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“Power Lunch” Provides Unique Access to Social Media Experts

Monday, October 17th, 2011

When most people hear the term “power lunch,” they think business suits, martinis and high pressure deals. At the 3rd Annual “A-Ha!” NH Social Media Business Summit scheduled for October 27th at Gunstock Mountain Resort in Gilford, “Power Lunch” means having a unique opportunity to pick the collective brains of social media experts across a wide range of backgrounds and disciplines.

Fittingly enough, Public Service of New Hampshire is the sponsor of the Summit’s luncheon which will see one expert per table providing their skills, expertise and advice in a smaller group setting.

“Social media is an incredibly important tool for businesses throughout the state, and we’re extremely pleased to be able to connect companies with the experts who can help them move their communications efforts forward,” said Public Service of New Hampshire Economic & Community Development Manager Pat McDermott. “The ‘power’ in this Power Lunch comes from having a chance to ask relevant questions of a uniquely talented group of professionals who are setting the tone in social media every day.”

The Summit, produced by Epiphanies, Inc. in coordination with the New Hampshire Division of Economic Development, will feature keynote speaker Abby Fichtner, Evangelist for Startups at Microsoft discussing how to “Follow Your Own Path” as well as:

Lou Bortone (online visibility expert) – “Let’s Get Engaged! The Dream Wedding of Online Video and Social Media”

Steve Boucher (New Hampshire Division of Economic Development Communications & Legislative Director) – “The No Bull Pursuit of Creativity in Business Blogging”

Nancy Clark (President and Owner Girl of the Glen Group) – “The Art of Fearless Storytelling”

Walter Elly (V2 Strategic Advisors) – “Social Media in Strange Places”

Ric Pratte (Meltwater Buzz Director) – “Where the Rubber Meets the Road: The Business Impact of Social Consumers”

Corissa St. Laurent (Constant Contact) – “Wonder Twin Powers….Activate! The Email and Social Media Super Duo”

Kevin Skarritt (CEO of Flock Marketing) – “Under the Influence: The New Social VIPs and Their Power Over Your Future”

Lani Voivod (Co-owner of Epiphanies, Inc.) – “Blip, Spurt, Dash: How to ‘A-Ha!’ Yourself and Your Biz With the Social Web”

Allen Voivod (Co-owner of Epiphanies, Inc.) – “Succeed in the Social Realm, You Will: 7 Jedi Strategies for Mastering the Social Media Force”

“This whole day is designed to be an electric, inspiring experience for attendees,” said event organizer Allen Voivod. “It’s a day to generate ideas, spark conversations and ignite positive, purpose-fueled action. It’s going to help you raise your marketing and success game overall, and raise your team and your business up with you.”

The registration fee for the 3rd Annual “A-Ha!” New Hampshire Social Media Business Summit is $75. For additional details, visit www.AhaNH.com.

Expand, Engage, and Lead at the 3rd Annual “A-Ha!” NH Social Media Business Summit

Thursday, September 22nd, 2011

The word is in and the pace of change in social media has now eclipsed the speed of light. With Google+ on the scene, Facebook has responded to the pressure by rolling out powerful new features to stay competitive. What’s more, Facebook is announcing even more changes to their platform at the huge annual “f8” conference.

To help New Hampshire-based professionals get focused, spark conversations, tune into the energy of the almighty “A-Ha!”, and ignite positive, purpose-fueled action on the Social Web, Epiphanies, Inc., in coordination with the New Hampshire Division of Economic Development, will host the 3rd Annual “A-Ha!” NH Social Media Business Summit on Thursday, October 27th, 2011 at Gunstock Mountain Resort in Gilford, NH.

“Social media is no longer an option for businesses and organizations,” said New Hampshire Division of Economic Development Interim Director Chris Way. “The business case has been made that these tools are just as necessary as traditional marketing methods – and in most cases even more effective. Our own “No Bull” Business Blog, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and SlideShare channels have been terrific for our visibility, and we’re proud to partner with Epiphanies on this signature event for the third year in a row.”

