A social media superstar is a person who has reached a certain level of industry leadership and success, in the eyes of his/her fans, followers and peers. And, these leaders naturally possess the ten qualities detailed in this post. Most of these characteristics transcend industries, and many of them transcend those who have or are striving to attain “superstar” status. But, those individuals who have all ten of these qualities are most likely people who are out there doing an amazing job of truly making a big difference in the world of social media and beyond.

Last week, I lead a free webinar discussing these qualities and featuring the 32 leaders I chose to spotlight. The webinar was attended by over 800 live participants; the replay has been viewed more than 1,000 times, and the slides have over 5,000 views on SlideShare. A popular topic for sure! You can gain instant access to the replay of the webinar here, and view the slides below. Plus, keep reading further for details of the ten qualities, featuring 32 social media leaders!

In each of the ten qualities below, I’ve highlighted some of my favorite social media superstars – every one of which I personally know, and feel that they embody all ten of the qualities, not just the section(s) in which I feature them. I could easily add many more wonderful leaders here; this list is by no means exhaustive. Feel free to recommend your own favorite superstars for any one or more of the qualities in the comments section!

#1 – Humility

Leaders who are clearly very humble are the most attractive and the most engaging. By attractive, I mean people feel naturally *drawn* to them. We feel more relaxed and open around humble people. These individuals love to shine the spotlight on others but tend to shy away from having the light shining on them personally too much.

Check in on your own humility. I recommend before sharing anything on any platform, ask yourself, “What is my deepest intent?“ Sometimes it’s important to sit with that question for a bit to make sure you’re coming from the right place.

My social media picks for those who exemplify humility are:

Erik Qualman - talented author of Socialnomics and producer of brilliant viral videos, Erik is always gracious and has time for everyone.

Follow @equalman

Scott Monty – one of Ford’s best assets, Scott is admired by many. He’s super kind and super savvy.

Follow @scottmonty

Shashi Bellamkonda – I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Networked Solutions’ “social media swami” for many years. Along with his expertise, he’s extremely helpful. (He once went totally out of his way to help me track down a lost camera at Las Vegas airport!)

Follow @shashib

These individuals are so humble, they may even balk at being called “superstars!” Plus, if you’ve ever met Tony Hsieh — CEO of Zappos and author of Delivering Happiness — and heard him give a presentation, he really epitomizes humility in a leader. I’ve been blessed to share the stage with Tony five times now over the years! My friend Jim Kwik has a very similar disposition to Tony; Jim is currently working on his book called The Art of Warmth.

#2 – PASSION!

Regardless of your career, in an ideal world, you want to get paid for what you’re really, truly passionate about!! The one name that always comes to mind when thinking of unbridled passion in the social media world is my friend:

Gary Vaynerchuk – Gary has monetized social media with his exuberant personality and genuine love of people! I’m honored to call him a friend.

Follow @garyvee

It’s important to share your passion in your own way!! It’s not about trying to be like Gary; rather, making sure your life – and hopefully your business too – is a vibrant expression of your passion!

#3 – An INCLUSIVE attitude

To be a good leader, especially in the social media industry, having a non-competitive, inclusive approach works very well. A social media superstar with an inclusive approach will happily recommend and endorse his/her peers. You will often see them retweeting and promoting other social media professionals – who could easily be seen as their competition by others. These leaders treat everyone as equals. They don’t put others on pedestals and don’t like to be put on a pedestal themselves.

Those leaders who have this type of non-competitive, inclusive attitude are:

Jay Baer – a super-savvy and real down-to-earth guy, Jay is very welcoming and kind to everyone.

Follow @jaybaer

Brian Solis – if you’ve ever met Brian, you know he has a wonderful disposition. He’s also one of the most talented thought leaders and futurists in the social media world and beyond.

Follow @briansolis

Jeremiah Owyang - I first met Jeremiah in 2007 and he’s always been very sweet and personable. Along with Brian Solis, Jeremiah is one of the brilliant minds in the social media industry. It was an honor to have him lead the opening keynote for the Social Media Success Summit 2011.

Follow @jowyang

There are many more, too. Who would you add? Make your suggestions in the comments section below!

You may have heard sayings like, “Be yourself because everybody is already taken,” and one of my favorites from Dr. Seuss, “There’s nobody youer than You!” There are nearly seven billion people on the planet (close to one billion of us are on Facebook!), and we are all uniquely different. Yes, you need to differentiate yourself. At the end of the day, people do business with people they know, like and trust. Even if you offer an identical product or service as other businesses, the right clients will be drawn to you because of who you are.

#4 – Engaging

As Brian Solis talks about in his latest book, Engage, business have to “engage or die.” In other words, it’s crucial to your success to be responsive to your community. Audiences don’t want to be talked “at” and get bombarded with marketing messages. True leaders in the social media world care deeply about others and it shows by their daily interactions with as many people as possible. My choices for those who engage well are:

Guy Kawasaki - yes, I know Guy is a “firehose” of content, but he’s also very engaging on both Twitter and his Facebook fan page for Enchantment. He’s also a very caring person and certainly walks the talk of being enchanting!

Follow @guykawasaki

Ekaterina Walter - a talented social media strategist for Intel, Ekaterina is a terrific content producer and curator as well as being a great engager.

Follow @ekaterina

Pam Moore – Pam and her husband run a busy social media agency; she writes her own posts and is a popular guest blogger and is also a great engager.

Follow @pammktgnut

Who would you add — who do you love to engage with on Twitter and Facebook?

#5 – Deep NICHE knowledge

This is where the true differentiation starts to come in. A vast number of people may possess superstar qualities #1 through #4. But, having deep technical knowledge and experience within a specific niche really sets these superstars apart. They are specialists, not generalists. In addition to deep niche knowledge, these leaders also have a great breadth of industry knowledge. And they willingly share their knowledge and happily answer questions for their friends, fans and followers.

Superstars who have carved out a powerful and clear niche include:

Viveka von Rosen – one of my favorite go-to LinkedIn experts.

Follow @linkedinexpert

Beth Kanter – hands-down the top expert for social media for non profits.

Follow @kaneter

Sarah Evans – a PR genius and a super engager.

Follow @prsarahevans

Steve Garfield – the author of Get Seen and is a talented video marketing expert.

Follow @stevegarfield

John Haydon – like Beth, John is a master in the area of social media – specifically Facebook – for non profits. He’s my go-to guy in this area!

