Disqus - Latest Comments for KarenSwim

Re: Metrics that Trump Alexa Ranking and PageRank

KarenSwim — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:00:21 -0000

Jan, I saw the post, shared it on Twitter, did the happy dance and then tripped along into my day. So, I'm back hours later because in all my excitement I kind of forgot to tell you Congratulations! I say celebrate every milestone, and achievement. It took hard work and discipline to get you there. Once you get the win in one area you apply it to another. You may have started blogging to quit smoking (and you will get there) but you learned that you do have discipline and fortitude. Yay! I look forward to celebrating the next milestone with you, but this time I'll share before I dance. :-)

Re: Why Entrepreneurs Should Hire Solo PR Pros

KarenSwim — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 22:29:38 -0000

Kellye, I'm sorry I missed that discussion. I think that our entire culture has been impacted by the DIY/free mentality. Specialized services have been greatly devalued as people fail to realize that the easy access to tools does not mean that you will know what to do with them. Writing a press release is not the same as having a comprehensive and focused media strategy.

Re: The You, the Me, and the We – How I’m Changing How I Use Twitter

KarenSwim — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 12:20:34 -0000

Hi Jesse, I'm really interested in your experiment. My goal with social media has always been to build relationships, have conversations and be of service to others. I was an early adopter of Twitter and as the platform has evolved it is harder to truly connect. I have had to add filters and automation to some of the tasks and weed out the bots and spammers. I just followed you on all of your accounts and look forward to connecting and conversing.

Re: Gigi Spies a Green Tomato: Now a Mini Motion Picture!

KarenSwim — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 18:18:28 -0000

I love it! Move over Brad Pitt, Gigi has come to town!

Re: 5 Ways to Make Your Business More Transparent

KarenSwim — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 13:24:01 -0000

Sharlyn, excellent job of distilling this down to the key elements of transparency. I see many companies shying away from social media because transparency is confused with voyeurism. Your first point and example is such a great truth for us all to keep in mind. You don't have to be transparent about everything in your life, but share what you know openly and honestly.

Re: Melia Dicker (1 of 2)

KarenSwim — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 14:22:23 -0000

Melia, thank you so much for sharing your story. I applaud your ability to walk away from what many would have considered the ultimate success to remain true to your own fulfillment. I look forward to Part 2!

Re: Gigi Spies a Green Tomato: A Tragicomedy in Five Parts

KarenSwim — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 09:27:47 -0000

Poor Gigi! Who among us cannot relate to unrequited love and the barriers that separate, lol. Sadly I can also relate trying to squeeze through the narrow opening when a short walk would have delivered me much easier!

Re: Response to Barabra Talisman’s Misinformed 12for12k Post

KarenSwim — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 08:16:53 -0000

As a 12for12k supporter I can honestly say that I would have never donated to many of those charities had it not been for this group. I continue to support charitable efforts outside of the group but I learned about causes through you that may never have crossed my radar. All charitable organizations are suffering in this economy; donations are down for everyone but any funds raised even if short of goal are I'm sure welcomed by these organizations. Not sure how that translates to being a bad thing.

Re: Karen Swin (2 of 2)

KarenSwim — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 12:16:41 -0000

Thank you so much Emma! I am completely inspired by you and hope to finally finish editing my novel this year!

Re: Karen Swim (1 of 2)

KarenSwim — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 12:15:34 -0000

Awww Emma, you make me blush! Thank you so much! :-)

Re: Karen Swin (2 of 2)

KarenSwim — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 07:20:26 -0000

Rick, I want to thank you for interviewing me. It truly was an honor! I am humbled to join the list of so many respected leaders who have been interviewed by you. Thank you.

Re: PR Consultants Have the Freedom to be Human

KarenSwim — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 09:48:40 -0000

Kellye, I'm glad your mom is doing well now and so glad you could be there for her. It's sad that this humanity is not available to all. Imagine how much better corporate life would be if there was an acknowledgment that the people who work there have a life apart from the office. Ninety percent of the time my days are not all that different from everyone else but that other ten percent makes being independent worth the world.

