Good afternoon everybody! Sorry for the delay. Today’s #jectv Twitterview is with @CoreyLAnderson of the @MinnPost. Lets go!

Corey:    For a second, I thought I was going to get twood up by

So Corey, share a little about yourself. Where did you grow up and go to school?

Corey:    I grew up on a farm south of Hector, MN (pop.1,110 or so) and moved to Mpls after high school to attend MCAD

What did you focus on learning at MCAD, and how did you get to start using your schooling in the workforce?

Corey:    I studied illustration and graphic design while at MCAD – long enough ago that it involved marker renderings & colored pencils

… as well as some preliminary computer graphic design. Soon after graduating I got a job designing ads for Comedy Gallery…

… show biz! The big time! Laid off after six months. Soon became an intern, then fulll-time at @citypages.

When did you connect with @MinnPost, and how did the redesign of their website go at the early stages?

Corey:    I joined MinnPost in Aug ’07, a few months before launch. Thanks to @bigboxcar, then @Kaeti and @gortonstudios, redesign was

not a very painful experience. We knew how we wanted to improve the site – the look, user experience, etc and took our time.

That’s good! Once the redesign was done, what kind of response has there been to it and has traffic improved?

Corey:    Very positive from most on design and more pages viewed per visit, which was one of our top goals…

Mobile numbers are up as well – the reactive design has enabled better @MinnPost reading on mobile and pads.

That’s great! It’s a nice design for sure. So beyond your work, what other interest/hobbies do you enjoy?

Corey:    I play bocce on Tuesdays at @NomadPubMpls trying to love camping. Any activity where you can also drink beer – I’m in.

I’m also in a book club – current pick is “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.” Very good so far.

Do you get to network with the web design community in MN much? If so, what’s the skill level here?

Corey:    I’d like to more. During the initial growth stage at @MinnPost I was sort of chained to my desk, but more recently…

‘ve been able to attend some breakfasts, ONA meetings, etc. Great MN designers & journalists and I need to know more.

Joel:    Thanks Corey for your time today and sharing some of your thoughts and life on #jectv Twitterviews. Have a great afternoon!

Corey:    Thank you, Joel, it was very fun! Hope to see you in real life over a beer some time.

@JoelECarlson: Hello everybody! Today’s guest of this new week is @EricHusband of @collemcvoy near #TargetField. Lets play!

Eric: Ready when you are @JoelECarlson

Q – #1    So @EricHusband, where did you grow up and go to school? What was your 1st job that you every had?

Eric: I grew up in St. Paul, grad of St. Paul Central, hopped across river for school at UofM, then St. Thomas. What can I say, dig the TC

will get this…) First job: St. Paul Women’s College Club. Next to the Guv’s mansion. Set up for weddings.

Q – #2    Interesting. What did you study at the UofM and then at St. Thomas? Did you know what field you wanted to get into?

Eric: I always was interested in mktg. Ran a snowboard/clothing store all through college. Got me interested in advertising.

Then I met a friend from @carmichaellynch in a philosophy class at UST. Got an internship at CL on the account side.

Spent a few years on the account side, put my portfolio together working at now defunct Sietsema Engel. Hopped to creative side.

Q – #3    When did you go to @Collemcvoy, and explain what your role is there?

Eric: I came to @ColleMcVoy about 4 yrs ago. @mikecaguin and I came from @bssp (butler shine, sausalito). We’re both on our third stints.

I’m a group creative director; oversee creative on Caribou, Schwinn, Aveda, Purina, Explore Minnesota and others.

I’m a writer by trade, closet art director. Love working on everything, digital to TV. Don’t believe in walls between disciplines.

Q – #4    What kind of new developments in technology, social media, etc. do you see helping you expand what you do?

Eric: Too many to count! From passive check-ins to RFID to ___________, marketing continues to evolve to be more participatory.

We hear it every day, and it’s true–mobile, mobile, mobile. Oh and QR codes. QR codes will once rule the world (okay, I hate’em).

Q – #5    Lets find out some of your FAVORITES: Restaurant, store, comfort food, recent book, hobby/activity.

