Insights

12for12k Supports Jodi’s Voice to Combat Stalking

Two years ago, I wrote about virtual stalking and how it was becoming an increasing problem in social media. The comments in that post, and the examples shared by readers of it, showed that it was probably a bigger problem than even I thought it was.

Two years later, I’m honoured that our social media-led charity initiative 12for12k is once again helping to raise funds and awareness for an organization right at the heart of the problem of stalking.

Jodi’s Voice

Jodi’s Voice is an organization led by the amazing Angela Daffron. I’m a little biased in my description of her, as I consider her a good friend, but the determination and strength in feeling she has about Jodi’s Voice, and the serious issues it deals with, make her pretty inspiring.

Jodi’s Voice was set up out of tragedy. It was named after Jodi Sanderholm, who was murdered by a stalker that had been watching her for ten years. Jodi was only 19 when she died – which meant she had been watched by her killer since she was only nine years old.

Sadly, this is commonplace among stalking victims. Many victims begin being stalked when they are young. In Canada, for example, 11% of women aged 15 and older have been stalked. In the U.S., 14 in every 1,000 women of 18 and above are victims of stalking.

And these are only the reported ones.

Sadly, for Jodi, it was too late, although her memory lives on in her family. Her sister gave birth to the family’s first grandchild while Jodi was missing, and her brother became a police officer to help others.

And through the organization Jodi’s Voice, we can help make sure Jodi’s tragic death is one that helped change the way the law deals with stalkers.

How You Can Help

On June 23, Jodi?s Voice will be having a massive event in Las Vegas called Fight Stalking in partnership with Sky Combat Ace. Celebrities from the world of entertainment will be going up against each other in aerial combat. Supporters of each celebrity can back their champions with donations and messages of support, and the funds raised will go to Jodi’s Voice.

For 12for12k, we’re looking to achieve the following, and this is where we need your awesome support! Between now and June 23, you can help in these ways:

If you or someone you know has been the victim of stalking and you wish to share your story, share in the comments (anonymously if you prefer) or on our Facebook page.

Add a 12for12k Twibbon to your Twitter or Facebook profile picture. Details can be found here along with instructions on how to change your picture.

Write a blog post of your own, and either share your story or highlight what we’re trying to achieve for Jodi’s Voice. You can either link back to this post, or the main Jodi’s Voice page on the 12for12k website.

Make a donation to Jodi’s Voice, a full 501(c)3 registered charity (we’re talking with a few organizations to make a matching grant). You can use the ChipIn widget below, and it will go direct to Jodi’s Voice and you will receive a tax receipt (payments can be made via Paypal or credit card) – just click on the green ChipIn button. You can also embed the widget on your own blog by using the Copy option.

Embed the video below on your blog or share the link on Twitter and Facebook, and help raise awareness of some of the statistics around stalking.

These are just a few ways you can help. You can also share this with your friends and family, and we’ll be giving you more details soon on the event and other ways to help, as well as follow our 12for12k Twitter stream or Like our Facebook Page for more information.

Thanks guys – you’ve always been amazing in your support, and Jodi’s Voice is a cause that can really make a change with your voices too.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfd0_zCK6Ck[/youtube]

Planning Ahead

I took this picture on the way to a meeting the other day. As you can see, the lady driving the car has her little dog right up front with her in the driver’s seat.

Because we were driving (and I know how some of our local drivers are – think New York cabbies!), I couldn’t help but think of some of the things that could go wrong:

A car suddenly brakes in front of her.
A child runs out in front of the car.
She’s rear-ended by the driver behind.
The dog sees another dog and starts going wild.

All of these scenarios – and probably a few more – would all lead to the same result, and it wouldn’t be pretty for either the driver or her dog.

Because she didn’t plan ahead.

She didn’t take into consideration what might happen, so she let everything go to fate. Fair enough – but sometimes we need to make sure that planning ahead is core to all we do. Some of this could include:

Planning Ahead For Your Business

We like to think we’ll know what to do when our business hits a rough patch. But do we? Do we know to have X amount set aside to pay the bills, employees, contractors and ourselves? Do we make our business and/or marketing plans flexible enough to be able to change on the fly? Do we plan for trends in the marketplace and how we’ll overcome them? Do we plan ahead on changes in the administration of our countries and different mindsets to our current business approaches?

Planning Ahead In Your Job

There used to be a time when you had a job for life. No more. Now, you’e lucky you’re at the same place for more than a couple of years. So how are you planning ahead for that? Are you taking a night school course to expand your skills for a new career? Are you keeping on top of industry news about your employer or their industry? Are you planning ahead in case your employer goes bust tomorrow? Are you planning how to use the contacts you’re making when/if push comes to shove?

Planning Ahead On Your Blog

If you blog, you may or may not have a blogging schedule. Myself, I pretty much write when an idea comes to me and I’ll write almost there and then – I don’t have any drafts. But what if I fell ill, and my blog was dead for a month or more? Are you planning on having a back-up plan for you falling ill? Or vacations? Or if your server goes down, or your host goes out of business?

