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glennwatkins

glennwatkins

… a guy from the United Kingdom

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    About glennwatkins

    Bio: I am the Chief Executive and co Founder of Ecademy - Business Social Networking through <Strong>Relationships > Trust > Trade</Strong>. Download your <a href="http://www.ecademy.com/guid... guide to networking here >></a> Ecademy is a unique community where business people connect both online on the web site and offline at events and 1-2-1 meetings. To build a <b>strong business relationship</b>, you must first <b>gain trust</b> from one another through having a <b>personal relationship</b>, this is critical before you can expect to move onto a relationship where a <b>transaction or a referral</b> can take place. <Strong>Relationships > Trust > Trade</Strong> <a href="http://www.ecademy.com/teny...; alt="Ecademy's 10th Birthday February 7th 2008" ><img src="images/profile10.gif" align="left" border="0"> <br> </a>February 7th 2008 is <a href="node.php?id=98380">Ecademy's tenth anniversary</a>, we want to celebrate all that we have collectively achieved and thank you for making it happen. The next 10 years have started with the launch of a new area on Ecademy, <a href="http://www.ecademy.com/inst... Institute of Networking</b></a> where we have information and links to networking resources including <i>brand new training videos that show you how to maximise your network and business on Ecademy</i>, <a href="http://www.ecademy.com/inst... the videos are freely available to all members here >></a>. <br> <object width="400" height="35"><param name="movie" value="http://www.utterz.com/fp/em...; /><param name="flashvars" value="utt_id=NTAzNDUxMQ&amp;autoplay=0&amp;wu=NDk1ODk3OA" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><embed src="http://www.utterz.com/fp/em...; flashvars="utt_id=NTAzNDUxMQ&amp;autoplay=0&amp;wu=NDk1ODk3OA" width="400" height="35" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" /></object> <I>"Joy at the work place has nothing to do with function, and everything to do with purpose."</I> Neil Donald Walsch. <i>"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, and comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat." </i> Theodore Roosevelt <i>"The chance encounter, a shared story, the small act of kindness..."</i> Barack Obama <i>"Identify your Passion + Create your Purpose = Your Lasting Legacy"</i>. Glenn Watkins :) <a href="http://twitter.com/glennwat... Glenn ></a> <a href="http://twittercounter.com/?...; title="Twitter for @glennwatkins"><img src="http://twittercounter.com/c...; width="88" height="26" style="border:none;" alt="TwitterCounter for @glennwatkins" /></a> <hr> <a name="peru"><strong>Peru 2007 - The Ultimate Netwalk</strong></a> <i><b>Netwalking:</b> Fresh Air, Fresh Ideas and (re)Fresh Connections!</i> I have been fortunate to be part of an <a href="http://www.ecademy.com/node... trip in June 2007 with some Ecademy members to Peru on an Inca trail to Machu Pichu</a>. Below are pictures of my amazing time there - if you have a few minutes take time out to view, I hope you enjoy them: <p style="visibility:visible;"><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://widget-0b.slide.com/...; height="376" width="500" style="width:500px;height:376px"><param name="movie" value="http://widget-0b.slide.com/...; /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="scale" value="noscale" /><param name="salign" value="l" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent"/> <param name="flashvars" value="cy=ms&il=1&channel=432345564228390923&site=widget-0b.slide.com"/></object></p> I've written up my experience <a href="http://www.ecademy.com/node... the Ultimate Netwalk in Peru on my Ecademy blog here >></a>, an extract is below: <b>Day 1 (in Peru)</b> After long but event free flights from London Gatwick to Houston USA then Houston to Lima, we arrive in the dark to what looks to be a bustling and busy capital city of Peru. It's straight to the hotel to sleep some of the jet lag off as we're up again and straight onto an internal flight. This takes us into the "real" Peru - Cusco, about an hour and half flight with spectacular views of the Andes. To this day most flights only land there in the morning due to the afternoon updrafts making the approach to the airfield un-navigable. <img src="http://farm2.static.flickr....; width="240" height="180" border="0" align="right"/> We get to spend a couple of hours in Cusco before we head off to the camp site in the sacred valley. We're lucky - there is a big "festival of schools" taking place so a great start to the trip with what seems like hundreds of kids in traditional dress doing all manner of dance; very colourful with great music. <br><br><br><br> We all get onto a small coach and drive for about two and half hours up to the community of Cachiccata - Ollantaytambo, deep in the sacred valley. A sacred river flows through the middle of it all, the landscape is already breathtaking…. We disembark and walk for about 45 minutes up to camp site which is