Lani and Allen Voivod, co-owners of Epiphanies Inc. and co-founders of the “A-Ha!” NH Social Media Business Summit, will again design and deliver the Summit, and serve as featured speakers for the day-long event. Other speakers at the Summit include:

–Abby Fichtner (Keynote), Evangelist for Startups at Microsoft and a highly regarding blogger in the Agile development field. “I have the most excellent job of getting to help startups build out the next generation of software,” she says. “I’m extremely passionate about how we can develop better software and am always seeking new ways to share knowledge with the community.”

–Lou Bortone, online visibility expert and YouTube video pro with more than 20 years under his belt as a marketing and branding executive with national media including Fox, E! Entertainment Television, The Family Channel and NBC.

–Steve Boucher, Communications and Legislative Director for the NH Division of Economic Development, whose “No Bull Business Blog” was rated “Best in Show” and “Excellent” over the last two years by the nine-state Northeast Economic Developers Association.

–Nancy Clark, Chief Strategist and President of Glen Group, a “fearlessly creative” and award-winning NH ad agency based in North Conway. Nancy is often nicknamed the “Owner Girl” at “New Hampshire’s Best Agency with Big Ideas.”

–Ric Pratte, Director of the Meltwater Buzz Social CRM platform for The Meltwater Group, a global reputation management firm with 800+ employees in 55 offices on six continents (including one in Bedford, NH).

–Corissa St. Laurent, Regional Development Director for Constant Contact, the undisputed leader of Engagement Marketing™ for hundreds of thousands of small businesses around the world.

–Kevin Skarritt, serial entrepreneur, founder of Flock Marketing, and Communications Director for Michigan CHI, the Michigan Chapter of the Association for Computing Machinery’s Special Interest Group on Computer-Human Interaction.

“This is NOT a ‘101’ training-type event, though it’s definitely suitable for both newbies and experienced users, too,” adds Lani Voivod. “While there will be countless and specific tactics and strategies shared throughout the day by our featured speakers and many other New Hampshire business leaders and new media trailblazers, the Summit will showcase what’s happening and what’s possible in the social space throughout the Granite State and the world at large.”

Continental breakfast, lunch, and refreshments are included for all attendees. In addition, popular NH singer/songwriter Jim Tyrrell will make an encore appearance at this year’s Summit, playing great music throughout the day. A networking reception, door prizes, Segway demonstrations, and (conditions pending) a demonstration of the longest zip line in the continental U.S. are also in store. Space is limited, and the previous two Summits sold out weeks in advance. To learn more, and get 50% off tickets by the early-bird deadline, go to http://www.AhaNH.com.

2nd Annual NH Social Media Business Summit Scheduled

Thursday, August 26th, 2010

A whopping 500,000 of Facebook’s 500 million global users live in New Hampshire. Twitter recently crossed the 100 million user threshold and became the third largest search engine in the world, besting all but Google and YouTube. More than 80% of companies, recruiters, and human resource professionals report scanning online channels – including social networking sites – to research candidates, find prospects and weed out applicants.

Epiphanies Inc.'s Allen Voivod holds court at last year's Social Media Business Summit.

Epiphanies Inc.'s Allen Voivod holds court at last year's Social Media Business Summit.

In an effort to bring this ever-growing impact and power of social media to more New Hampshire businesses, organizations and professionals, the New Hampshire Division of Economic Development, in partnership with social marketing and success strategies firm Epiphanies, Inc. and Public Service of New Hampshire (PSNH), will host the second annual “A-Ha!” NH Social Media Business Summit at PSNH, 780 North Commercial Street, Manchester, on Monday, September 27th. To ensure content is geared to the needs and skill levels of the attendees, the Summit will be split into two three-hour sessions for two different audiences, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.

“The shift in how we connect and communicate is changing the way business is done in New Hampshire and beyond,” says New Hampshire Division of Economic Development Communications & Legislative Director Steve Boucher. “If you want to be competitive and relevant to your target market, your community, and in your industry, you have to actively explore what’s happening – and what’s possible – in the social media realm. This Summit is the place to do exactly that.”

