social media

5 Questions with Monica Goyal

Monica Goyal is a lawyer and engineer. She has a law degree from the University of Toronto and Masters degree from Stanford University. She is also the founder of My Legal Briefcase, a first of its kind web-service designed to assist people with their Small Claims Court process.

What motivates you to do what you do on a daily basis?

My son.  I like to think that my work makes a difference in my son’s life and to others.  Having access to legal assistance is a struggle for many people, and I want to do what I can to help others get the legal information and advice they need.

If you had 30 seconds to impart your wisdom on a classroom of soon-to-be graduates, what would you say?

Follow your passion. Life is too short to not enjoy what you do. And if you hate your job, there will never be enough money to make you like it. I have seen so many people who are not happy because they are in a career that leaves them dissatisfied.  I love what I do, and each new day is an exciting adventure.

In your opinion, what has been one of the most important technological developments over the past 12 months?

The iPad.  Tablet devices have been around for years, and it is interesting how Apple can take something old and make it revolutionary, to the point that the iPad is now the must-have device. CES 2011 was said to be all about the tablet, with a lot of companies launching their own version of the tablet.  Will the iPad really change the way we communicate, socialize, and create and share knowledge?  Will it be just another device we want to have, or will it replace our laptops, or even our cell phones?  I’m excited to find out.

If you had a crystal ball, what would you say will be the most important technological development over the next 12 months?

Social TV.   Internet-based television is a really interesting and important technological development. Google TV, Apple TV, Netflix, Boxee – these devices will do for television what the iPod did for music.  And at the very least they have a better interface than from my cable provider.  I believe we are going to see more social apps and services around TV.  People sharing their shows with their friends.  Or chatting with their friends, while they all watch the same show together.

Who is one of Canada’s tech stars and why?

Michael Geist.  He is an authority in Canada’s legal community on policy issues related to technology.  Looking for someone to call out Rogers on their net neutrality compliance? He will do it.  He is admired not only in Canada but also in the US because he seems to have an equally strong grasp of technology and the law, and is respected by both communities.  That is not an easy achievement.

digital media, social media

5 Questions with Dave Hale

Dave Hale is the founder and CEO of the Ottawa based social media agency, Soshal Group. The agency partners with local and national digital, marketing, PR and integrated agencies to deliver social media strategies, community management and channel analysis to their clients. While he works in the social space, Dave is passionate about traditional media and shares his rantings on the connection between old and new marketing and branding practices on Soshal Group’s Soshalize Blog. Connect with Dave on Twitter @DaveCHale.

What motivates you to do what you do on a daily basis?

Passion. It drives me to work harder every day, to learn as much new information as I can, to connect with new people and to succeed.

If you had 30 seconds to impart your wisdom on a classroom of soon-to-be graduates, what would you say?

I wouldn’t need 30 seconds, I’d need ten. “Work Hard.” I feel that the saying “Work smart, not hard” is great if you want to increase your time away from work or your business but, if you truly want to succeed, being smart can only get you so far. Doors don’t just open for you, you need to knock first.

In your opinion, what has been one of the most important technological developments over the past 12 months?

I’m a big fan of the Windows Phone 7 because the smart phone market needed more competition. There are very few industries or verticals where there are only three major players (RIM, Apple, Google) and this can be dangerous for two reasons. Firstly, while there is an arms race to conquer new markets and build out more functionality, these developments are stalled because of consumer demand. With more players comes more marketing dollars, greater market penetration and overall acceptance, which leads to purchase desire and action. Secondly, we’re at the mercy of the big three, just like we are with Canadian mobile carriers (Bell, Rogers, Telus). We need more Wind Mobile‘s entering the space to disrupt the industry a little bit, expose its flaws and stimulate change. Perhaps Microsoft will just be a 4th big player, but the foundation is being laid.

If you had a crystal ball, what would you say will be the most important technological development over the next 12 months?

In the marketing world it will be location. Facebook Places, Foursquare and Gowalla all allow brands and businesses to have a digital store-front, a concept the website has tried to replicate for over a decade. The difference is that I don’t scream to the world that I’ve just entered Amazon.com. Location, and the integration into social, will give brick and mortar businesses a greater ability to compete in the digital space.