set up on terraces overlooking the valley and the school we are to work on for the next 2 days. <img src="http://farm2.static.flickr....; width="240" height="180" border="0" align="right"/>We have our first meal all together - delicious! Our expedition leader <a href="http://www.maxmilligan.com/... Milligan</a> takes us through some of the stuff we will be doing. Max has been in Peru for many years and so we are to take a special Inca trail instead of the main well-trodden one on our way to Machu Pichu, with us stopping off at special ruins and camping along the way. Our expedition doctor is Fiona Elliott who informs us that the secret to staying healthy on this trip is to drink *lots* and *lots* of water, altitude sickness (some of us have already noticed we are short of breath) can claim anyone regardless of fitness levels, hydration with water is the key to staying as fit as can be. It sounds fantastic and with the whole group already getting along very well, expectations are high. <br><br><br> <b>Day 2</b> <img src="http://farm2.static.flickr....; width="240" height="181" border="0" align="right"/>Early to rise (a recurring theme throughout!) and what a view across the sacred valley! I get up earlier than planned, venture out of my tent to watch the sun rise over the mountains, a perfect start to the day. <br><br><br><br><br><br><br> After a fantastic breakfast (the food really is awesome all trip) we set off to the school, it's about 45 minutes down into the valley. <img src="http://farm2.static.flickr....; width="240" height="181" border="0" align="right"/>We are to help build the foundations and walls for a new room for the school, the trench is already dug and about 15 locals are there along with about 20 kids in the one classroom, aged about 4 - 10 years old. They are a little grubby but very smiley, happy looking kids. <br><br><br><br> We all muck in, it's hot though there is so little humidity that sweat dries instantly. Lots of sun block, hats and keep covered is the advice as the sun here is as strong as anywhere else in the world. <i>Magic Moments</i> <img src="http://farm2.static.flickr....; width="240" height="181" border="0" align="right"/>We had lots of Magic Moments, each of us individually and as a group, my first one was when I took a break from lugging rocks to the local guys who were laying them as foundations and poked my head into the classroom. I asked the teacher if it was ok and he invited me in and then asked me to introduce myself which I did: "hello, my name is Glenn" - a lot of puzzled and smiling faces looked back up at me. The teacher explained and then, after a bit of coaching, amazingly each of the children said in English, "Hello my name is…." to me, I repeated my name and shook each and every little hand, it was wonderful to meet them all. <br><br><br><br><br><br><br> <img src="http://farm2.static.flickr....; width="240" height="181" border="0" align="right"/> In the afternoon around six of us went along the valley and chain ganged more rocks into a lorry, we had good fun, sharing our coca leaves (chewed raw, it is a special leaf to the locals and also helps us gringos with the altitude) and talked about football which is huge over here and a great leveler. Four of the group, Derek, Steve, Tony and Andy had gone high up into the hills to cut the tufts of long grass which is mixed with the clay-like mud in the valley (which we were digging in the middle of the trenches) to make the bricks for the school walls. They looked amazing as they came down the hill with big bales of the grass strapped to their backs, complete with poncho's! I volunteered to go up the hill to cut grass with Mark, Marie and Richard tomorrow - little did I know it would be memorable not only for the stunning views and experience of cutting and carrying the grass…. Back to camp, a great meal and out into the night and WOW! I've never seen a night sky like it in my life, zero light pollution and clear, clear skies means that the billions of stars including the Milky Way are very visible - stunning. <b>Day 3</b> <img src="http://farm2.static.flickr....; width="240" height="181"" border="0" align="right"/>Back down to the school for most of the group. Myself, Mark, Maria and Richard head up into the hills with locals to cut the long grass for making the bricks. <br><br><br><br> It's a steady slog up, quite steep in places, eventually we get a long way up and armed with a small hand scythe we are shown how to cut and also to watch out for the cactus, there are *lots* of them, many hiding in the middle of the long grass….. 15 minutes later I have a rather larger cactus head sticking out of my left cheek - and not in my face! Ivan one of the locals pulls it out (one pull to remove the plant head from the spike and another to remove the spike, it hurts a lot more coming out!). He is laughing so much he nearly falls over - Gringo's and cactus are a great comedy mix :). <img src="http://farm2.static.flickr....; width="240" height="181" border="0" align="right"/> We head back down with the grass then present the kids with books and pens we bought yesterday. Mark and the village leader - a young guy only around 23 years old named "Clever" (who has a vision of sending each child to university so they have more choices with their lives) went into town to buy replacement glass and putty for the school, a few of our dollars go a long way. <br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br> <img src="http://farm2.static.flickr....; width="240" height="180" border="0" align="right"/>After presenting the books to the kids, Mark and I work with a couple of the local guys and re-glaze the windows, a very satisfying and enjoyable job as it took me back to teens and my very first job when I spent a short time working as a glass cutter and glazer for a neighbour. No tools what-so-ever apart from a stone, a six inch nail to get the old putty out and a finger and thumb to re-putty - job done! <br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br> We all make a brick which is looking good for me until I lift it out of the square mould and it implodes horribly - much to the delight of the locals again. Second time lucky with help from someone who knows what they are doing, I have made my brick. <img src="http://farm2.static.flickr....; width="240" height="181" border="0" align="right"/>I've really enjoyed meeting the locals, the kids and working together - I think already that this will be one of the high points of the trip for me. <br><br><br><br> Back to camp, another great meal and more star gazing…..during the trip I saw several shooting stars. <br><br><br> <b>Day 4</b> <img src="http://farm2.static.flickr....; width="240" height="181" border="0" align="right"/>Another stunning sunrise - I'll always appreciate waking up here. <br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br> <img src="http://farm2.static.flickr....; width="240" height="181" border="0" align="right"/>Today is the day we're off on the Inca trail! We are leaving all civilization behind to go high up into the mountains, but first, another magic moment as we all walk down into the valley by the river and donate a few dollars to a project that the children look after. We get to pick and plant a tree which helps in a small way to preserve the staggering beauty of the valley. I chose a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wik... tree</a> as it bears fruit (cherries). I planted it next to a big cactus (carefully!) and in sight of the river, a wonderful spot. We also visit a traditional home, two rooms - the bedroom being up some ladders in the roof with the main room also home to about 20 guinea pigs which are a traditional meal in these parts . The room is fascinating with all manner of objects around, including the skulls of ancestors on the wall! <br><br><br><br><br> <img src="http://farm2.static.flickr....; width="240" height="181" border="0" align="right"/>We have a relatively short climb up to the next camp site where we settle in. A few glances around as we learn that the tent next to the loo is not ideal as there's traffic all night with everyone drinking lots of water to ensure we have what Tony called "altitude wellness" as opposed to the altitude sickness which results in headaches, nausea and bad stomachs all the way through to - in extreme cases - coma. A tent next to the snorers makes for a light nights sleep as well... <br><br><br><br><br><br> For the full write up <a href="http://www.ecademy.com/node... the Ultimate Netwalk in Peru please click here >>>></a>. <H2><i>"Magic is simply experiencing something for the first time"</i>. Ted Simon</H2><hr> <a name="kiva"><strong>Support Entrepreneurs in the Developing World</strong></a> <A HREF="http://www.kiva.org&quot; TARGET="_top"> <IMG SRC="http://kiva.org/content/abo...; WIDTH="120" HEIGHT="57" ALT="Kiva - loans that change lives" BORDER="0" ALIGN="BOTTOM"></A> <SCRIPT type='text/javascript' src='http://www.kiva.org/banners...; <A HREF="http://www.kiva.org/lender/...; TARGET="_top"> <IMG SRC="http://kiva.org/content/abo...; WIDTH="105" HEIGHT="55" ALT="Kiva - loans that change lives" BORDER="0" ALIGN="RIGHT"></A>I am <a href="http://www.kiva.org/lender/... in Kiva</a> - an awesome project that enables you to lend to specific entrepreneurs in the developing world - empowering them to lift themselves out of poverty. To find out more <a href="http://www.kiva.org&quot;&g... the web site here >></a> or you can <a href="http://images.kiva.org/s/co... the Kiva brochure to find out more here >></a> <hr> <img src="http://www.ecademy.com/imag...; width="150" height="50" border="0" alt="Ecademy" align="right"/><a name="ecademy"><strong>About Ecademy</strong></a> <a href="http://www.ecademy.com/node... TEN years(!) of building the business and this Network</a> it's encouraging to see that social networks are the "next big thing" - it's not new but for the first time it's getting real traction using the technology and tools the internet provides. Ecademy works on the principle of 'your face is your brand, your reputation is everything' - using our ethos of <b>Winning by Sharing</b> combined with 'degrees of separation' (the theory that you are only six links away from