Follow @johnhaydon

What I love about niche experts is they are always at the top of my mind whenever I have an opportunity come across my desk – I can confidently pass along opportunities  and leads to these industry specialists.

Who else would you add here? Who comes to mind when someone is seeking a true expert in ______? Fill in the blank!

#6 – A prolific CONTENT producer

Another differentiator: social media leaders create and publish vast volumes of excellent, quality content. The root word of “authority” is “author.” If you want to be an authority in any field, author more – write more! Publish more blog posts, articles, and guest blog posts. Create more information products. Lead more teleseminars, webinars. Speak more. Get your expertise out there in the written and spoken word and you will become known as a prolific, quality content producer!

These leaders also freely share “OPC” – other people’s content. They feature other experts on their blogs, they regularly share other experts’ content on Facebook, Twitter and more.

Some of my favorite quality content creators are:

Ann Handley – and the MarketingProfs team are phenomenal at writing some of the best marketing content. Their studies and in-depth reports are extremely valuable. Ann should be under #1 above too; I’ve had the pleasure of meeting her in person and she’s extremely humble.

Follow @marketingprofs

Kristi Hines – is just a delight; do check out her blog and her consistently terrific blog posts.

Follow @kikolani

Simply Zesty – my favorite Irish team, Lauren Fisher and Niall Harbison are the brains behind SimplyZesty. Their talented writing often appears on other big blogs like TheNextWeb.

Follow @simplyzesty

Krishna De – another Irish gem, Krishna’s blog is packed with valuable social media and Facebook marketing tips.

Follow @krishnade

Who are your favorite sources of quality social media content? Let me know in the comments!

#7 – Always add VALUE

Along with creating and curating terrific content, these social media leaders add value with everything they do. They are discerning in what they say; they lift others up, are encouraging and are great listeners. You may often hear people talk about how important it is to “add value.” Adding value comes in many forms – when you’re a source of great knowledge, expertise, resources and support for your community, you’ll have a reputation for someone who adds value.

Some of my top choices for this quality are:

Mark Schaefer – his blog is exceptional, thought-provoking, helpful. Always something new and fresh. And Mark is a super nice guy; he’s always a great source of support.

Follow @markwschaefer

Cindy Ratzlaff – a longtime friend of mine, Cindy is a savvy branding and book marketing expert along with running her own social media agency. Her breadth and depth of experience always adds value.

Follow @brandyou

Nancy Myrland - Nancy is one of the nicest peeps online; she always has a cheery and helpful word for everyone and publishes great content on her blog too.

Follow @nancymyrland

Lori Taylor – another bright light in the online world, Lori shares an abundance of helpful social media tips and resources and always has something positive to say.

Follow @lorirtaylor

On the subject of discernment, here’s a great nugget from one of my favorite comedians, fellow Scot, Craig Ferguson:

There’s this idea that people are meaner than they used to be because of the Internet. People are not meaner; they’ve always been mean. It’s just the technology is just *faster!* People have a crazy, angry thought — BOOM!! It’s out. They don’t take time to slow down, self-edit and ask themselves these three questions: 1) Does this need to be said? 2) Does this need to be said by ME? and 3) Does this need to be said by me NOW?

~Craig Ferguson, from his “Does This Need To Be Said” show.

Who do you know that is always adding value by sharing great content as well as being supportive, kind and helpful?

#8 – 100% consistent.

Consistency has three main components in this context: 1) You have a seamless branding image and presence across all platforms. There is a consistent, uniform message that speaks quality. 2) You produce and share content regularly,  ideally daily, through your various social channels. 3) You engage with your network, ideally daily. Over time, you become known as someone who is reliable; you’re trustworthy and can be counted on to always show up.

Three consistently branded, generous leaders are:

Guy Kawasaki - I’m honored to call Guy a friend also; he’s the same everywhere – online, offline. I know Guy is also under quality #4, Engaging. I’ve put him in twice.

Follow @guykawasaki

Danny Brown - a fun, fellow Scottish-Canadian, Danny has a great look and feel to his brand and is a prolific content creator and engager. 

Follow @dannybrown

Ann Handley – Ann deserves to be featured twice too; she can be relied upon daily for excellent content + regular connecting.

Follow @marketingprofs

Who would you add here that exemplifies the quality of consistency?

#9 – A true LEADER

True leaders build people up and encourage them to reach their full potential, no holds barred. The thing is, many people in leadership positions actually hold themselves back from really championing other people, out of a fear that others might leapfrog ahead and surpass them. How sad. In his book, Greater Than Yourself, author Steve Farber talks about how true leaders really build people up.

These leaders are some of my favorites who are highly skilled at building real communities:

Laura Fitton (Founder @oneforty) – Laura is credited with being the person who got Guy Kawasaki on Twitter. Imagine Twitter without Guy! Along with being a published author, Laura created a great platform and community at oneforty.com.

Follow @pistachio

Charlene Li (Founder @altimetergroup) – I’ve always admired Charlene’s talents and leadership style.

Follow @charleneli

Liz Strauss (Founder @sobcon) – a fellow 6′ blonde, Liz is just a delight. She is cofounder of SOBcon (Successful Online Business Conference), a thriving annual event.

Follow @lizstrauss

Michael Stelzner (Founder @smexaminer) – Mike does a fabulous job of really fostering community among his entire audience and all his guest bloggers on SocialMediaExaminer.com and its Facebook fan page. I first met Mike in 2008 and over the years we have enjoyed a very rewarding business alliance, specifically with the largescale online Summits.

Follow @mike_stelzner

Wendy Piersall (A leader of mom-bloggers) – Wendy is another delightful leader. She has built successful blogs and businesses and her book Mom Blogging for Dummies is coming out next month.

Follow @emom

What other leaders do you admire?

#10 – A PROVEN track record

And finally, social media superstars did not just wake up one morning, hang out a shingle and call themselves and expert. Unfortunately, there is a lot of this in the social media industry which can reflect badly on those who have truly earned their stripes. However, I am of the opinion that you never, ever build yourself up by beating others down. Period. One of my favorite quotes is:

The best gift you can give others is the example of your own life working. ~Orin

True leaders – in any industry – have really “earned the right” to be a Superstar. They have put in the long hours of study and practice. They have client case studies and can point to their tangible results spanning many years. Several studies, including by Harvard, show that it takes ten years or 10,000 hours to be a real expert. Malcolm Gladwell, talks about this in his book, Outliers.