The Morning Session, from 9:00am to noon, is designed for social media beginners, small business owners, professionals in mission-driven organizations and passionate entrepreneurs. Presentations include “Social Marketing on a Shoestring Budget” and “Facebook on Fire: Tips, Tricks, and Shortcuts to Fuel Your Success on the World’s Hottest Social Network.” The last hour will feature the NH Entrepreneur Success Panel, featuring: Christy Cegelski, Drink Skinny, LLC; Stacey Lucas, Veggie Art Girl; Bill Rogers, Now or Never Media; and Steve Varnum, Communications and Marketing Director, NH Community Loan Fund.

The Afternoon Session is geared for people who are already running with one or more of the major social media platforms – including Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and blogging. Ideal for social media enthusiasts, community leaders, marketing mavens, brand managers, bold entrepreneurs, and visionaries of mission-driven organizations, the afternoon’s presentations include “Facebook Marketing: Customization, Fan Building, and Advertising” and “Engaging the Social Senses: Listening, Monitoring, and Measuring.” Additionally, there will be a Cross-Industry NH Success Panel, featuring Erica Murphy, Director of Communications and Community Relations, The Common Man; Paul Boynton, Author of Begin With Yes and CEO of Moore Center Services; Steve Boucher, Communications and Legislative Director at the New Hampshire Division of Economic Development; and Abby Fitchner, Microsoft’s Developer Evangelist for Startups.

Summit Sessions will be presented and moderated by Lani and Allen Voivod, co-owners of Epiphanies, Inc., whom Boucher calls the Division’s “social marketing gurus,” and who’ve delivered workshops, webinars, slidecasts, and boot camps online and off, for Chambers of Commerce, trade associations, and business development events throughout the Granite State and for clients and entrepreneurs across the country.

“We received tremendously positive feedback from last year’s New Hampshire Social Media Business Summit,”  PSNH Economic & Community Development Manager Pat McDermott said. “We’re proud to help bring these ideas and strategies to the business owners, entrepreneurs and community leaders who play such an important role in New Hampshire’s economic growth and vitality.”

“Our goal is to connect the dots, empower action, and incite attendees to thrive with these tools, channels, and platforms,” said Lani Voivod. “The opportunities are here waiting for them.”

“With social media as with business, belief is everything,” Allen Voivod added. “We aim to help people believe in their own bigger picture of possibility and success.”

As a special gift to New Hampshire’s business community from the Division of Economic Development and PSNH, admission to this event is free. However, there are only 100 seats available for each session, so early registration is strongly suggested. To register, go to www.AhaNH.com. For more information, call Epiphanies, Inc. at (603) 524-5248, or email events@EpiphaniesInc.com.

Free Microsoft Training Offer Extended to General Public

Monday, June 28th, 2010

With the demand for skilled information technology workers continuing to rise, Microsoft is offering free training to help Granite Staters gain the certification necessary to score well paying jobs and pursue an upward career track.

microsoftThrough a special initiative, unemployed job seekers have been taking part in free Microsoft training and certification at the 13 NH Works Career Centers throughout the state. On July 1, the vouchers for this training become available on a first come first served basis to anyone 18 years or older.

New Hampshire Division of Economic Development Interim Director Roy Duddy said the $1.7 million worth of training vouchers distributed through the Microsoft Elevate America initiative will improve the skills and resumes of job seekers taking advantage of the one-time offer.

“Employers have told us they are looking for employees with good computer skills and that it has been difficult to find potential employees with these critical attributes,” Duddy said. “The free training vouchers available at the NH Works Centers will help develop higher skills in Microsoft Office products, as well as some advanced Information Technology (IT) programs.” Duddy’s office launched the program last month in coordination with New Hampshire Employment Security.

The 5,675 vouchers offer training in Microsoft Office 2003 and 2007 suites and several IT courses and provides free certification examinations.