Eric: Fave restaurants: Erte, Lurcat. Noodles (we have 3 girls, 4 and under). Store: Hoigaards, Shoebacca.com, CreativeKIdStuff (see above)

Fave book: anything by Nick Hornby. Life: snowboarding (I also work on Mammoth), parenting, hacking up golf courses, just into bikes

Life (cont.): I also follow a lot of politics and stay involved with eco-related stuff.

Q – #6    If you could pick any 1 person (dead/alive) to have lunch with, who & why? Any professional goals that you have?

Eric: My mother. She died when I was 21. She suggested I go into advertising long before I did. Would love laugh over lunch with her.

Professionally, keep on keepin’ on. Stay a student of technology and marketing. Would love to see capitalism used for more good.

We’re having a lot of fun here at @ColleMcVoy and to your point earlier, technology is driving that.

@JoelECarlson: Thank you very much @EricHusband for sharing some of your life on #jectv today! Have a great week, and enjoy your kids!

Eric: Thanks @JoelECarlson, My very first Twitterview. It was fun. Thanks for all you do in keeping the social scene more social!

@JoelECarlson – Round 2 of today’s Twitterviews is going to begin. Everyone please welcome @maikelvdm to the program! Lets get started.

@maikelvdm – Hey @joelecarlson Thanks for having me

Q – #1    So @maikelvdm, where did you grow up, where have you lived and what kind of schooling/training have you received?

A: Grew up in Asten, The Netherlands (1.5 hrs South East of Amsterdam, 4 hrs North of Paris). Lived in both Holland and the US

School, Design Academy in Eindhoven, The Netherlands. Studied design, art direction and marketing.

Q – #2    Interesting. So what kind of work have you done in the past, and what got you into eco/green-marketing now?

A: Managed many jobs, graphic designer, art & creative director. Strategic director and marketing director.

Having spend almost 20 years in marketing I felt us marketers needed to take greater responsibility on how we market products

Since I have mainly worked in the consumer goods category, it’s easy to see where many great improvements can be made

Both @BjorgvinS and I were on the same page regarding all things green, which related to our European up bringing

And @Element_Six was born.

Q – #3    Awesome! Can you give some examples (pics or links) to some of your work?

A: Here are a few links of work samples http://ht.ly/37C8a & http://ht.ly/37C8S

As I’m sure you can imagine, this is not even the tip of the iceberg. So am showing my age here

Q – #4    No worries! So is your client base primarily in MN, the US or is it broader than that even?

A: We currently enjoy a very diverse client base, from Istanbul, Turkey, to LA, NYC, & Eden Prairie. What’s not to love

That said, Mpls provides us with a perfect geo location serving both coasts and direct flights back to Europe.

Q – #5    Congrats! Now for some of your FAVS: Favorite – Restaurant, store, comfort food, eco/green product and tech-gadget.

A: Restaurant – Lurcat & Namaste in Uptown. Store, Diesel, Replay, GStar and Hugo Boss store, all in Holland.

Comfort food: Dutch pancakes and anything indonesian, such a big part of the Dutch culture

Tech gadget: Anything Apple, although I wish it wasn’t so. Unfortunately, they do rock their gadgets.

Favorite green & eco product: Any type of bicycle. Peddling a bicycle is the ultimate green & health experience.

Q – #6    Cool! Now what kind of physical training are you doing now, and how long have you been involved with it?

A: Triathlons seem to be my thing. Will starting training for my second Ironman race, June 2011 in France.

Been biking and running most of my life, started tri’s roughly 4 years ago. Not a big swimmer, but am improving on this

Q – #7    You have quite a full life, in addition to your involvement with the #jmu612 group. Does it get overwhelming some times?

A: Sure seems like I have a full life, not mentioning another active wear business @ThreeActive I’m involved with.

Thing is, when you work with talented people like; @BjorgvinS @ericamayer @JoelECarlson & many others all will be good

Plus, sleep is waaay overrated, I think. Right?

Q – #8    Haha! So to end today, what life advice or mantra can you share today?

A: I don’t think I am in a position to share any life mantra or advice. I am who I am, take it or leave it. It’s all good.