Who is one of Canada’s tech stars and why?

Seeing as how metrics and social media analysis would be my next choice for “most important technological development in the next year”, I’m going with Chris Newton, founder and CTO at Radian6. Why? It goes beyond the awesome business he and his team have built and has more to do with something I’m also passionate about. Community. Radian 6 could set up shop anywhere in the world, yet they choose to remain in Fredericton, NB.

digital media, social media

5 Questions with Jeremy Campbell of Spidvid

Jeremy is founder and president of Socially Collaborative Media, Inc. a company focused on changing the status quo of the traditional video production industry through Spidvid’s   community and new media platform. He is obsessed with sports, food, and his family. 

What motivates you to do what you do on a daily basis?

I know it’s a bit cliche for an entrepreneur to say, but I want to change the world. In my case innovate the video production world by making it more open, connected, and globally collaborative.

If you had 30 seconds to impart your wisdom on a classroom of soon to be graduates, what would you say?

Do what you love and you will never work a day in your life. Follow your passion and get a job that reflects that passion, or better yet control your own destiny and start your own company. There is usually a fine line between success and failure, people usually give up too early and quit when things get tough, but to push through that resistance is when the big wins happen. Oh, and read all of Seth Godin’s books and his daily blog.

In your opinion, what has been one of the most important technical developments over the past 12 months?

I would have to say the introduction of the iPad, just because it’s creating a whole new product category that will be totally mainstream in less than 5 years from now. Tablets have also killed off the Netbook market in a big way. My answer is also based on me being an Apple fan boy.

If you have a crystal ball, what would you say will be the most important technical development over the next 12 months?

Tough to say, technology is moving so fast that it makes predicting its future so challenging. I would say that millions of people will cancel their cable or satellite TV subscriptions in favor of using a box like Roku or Apple TV to watch their content online, and save lots of money. The “cord cutting” movement is just beginning right now.

Who is one of Canada’s tech stars and why?

It’s been exciting to see new tech stars emerge from across Canada over the last couple years. To say just one is tough, but Jordan Banks is leading Facebook Canada, so with Facebook being the fastest growing tech company in the world I give the honour to this remarkable gentleman.

digital media, social media

Happy Birthday edition of 5 Questions starring Adil from My City Lives

Happy Birthday My City Lives!

Tomorrow, February 24 2011, is the official one year birthday for Toronto-based digital start-up, My City Lives.  In honour of this special day we present to you a 5 Questions feature with co-founder Adil Dhalla.  

What motivates you to do what you do on a daily basis?

It’s hard for me to succinctly boil down my answer to a few key things but speaking generally I can say that I feel for My City Lives what a tween feels for Justin Bieber – unyielding love and borderline obsession to the point of hilarity for onlookers.

If you had 30 seconds to impart your wisdom on a classroom of soon-to-be graduates, what would you say?

Take everyone’s thoughts for what they are, thoughts particular to an individual’s own experience. There is certainly a lot to learn from others, accomplished or not, but a big trap one can fall into is learning and then attempting to emulate someone else’s path rather than carving out their own. There is not one right path and rarely are there two paths exactly the same. So if you chose to use someone else’s experiences as your own blueprint, you’ll always be more likely to follow than you will be to lead. And to clarify, it’s not about doing something new or being disruptive, it’s about recognizing that no circumstances are the same and that you alone know what you’re capable of accomplishing. Write your own story.

In your opinion, what has been one of the most important technological developments over the past 12 months?