Applicants fill out a simple form at a NH Works Center and will receive the free voucher via email or regular mail.

Vouchers must be activated by August 19. For more information, visit http://www.nhworks.org/elevate.cfm.

New Hampshire & Microsoft Make an Investment in Technology Training

Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010

Governor John Lynch has announced that New Hampshire has joined forces with Microsoft in an innovative public-private partnership to provide free technology training to unemployed residents across the state.

Through Elevate America, Microsoft will work with the Office of Workforce Opportunity, Department of Resources and Economic Development, New Hampshire Employment Security and NH Works Career Centers to distribute 5,625 vouchers for free, online technology training and certification.

(L. to R.) NH Employment Security Commissioner Tara Reardon congratulates Penny Letourneau of Concord, the first recipient of an Elevate America technology training voucher as NH Department of Resources & Economic Development Commissioner George Bald and Microsoft General Manager for State and Local Government John Bunn look on.

(L. to R.) NH Employment Security Commissioner Tara Reardon congratulates Penny Letourneau of Concord, the first recipient of an Elevate America technology training voucher as NH Department of Resources & Economic Development Commissioner George Bald and Microsoft General Manager for State and Local Government John Bunn look on.

“Providing training for our workers is one of the best investments we can make in our economy. Through my New Hampshire Working initiative and the Job Training Fund, we have made helping workers get the skills they need to get good jobs a priority,” Gov. Lynch said. “The Elevate America initiative is helping our continuing efforts to get workers the skills and certifications they need so we can help them get back to work.”

The first vouchers were recently distributed at the NH Works Center in Concord by George Bald, Commissioner of the Department of Resources and Economic Development, and Commissioner Tara Reardon of NH Employment Security. Joining Commissioners Bald and Reardon was John Bunn, Microsoft’s General Manager for State and Local Government.

The free vouchers are available to unemployed residents only until July 1, when vouchers will be distributed on a first-come first-serve basis. Vouchers must be activated by users by August 19, 2010.

Vouchers include 2,500 for Microsoft Business Certification Training; 2,500 vouchers for Microsoft Business Certification examinations, and 625 vouchers for advanced Microsoft IT Professional online learning.

“Elevate America helps people to get the critical technology skills they need to get a job in today’s competitive workplace,” said Microsoft’s Bunn. “We believe that this type of public-private partnership will play an important role in rebuilding New Hampshire’s and the nation’s economy by offering immediate access to basic technology literacy and skills training to ultimately improve recipients’ employment prospects.”

“Job seekers can use these online courses from their computers at home, and access the training for up to a year once activated,” said Employment Security Commissioner Tara Reardon. “Offering access to computer skills training will greatly improve recipients’ employment prospects.”

“Employers at our recent Governors Job Cabinet Roundtable discussions expressed the hope that today’s job applicants be trained in new technology skills, and this opportunity comes at an appropriate time, as employers begin to hire again,” said DRED Commissioner George Bald. “The Elevate America program will help New Hampshire companies remain competitive in today’s marketplace.”

Microsoft Elevate America vouchers can be obtained at the 13 local NH Works Centers throughout the state.

Vouchers can be used for the following training and certifications:
Computer Basics for Beginners – Access basic computer concepts and skills. Perfect for those new to computers. No voucher is required for the beginner courses.

Programs requiring vouchers:
Intermediate Level, Business Worker Online Learning – Select from: Microsoft Windows Vista, Office 2003 or Office 2007 online training. Voucher must be activated by July 26, 2010. E-Learning is accessible for 12 months from activation date.

Advanced Level IT Professional Online Learning – Select a training from Microsoft’s online learning library for IT Professionals and Developers. The cost of certification exams at this level is not covered by this program. Voucher must be activated by August 19, 2010.

Intermediate Level Certification Exams – Certification exams must be taken at a Certiport Testing Location. Select from Office 2003 or Office 2007 exams. Voucher must be activated by August 19, 2010. Certification exams must also be completed by August 19, 2010.