Experts have special knowledge of a subject beyond that of the average person. Experts have a prolonged or intense experience through practice and education in a particular field. ~Wikipedia

There is a vast number of experienced professionals in the social media industry with many years’ of experience working with clients and brands of all sizes, writing books and speaking at large conferences. Three of my choices for this quality are:

Brian Solis – a true leader with vast experience and expertise. Take a look at Brian’s popular blog on any given day and also pick up a copy of his book Engage, and you’ll immediately see why Brian is one of the top names in social media. I’ve included Brian twice too!

Follow @briansolis

Chris Brogan – has definitely earned his stripes as one of the leaders in the social media world. He and I were recently speaking at a major event in Oslo, Norway and got to spend a fair bit of quality social time together – a first for us in almost four years. It was a joy to get to know Chris better on a personal level.

Follow @chrisbrogan

Jason Falls – a sharp and experienced professional, and all-round fun guy.

Follow @jasonfalls

This list is not intended to be the “definitive” guide for ten qualities or characteristics of social media leaders. These are the ten that I have identified from working in the world of social media as a speaker, trainer and consultant since 2007 and, before that, as an internet and relationship marketing specialist since 1999.

Of course, I have refrained from listing myself anywhere in this post. During and since the webinar I lead last week, many people sent me encouraging and kind messages. I am truly honored. It is my life’s mission to shine the light brightly on you, to bring out the best in you, to support you in being all you can be. If you’re interested in checking out my mentorship program, do take a look here. We begin on June 16 and have a few spaces left. I’d love to work with you if it’s a fit.

You may have other social media superstar qualities that you would add or replace. Please share in the comments below your own perspective on leadership and superstar qualities in the social media industry or otherwise. I’d love to hear from you!

I recently had the great pleasure of speaking at the prestigious Gulltaggen (“Golden Tag”) event in Oslo, Norway. Gulltaggen is the Nordic premiere digital marketing conference. Among the speaker lineup were two fellow prominent social media personalities: my friends Gary Vaynerchuk and Chris Brogan.

Chris Brogan, Mari Smith, Gary Vaynerchuk

I loved being able to spend a fair bit of time with Chris Brogan – we had several great conversations over a few different meals. It’s the most time we’ve spent in person. (We both intentionally booked extra time for the Norway trip to enjoy connecting with the attendees and do a bit of sightseeing too). I got to catch up with Gary in just a few minutes, as is usual for us!

I’ve known both Chris and Gary since 2007; none of us spend a whole lot of in-person time together despite the fact we’re often at similar events. But, there is a distinct closeness among us – continually cemented with online connecting – which Gary mentioned from the stage during his keynote.

Building personality-based businesses

If you run your own business, scaling your social media management can prove more and more difficult as your online networks grow. Especially if you are what I call a “personality-based business.” That is, your name is the business. Your identity is wrapped up with the business so it makes it impossible to delegate (unless you’re okay using a ghostwriter, which most people I know are not!)

Personality-based businesses have become increasingly popular over the last few years with the boom of online social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. We talk of “web-celebs” who are springing up in all kinds of industries, not just social media. Celebrity status, if you will, is no longer reserved for actors and entertainers.

But, from what I’ve experienced and observed, those personalities creating greater successes are the ones who can remain humble, genuine, caring, inclusive. They treat everyone as equals and don’t let people put them on pedestals. They scale their caring as Gary says. I do my best to fall into this category and I know for sure both Gary and Chris do.

Scaling social media

Gary gave a rousing opening keynote (as always!) at Gulltaggen, and I wanted to share some of his key points below that really got me thinking more about this whole issue of scalability. Yes, it can be difficult to scale if you’re the one running all your own social media accounts – but Gary is adamant that you can scale caring and I completely agree.

If you’re familiar at all with Gary and his philosophies, he talks about the importance of the “hustle.” You need to go the extra mile, be everywhere, push yourself that bit further, consistently engage with your online networks, personally answer emails and calls, and provide exceptional customer care.

Bigger businesses with the resources absolutely must scale. BestBuy, for example, do a great job of scaling – they have some 2,500 employees dedicated to customer service via online social networks. And likes of Starbucks and Audi lead the way in engagement.

But, those of us who run personality-based businesses have to make a conscious decision to really ramp up the connection time whilst still running the business. (Of course, the online engagement is a massive part of running the business!) In future posts, I’ll outline some of my own strategies for scaling.

Golden nuggets from @GaryVee

Here are my favorite soundbites from Gary’s talk at Gulltaggen:

• “There is absolutely NO reason why big brands can’t scale their social media engagement.”
• “Social media campaigns are like a one night stand. You have to MARRY your customer.”
• “We are now in a cocktail party and the people who know how to work the room will win. You can’t give a presentation at a cocktail party.”
• “For the first time EVER, businesses will NOT be able to catch up with just money… because they don’t have the emotional investment. It takes time to build up relationships.”
• “YES, you CAN scale caring!! Just look at myself, Chris Brogan and Mari Smith.”
• “How interesting that three of the personalities who are most engaged with their audiences are here speaking at this conference.”
• “Online social connecting is bringing us closer together. I’ve spent all of nine minutes total with Mari Smith in person over the years but I feel very close to her.”
• “Content is King. Marketing is Queen, and she runs the household. But, more important than content is context.“
• “Even in 140 characters, INTENT is grossly underrated. People try to just go for the sale. Is your intent pure?”
• “Want to know the ROI of Social Media? People are making point-of-purchase buying decisions based on their social graph!“
• “You MUST put your Facebook and Twitter URL in ads/print media/packaging, not just the Facebook and Twitter LOGO!!” [Gary is on a mission to ensure we don't make the prospects work too hard to find our social profiles; even if it seems obvious to the company, still put your actual links next to the social logos.]

[UPDATE: I believe the video of Gary's Gulltaggen presentation is not yet online but you may find it here at some point: http://norwaytv.com/. Meantime, check out this great video of Gary on SUCCESS Magazine's site.]

Slides from Gulltaggen speakers

Chris Brogan’s presentation was equally as awesome as Gary’s, for different reasons. Like Gary, Chris has his own unique style of “edutainment” with a terrific sense of humor and timing. The Norwegians are first to admit they tend to be somewhat reserved and it can be challenging for presenters to gel with audiences in Norway. However, Chris’ humorous, relaxed style was well-received; I loved seeing the audience laugh along with Chris as he playfully poked fun at their teeny viking museum, for example! See Chris’ slides from Gulltaggen here.