Thinking in a local context, we’ve got to feel good about the emergence of the Toronto startup/tech community in the last year. When we (My City Lives) launched a year ago at one of Sprouter’s SproutUps, there were maybe 100 people in attendance. Last week’s SproutUp had 600 by comparison. A relatively similar growth has occurred in a number of other key events in the city. A year ago, we had a small handful of local success stories to talk about. Today we have more than I can count and a bevy of upcoming products such as Urb-Ops, Rocketr and Postage App that will only further establish our city and community as a model for how things get done. A year ago, sub communities like LeanCoffeeTO, FatBeer and The Yorkville Media Centre either didn’t exist or did, but no one knew about them.  Today, the excitement around them is palatable. A year ago, co-working and collaborative spaces were something to aspire for, but today we have Camaraderie, a second CSI and now Foundery (among others) that are not only normalizing the concept, but making it stick.

The point is, I can’t pinpoint one thing that’s changed the game locally, but I think we can all agree that the community of game changers in this city is vibrant and growing at an awesome rate. The end game of this is that we can hopefully stop referring to our city as the x of the north (i.e. “Sillicon Valley of the North”) and rather just as “Toronto” with the conviction that our collective efforts stand for something.

If you had a crystal ball, what would you say will be the most important technological development over the next 12 months?

The group-buying phenomena is going to start slowing down as consumers get “dealed” out and businesses learn that the long term ROI isn’t there as previously believed. It might not be the most important development, but whether you play in the local space or have concerns about a bubble and skyrocketing valuations, there will be an interesting ripple effect.

Who is one of Canada’s tech stars and why?

There are so many to choose from so I’m going to give some love to handful of up and comers including our own Community Manager (and my kid sister) Amira Dhalla (@amirad), Amrita Mathur (@amritamathur) who is behind Techkik, Raymond Kao (@raykao) who is  behind Coworking Toronto and Robleh Jama (@robjama) who is behind the Pocket Zoo success story.

Uncategorized

WIN a ticket to the Art of Marketing in Toronto

The Art of Marketing is back!  And it’s coming to my hometown of Toronto.

And I’m giving away a ticket to ONE lucky reader.

What is the Art of Marketing?

Building on the success of the SOLD OUT national tour in 2010, this one day conference features five internationally renowned bestselling authors and leaders, who will share an exciting blend of cutting edge thinking and real world experience on today’s most critical marketing issues. Don’t miss out on your chance to gain a competitive advantage and network with over 1,300 of Canada’s most influential marketers.

When:

Monday, March 7th, 2011
9:00AM – 4:30PM

Where:

Metro Toronto Convention Centre
North Building – John Bassett Theatre
255 Front Street West
Toronto, Ontario M5V 2W6

Featured Speakers

Guy Kawasaki – most recently wrote Reality Check.  Co-founder of Alltop.com, founding partner at Garage Technology Ventures and columnist for Open Forum of American Express.  Previously was chief evangelist for Apple.

Jeffrey Hayzlett – Former CMO of Eastman Kodak Company and best-selling author of The Mirror Test.

Gary Vaynerchuk – Business and social media visionary and trailblazer. New York Times Bestselling author of Crush It!

Dr. Sheena Iyengar – Columbia University Business Professor and bestselling author of The Art of Choosing.

Avinash Kaushik – Evangelist for Google Analytics, popular blogger and bestselling author of Web Analytics 2.0 and Web Analytics: An Hour a Day.

The kind folks at The Art of Marketing have given me a ticket to give away to one lucky reader.  To qualify to win all you have to do is leave a comment below on who you would most like to hear and listen to on the March 7th event.  Remember to leave your name and a way to get a hold of you…if you win!

Winner will be announced on March 1st on my Twitter account: @karimkanji (Follow Me!)

Good luck!

Uncategorized

5 questions with Puleen Patel

Puleen is best known in Toronto as the man when it comes to Android. According to his LinkedIn profile, he so much more than that.

Puleen is a Software Architect with extensive knowledge dealing with various technologies, tools, methodologies and programming languages.  He’s a business savvy entrepreneur and visionary interested in creating and enhancing processes and software to help businesses and individuals alike. Also an IT Consultant with an extensive knowledge of proprietary and open models of software, infrastructure and application development and deployment.  He spends his waking hours seeking to use technology to achieve good for all of humanity.

What motivates you to do what you do on a daily basis?

