My response to a blog posted by Townsend Wardlaw, CEO of Sales Outsourcing Company and School Three Value Logic Sales Institute.There are many job opportunities and companies listed through online networking sites. College students and job seekers are very lucky to have access to online professional networking tools such as LinkedIn. Individuals may not have exposure to certain opportunities and information otherwise. I am actually blown away by the functionality of LinkedIn, especially with respect to my professional development and progression. Social networking seems to have become a form of career mentoring. The Wallstreet Journal recently published an article about Social Networking and its implications within the professional world. Social Networking goes Professional stated that social networking sites attracted more than 110 million unique visitors during the month of July. The number of visitors was up 40% when compared to the same time last year. The article also talks of 25,000 doctors who visit sites such as Sermo.com, seeking treatment advise and trends in medicine. LinkedIn actually has an Answers section. Members can ask a variety of business related questions and have answers within minutes. Even better, the people answering these questions are business professionals with real world experience. Members can also search archives of answers from categories such as marketing, management, sales, etc... It's amazing!! If you are interested in learning more about LinkedIn, Liz Ryan, CEO of World WIT ,recently delivered an awesome web seminar focused on the benefits of social networking. Her seminar titled Social Networking: Business Relationships built here was a perfect introduction to understanding social networking sites and some of their benefits. I'm looking forward to reading her book Happy About Online Networking.Guess you could say, I'm sold on the phenomena of Social Networking.

Recently, while interviewing for a sales program, someone asked me: "What brought you to Colorado?" I answered this question by saying, "I was chasing whitewater". Today, I realized my answer was not entirely true. I guess I didn't actually realize that answer today, but realized that I left out a good portion of the truth that day. I didn't travel 1500 miles just to kayak. I traveled 1500 miles to better perue my passions; kayaking, learning, selling, seeking my place in this very large opportunistic world. Opportunistic, is that the right word? Maybe, maybe not. I just realized that my needs were not being fulfilled by living where I was living and doing what I was doing. Sure, I learned a ton while working on the east coast. I've worked with awesome companies and exerted countless hours searching for my passion in the work sense. I started kayaking promptly after college. I quickly became passionate about the sport and desperately tried to create career within the whitewater industry. I researched companies and reviewed the classified section of the Outdoor Industry Association web page often. It was kindof an obsession for a while. I applied to numerous jobs, scored 4 interviews for a position that went to someone else, and was offered an opportunity, with a different company, I was too scared to persue. The position I declined would've required a move 3000 miles across the country with a salary which most likely would not pay my bills or put food in my mouth. Sure it was a management position with a company in the industry, but the thought of persuing that opportunity scared the b'jeezes out of me. Turning down this opportunity brought tears to my eyes. Was I destined to be unhappy in my endless search of balance between work and play? Could I ever find passion in something other than whitewater kayaking?That's when I decided to move to Colorado. Through my research on the Outdoor Industry Association and other sites, I realized that most of the positions I coveted were out west, particularly in Colorado. So, without a place to live or work, I planned my slightly unorganized journey to Colorado. Now I work at an awesome bike shop, found passion for cycling, and am about to embark on an exciting journey of b2b sales. So, yes, I kindof followed the whitewater to Colorado, but honestly I was following something greater, passion. Passion for life. Passion for experiences and adventure. Passion for knowledge. I stand by my theory of everything happens for a reason. I also know that drive, determination, willingness to take risks and invite rejection, along with an open mind are the only way to find balance between work and play. Through passion, I will succeed! P.S. Currently reading, "What should I do with my Life" by Po Bronson

Hey folks. Have you heard of an project called the Super Commute? It's an art project my friend is doing right now. My friend, Sierra Brown , is commuting 8 different ways from the Los Angeles Port area, where she lives on her sail boat, to her school. This is actually a live environmental art show. She already commuted via an 11 mile ocean swim, 16 mile bike and a 16 mile rollerblade excursion. Next week she is paddling her surfboard 11 miles!! Sierra's project didn't get much attention at first. She requested sponsorships from several companies and was declined by most. There was no way rejection would stand in her way.Sierra's ocean swim brought a ton of attention to the Los Angeles area. She had helicopter and boat support, and the media poored in to cheer her to the finish line. A reporter from Washington actually flew to California to interview my artist friend.. Hopefully everyone will check out Sierra's web page, www.sierragbrown.com. She is an awesome person and fantastic artist. She and the environment needs our support. We should all have a super commute atleast once a week. Who's gonna ride their bike tomorrow?