anyone else on the planet) you can truly have <a href="http://www.ecademy.com/node... and financial wealth in your life</a>. We start with <b>the assumption that everyone is honest and professional</b>. We are not building a "chat-room" or a social club; we are building a serious business network. However, to build a strong business relationship, you must first gain trust from one another through having a personal relationship, this is critical before you can expect to move onto a relationship where a transaction or a referral can take place. Networking is not selling or personal promotion, it is about building a group of people whom you understand and help and in turn they may one day help you. <a href="node.php?id=31751" target=newwindow>Click here to view the guide to the values and ethics we encourage at Ecademy</a>. Ecademy has particular values we stand by, these are: <li>Openness</li> <li>Honesty</li> <li>Transparency</li> <li>Friendship & Kinship</li> <li>Winning by Sharing</li> <li>Connectedness and being connected - the old Chinese belief known as GuanXi</li> <li>Connecting People to what they seek, finding them that match, that job, that customer, that supplier, that direction, that life</li> <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4... src="http://www.ecademy.com/imag...; title=""BBC Radio 4 92-95FM 198LW" alt="BBC Radio 4 92-95FM 198LW" border="0"/></a> Ecademy featured "In Business" <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4...; target="_blank">click here for details</a> and <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4... here to listen</a>. <a name="tips"><strong>Networking on Ecademy envokes attraction</strong></a> Below are Ecademy Founder Penny Power's Top 10 Tips to being a magnet, after all if you are a magnet, you do less - because the opportunities come to you! <b>1. Build a reputation</b> - Your reputation is a major part of your personal brand. We have noticed that your face is a very important part of this. That people recognise you in person because they have seen your photograph but that is not where it ends. Everything you do and everything you say is part of building your brand. Whether you like it or not, whether you seek it or not, you are a brand. So ask yourself - what is your reputation, what is your brand? And what would you like it to be? <b>2. Focus on YOU</b> - an unusual thing for any of us to say, focusing on the other person at the right time is always critical, but first of all you need to understand yourself - who you are, what is the difference you really make. Nick Heap calls this your Core Process whilst Roger Hamilton calls this 'being in your Flow' I call this Emotional Understanding of your Self, your Emotional Wealth. <b>3. Be a positive person</b> - never say, for example, I am tired or I am exhausted. Be wary of seeming to be too busy. Think about the impression that you are you leaving. Is it that you cannot cope or that you cannot cope with any more leads or that you cannot take on any more clients? Unless that is true, you may find that no one will give you leads, that no one will want to bother you! I had some people pitch for some business with Ecademy and when we asked why they were not using the network, they said they did not have time! So how could they have time to take us on as a Client? <b>4. Always say you love your work</b> - be happy and if you do not love it, consider that you may be doing the wrong thing. If you do not feel passionate about what you are doing then you are not doing the right thing because if you do feel passionate about what you do, if you are living your purpose, then you will not feel it is work Time to revisit step 2 and identify your true talent rather than continuing to do something that may be just a skill, but not your talent. <b>5. Know what you stand for. What do you represent?</b> When you leave a conversation or an email, do you leave something behind that reflects you? I believe in connecting hearts. I talk from the heart and I talk about the heart. I am enthusiastic about people and I love what I do. I am playing all the time! If you do not stand for something you will fall for everything. <b>6. Know your purpose.</b> What do you want to achieve for others, clients or friends, each day of your life? What would you do if you did not have to work? What would you still resonate with you? Your true value to others may be something you were born with. How will you leave a mark on this world? What is your legacy and what will your children and your friends say you achieved in your life-time? <b>7. Be in your flame, in your flow, in your zone.</b> Know what gives you energy and what drains you. If something exhausts you then you are probably not doing the right thing. Roger Hamilton talks about being in your Flame and not in the wax. When you are in your flame you can light many more candles but when you are in the wax you reduce your value to yourself and others.Try to be in your flame several times a day. You will know you are as you will buzz! You will know you are adding YOUR value. You will be ON FIRE!!!! <b>8. Build the right people - a team - around you that will do the things that are not your strengths.