Planning Ahead In Your Life

Okay, this is probably the hardest to plan ahead for, since life is pretty good at throwing us curve balls. But there are still ways we can plan ahead, either for us or for those around us. For instance, have you planned how much extra you can put to the mortgage to make your home your own faster? Or how you’ll cope if your partner falls seriously ill, and you have children? Who can you reach out to? Or how about the discussion that’ll arise if your son or daughter comes home one day and says their views on a topic you’re passionate about have changed and they’re in direct – and possibly harmful – conflict with you?

Your Turn

These are just some of the ways we can all plan ahead, whether in our personal or professional lives, or somewhere in-between. There are many more – the main point is that they’re all related. What happens at work affects your home life, and very often vice versa.

Planning ahead might not stop certain events from happening; but it sure as hell can prepare you better. After all, you never know when you’re going to get hit by a flying dog…

How about you? Are you planning ahead, and if not, should you be, at least just a little?

On Giving a Damn

People will agree or disagree with you. People will agree or disagree with how you do things. That?s how it should be ? none of us have all the answers.

The trick is in deciding who you give credence to, and who you let pass by because they offer nothing of value except repetition.

But the ?trick? is actually pretty easy to work out.

In your personal life, you give a damn about your loved ones ? friends, family, partners.

In your professional life, you give a damn about your business partners, your colleagues, your clients and your customers.

If you blog, you give a damn about your community.

If you?re on social networks, you give a damn about people you connect with.

And all the above includes your critics too. Your?valid critics ? you give a damn about them too, because they help you grow.

Everyone else? Meh. There are better things to spend your time on.

Choosing Authenticity Over Numbers Every Time

A couple of days ago, Dino Dogan guested on here with his awesome post, F***ing and Punching: The Moody Side of Business.

It looked at how he came up with the idea of Triberr and how he shared this idea with Dan Cristo, and together they came up with what is one of the best social media automation tools around. It’s a great read, and the comments after the post add to it even more, and offer some excellent tips on starting a business.

However, because Dino used some fruity language – and I published his post as was, cussing title and all – a few folks unsubscribed from the blog, and commented that they weren’t going to read any more, or share across their networks.

Fair enough – I understand that for some folks, swearing and coarse language may not be their cup of tea, and I completely respect that.

However, some also suggested I wasn’t respecting my readers, and that a blog is no place for dropping the F-bomb.

That’s where I’ll have to disagree.

One of the core points to this blog – if not the core point – is respecting my readers. It’s why I have an open commenting system with a fairly easy-going comment policy, for example, and also support other bloggers who read this one with the CommentLuv plug-in.

But perhaps the biggest way I respect my readers is by keeping this blog authentic.

That means allowing guest bloggers to write as they would on their own blogs; protecting my community and deleting comments where they attack other commenters; and telling things as they are, as opposed to the white-washed writing that sometimes happens around the blogosphere.

If this costs me readers, fair enough. I know my writing – and that of my guests – isn’t for everyone, and I’d rather lose readers to blogs where there’ll be a better fit, than have unhappy readers. That’s what’s so great about the blogosphere – there’s so much choice out there that no-one needs to stay where they’re not enjoying the company.

There are many ways to respect your readers – for me, authenticity and allowing an open space to “breathe” is one of the best ways there is. If that means losing numbers, so be it – numbers has never been high on the agenda anyhoo (otherwise I’d be doing subscription runs every month).

Here’s to authenticity – you in?

image: Marc Wathieu

Oh My – The Parables of Business Ebook is LIVE!

You know that mixture of excitement and nervousness all rolled into one?

That’s the current feeling as I release?my first premium ebook, The Parables of Business.

A business ebook that’s not your “usual” business ebook, The Parables of Business offers?my take on business tips and advice through the art of storytelling.

It also shows how old mindsets can help you forge successful paths in the new business world of today.

It brings together a collection of eleven stories that will help business owners build not only their business and brand loyalty, but also employee loyalty and a mindset to do business the right way.

There are stories about collaboration, entrepreneurship, social media Zen, overcoming adversity and much more.

Because of the storytelling approach, it offers something for everyone, from solo entrepreneurs to small-to-medium business owners, as well as human resource departments, internal teams and external contractors.

I’m obviously biased, but I think it’s a nice addition to the business ebook world, and offers something different due to its narrative approach. But, like I say, I’m biased, hehe.

Anyhoo… if you’re looking for something different, and you enjoy business tips along with stories, you might just find something you like with The Parables of Business.

It’s only $15.00 USD, with eleven stories over 36 pages (and some nice images too!). You can buy it using Paypal or credit card via the shopping cart below (powered by E-junkie on a secure server).

If you do buy it, we’d love your thoughts on it, either in the comments here, or over at my?Facebook Page.?And if you really enjoy it, consider buying a copy as a gift for that story-loving business person in your life!

Thanks, guys – enjoy!

Use the Add to Cart option below to buy your copy of The Parables of Business: