wecuratorcreative-blog

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Have a Seat. Letting Your Work Speak For Itself

We all know the saying “Have a seat” … The Real Housewives have mastered that statement.  But what if there is a message there as it relates to what you do and what your work says about you? What if that seat said it was a table? Would you just take it’s word that it is, indeed, a table and buy one for your dining room? Or would you want to see a body of work highlighting it’s skills as a table?

Now, this is not an exercise in existentialism, but rather one in professional humility.

When developing your content—whether it be on your website/blog, LinkedIn profile, social media handles, or company bio—potential customers and collaborators shouldn’t be reading about what you say you are, they want to read about what you actually are. Using superfluous words may make you sound good, but a body of work that proves it—that’s the really good stuff..

A 2015 survey by the staffing firm Addison Group found that 47% of hiring managers don’t like the word expert and 31% are turned-off by the word innovative. The same could be said about clients, collaborators, partners, and potential sponsors. These buzzwords, and others like it—influencer, leader, authority, etc.—are hollow. Because here’s the truth: no one cares about what you think you are; they care about what your work shows that you are.

Whether you’re developing your content or socializing at a networking event, you want to choose your words carefully. Decide what it is about you, your company, or your brand that you want to project to others and then use the right words to paint the picture for them.

Do you consider yourself an influencer? OK, that’s cool. But don’t just say that. Instead, talk about the number of followers you have on Instagram. Let others know that the demand for new content on your YouTube channel has grown from two videos a week to five videos every 10 days in just over a year– and that two of those five videos are sponsored content. See the difference?

Trust me, when you say the latter, that person you connected with will be talking about you to her coworkers. She’ll be the one calling you an online influencer, regarding you as someone her company should work with to get the word out about their brand.

Think you’re an expert in your field? Congratulations, so does just about everyone else in your field. Just because you know a lot about something or you have been doing it a long time doesn’t make you an expert. But writing a paper or article for an industry journal does. So does sitting on a panel, guest lecturing a college class, or being a featured source for journalists on issues specific to your industry. Sharing your knowledge with others is far more important than sharing the self-proclaimed title of expert.

So get out there. Do the hard work. Put in the long hours. Make the adjustments. Go to seminars. Learn the business inside and out. Become a force to be reckoned with (but please don’t call yourself that!). Don’t worry about your “title�� or how to spin your skills. Then take a seat and let your work speak for itself.

~ Toni Craig

Managing Editor at Curator Creative LLC.

[wecuratorcreative-blog]

Have a Seat. Letting Your Work Speak For Itself

We all know the saying “Have a seat” ... The Real Housewives have mastered that statement.  But what if there is a message there as it relates to what you do and what your work says about you? What if that seat said it was a table? Would you just take it’s word that it is, indeed, a table and buy one for your dining room? Or would you want to see a body of work highlighting it’s skills as a table?

Now, this is not an exercise in existentialism, but rather one in professional humility.

When developing your content—whether it be on your website/blog, LinkedIn profile, social media handles, or company bio—potential customers and collaborators shouldn’t be reading about what you say you are, they want to read about what you actually are. Using superfluous words may make you sound good, but a body of work that proves it—that’s the really good stuff..

A 2015 survey by the staffing firm Addison Group found that 47% of hiring managers don’t like the word expert and 31% are turned-off by the word innovative. The same could be said about clients, collaborators, partners, and potential sponsors. These buzzwords, and others like it—influencer, leader, authority, etc.—are hollow. Because here’s the truth: no one cares about what you think you are; they care about what your work shows that you are.

Whether you’re developing your content or socializing at a networking event, you want to choose your words carefully. Decide what it is about you, your company, or your brand that you want to project to others and then use the right words to paint the picture for them.

Do you consider yourself an influencer? OK, that’s cool. But don’t just say that. Instead, talk about the number of followers you have on Instagram. Let others know that the demand for new content on your YouTube channel has grown from two videos a week to five videos every 10 days in just over a year-- and that two of those five videos are sponsored content. See the difference?

Trust me, when you say the latter, that person you connected with will be talking about you to her coworkers. She’ll be the one calling you an online influencer, regarding you as someone her company should work with to get the word out about their brand.

Think you’re an expert in your field? Congratulations, so does just about everyone else in your field. Just because you know a lot about something or you have been doing it a long time doesn’t make you an expert. But writing a paper or article for an industry journal does. So does sitting on a panel, guest lecturing a college class, or being a featured source for journalists on issues specific to your industry. Sharing your knowledge with others is far more important than sharing the self-proclaimed title of expert.

So get out there. Do the hard work. Put in the long hours. Make the adjustments. Go to seminars. Learn the business inside and out. Become a force to be reckoned with (but please don’t call yourself that!). Don’t worry about your “title” or how to spin your skills. Then take a seat and let your work speak for itself.

~ Toni Craig

Managing Editor at Curator Creative LLC.

[wecuratorcreative-blog]

Creativity is what allows us to step out of our lane and try something new and magical. Whether it’s a new approach to a big or small problem, creativity is so important to maintain in our lives. If we lose that ability, then it’s hard to make meaningful changes in our lives and world.

Claire Fields, Owner of Beehive

(via thestyleline)

[wecuratorcreative-blog]

Put ‘em up

Photo: Mark Seliger

More photos here

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How David Bowie’s fashion transformations changed the world.