</b> Know what you are good at in your business.You need to know not only your strengths, BUT also your weaknesses. I always knew that I could not run Ecademy - we needed Glenn to do that. I knew I could not write the site - we needed Julian. I knew I could not lead the speeches until recently - Thomas always did this. However, now that I do, I realise that I can change. I knew that certain tasks were draining me so I contracted out that work. Remember, it is about the team, you cannot do it all! A key area of learning for me was understanding that I was a Star in the Roger Hamilton Wealth Dynamics Test <b>9. Spend time with Radiators and avoid spending time with Drains.</b> I love the saying people are either energy drains or radiators. Which one are you? Do you give energy to those around you or do you take it away? Who is currently in your network? Are there more drains than radiators? If you are spending too much time with drains, maybe you are also a drain, or maybe you are simply attracting the wrong people. In networking, energy is critical. You need to be happy, energetic, passionate and interesting. You need to be on fire. If you are not, try finding more radiators. <b>10. Be random in your connections.</b> I know that some of you will be sceptical about this. After all you've been taught to focus and be target driven. However, if you trust your instinct, random connections will draw just the right people to you at just the right time. If you are sending out an aura, people know what you stand for then you will attract the right people and opportunities. Do not ignore messages that are sent to you and never pre-judge. Rather than being selfish, be a giver and make them love you. Give them a reason and they will become your advocates., There is no such thing as coincidence, or sheer luck. Synchronicity is all to do with what signals you are putting out. I often get asked for tips on networking so the above are great - some additional things I think to bear in mind are the following: <li>Add a photo as online it's tough to get a sense of someone, a photo <i>really</i> helps</li> <li>Add lots of personal stuff about YOU - about who you are, people are always more interested in other people (this is in addition to what you / your business does)</li> <li>Meet people online and face to face randomly as well as a "targeted" approach, it's amazing once you've done some of these how you start to see links and opportunities</li> <li>Do little and often in terms of site and meetings / events rather than say one day a week, better to do an hour a day which integrates better into you work life balance</li> <li>Ensure you <a href="http://www.ecademy.com/acco... your Google SEO keywords and description</a> as your profile and content on Ecademy is a magnet for search engines so your visibility massively increases not just on Ecademy but around the world!</li> <li>Spread your activity in terms of site, 1-2-1 messaging, join clubs, attend some events and use the Marketplace, comment on blogs (or blog yourself) - think about what value you can pass on at all times so people see you for the value you bring thus your reputation builds thus advocates and and referrals increase</li> <li>The Ecademy ethos is "Winning by Sharing" (so always give when you can - but remember you are in business so be sure to charge for your core ongoing value at the appropriate opportunities)</li> <li>Have fun!</li> <I>"The best time to Network is when you're busy. That way, you won't have quiet periods."</I> Nigel Risner. <hr> <h1><a href="membership.php">Membership Services</a></h1><b>If you want a return on your networking</b> then become either a <a href="membership.php"><a href="blackstar.php"><img src="http://www.ecademy.com/misc...; border="0">BlackStar or <img src="http://www.ecademy.com/misc...; border="0">PowerNetworker</a> member which will provide you and your business with: <li>Trusted business introductions, referrals and trading</li> <li>Advertising for your business across the globe</li> <li>Employees, partners, suppliers and customers</li> <li>Admission to networking events around the world</li> <li>Unique tools on the website to build and manage your network and business</li> <li>Facilities to build your reputation around your expertise and connections</li> <li>Help and advice from thousands of professional business brains</li> <li>Contacts, Knowledge, Support & Transactions</li> <h1>Why should you bother? Or Why should you care?