@JoelECarlson – Fair enough. Thanks @maikelvdm for sharing some of your thoughts today. Have a great afternoon! #jectv

@maikelvdm – Thanks for having me, Joel. Continue fighting the good fight, sire. #jectv is a great asset to our twitter community. Cheers!

@JoelECarlson – Hello everyone, and welcome to the Twitterview of @WhereItBlooms. No potting soil or roof-top garden talk here. :)

@WhereItBlooms – Thanks for having me here today!

Q – #1    So @whereitblooms, where did you grow up, what HS did you attend and what did you do out of HS for work?

A: I grew up in NW suburb in the Twin Cities, went to Armstrong High School and then attended college at Bradley University in IL.

My first job out of college was in desktop publishing at a financial institution in Chicago…love the city!

After that I was a marketing director for a real estate/property management firm #jectv Saw lots of fancy expensive Chicago homes then.

Q – #2    So how did you end up back in MN, and what kind of jobs did you have up until now that lead you to start @whereitblooms?

A: I moved back to MN to be close to family. I started @whereitblooms 8 yrs ago and love working with small businesses.

My clients have included business owners, nonprofit organizations, retail, realtors, and projects for fam/friends too!

Lately I’ve worked with clients who need logo development and branding. Also have a new client needing product design work …fun!

Q – #3    Fun! Having work that involves creativity, do you find it difficult to “turn off” your mind at the end of the day?

A: Yes, I am always in creative mode! The mind does not shut off ;) I am inspired by so many things …visual photos, conversations, etc

Magazines are the most inspiring to me…I’ll sit with a stack and just tear tear tear. Great to get design ideas.

For business branding I really want to get to know my client and their business. That is key in being successful with marketing.

Anyone that is creative can relate to the mind not shutting down :)

Q – #4    What types/fields of business have you worked with?

A: I work with mainly small businesses and consultants in retail, real estate, fashion, coaching, non-profit…

Anyone who needs design, branding, marketing materials, promotional items are typically my niche.

Lately I’ve also been training and educating them in the social media arena. #jectv I love doing that since I’m passionate …

about the direction social media is taking small businesses. There are great opportunities to create awareness

Q – #5    Good for you! :) Lets shift to your FAVS: Favorite – restaurant, store, color, tech gadget and TC’s neighborhood.

A: Fav restaurants: Oragami, Wok in the Park. Stores: Nordstroms, Len Druskin Outlet. Neighborhoods: Linden Hills

Tech Gadget: my iTouch and my kids DS (for them not me), my drawing pad that hooks to Adobe

My favorite colors are green …goes with my logo :) and red although I don’t wear that much

I also love the new West End restaurants and shops! Sauce is delish and I love Hot Mama for clothes too.

Q – #6    Interesting choices. So @whereitblooms, are you affiliated with any design/mrktg groups in the TC’s?

A: Right now I am affiliated with more networking groups WIN (Women in Networking) and exploring TC Chamber.

However, looking to expand more and continue to make creative connections :)

Q – #7    That would be a good idea. With winter coming soon, any winter travel plans that you are looking forward to?

A: We usually go to Chicago during the winter to visit family. We have a big trip to Israel planned for spring!

I’ve been to Israel twice but not in over 20 years. This time we’ll bring our whole family.

Q – #8    That will be quite a trip. If you could pick 1 person, dead/alive to have dinner with, who would you pick and why?

A: oh…tough question but I would say Bette Midler. She has it all, personality, drive, talent. Would be interesting.

I am also a huge James Taylor fan so if Bette couldn’t make dinner he’d be my next pick!

Q – #9    I enjoy Taylor too. So to end today, what general advice or mantra would you share with others today?

A: I think the best advice I’d give is one I follow myself. Be AUTHENTIC in who you are and what you do.

@JoelECarlson – Very good! Thank you @whereitblooms (Beth) for your time today and sharing some of your life. Have a great afternoon!

@WhereItBlooms – Thanks Joel for the opportunity! Have a great day too.

@JoelECarlson – Hello everybody, I hope that your having a great day. Lets get rolling on the Twitterview of @emilyjmc shall we.

@emilyjmc – Hi! And thanks, @joelecarlson. We’ll see how this goes for this former mag journalist. Not used to being on THIS side!