Two other excellent, authoritative speakers at Gulltaggen were web analytics guru, Avinash Kaushik and online marketing expert, Bryan Eisenberg, who gave a terrific presentation on the future of shopping!

You can view the slides from my own Gulltaggen Facebook Marketing session and access the resources page set up for attendees here.

By the way, a word of encouragement for all female professional speakers out there – we need to see you on stage more! I’m frequently the only female speaker in an all-male lineup, such as I was at Gulltaggen. I’m not a big ‘gender-issue’ type of person, but it certainly would be a good thing to see a tad more balance. Just sayin.

Also, click here to see my favorite selection of photos and short video clips I took while in Oslo, Norway. If ever you have a chance to go, I highly recommend the Opera House, Vigelandsparken Sculpture Park (with 216 stunning nude statues!), and the Ekebergrestauranten where the hospitality and food are exquisite.

Please do share with me in the comments below your own thoughts on scaling social media and building personality-based businesses. How are you managing at your company?

As one year ends and another begins, it’s often all too easy to just jump right into what’s new and focus on the future. Whilst proper planning for the future is certainly essential, I think it’s equally important to reflect back on all that we created during the past twelve months, celebrate the wins, learn from the “mis-takes,” and consciously create a bright New Year!

2010 was a magical year for me with many, many high points including traveling to likes of Barcelona, Spain to speak and train on social media marketing and launching my first book with a publisher.

My speaking schedule had gotten a tad out of hand in 2009 – some weekends I spoke at three events in three different cities! So, I made a pact with myself and my team that I’d accept only one major speaking engagement per month for 2010 and that worked out well. I’m on track for a similar path for 2011 with speaking engagements booked through August!

As I look back over my 2010 calendar and large collection of photos, here are just some of the highlights of each month:

January

• 31st: Attended The Grammys LIVE with a group of awesome entrepreneurs. We got all glammed up, walked the red carpet and enjoyed the after party too. By far, the highlight of the show was watching one of my favorite performers, Pink, do her magical trapeze number Glitter In The Air (still moves me to tears watching the video!!).

Wearing Amy Michelson. Photo by CeCe Canton taken at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.

• 1st – 30th: Got in super shape via a 30-day rigorous bootcamp with my dear friend and personal trainer, Ashley Mahaffey!

February

• 11th: Met Seth Godin in person at Bryan Elliott‘s LinkedOC networking event with a mega turnout! Seth gave a memorable keynote about his book, Linchpin. [Seth is coming back to LinkedOC on March 2, 2011 - see you there!]

Seth Godin and Mari Smith

• 12th-14th: Presented at the National Speakers Association Winter Conference in Nashville, TN. Met the talented and adorable Steve Spangler (Ellen DeGeneres‘ “Science Guy”).

Steve Spangler and Mari Smith

March

• 12th – 14th: Attended my favorite spiritual retreat for the third time – Mastering Your Life; began a whole new connection with my older sister.
• 5th: Keynoted Total Networking Seattle – professional women’s conference.
• 26th: Presented at T. Harv Eker’s Guerrilla Business School with 1,000 attendees. (I first met Harv in 2003, attended many of his powerful training programs and was one of his SuccessTracs Coaches from ’04-’06. It was such a treat to then be on his stage.)

T Harv Eker, Keith Cunningham, Mari Smith, Bill Walsh

Mari Smith on stage at T. Harv Eker's Guerrilla Business School

April

• 8th – Presented at the Loveland Chamber of Commerce, Northern Colorado Social Media Social.
• 12th – 16th: First visit to Albuquerque, New Mexico – loved it! (Private mastermind retreat). Had to buy second suitcase for all my turquoise goodies!

Mari Smith at San Felipe de Neri Parish, built in 1793

• 16th – 17th: Presented at Peggy McColl’s Ultimate Success Event at the lovely Château Cartier in Gatineau, Quebec, Canada (close to Ottawa).

Peggy McColl, Judith Cane, Joyce Bone, Mari Smith, Lisa Larter, Roslyn Franken, Dr. Deborah Barry

May

• 3rd – Facebook Marketing: An Hour A Day virtual book launch party with my coauthor Chris Treadaway!

Mari Smith and Chris Treadaway - Facebook Marketing: An Hour A Day virtual book launch party!

• 4th – 25th: Presented at Social Media Success Summit 2010 - my second year in a row teaming up with the inimitable Michael Stelzner!
• 26th: Attended my friend Ken Druck’s special annual fundraiser for The Jenna Druck Foundation. Met Suze Orman [we agreed we both have a penchant for fabulous jackets! ].

Suze Orman and Mari Smith

• 28th: Spirit Walk Day with Esperanza Universal of the SOUL Institute then went on a 3.5 day “digital fast” for the first time… ever! No technology whatsoever, completely unplugged. It was a life changing experience that helped me see how enmeshed I’d become in being “ON” every waking moment. I’m still a work in progress, but have much more structure and discipline in place and have since gone on a couple more digital fasts!

Mari Smith and Esperanza Universal

June

• 11th – 12th: Lead my two-day training event Social Marketing Mastery Immersion with attendees live and virtually from around the world!
• 21st – 23rd: Attended and spoke at SANG – Speakers and Authors Networking Group – for the third time! Met the legendary Harvey Mackay!

Jeffrey Hayzlett, Mari Smith, Harvey Mackay

July

• 8th: Presented at Tribal Truth women’s group in San Diego on “Taming the Ego in Social Media.”
• 15th – 18th: Presented at eWomen Network 10th Annual Conference in Dallas, TX.
• 27th: Filmed first episode of Social Media Examiner TV!

Mari Smith and Michael Stelzner at BlogWorld Expo

August

• 7th – 11th: Trip to Barcelona, Spain to speak to 250 ActionCOACH leaders. Fell in love with la Sagrada Família – the stunning church by famed architect Antonio Gaudí; the church has been under construction for over 120 years!

Stunning stained glass window of la Sagrada Família

One of the many facades of la Sagrada Família

• 15th – 14th: Hosted my big sister for a lovely vacation at my home in San Diego.

Mari Smith and Moira Hutchison - San Diego Safari Park (Giraffes are my favorite animal!)

September

• 3rd – 4th: Lead my two-day training event Social Marketing Mastery Immersion with attendees live and virtually from around the world. (I first began this training in 2007 as a webinar series and it has evolved over the years into a 2.5 day live event that I also livestream through a private webinar. Next dates are March 31-April 2).
• 10th – 11th: Presented at Hispanic Business Showcase, San Diego, CA.