To challenge myself on a daily basis to be better, turn my weaknesses into strengths and look for opportunities to empower, engage and enlighten the minds of others and mine own through diverse experiences

If you had 30 seconds to impart your wisdom on a classroom of soon-to-be graduates, what would you say?

Never regret anything that you do, only regret those things that you did not get a chance to complete, but make sure to put them on your list of things to do and conquer them without any fear.

In your opinion, what has been one of the most important technological developments over the past 12 months?

One of the most technological developments in the past 12 months has been the emergence of Mobile Tablet and Handheld devices (iPad, Galaxy, etc.)

If you had a crystal ball, what would you say will be the most important technological development over the next 12 months?

The next 12 months will see innovation that will result in greater mobility and accessibility of information for people at home as well as people in the workforce. Devices with front and back facing cameras will become a norm and more and more conversations will start taking place using mobile and handheld devices.

Who is one of Canada’s tech stars and why?

Michael Geist hands down has been the tech star because he is the one champion who understands and defends Net Neutrality to ensure innovation on the internet takes place as rapidly as it took place back during the industrial revolution.

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5 questions with Jay Menard

This may be one of the most “heart” 5 Questions I have done.  By heart, I mean that Jay tells it like it is and that he’s not afraid to let everyone know what’s really important.  I hope you enjoy this one.  
By day, Jay’s the writer/editor for the Canadian arm of an international corporation. By night, he’s a corporate communications/social media consultant, hockey writer, and columnist. Superseding all, however, is the fact that he’s a husband and father of two.

“I believe in honesty and open communication for business, and I try to take advantage of the perspective that having a long history in journalism combined with my corporate writing offers. Of course, the best way to get to know me is to read my work at The M-Dash.

And, yes, I’m fully aware that’s a shameless plug.”

And although the name on his birth certificate says Jason, only his mom still calls him that.

What motivates you to do what you do on a daily basis?

Two forms of love. First off, it’s my love for my family, and as the sole breadwinner (due to an accident that’s left my wife unable to work), I’ve got to show up every day and bring home that paycheque. Let’s be honest — we’d all love to do what we want, when we want, but something’s got to pay that mortgage and put food on the table. And if there’s one thing I insist upon in my writing is honesty.

That said, I truly love to write. I love each and every aspect about writing, whether it’s for corporate interests, for my consulting clients, my freelance reporting work, or on the pair of books I’ve got swirling in my head. There’s something absolutely magical about putting ink onto paper (or pixels onto a screen, as the case may be) and creating a finished product. I find myself endlessly amused by the minutae of writing — a simple turn of phrase or analogy that I create can be immensely rewarding — and that passion for writing keeps me going.

If you had 30 seconds to impart your wisdom on a classroom of soon-to-be graduates, what would you say?

Be honest — in every sense of the word. I firmly believe that the ability to communicate will be the defining skill of the future. However, your readers are becoming increasingly savvy — they can smell when you’re faking it. How do you avoid that? Don’t fake it. Just because everyone can have a FB page for their business, blog, or tweet, doesn’t mean they should.

And be honest in how you approach your job. When I wrote for The Gazette at Western, I treated each and every story with the utmost of respect and all of my attention. It didn’t matter if it was a huge scandal, or a ribbon-cutting ceremony at a new cafeteria — what I was working on was the most important thing of the day. Do you know why? Because to someone out there, it is. That person you’re interviewing takes an immense amount of pride in their job, and the least you can do is respect that. When I became an editor, then editor-in-chief, I tried to impart that to my writers. Even now, in business writing, I treat each and every piece with the utmost of respect. Sure, writing a piece of catalogue copy or a speech on a new product may seem trivial to most, but to someone it’s extremely important — and it deserves your respect.

In your opinion, what has been one of the most important technological developments over the past 12 months?

I think it’s the explosion in hand-held, wireless technology, and its mass acceptance amongst the mainstream public. While the Internet alone made information accessible and eliminated borders, the fact that you can now carry the world in the palm of your hand is incredible. And for all those people sounding the death knell for newspapers, this iTouch, iPad, Android, etc. revolution should put the kibosh on that. Instead, these devices have made it easier for people to access information, so they’re reading more. Their curiosity has been piqued, but you need responsible journalists to provide that information. Yes, there are a billion and one blogs, but for the most part they’re reacting to the news — they still need someone to create it. People may not want to buy a physical paper, but they’ll read their local rag on their tablet. Someone’s got to create that content.