Q – #1    So @emilyjmc, where did you grow up, what HS did you attend, and what kind of schooling/training did you get after HS?

A: I grew up (mostly) in Rochester, MN — the ultimate company town. (Mayo Clinic, IBM). Went to Mayo HS, and Wash U in St. Louis.

Majored in — are you sitting down? — Italian and Psychology. My parents just smiled and let me do it. Bravo to them!

Q – #2    Very interesting! So after getting out of college, what did you do?

A: I went to AK, where I worked at Denali Nat’l Park for six months — and four seasons. Met my now-husband @bvanderah there.

Amazing experience. And a great job for a grad during horrible economy (’91 — much like ’08-’09), with a “useful” major.

Finally landed at a B2B magazine in the trade show/event business, where I worked in various capacities for about 8 yrs.

Q – #3     So what kind of work do you do now, and how has your life/work been effected by social media?

A: I’m an independent content strategist, helping agencies w/sales comms, client-program strategy, & content integration.

Social media is a big part of what I do. It helps me gauge what’s important to my clients’ customers’ customers.

And of course social media is a significant element of strategic content planning today, for both B2B and B2C.

Q – #4    Cool! So who are some people that you get value from being connected (following) to on Twitter? (5-10)

A: Tons of people — hard to name just 5-10! But to begin: @agencybabylon, @nylons, @irishgirl (candid, SMART, funny)

@opipop (Scottish expat in Prague – artist, actor, apparent bon vivant, shares amazing sociocultural/artistic links)

@andrewkorf (connected to the best of MSP cultural life; always shares opportunities to plug in)

And I’ll add @craft — I’m a nerdy crafter at heart. “Tis the season to start thinking wool yarn.

Q – #5    You’ve mentioned some good local folks! Are you a @foursquare user, and if so, what’s your most unique badge?

A: I’m a member of the proud FourSquare resistance. Not on board. Just felt like one more thing to manage.

I often wish people would de-link their Foursquare ck-ins from Twitter… Makes me sound like a curmudgeon, I know.

Q – #6    A member of the #FoursquareResistance huh? Do you do any geolocation Social Media? Do you see it’s value?

A: I don’t use any geolocation svcs. As a marketer, however, I do see their value.

If I were still in my pre-kid days (that is, still going out a lot!), I could see using one.

Most of my ck-ins would be: Home, Client A/B/C, Grocery Store, Target. Woot woot!

Q – #7    That’s fair. Let go to your FAVS: Favorite – restaurant, store, Fall activity, tech gadget and Social Media platform?

A: Favs! OK: Restaurant: I

Whoops. Try again: Fav restaurant: I’m a fan of local/n’hood joints. Cheap Charlies in Rochester, MN; Al Vento in MSP.

Fav store: The shop @walkerartcenter , and the great resale/consignment places in MSP like GH2 & ARC; also Opitz.

I’m a huge fan of the great find/great deal — reward the hunt! And like the green-ness of reuse.

Fav fall activity: Walking along M’haha creek below the falls to the Mississippi, or sitting on our dock.

Fav tech gadget: Prob my heart-rate monitor! Started running again last Fall after 3+ yr hiatus due to injury.

Seeing progress through cardio condition and pace is a great motivator. Fav SM platform? Prob. Twitter via Tweetdeck.

Q – #8    Good stuff! Looking forward, what plans/goals do you have for yourself either personally or professionally?

A: The same for both: Balance! (Cliche alert…). I’m a barely reformed workaholic who often falls off the wagon.

I want to regularly read for pleasure again, and for my kids to no longer say my laptop is my best friend. (ouch!)

And now that I’ve made my goals public, they’ll happen, right?

Q – #9    Eww ouch!! We’re ALL learning balance! :) To end with today, what advice or mantra would you like to leave w/everyone?

A: Hmmm. The greatest respect you can pay someone is to shut off your mobile device(s) when you are together in person.

And ride your bike!

@JoelECarlson – YESSSS! I saw a bad example of that at a restaurant this weekend. Well thank you @emilyjmc for sharing some of your life today.