Rodney Rumford (Plixi), Mari Smith, Ramon DeLeon (Domino's Pizza)

• 18th: Attended the Southern California Association of Transformational Leaders inaugural meeting (an offshoot of Jack Canfield‘s Transformational Leadership Council). Met many incredible new friends!

October

• 5th – 26th: Presented at Facebook Success Summit 2010 – a delight to team up again with Mike Stelzner for this inaugural summit on my favorite topic! Be sure to also check out Mike’s upcoming inaugural Blogging Success Summit 2011, starts February 1st, 2011!
• 13th – 17th: Attended and spoke at BlogWorld Expo for third year in a row. My talk was on “The Brand Of You: How To Monetize Your Personality Using Social Media”

Social Media Examiner dinner at BlogWorld Expo

• 23rd: Presented at my buddy Jim Bunch’s Ultimate Wealth Workshop in San Diego, CA for the second year in a row.

Mari Smith and Jim Bunch

November

• 5th: Attended Ray Blanchard’s Super Seminar III and a power women’s luncheon for a dozen wonderful girlfriends!

Lynn Rose, Mari Smith, Kim Castle

• 12th: Appeared on KUSI Good Morning San Diego “Top Tweeters” segment with Alexis DelChiaro and on the 29th for a “Cyber Monday” segment with Brad Perry.

Alexis DelChiaro and Mari Smith on KUSI TV

Brad Perry and Mari Smith on KUSI TV

December

• 4th: Saw preview of Discover The Gift (inspiring new movie due out Spring 2011) at Janet and Chris Attwood’s Discover Your Destiny Program in San Diego.

Janet Attwood, Mari Smith, Debra Poneman, Marci Shimoff

• 9th: Signed my next book contract with John Wiley & Sons for my first solo authored book!! Current working title is The New Relationship Marketing: How To Build a Powerful, Profitable Network in the New Media Age. Publication is set for August 2011 – very exciting!!
• 22nd – 31st: Hosted my mum and step-dad for the Holidays in San Diego. They drove down from BC, Canada on a lovely sightseeing journey!

Along with celebrating and anchoring the wins, while reviewing the past year we can also look to see what didn’t work out quite the way we’d hoped and reflect on the lessons learned. In 2010, I only had one major “learning experience” when I chose to dissolve a business venture/partnership. I’m a great believer in everything happens for a reason – sometimes the reason is not apparent when we’re in the midst of the situation. But proper reflection can certainly help us grow stronger and make more empowering choices in the future.

How about you? What were the highlights of your year? What would you do over again in a heartbeat? Did you have any “learning experiences?” I’d love to hear from you – please do share in the comments below:

P.S. Each year I choose a one-word theme that governs many of my decisions and my course throughout the year. 2011 is my year for “Commitment” – and I’m stepping up my game in several areas, one of which is publishing more blog posts! My initial goal is two per week; alas I’m behind this week as I had a setback… recovering from getting sick over the holidays. I should be back on track next week and will aim to publish many Facebook marketing tutorial posts!!

[UPATE: Thank you for your interest in ISMA – this organization is in process of being dissolved. You may read about the transition below. If you were a member of ISMA, you will continue to receive access to all materials via my website on a special platform – please keep an eye on your email Inbox for information.]

This is not an easy post to write, but here goes — after much deliberation, my partner in ISMA and I have decided to dissolve the International Social Media Association. There are many reasons behind this decision and it was certainly a tough one to make.

Mark and I have enjoyed this journey together since September 2009 and are most grateful to our more than 3,000 members. Between the tw

o of us – along with Mark’s entire family – much effort has gone into building ISMA to this point.

However, like I say, for a number of reasons we have chosen to wind up our partnership and ISMA.

All our members received a special, heartfelt email message this morning with details of our announcement.

Live Q&A Broadcast

In order to communicate the transition of ISMA in person and answer any questions our members and other industry professionals may have, I will be LIVE on Ustream TODAY, Friday, April 30th at 1:00pm PST / 4:00pm EST.

Do drop in any time if you can at http://marismith.tv

I will broadcast live for approximately 90 minutes. The show will be recorded and the replay will be available at the same link if you’re unable to join me live.

UPDATE: I have embedded below the replay of the live Ustream broadcast:

What Went Right?

Rather than dig in and analyze what went “wrong,” I’d rather focus on what went right. [Props to Ian Newby-Clark, psychologist at the University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada for this great reframe in Psychology Today.]

Facebook beginnings

By way of background, I began my journey in the social media industry back in early summer of 2007. For the previous seven years, I was a relationship marketing specialist – focusing on internet marketing, information product creation, copywriting and email marketing. I would travel, speak, consult and lead online trainings – similar to what I do now, sans social media!

When I was introduced to Facebook, I was convinced that I didn’t need yet another online social network to help me network. I’m already a natural networker. However, I dove deep into this  magical world on a team of beta testers for a Facebook app.

Social media = paradigm shift

Of course, what we had begun to experience as a society and beyond was a complete paradigm shift in how we function, communicate and do business on the planet. Suddenly, it was ALL about the relationships. Not what you know, but who you know. And – often more importantly – who knows you.

Words like “authentic” and “transparent” were all abuzz. As consumers, we began to expect that individuals and companies would be more open, more sharing, more inclusive. Social media became “word of mouth on steroids,” as my friend Gary Vaynerchuk calls it.

Towards the end of 2007, I was creating Facebook training products, leading seminars and traveling to speak about Facebook marketing.

Best practices

But, I felt uneasy about what was beginning to look like a giant free-for-all: a new industry without best practices. There were so many unspoken rules of etiquette. With all due respect to the well-intentioned marketers who push the envelope and try new ways of using these new technologies, I just felt strongly about leading by example… and, I envisioned creating an organization grounded in best practices. I had a vision to create Certification Programs and an international community of like-minded, supportive professionals.

Fast forward more than two years on, and last fall – after leading my six-month “Mentor With Mari” program – I co-founded the International Social Media Association with Mark Eldridge, co-author of The Obvious Expert.

Gratitude

What went right is that I followed my heart and took action. What went right is I surrounded myself with a solid, supportive team. What went right is we attracted over 3,000 wonderful members and each week we were able to bring them wonderful industry experts who generously shared their knowledge and expertise.

We built community. We built a special place for loyal professionals to support each other. We spawned new businesses, new collaborations, new relationships.

I will always be deeply grateful for this profound opportunity to go for my dreams and birth an amazing social media association. I couldn’t have done it without the relentless support of Mark Eldridge and his family. And, we couldn’t have come this far without our members.