New Hampshire Certiport Examinations Centers are located at:
Blended Solutions Technical Institute
1000 Elm Street, Manchester N H 03101
603-622-4922
Contact: Cindy Kuehl (ckuehl@bstinh.com)

New Horizons of Northern New England
460 Amherst St., Nashua 03060
603-882-4900
Contact: Todd Duhamel (toddd@nhnashua.com)

ATI Institute of Rochester
35 Industrial Way, Suite 150, Rochester 03867
603-330-3533
Contact: Christina Dame (christina@smartati.com)

Manchester Community Resource Center
177 Lake Ave., Manchester 03103
603-647-8967
Contact: Fawn Francis (info@ontracktraining.org)

New Hampshire’s participation in Microsoft’s Elevate America program makes it the 22ndstate to take part in the initiative, which is expected to provide up to one million vouchers nationwide. The program is a part of Microsoft’s overall efforts to provide technology training for up to two million people during the next three years.

Microsoft announced the “Elevate America” program at the National Governor’s Conference in February 2009. The initiative is expected to provide up to 1 million vouchers nationwide for Microsoft e-Learning courses and select Microsoft certification exams at no or low cost to recipients. The program, part of Microsoft’s overall Unlimited Potential efforts to improve social and economic opportunities for people, will provide technology training for up to two million people during the next three years.

For additional information regarding Elevate America visit:
http://www.microsoft.com/about/corporatecitizenship/us/communityinvestment/elevateamerica.aspx

It Makes Perfect Business Sense to “Get Wild”

Friday, February 26th, 2010

How many times in a business situation do you think that it pays to “get wild?”

Well, I’m here to tell you that next Friday, the entire state of New Hampshire will go “Wild for Innovation” as we partner with Public Service of New Hampshire and the University of New Hampshire to host a daylong celebration of some of the finest innovative initiatives in the nation.

Our good friend Allen Voivod of Epiphanies, Inc. just wrote a great blog about our upcoming event – here’s what he had to say:

Networking, Innovating and Getting Wild About Business

Here’s one thing that 2009 taught us – everything you think you know about business can change very rapidly, and cause even the most stable of companies to get nervous, get shaky, and in some unfortunate circumstances, go under.

innovations22Here’s something else we know – out of recessions come some of the most powerful, profitable, game-changing companies. General Electric, Hewlett Packard, Microsoft, CNN, Federal Express, Burger King, and dozens of other giants started out in what some would consider the worst of economic circumstances.

One of the keys to their survival through thick and thin is their ability to innovate – to constantly search for ways to improve the way they do business, internally and externally. This is the overriding theme behind “Wild for Innovation,” billed as “a unique opportunity for New Hampshire businesspeople to converge with some of the brightest at UNH for a day of learning, sharing, celebration.”

It’s happening Friday, March 5th, at UNH in Durham, starting at 12pm and continuing through 5:45pm, after which there’s going to be a tailgate-style networking dinner. (You can stay and watch UNH’s hockey team take on Boston College at 7:30pm and make a night of it, too.)

I’ll be honest: I wasn’t planning on going originally, even though one of our clients is involved in putting on this event. But I’ve since changed my mind, and the reason why is because of what I learned from studying up on trade shows a couple of years ago:

If you want to stand out in your field, look at what’s happening in different industries to get fresh ideas, find out what’s working (and what isn’t), and bring some of that into your own presence as appropriate.

Same thing goes for innovation – if you want to get in the innovation mindset, surround yourself with open-minded business professionals who are thinking in that direction. Surround yourself with people who are actually innovating for a living. Get fresh input from different fields that you can take back and put to work in your own business.

You’re going to get that (and a lot more) from Wild for Innovation Day. It’s an event unlike others I’ve seen put on here in NH in the past, tickets are limited for it, and half are gone already, so don’t wait until the last minute – jump on it today.

To learn more, visit: http://wildforinnovation.eventbrite.com/.