Re: Running on a new WP theme

KarenSwim — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 18:49:26 -0000

Roland, I'm sure that the theme developers will appreciate the honest feedback. I have heard that others were having Disqus problems lately too so maybe that is an isolated issue. I have created several client blogs on Thesis and was considering trying Headway on one of my own blogs. I appreciate your honesty and think for now I'll stick with what I know works.

Re: The Wizard of Waukesha has left the stage

KarenSwim — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 13:15:38 -0000

Roland, beautiful sentiment so appropriate for a great talent. RIP Les Paul.

Re: Nominate Your Favorite Writing Blog: 4th Annual Top Top 10 Blogs for Writers Contest

KarenSwim — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 13:11:29 -0000

Only one vote, eh? Well many of my favorites have been selected but my vote this year goes to Joanna Young, http://confidentwriting.com. She provides excellent tips and inspiration, consistently pushes her own boundaries and shares the experience and has managed to make all of her readers feel like a valuable member of a community.

Re: On the Cheap

KarenSwim — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 14:12:06 -0000

I am all for being efficient and not cushioning costs but I consider it a privilege to pay a fair value. I try to spend responsibly (not buying slave trade goods and paying fair prices) and take joy in knowing that when I pay fair value a worker gets fair value and can provide for their own family.

Re: http://blog.louisgray.com/2009/08/to-jump-on-massive-unfollowing-trend.html

KarenSwim — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 09:24:11 -0000

Well put Louis! I too have had the urge to cleanse and admittedly the auto DMs get the best of me on some days but the value I gain from this network far outweighs the annoyances. I have found that some of the "standards" we arbitrarily assign such as "no avatar, no follow" unfairly eliminate people who are new to Twitter and learning to use it. Yes, it's getting more popular but that's a great thing allowing us all to connect with an even larger network of people.

Re: One month of silent

KarenSwim — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 10:22:20 -0000

CONGRATULATIONS Roland! I'm glad you are having fun too, that's very important! Having your own business is hard work but that doesn't mean it can't be fun. I wish you continued success and I will be here to cheer you on and celebrate your victories!

Re: Rosa Say (1 of 5)

KarenSwim — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 21:04:36 -0000

Rosa is an amazing leader. It is clear that she truly is exactly where she was meant to be in life. She has a style that is uniquely her own and never shies away from making tough decisions and courageously following her path. Great interview Rick!

Re: A long week, but it did worth it

KarenSwim — Tue, 12 May 2009 10:34:52 -0000

Roland, I know how tough this journey has been and I am celebrating with you! I think it's great that you are sharing this with everyone giving others a peek into the process. You are such a superstar and I know that your business will take off!

Re: Pharma Killed The Video Star

KarenSwim — Tue, 05 May 2009 09:54:05 -0000

I found your link through Kelly Erickson's post today over at Maximum Customer Experience. I'm so glad she shared! This post is hysterical and all too true. In addition to all the sins listed above, I also hate the music that is used in pharma commercials. I sometimes wonder if there's something sublime intended to drive me to a headache or insanity so I'll need their drugs. Thank goodness for Tivo!

Re: The things I’m learning from having an ugly design

KarenSwim — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 14:24:57 -0000

Well, I actually like this design. It is minimalist and that theme seems to be running through the threads of my life. I am sure that there are many people who are yearning for a return to simplicity. We've had the flash, the WOW factor and many realized it wasn't what it was cracked up to be. No matter what you design you choose there will be those that hate it, and those that love it. If my little vote counts, I vote for the basics.

Re: Moving, moving - but not because I wanted to

KarenSwim — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 09:08:30 -0000

Roland, I am so sorry for your troubles. It is sad when local providers let us down. It is also a good lesson for us all to not take our customers for granted, because there are many options form which they can choose. Welcome to dot com, you'll love it here. :-)

Re: The Art of Competition

KarenSwim — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 10:10:47 -0000

Kris, these are excellent points. True competitors differ in that they bring a passion and purpose to the field. It goes beyond the "me too" model that aims solely to capitalize financially to really caring enough to bring something new to the party.

Re: Rebuilding my brand

KarenSwim — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 12:55:49 -0000

Congrats Jacob! The new you looks good! :-)