[wecuratorcreative-blog]

#nowords

Brendan Dassey’s Brother Released a “Making a Murderer” Rap Song Called “They Didn’t Do It”

[wecuratorcreative-blog]

6 Tips For Making Your DIY Video Shine

We sat down with NPR Music’s lead video producer Mito Habe-Evans. If you don’t have any video experience or a dedicated camera person, that’s okay! This contest is about the music. Mito shared some thoughts on what a Tiny Desk Contest video should do, and tips for people who don’t have any video experience:

Last year’s contest showcased all these incredible videos, but there were many really lo-fi things that made it through just because of the music. Ultimately, that’s what the Tiny Desk Contest is for. It’s not for the best video producer. It’s for the music-makers. Just play your best. The video is an extra chance to express your personality as a band or do something that stands out. But the music is the main show.

If you’ve never shot video, that’s totally cool. There are some basic things you can do to make even the most lo-fi video look good.

1. If you’re using an iPad or camera phone, make sure you shoot horizontally.

2. Keep the camera still. Avoid holding it. You can make a little tabletop tripod for your phone — there’s a lot of cool household workarounds for people without tripods out there on YouTube.

3. Make sure you’re in a well-lit area, and try to keep the light in front of you — not behind.

4. Avoid shining direct light on you. If you’re using a lamp, try reflecting it off walls or the ceiling so it’s softer on you.

5. Cloudy days are great for shooting outside because you don’t have to worry about harsh shadows.

6. Make whatever video you’ll have the most fun making, and we’ll have fun watching it.

Keep checking in to see what other entrants are doing and to hear more perspectives from behind the scenes at NPR Music. Good luck, have fun and remember: Submissions open tomorrow, Jan. 12, and stay open until Feb. 2! You can read the Official Rules here.

Photo: Cameron Robert/NPR

[wecuratorcreative-blog]

Brendan Dassey’s Brother Released a “Making a Murderer” Rap Song Called “They Didn’t Do It”

[wecuratorcreative-blog]

How David Bowie’s fashion transformations changed the world.

[wecuratorcreative-blog]

Impactful content

[wecuratorcreative-blog]

FADER MIX: AARON DAVID ROSS

TRACKLIST

Stephan Micus - Gates of Fire

Future Sound Of London - Vit

Wagon Christ - Kwikwidetrax

Ryuichi Sakamoto - Lulu

SD Laika - Peaked 

Omkara Techichi - Kiss of Poison

Muslimgauze - Shaheed

Guillaume de Mauchaut - Kyrie III

Ken Ishi - Popgun

AFX - Batine Acid

W.A. Mozart - Requiem in D minor

Amnesia Scanner + Bill Kouligas - Lexachast

Ramzi - Etwai

James Ferraro - Tinted Windows

Art Of Noise - Dreaming in Color

Above & Beyond - Sky Falls Down

Lorenzo Senni - XMonterX

ADR - Lifeline

Pérotin - Viderunt Omnes (Hilliard Ensemble)

Earl Bullhead - Jingle Dress Beat

Aka Pygmies - Bobangi

Dirty Loops - Crash & Burn Delight (+12)

Slava - Wit U

Rihanna - Where Have You Been

massacooramaan - Binary Implosions

Doobie Powell - Love

Kanye Video Vanguard Award Intro (feat. Samuel L. Jackson)

Plastikman - Outbak

Enya - Ebudae

Brad Fiedel - Desert Suite

Laurie Anderson - O Superman (for Massenet)

[wecuratorcreative-blog]

Curator Creatives ReDesign

Hi Everyone! I am very excited to announce the redesign of Curator Creative website; Please like our page on FB and follow the tumblr blog by going to www.curatorcreative.com #curatorcreative #contentmarketing #businesstobusiness #entrepreneurship #marketing #Chicagoland #cleveland #columbus #websitedesign #powerpointpresentations #socialmedia #redesign #projectmanagement #creativecontent #marketingcampaign

[wecuratorcreative-blog]

This is great insight, simple and to the point.

The Big 4 Metrics

There are four big “buckets” of metrics: 

Growth: Gaining new users 

Engagement/Transactions: Increasing usage of the app 

Retention: Ensuring that existing users come back 

Monetisation: Converting app usage to money

Product Management & Analytics: what metrics should you be measuring?

[wecuratorcreative-blog]

Alice Cooper and Metallica have paid tribute to Lemmy Kilmister, with Metallica sharing a live clip of them performing Motörhead’s “Too Late, Too Late” alongside Kilmister.

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kylie jenner used a wheelchair for a photoshoot as “symbolism” for her “limitations”, whatever that means

this is disgusting in so many ways, but people are acting like “it’s not for FASHION, have you even BOTHERED to READ about it? it’s SYMBOLISM” like it’s soooo much better, let me tell you why that’s wrong

the notion that a wheelchair = limitation is ableist and harmful

for me and so many other disabled people a wheelchair = freedom 

my wheelchair stops me from sitting at home when everyone does fun things that i can’t do, it means i can go out and do things i could do when i was abled

i’m so tired of this

[wecuratorcreative-blog]

We’ve spent the last roughly half a century or so growing increasingly Draconian, stripping back people’s rights in terms of how they deal with the criminal justice system, increasing the punitive nature of the criminal justice system once people are in the system’s clutches — all of that is brought to bear when we think about each of these deaths.

Ta-Nehisi Coates

Best of 2015:

Ta-Nehisi Coates On Police Brutality, The Confederate Flag And Forgiveness

(via npr)

[wecuratorcreative-blog]

Hear Mac Miller’s creepy, soulful cover of Billy Joel’s 1977 ballad “Vienna.”