Closing a door is never easy. Yet, as you well know, another door always opens. This isn’t an ending – it’s a beginning. I won’t rule out other associations in my future. And, I’m certainly open to joining forces with other social media industry leaders… but not before I free up a wee bit more time in my hectic schedule!

My major focuses right now are:

• The launch of my first published book - Facebook Marketing: An Hour A Day (Sybex, May 3) co-authored with Chris Treadaway. Do come join us at our virtual launch party on Monday, May 3! Facebook Marketing: An Hour A Day is a comprehensive guide for marketers, business owners and practitioners alike. Discover all the ways your business can maximize everything Facebook has to offer, from simple quick techniques to full-on campaigns. Order your copy today and get a free series of online classes!

• My favorite event of the year: the extraordinary online Social Media Success Summit – brainchild of my dear friend, Mike Stelzner – which begins on May 4 and runs for four weeks. (It’s entirely virtual!) The Summit features twenty-four of the world’s leading social media experts, practitioners and leading brand representatives. See my post here for additional details. And, take a look at my video on YouTube: Ten Reasons to Attend the Social Media Success Summit.

• My own two-day live training programs: Social Marketing Mastery Immersion coming up on June 11-12 and again September 3-4 in San Diego. Attend live at a great San Diego hotel, or virtually via webinar!
• A long-awaited collaboration with my dear spiritual mentor, Esperanza, called Conscious Social Media. VERY excited about this – I can share details in just another few days!

• Plus, continuing my travels to speak around the globe on social media success and lead training programs on Facebook marketing.
• Plus, continuing to lead private trainings and provide social media strategy consulting for my dear clients.

I look forward to evolving and growing with you, my peeps!

Do feel free to add your comments, questions, concerns, ideas and feedback below! I’d love to hear from you.

I’m about to set off on a wee tour – which originally began as a private mastermind retreat in Albuquerque, New Mexico, April 12-17

Then, my friend, Peggy McColl, asked me to speak at her amazing Viral Explosions book launch extravaganza in Ottawa, Ontario, April 16 and 17. It’s such an amazing event, and my big sis lives near Ottawa so we get to meet up!

And, my friend, Joel Comm contacted me to let me know the Loveland Chamber of Commerce *really* wanted me to come speak at their next Social Media Social. We ended up selecting a date that worked for all of us, and I added on extra time on the front end of my trip! w00t!

So, if you’re in the Northern Colorado area, or Albuquerque or Ottawa – I’d love to meet you IRL (in real life!) at these upcoming events:

Northern Colorado Social Media Social – Loveland, CO 

WHEN: Thursday, April 8, 2010 from 5:30-7:30pm
WHERE: Embassy Suites Loveland, Clydesdale Parkway, Loveland, CO 80538
COST: Loveland Chamber investors: $8 to pre-reg; $10 at the door. Everyone else: $12 to pre-reg; $15 at the door
RSVP: CLICK HERE to register. [NOTE: I have 4 guest passes left. If you know for sure you can make it, DM me for a guest pass!!]

Mix, mingle and meet the people behind the avatars and Twitter handles! I’ll be giving a short presentation on social media marketing, especially a few of my Facebook and Twitter ninja tricks. PLUS, the Loveland Chamber are serving Aqua Mari’tinis in my honor – gotta love that!! Follow the @LovelandChamber and @NoCOSocialMedia on Twitter.

 
[Pic: @JoelComm & @MariSmith at the Affiliate Summit West in Las Vegas, Jan 2009]

Spring Tweetup – Denver, CO

WHEN: Friday, April 9, 2010 from 6:30-9:30pm
WHERE: The Lobby Denver, 2191 Arapahoe St, Denver, CO 80205
COST: No fee, but Happy Hour Specials & food available for purchase, of course!
RSVP: http://twtvite.com/springtweetupdenver [Please let us know you're coming asap so we know how many to expect!]

NOTE: It’s opening day for the ROCKIES, parking may be a wee bit tight. Carpool and take public transit if you can.

“To mark the beginning of Spring to see old friends and new, and to welcome Mari Smith to Denver.”

Thanks to my Twitter bud, Ashley Kingsley, for spearheading the organizing of this fun tweetup!! To see who’s attending, just go to the Twtvite page here.

Who’s going so far: 
 

New Mexico American Marketing Association, Albuquerque, NM

WHEN: Tuesday, April 13, 2010 from 7:30am-9:30am
[7:30-8:00am - Check-in & continental breakfast; 8:00-9:30 am - Mari Smith presentation]
WHERE: Hotel Albuquerque, 800 Rio Grande NW
COST: $25 NMAMA members / $40 non-members
RSVP: CLICK HERE to register.

JAVA TALK Workshop – Facebook Fortune & Twitter Treasure. How to grow your business using the top two social networks. 90-minute presentation for local business owners and entrepreneurs.

Huge shoutout to @KimGusta who happened to see me tweeting about my retreat at the Hyatt Regency Tamaya and she tweeted/DM’d me inviting me to speak to the AMA. Gotta LOVE Twitter, social media and the sheer power of networking!!

The Ultimate Success Event – Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Presented by Peggy McColl. Includes mega book launch party extravaganza for VIRAL EXPLOSIONS

WHEN: Friday April 16, 2010 from 6:30pm-11:00pm (FREE book launch party)
Saturday, April 17, 2010 from 8:00am – 6:30pm (The ULTIMATE Success Event)
WHERE: Chateau Cartier Hotel (relatively close to downtown Ottawa, Ontario)
COST: Friday’s party is FREE! Saturday’s seminar is just $199!
RSVP: CLICK HERE to register.

To kick off the official launch of Peggy McColl’s 7th book, Viral Explosions, and ensure you have everything you need to make this your biggest and best year ever . in Life and Business!

LIVE entertainment by Diego the Humor Hypnotist! And Magician, Elliott Smith! And, Singers, Alison Comrie and Kristen Stephen!

Presenters at The ULTIMATE Success Event include Gay Hendricks, Joyce Bone, Scott Stratten, Mike Koenigs, Brian Proctor, David Riklan, Arielle Ford, Steve Shapiro, Ken Brown and more!

This will be one magical event – I look forward to seeing you there! Register now if you can attend.

Let me know in the comments below (and/or on Twitter) if you’re able to attend any of these fun four events!!