@emilyjmc – Thank YOU! This was fun. And painless. :-)

@JoelECarlson- Hello everyone, and welcome to Twitterview with our guest , @alleecreative [Melissa Harrison]. Must be “creative day” today. :)

@alleecreative – Thanks for having me, @JoelECarlson!

Q – #1   So @alleecreative, tell us – Where did you grow up? What steps in life got you from High School up to today?

A:   I grew up in Sun Prairie and DeForest, WI. Came to MN for college (U of M), B.A. in strategic comm.

I was always interested in business and communications so I did a lot of that in high school leading up to college.

I was fortunate to get a great position in marcomm right out of college, stayed there for four years until I decided to start my biz

I have always had the entrepreneurial bug, even when I was little!

On the family side, I met my husband in college. We have three kids (5 yrs and under!) and 1 on the way. You could say I’m busy!

Q – #2   Yes you are! So what kind of business is @alleecreative, and what is your role?

A:   Allee is a strategic communications and design firm. We specialize in serving nonprofits in the Twin Cities with their marcomm needs.

Formerly Harrison Communications, we just launched our new name/brand in May and have been really pleased.

We worked with @affinadesign through the branding process. It’s great to have an outside eye when you’re also in the creative biz.

I started the biz in 2006. We’re small, virtual. My role is to gather new biz, but I also get down & dirty in the creative process

We do a lot of print work (annual reports, newsletters, magazines) and also long-term marcomm planning and PR for orgs.

Depending on the need, we also have clients that we consult with on new media initiatives.

I like to collaborate w/other businesses similar to ours on client projects. Keeps ideas fresh and the best minds working on things

It’s also helpful because we are small and want to make sure we’re providing expert services in areas of clients’ need.

Q – #3   Wonderful! As a small business that does BIG things, how has Social Media helped your company?

A:   This year was really our big push for using social media. For us, Facebook works best (its where our clients are)…

but I am intrigued and learn more each day about how Twitter can be beneficial as well.

We present case studies to clients on the potential for social media use

think it’s easier, sometimes, to stay on top of it from a client side than for your own biz, but we’re getting there!

SM is great for keeping up your networks and learning about what others in your field (or entirely outside your field) are doing

And personally, I love SM because it allows me to keep connected with family and friends across the globe (and share my biz w/them)

SM in general has really just helped open doors and made @alleecreative presence known on a broader scale

and being that SM is a constant conversation, it gives us the opportunity to put personality behind our brand.

Q – #4   Who are 5-10 people that you follow that either inspire, educate or entertain your?

A:   Twitter peeps that inspire/entertain me: @karyd, @jenkaneco, @jeffbullas, @briansolis, @lulugrimm, @saramasters, @Nylons, @bloisolson

and of course, you, @JoelECarlson!

Q – #5   That’s very kind of you! FAVS questions: Favorite – restaurant, store, summer activity & website?

A:   Fave restaurant: anywhere that’s “upscale” where my husband and I can sit alone and eat a meal without interruption of kids

Fave store: @target!

Fave summer activity: sitting on a boat/near the water in the sun, with an adult beverage in hand (not so much this summer!!)

Hmmm, fave website: probably @facebook I’m kind of an addict. I like news mobile sites too like m.kare11.com

Q – #6   I see. If you could invite anyone (dead/alive) for dinner. who would you invite and why?

A:   I’m typically not one to go presidents, but maybe Obama. Or my grandma. Hmm, or Brett Favre (it’s Pack vs. Vikes in our house!).

ops, and why, you say? Well, the Packers vs. Vikings kind of explains itself for Brett Favre. And grandma, to show her my kids

And Obama, he just seems like a fun guy to have dinner with.

Favre being a Viking has probably caused some “family issues”. To end, what thought or mantra would you like to share?

I’m always pushing myself to the next level and encourage others to do the same.

What’s the saying? “Shoot for the moon; even if you miss you’ll land among the stars.” I love that.

@JoelECarlson – hat’s a new one to me. Well thank you very much for you time of sharing today. Have a good evening @alleecreative!

@alleecreative – Thank you, @JoelECarlson. It was great talking to you. Have a wonderful holiday weekend!