All Posts By

Marijean

Marijean Oldham (Jaggers), a social media specialist and public relations professional, is president and CEO of Jaggers Communications LLC, a strategic communications firm based in Charlottesville, Va.

May 03
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10 Reasons I Like Working at OpenSpace, A Collaborative Work Space

By Communications

Photo credit: Todd Wickersty

I am a huge fan of OpenSpace, the collaborative workspace that opened in downtown Charlottesville a couple of years ago. You can find me there pretty often and when I host workshops or large client meetings, it is my location of choice.

Here are 10 reasons I like it, and I think you will too:

  1. I get to be around other smart people like John Feminella or Cathy Pales; people who give off energy and creativity like sparks and who are just pleasant to be with, in the same room. It is certainly nice to network with people in person once in awhile rather than solely online.
  2. OpenSpace is clean, well-lit and consistently maintained, which is more than I can say for my home office.
  3. There are always drinks and snacks, in case I’m in hard-core deadline mode and can barely stop long enough for a decent break.

    I took this with my phone!

  4. It’s perfectly situated and set up for the many workshops I deliver to small (20 or fewer participants) groups; the conference rooms I use are always comfortable, set up perfectly and ready to provide a professional backdrop to my content.
  5. The chairs are green, super cool and comfortable to sit in for hours at a time.
  6. OpenSpace is a stone’s throw from the downtown mall, making it a convenient landing space for me to work in between meetings.
  7. It’s not my house! For someone who works independently from home, it is a relief to be able to get out among other working people in a focused environment where there are no a) dogs b) kids c) Jehovah’s Witnesses at the door.

  8. Photo credit: www.cramerphoto.com

    It’s not a coffee shop! Don’t get me wrong — I love coffee and the places where I buy it, but those places are not always ideal environments for getting serious work done. Often, there’s a lack of seating, outlets or space to spread out. You never have that at OpenSpace.

  9. OpenSpace is right next to the gym. Excuses just fly out the window!
  10. The culture fostered by working in a collaborative environment is interesting, friendly and kinda (dare I use this word) intellectual. I love looking at the faces of my “coworkers” deep in concentration or at the moment they find a solution. And because I don’t actually work with any of them, it’s the first zero-politics work environment I’ve ever had.

Try OpenSpace for free, and tell them I sent you!

If you are not in Charlottesville, and the idea of a collaborative workspace appeals to you, keep talking about it; every market should have a space like this one — if you’re in Charlottesville and have only heard of the space, check it out.

Apr 29
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Taking the Online, Off Line: BlogVille

By Social Media

I am a big believer and promoter in the practice of taking online relationships off line and in person. I believe that the virtual relationship is cemented in that voice-to-voice conversation or in-person encounter. Sure, long-term and solid relationships can begin and even thrive online, but if you have the chance to meet in real life, why not take it. That is one of the many features of events like BlogVille and other social media or blogger gatherings. People who have interacted in one way or another finally come face to face and magic happens. I was so energized by the conversations around collaboration happening all around me at BlogVille and by watching faces light up when recognition happened for those who only knew one another by a Twitter handle.

When’s the last time you took an online relationship off line?

 

Apr 29
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BlogVille: a Full Day of Social Media Goodness

By Social Media

I have been to several blogging conferences and many industry conferences with elements of social media included. The first blogging conference I ever attended was BlogOrlando in 2007 and before that, there were more informal blogger gatherings I attended in St. Louis. Since then, I’ve added BlogHer on the national list and Show Me the Blog St. Louis for a smaller, regional meetup.

Yesterday, I attended and spoke at Central Virginia’s first social media and blogging conference, BlogVille.

I have to say — I was pretty impressed. The content was great — excellent speakers with topics that covered specific social media areas and philosophical concepts (like time management) that so many bloggers desire. For me, the experience was especially gratifying because so many people I know or who I admire were there and engaged in the day’s events. It was also enjoyable to be at a blogger conference that was a manageable size (one of my complaints about BlogHer in recent years is the behemoth crowd it has become — at 800+ it’s a mob and more than a little overwhelming).

I couldn’t attend all of the sessions, as there is only one of me, but I particularly enjoyed meeting (at last) Billy Hunt and learning from his presentation (which is a blog and available to you, as well).  I was inspired by Denise Stewart who has to be one of the most entertaining speakers I’ve ever heard. As ever, Christine Hohlbaum (who I love, love, love), the author of the Power of Slow helped us learn how to become blogging rock stars with staying power. (I have written about Christine and the Power of Slow before.)

Great connections were made and everyone left inspired and encouraged. This was the first year for BlogVille and I anticipate a fantastic second year — and beyond.

Apr 28
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Today’s the day: BlogVille is here!

By Social Media

Today I’ll be with fellow bloggers and social media enthusiasts at BlogVille, Central Virginia’s first comprehensive, day-long social media conference. I hope to share recaps throughout the day for those unable to attend. You can follow me on Twitter (@Marijean) for short updates and quotable moments.

I’m excited, not just about the conference content but about the people this event has attracted and how much fun it will be to have so many like-minded people gathered together.

I’m speaking toward the end of the day in a session for beginners. If you’re going — I’ll see you there, if not; follow the buzz on Twitter and I’ll offer some recap blog posts and links to others’ thoughts in the next few days.