Here’s hoping you had an extraordinary Valentine’s Day! I just flew back home to San Diego after speaking in Nashville at the National Speakers Association Winter Conference. (Definitely a way fun event; made awesome new connections and we even enjoyed a local tweetup last night!) Oh, and props to SouthWest Airlines for all the LUV!

Valentine’s Day surely means different things to different people. In many cultures, it’s a day to express romance to a significant other. In other cultures, it’s more a day to acknowledge friendships of all kinds.

When I was growing up in BC, Canada, I found it odd that all the kids at school would bring in playful little cards for every student in class, along with candies, etc.

Yet, in Scotland, where I later lived for 20 years, Valentine’s Day was more about romance.

Here in the U.S., I think Valentine’s is about romance, friendship, and everything in-between!

As a sidebar, I’d love to know how many Facebook users who have their relationship status set to “It’s Complicated” are in the U.S. – per capita – compared to other countries! LOL. I just tried to find out using the Ads wizard, but it seems advertisers can only target Single, In a Relationship, Engaged or Married. even though there are three other categories of relationship status. heh!

I also see some folks refer to “VDay” as “Singles Awareness Day.”(I imagine someone made this term up sort of in jest, which I find rather sad; if you’re single today, it’s a time to rejoice and celebrate YOU! And to express your love for and to ALL your loved ones!)

Valentine’s Day back in 1999 has much significance to me; I had only lived in California just a few weeks after arriving from my previous home in Scotland. flat broke, and knowing just one person.

I was laser focused on finding a way to earn a living and remain in San Diego. One of my hobbies for many years in my 20′s was decorating cakes. (My dad was a baker and I went to night school for three years to study confectionary!) I had submitted my portfolio to a local bakery just in case I could find temporary work to get me started, and had been praying for a sign that I was supposed to stay in the U.S.

Sure enough, within a matter of hours, the phone rang: it was the local bakery needing help with their Valentine’s Day big rush on cakes and cookies! (The rest, as they say, is history! Hehee.)

By the way, maybe you can relate: I’ve had the great fortune to enjoy a very wide and varied career since I left school and started working at the young age of 15! (I’ll save my journey to becoming a recognized social media evangelist for a different post!)

Another significant Valentine’s event: I got married on February 14, 2001.

However, after 8 years, I made a conscious decision to transition back to singlehood (LOL, sounds more playful than “divorce.”) You’re welcome to read about my personal journey (and how it relates to social media), if you haven’t already on my blog.

So, this is actually my first Valentine’s Day as a “single” person since 1999. And, I just have to share that I’ve never felt more liberated.

I am blessed to have a wonderful spiritual mentor, Esperanza; her work has made a profound difference in my life over the past year.

One of my favorite quotes from Esperanza is:

“The most important relationship you have in the world is the one you have with yourself; everything and everyone is a direct reflection of the quality of that relationship.”

This is so true.

Just this past week, I had a wonderful phone conversation with a friend I’ve known for years. She asked me a very poignant question about what exactly it was that I did to catapult my success and visibility to the “stratosphere” in the past 12 months or so.

She wanted to know the name of my PR Agency, or Speakers Bureau. or??

I began to chuckle.

I told my friend my answer would surprise her. I shared that, in fact, I hadn’t hired any third party publicity support and that all business comes to me via the “Law of Attraction,” if you will.

See, my big boost in success can be directly attributed to my choice to pursue a more spiritual path last year.

I chose to stop playing small, stop the self-doubt and fears. I made myself step further into my power and light. To own my gifts and be willing to share even more.

I’ve always resonated deeply with Marianne Williamson‘s words, but I finally chose to embody: “our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.” “.as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.”

My friend was astounded by my reply. She was looking for something formulaic; something she could simply plug into and achieve similar results.

Well, the good news is she can. And so can you.

At my speaking engagement this past weekend, I shared the same story right up front with the audience. And I told them I’ve never felt more on purpose during the past three years of my career.

I was deeply touched by the overwhelmingly positive feedback from the audience members on my presentation… and by the number of people who shared how inspired they were by my inclusion of spiritual principles.

See, so many times, we get afraid to talk about spirituality (and/or religion) in the “workplace.” We tend to think that’s part of everyone’s “private” life.

Yet it’s not private at all. (Well, your own beliefs can certainly be held privately!)

We are all, in some way shape or form, regardless of anyone’s belief systems, impacted by energy, spirit, consciousness, God. whatever you want to call it.

SO, my wish for you this Valentine’s Day and beyond is that you, too, stop listening to those doubts and fears. Those voices in your head (that quite often are not even your own!) that hold you back.

And, instead, begin listening to that still small voice that knows who you ARE at the core. Listen to the part of you that absolutely knows without a shadow of a doubt why you came to this planet. And dare to go out and take big, bold action steps.

This, in fact, is also the message from Seth Godin‘s latest book, Linchpin – Are You Indispensable?. I had the great fortune to meet Seth at an incredible event last week and I managed to “livetweet” the bulk of his deeply inspiring one hour keynote. (See tweets here).

I’d love to hear your own thoughts on the pursuit of success and how it relates to your own spiritual path. And your thoughts and feelings about the biggest day of romance and love of the year – what does it bring up for you? Do share your thoughts in the comments below:

Big hugs,
Mari

P.S. Another quote from Esperanza – if you happen to be single (or your S.O. is away) right now: “You can never be alone because you will always have YOU.”

My favorite events on my calendar are giving social media talks to all sizes of audiences, across many industries and a variety of formats. Whether it’s an opening keynote on social media success in general, an in-depth Facebook and/or Twitter breakout session or a full day training.

My 2010 calendar is filling up nicely, and this year I’m intent on pacing myself a tad more, and also allow a bit of extra time in each city to a) sightsee and b) connect with Twitter peeps at local Tweetups. Yay!

My public calendar can be found here, which is always current. Meantime, I thought I’d put together this post with a smidge more detail of what I have booked for 2010 so far and I’ll update it as more events are added. and add some video content too!! [If you'd like to hire me to speak at your event, hop over here.]

2010 Events – Let’s Tweet Up!

Here are my travels for 2010 so far; as more are confirmed I’ll add to this post and also to my public Google calendar. Most all of these are speaking engagements; a few I’m attending as a participant.

If you live in any of these cities – or will be at these events – please do tweet/DM me!!

January – Hollywood CA

• January 28 – February 1: The GRAMMYS! Hollywood, CA. (I’ll be in a mastermind all day Jan 30 and at the GRAMMYS Jan 31; I’m going up a couple days early and staying an extra day for a mix of pampering plus business meetings!) Special mention of my dear friend, Amy Michelson, designer of my Grammy gown. pics coming!