The question remains, how is that content paid for? Of course, monetising the Internet is a question that goes back to my LookSmart editor days…

If you had a crystal ball, what would you say will be the most important technological development over the next 12 months?

I don’t know if it’s considered a development, but rather a trend. I see finding a way to secure information as being a primary focus for the future. Yes, early adopters have embraced the cloud mentality and many have the savvy to secure their data. But success will only be reached when my mom feels comfortable saving her information in the Internet Ether.

Who is one of Canada’s tech stars and why?

Other than Karim Kanji? (Editors Note: That was Jay’s quote, not mine.) I’d like to nominate an old friend of mine, Shuman Ghosemajumder, who recently left his position at Google to work with his wife on the TeachAIDS project. They are committed to using technology to combat this horrendous disease and I believe their cause is one worthy of attention and support. Sure, Shuman doesn’t live in Canada any more, but I know he’s still a Canadian at heart!  http://teachaids.org/team.php

social media, twitter

social media and the ufc: my favourite things

I’m a fan and user of social media.  But you already knew that.  As a business tool and a communications medium, there has been nothing as transformative since the invention of the printing press.

I’m such a fan that I started a business with someone I “met” on Twitter.

I’m also a HUGE fan of mixed martial arts.  To be honest, I’m a fan of Dana White‘s UFC.  Athletes such as Canada’s Georges St. Pierre amaze me.

This post could be a case study on how UFC has used social media to grow their fan-base, popularity, value and sales.  But I think someone else has done this.

Today, it’s all about “Thank You!”

Earlier today Carolyn Van and I hosted a Social Media Week (Toronto) event called “making waves in the mobile space (#mwmobile)”.  It turned out to be an amazing discussion about the present ecosystem and the future of mobile. Everything from OS’s, hardware and philosophy was discussed.

Everyone loved the event and the comments both online and offline were humbling and exciting at the same time.

Saying thank you just didn’t seem good enough.  So I thought why not integrate my two loves!

So, to say thank you we’re giving away a pair of tickets this week to a cool documentary that just happens to be making its world premiere here in Toronto:

The World Premiere of THE STRIKING TRUTH takes place at 9 P.M. on February 25th, 2011 at The Sony Centre for the Performing Arts.   My favourite MMA athlete, Georges St. Pierre, will be in attendance and will participate in a Q&A session where fans get to talk to him directly.

Here’s how you win:

All week long in Toronto, Social Media Week – Toronto (#smwTO) will be taking place.  To qualify to win you must do the following:

  • Send a tweet on Twitter with ALL the following hashtags: #smwTO #TSTTO.
  • finally, make sure to add @wearethirdocean in the tweet.

Example:  “Social Media and MMA collide with @wearethirdocean! #smwTO #TSTTO”

The winner will be chosen at random THIS Friday and announced via @wearethirdocean.  So go get tweeting!

About the movie…

The Striking Truth follows Georges St-Pierre and David “The Crow” Loiseau over the past four years, starting with UFC 58 USA vs.  Canada where Loiseau was fighting for the championship against Rich Franklin and Georges was the co-main event against BJ Penn. The film juxtaposes their two careers with St. Pierre’s meteoric rise to UFC champion and Loiseau facing personal challenges. The movie charts their respective ups and downs as they follow their paths. The project  includes exclusive, never before seen footage of all that took place behind the scenes and will give an insight into the world of MMA and the characters of GSP and The Crow, previously known by only those closest to them.

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5 “snow day” questions with Ali Ghafour

Here in Toronto, where I live, we are experiencing an historical event.  For   the first time in over 10 years the Toronto District School Board has cancelled all classes for the entire day.  But as you’ve come to expect, we don’t take a day off because of weather at thirdocean.  And if it’s a Wednesday you can always count on another edition of 5 Questions.

