of using this for business.

In September, Tristan, who lives in Sydney, joined me on an exhibition stand at the Isle of Wight Chamber of Commerce business expo . Whilst there, he connected again with one of his college tutors (having trained as a chef at the Isle of Wight college years earlier) At the time, he suggested that the College should embrace live streaming.

Today, I had been in Newport for the Bus Users meeting and was just leaving when I got a notification on my phone showing me the College had gone live on periscope . Now being the proud owner of an “all you can eat data” plan – I was able to jump straight on the broadcast . I was delighted to connect with the same tutor who was actually cooking – long story short – there was a college open day and free lunch was being given . Now who says there is no such thing as a free lunch? I saw it as a golden opportunity to go and periscope the event which you can see here below

 

I was delighted to meet Aaron – the social media manager for the college and had quite a long chat with him and he was delighted when I shared with  him that he could save the periscopes via katch.me . I now looking forward to catching all their scopes either live or on replay. If I can embrace periscope at the ripe old age of 65 then I am sure anyone can. I’m now teaching our Allthingsnetworking members as I see it as such an awesome platform that increases engagement and grows an audience very quickly.  I’m loving the new platforms and apparently I’m crushing it – so I have been told.

Laughter all the way

Posted on by
Reply

Blog post 2 of the 30 day blog challenge run by Sarah Arrow – so far so good!

Laughter all the way? Indeed – I was just deciding what to write for todays blog post and thought I might write about the good things from 2015. I was looking back through the periscopes I had done for some ideas and I came across this one! That was it – I had to blog about the Giggly Grannies and in particular the last three Christmases.

it bought tears to my eyes and I hope is gives you a little amusement too.

For those of you who don’t know, Julie and I met at Ryde Methodist church about three and a half years ago and we just clicked from day one. I don’t know what it is but we just giggle a lot when we are together and soon earned the name of The Giggly Grannies There is always laughter when we are together -it just happens and Julie’s motto is leave ‘em laughing

We put our skills together and started fundraising first for the Open Arms project for feeding the hungry and homeless of Ryde and then for other things including Macmillan nurses and local Ryde charities.

Julie likes everything pink as you might pick up from the videos and I like all things purple.

In December 2013 – Julie set her heart on heart shaped crumpets – pardon the pun. Now many of you will think what a simple present for Christmas – easy peasy no problem there then as Asda were promoting them well on TV which is how Julie knew about them.

Ah easy peasy for those of you living on the big north Isle (as we call the mainland) but for those of us living on the Isle of Wight – not so easy as we don’t have an Asda. She tried to get folks to get her some but it was all to no avail. There was little laughter on this occasion.  How could I let Christmas pass without my friend enjoying the one thing she had set her heart on? It was 23rd December – I had put a few feelers out but had to be careful as Julie uses facebook but she is not a twitter fan – I got as near as someone going across the pond on Boxing day which seemed to be the best I might manage. I rang my daughter who was coming down to the Island over Christmas and her husband had just left Asda and there was no way he was going back!!!! I left a message on my brother’s phone – he was coming on Christmas eve – but hey ho he only picked the message up once he was on the Island. I left my sister a message as she was coming over from Bournemouth and I knew there was an Asda there. Finally it looked like I was in luck. As she doesn’t have a car but was willing to go on Christmas eve before coming to us – I suggested she call the store – great idea as they didn’t have many but she reserved some. She almost left them behind at her house but phewie she just remembered. I then had to sort of divert Julie to my mum’s house before she went to her sons house for Christmas.

After much cloak and dagger stuff – I managed to get Julie to agree to pop in for mums houses for tea – she then spent at least five minutes telling us how good she had been all year and all she wanted were crumpets but she was sad as it wasn’t go to happen.

 

Christmas 2014 also provided a lot of laughter as you will see.

I hope I have made you laugh a little or even a lot – Julie is amazing – she lives with an illness that would make most people cry but she loves to make people laugh – Leave them laughing is her motto.

 

We have even been told off for laughing but hey ho – do you think we are going to stop anytime soon?

 

 

 

Out with the old and in with the new

Posted on by
Reply
Out with the old and in with the new

image

As I saw out 2015 with friends and welcomed in 2016, I reflected on what had been quite a difficult year. I left my church, I also left a voluntary group where I helped to feed the hungry and the homeless and I left my Rotary group. These were not things I had intended to do at the beginning of the year but sadly there are those who thought it wise to try and bully me. Having spent 30 years of my life as a teacher during which time I worked very hard to discourage all bullying, there was no way I was going to succumb to adults  who should have known better – long story short – I removed myself and took my skills with me. In my church I had been holding 6 posts (not something I wanted but posts were not being filled) including social media manager. One of those organisations had others who managed the social media, but the other two didn’t and as noone came forward – those facebook pages and twitter streams now lie dormant.

 

These situations occurred during the early part of the year and as they weren’t among my happiest memories, I will not continue further discussion as it will serve no purpose. The only reason I mention them were they happened during 2015. It is so good to see them go – out with the old and in with the new.

 

On a much happier note, my son Tristan and I have continued to build our business Allthingsnetworking.com For those who don’t know, for 5 years I ran Wightbuzz – a networking and business support group and in 2014 my son. Tristan suggested we put our skills together and create a global network group – Allthingsnetworking.com

 

 

As with all businesses it hasn’t been without it’s challenges however, we ran a very successful conference in the UK in September when Tristan flew over to join me.

image

 

We had some glowing testimonials and have been asked to run another one. We continued to build the group both on and offline.

 

I am pleased to say we enter the new year, I am delighted to say we have a string of  new clients wanting to join us . I am having great fun learning all the new social media platforms – periscope, blab and now snapchat and my son amuses himself watching me – at the ripe old age of 65, teaching 20 and 30 years olds all the latest platforms. I love teaching others – it is in my blood! I used to teach little people now I am a business mentor and digital strategist teaching the bigger people. I look forward to 2016 with great excitement as my son and I plan for an awesome year helping our clients to grow their businesses. At a time when most people think of retiring – I can’t wait. – I am very much looking forward to out with the old and in with the new . Times they really are achanging – and very much for the better.

 

 

This is post 1 of the thirty day blogging challenge.