February – San Diego, Orange County, Los Angeles CA | Nashville TN

• February 4: Keynoting the California Restaurant Association (CRA) San Diego meeting, San Diego, CA
• February 6 & 7: Social Marketing Mastery IMMERSION – retreat at Casa de Mari, San Diego, CA
• February 10: Guest lecture on Facebook marketing for UCSD at Becky Carroll‘s class.
• February 11: An Evening With Seth Godin – Dana Point, CA
• February 12 to 14: NSA, National Speakers Association Winter Conference – Nashville, TN [Valentine's tweetup Feb 13!]
• February 19 – 20: Program Director Grad School, Los Angeles, CA
• February 19 – 21: David Finkel’s 2010 Business Owners Success Conference – San Diego, CA

March – Seattle WA | San Diego, Los Angeles CA

• March 5: Girls’ Night Out – Total Networking Event, Seattle, WA (I’m giving the main keynote)
• March 3: LIVE Conference – Social/Mobile Media at its Best by Qittle, San Diego, CA (I’ll be here as an attendee)
• March 8: Free WEBINAR – How Social Media is Changing the Face of Local Business Marketing featuring Mari Smith and Erik Qualman, hosted by @EgbertOostburg
• March 9: Free WEBINAR – Maximizing Facebook: How To Effectively Use The #1 Social Network To Explode Your Business! (for ISMA members – free membership)
• March 11: Private CLASS – Guest lecture on social media marketing for Grossmont College at Steve Eisenberg‘s class.
• March 13 & 14: LIVE event – Women, Power & Purpose – The Live Experience, San Diego, CA [Also on this weekend: South by Southwest #SXSWi, Austin, TX; Yanik Silver's Ungerground6 in Washington DC with @garyvee keynoting; Mastering Your Life with Esperanza in San Diego, CA]
• March 19 – 21: LIVE event – Ken McArthur’s IMPACT Event, San Diego, CA
• March 24 – 27: LIVE event – T. Harv Eker’s Guerilla Business School, Garden Grove (LA), CA
• March 26 – 28: LIVE event – Christian Mickelsen‘s JV Networking Mixer, San Diego, CA

April – Loveland CO | Albuquerque NM | Ottawa Canada | San Diego CA

• April 8: Spring Northern Colorado Social Media Social, Loveland Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center (details being firmed up)
• April 13: American Marketing Association New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (details being firmed up)
• April 13 – 16: Private Conference, Albuquerque, NM
• April 16 – 17: Ultimate Success Event with Peggy McColl, Ottawa, Canada
• April 23 – 24: Social Marketing Mastery IMMERSION – retreat at Casa de Mari, San Diego, CA
• April 30 & May 1: Wisdom 2.0 Summit – Sillicon Valley, CA

May – San Diego, Los Angeles CA

• May 3: Mari’s Book Launch Celebration! Facebook Marketing: An Hour A Day published today!
• May 4 – 26: Social Media Success Summit 2010 (virtual event with TOP speakers!).
• May 20 – 23: Clients, Cash & Contribution with Christian Mickelsen. San Diego, CA
• May 22 – 23: The You Conference with GaryVee and Dave Lakhani. Los Angeles, CA

June – Los Angeles, CA

• June 21-23: SANG IV, Los Angeles, CA (invite-only mastermind).

July – Dallas TX

• July 15 – 18: eWomenNetwork 10th Annual Conference, Dallas, TX

Ali Brown, JJ Virgin, Mari Smith, Baeth Davis, Tamara Gold at Richard Branson & Eve Branson’s Rock the Kasbah fundraiser in Hollywood.

Review of Speaking in 2009

I was most fortunate to have an extremely full speaking schedule throughout last year. Among my 2009 highlights were speaking at all these incredible events and getting to share the stage with other amazing speakers, leaders and luminaries including:

SANG – Speakers & Authors Networking Group

Larry Benet‘s SANGII and SANGIII in Las Vegas and Hollywood, with Tony Robbins, Paula Abdul, Brian Tracy, Jay Abraham and Jeffrey Hayzlett (CMO of Kodak);

Engage Today

Engage Today in Calgary, Canada with Sir Richard Branson (pic!) His Holiness The Dalai Lama, President F W deKlerk, Stephen R Covey and Wyland.

Underground Seminar

Yanik Silver’s Underground5 in Washington DC, with GoDaddy CEO & Founder Bob Parsons and former James Bond George Lazenby. (See you at Underground6 in March with Gary Vaynerchuk keynoting!)

eWomenNetwork

eWomenNetwork in Dallas TX, with Judge Glenda Hatchett, Lisa Nichols, Roxanne Emmerich, Loral Langemeier, Debbie Meyer and many more fine speakers and leaders. and 3500 attendees!

Blog World Expo 

Blog World Expo 2009 in Las Vegas, NV with Matt Goss, Scott Monty, Jeremiah Owyang, Brian Solis, Frank Eliason, Laura Fitton, Sarah Evans, Wendy Piersall and many, many more fine professionals! (Check out Blog World Expo‘s home page with fab video widgets from my fave Yubby!)

MarketingProfs

Marketing Profs Digital Marketing Mixer in Chicago, IL with Dr. BJ Fogg, Ann Handley, Amber Nusland, Jay Baer, and many more top notch marketing pros!

Twitter Conference

140 | The Twitter Conference in Los Angeles with Twitter Co-Founder Biz Stone, Dr. Drew, Tyrese Gibson, LaVar Burton, Guy Kawasaki, Robert Scoble and many more fine folks!

PLUS.!

Other awesome highlights included: speaking for Fabienne Fredrickson, Arielle Ford and Mike Koenigs, Adam Urbanski, John Assaraf, Jack Canfield, James Malinchak, Dan Kennedy and Bill Glazer, Jim Bunch, Christian Mickelsen, and Craig Duswalt.

.and a few fave pics!

Mari with Sir Richard Branson, Frank Kern, Dan Kennedy, Scott Monty, Wyland and Robert Scoble.

Group pic: L-R: Ellie Drake, founder of BraveHeartWomen; Karina Smirnoff from Dancing With the Stars; me; actress Tava Smiley from TLC’s Cleansweep; talk show host Rolonda Watts.

Feel free to leave your comments/questions below about any of these events, my travels/whereabouts, and your own events. I look forward to connecting soon! And, to book me as a speaker at your next event, please check out this page.