Ali Ghafour, of viafoura, is an Internet veteran with over 12 years of web development and design experience.  A University of Toronto grad with a computer science degree coupled with an incontestable understanding of the web has proven to be an absolute asset to the company and its clients trying to navigate the social space.

Ali was on the Canadian National Taekwondo team for five years and competed at three World Championships, as well as the 2007 Pan Am Games. He finished in the Top 4 to be chosen to compete at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China.  On his own time, he coaches students who want to become future Olympic champions, teaching them both the physical and mental aspects of sport and how to implement these skills into everyday practices.

What motivates you to do what you do on a daily basis?

Solving a real problem is what motivates me. Working day in and day out on tools that increase user engagement for websites fits in that optimal zone of “challenge vs skill” for me. There are times when your self motivation becomes a little low, but hearing validation and strong interest from the people we present to, recharges the batteries.

If you had 30 seconds to impart your wisdom on a classroom of soon-to-be graduates, what would you say?
Put aside 3 hours one day. In these 3 hours write down 3 things that you remember in the past that made you happy. For me, it was building a toy car with electric motors, drawing from time to time, and sports. It will seem like a bunch of unrelated items, but think hard and find common themes. These will translate to skills that you naturally possess or needs you need fulfilled. For me, it was building things, working on intuitive UI designs, and having a health body and mind.  Whatever you do next in life, make sure that these skills/needs are being fulfilled and success will somehow find its way to you.

In your opinion, what has been one of the most important technological developments over the past 12 months?
The ease of use of video on mobile devices. It is easier to record, speak or show something on a mobile device than it is to type it out. This will create a shift in the way we communicate to others. It will happen slowly at first, by people recording their cats, but this will turn into people recording themselves speaking, or recording events playing infront of them. This was not easy to do before because we never had our cameras ready, but we always have our mobile devices ready.

If you had a crystal ball, what would you say will be the most important technological development over the next 12 months?
Anything that promotes net neutrality (technology or political policy). Having an open communication channel is the only way for truth to proliferate, and it is only through the truth which we can be free, and continue innovations.

Who is one of Canada’s tech stars and why?
Anyone who gets bought by Google had to of been doing something right, so BumpTop comes to mind, but I have not met any of the founders.
blog, crowdsourcing

Toronto’s Independent Free Wifi Coffee Shops

If you’re a start-up or a freelancer you will want to contribute to this post, share it and save it for future use.  Honest.  And here’s why:  

After starting thirdocean with Carolyn Van a few months ago we’ve spent most of our “office time” in our local Starbucks.  We have not yet reached the point of wanting to spend financial resources on an office yet so we appreciate that our local coffee shop let’s us hang there for hours and hours on end.

But there comes a time when a change is called for.  I’ve had enough of Starbucks and Second Cup.  Now, don’t get me wrong.  I’m not anti “big coffee”.  I continue to spend time and money in these places.  And I plan to continue this.

Recently, I’ve been introduced to a couple of neighbourhood gems:  The independent coffee shop that also has free wifi and amazing staff.

Following underneath will be a working and incomplete list of all the independent free wifi coffee shops in Toronto.  If you see that your favourite spot is not included please feel free to add them (with a link) in the comments section below.

Redline Coffee and Espresso – Queen and Parliament

saving gigi – Bloor and Ossington

Aroma Espresso – Yonge and Eglinton, Bloor and Bathurst, King and York

Cloud Espresso Bar – Queen and Ossington

Te Aro Roasted – in Leslieville on Ossington

Sense Appeal – Spadina and Adelaide

Manic Coffee – College and Bathurst

Little Nicky’s – Queen and Peter

Dark Horse – Queen West, Riverside, Chinatown

Quaff Cafe – Queen West and Palmerston

Urbana Coffee – Yonge and Church, Bay and Irwin

La Merceria – Adelaide West and Portland

The Mascot – Queen West and Elm Grove

What am I missing?  What’s your favourite independent coffee shop in Toronto?

Please comment below!