</h1><li>More Information on <img src="http://www.ecademy.com/misc...; border="0" /><a href="#blackstar">BlackStar here >></a></li> <li>More information on <img src="http://www.ecademy.com/misc...; border="0" /><a href="#powernetworker">PowerNetworker here >></a></li> <a name="blackstar"></a><img src="http://www.ecademy.com/misc...; border="0"> <b>Get higher on Google</b> <img src="http://www.ecademy.com/misc...; border="0">BlackStars profiles and content are regularly indexed by Google, driving up their rankings. <img src="http://www.ecademy.com/misc...; border="0">BlackStars in addition have <strong>automated advertising indexed by Google</strong> and other search engines. <b>Get more Business</b> <img src="http://www.ecademy.com/misc...; border="0">BlackStars on average get <b>50 times more profile hits</b> than other members. <b>Get more Referrals</b> <img src="http://www.ecademy.com/misc...; border="0">BlackStars on average are connected to <b>125 times more people</b> than other members. <b>Get more Business Support</b> <img src="http://www.ecademy.com/misc...; border="0">BlackStars do not have to make decisions alone as they have unlimited access and collaboration within the network. <img src="http://www.ecademy.com/misc...; border="0">BlackStars also enjoy private mastermind and brain storming groups through unique "<img src="http://www.ecademy.com/misc...; border="0">BlackStar Inner Circles". <b>Get more Recognition</b> <img src="http://www.ecademy.com/misc...; border="0">BlackStars have access to tools to demonstrate their expertise. <img src="http://www.ecademy.com/misc...; border="0">BlackStars benefit from more visibility on the web site. <b>Get more Knowledge</b> <img src="http://www.ecademy.com/misc...; border="0">BlackStars have more confidence from the insight they gain through debates, clubs, blogs and member interaction. <img src="http://www.ecademy.com/misc...; border="0">BlackStars get more insights through exclusive private clubs and events. <b>Get FREE Business Cards</b> <img src="http://www.ecademy.com/misc...; border="0">BlackStars get a set of 50 matt laminated business cards printed for free with great discounts ongoing - easy to create and order online. <b>Get FREE e-books</b> <img src="http://www.ecademy.com/misc...; border="0">BlackStars get a free download of Ecademy's book on networking "A Friend in Every City" and "How To Make Money On Ecademy.com" (RRP £47/E70/$90) which can help you generate significant new business FAST. <b>Get more Unique Web Site Tools</b> <img src="http://www.ecademy.com/misc...; border="0">BlackStars get many <a href="blackstar-pop.html" target=_blank>more unique web site tools and features</a>, saving time, generating more new sales leads and referrals. <b>Get up to Speed Immediately</b> All <img src="http://www.ecademy.com/misc...; border="0">BlackStars recieve a personal <img src="http://www.ecademy.com/misc...; border="0">BlackStar New Member Orientation session upon joining valued at £600 / E800 / $1200 E with one of the Ecademy team to ensure they get started quickly and easily.</b> <p><a href="http://www.ecademy.com/modu...; target=_blank><i>Read <img src="http://www.ecademy.com/misc...; border="0">BlackStar testimonials here >></i></a> <a href="blackstar-pop.php" target=_blank>Learn about the unique <img src="misc/power_black.gif" border="0"><b>BlackStar web site tools and features here >></b></a> <hr /> <a name="powernetworker"></a><h2><img src="http://www.ecademy.com/misc...; border="0"></h2><b>Get found on Google</b> <img src="http://www.ecademy.com/misc...; border="0">PowerNetworkers&#8482; profiles and content are regularly indexed by Google, driving up their rankings. <b>Business</b> <img src="http://www.ecademy.com/misc...; border="0">PowerNetworkers&#8482; on average <b>get 10 times more profile hits</b> than other non-subscriber members. <b>Referrals</b> <img src="http://www.ecademy.com/misc...; border="0">PowerNetworkers&#8482; on average are connected to <b>10 times more people</b> than other non-subscriber members. <b>Business support</b> <img src="http://www.ecademy.com/misc...; border="0">PowerNetworkers&#8482; do not have to make decisions alone as they have unlimited access and collaboration within the network. <b>Recognition</b> <img src="http://www.ecademy.com/misc...; border="0">PowerNetworkers&#8482; have access to tools to demonstrate their expertise <b>Knowledge</b> <img src="http://www.ecademy.com/misc...; border="0">PowerNetworkers&#8482; have more confidence from the insight they gain through debates, clubs, blogs and member interaction. <a href="http://www.ecademy.com/node...; target=_blank><i>Read <img src="http://www.ecademy.com/misc...; border="0">PowerNetworker&#8482; testimonials here >></i></a> <a href="powernetworker-pop.html" target=_blank>Read more about <img src="http://www.ecademy.com/misc...; border="0">PowerNetworker&#8482; web site features here >></a> <a href="http://www.ecademy.com/seo&... src="http://www.ecademy.com/imag...; align="right" width="163" height="105" border="0" /></a><b>SEO</b> SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation. Put simply, SEO is giving you the best chance possible to be found when people search on Google or other search engines for phrases - known as "keywords" - that relate to you and your web pages. Ecademy provides a fantastic resource to support you and your businesses SEO strategy, and today we can announce some changes to help support subscribing members building visibility in the search engines as part of their networking and web marketing strategy. Firstly, we have produced a <a href="http://www.ecademy.com/seo&... guide to SEO that's free to all Ecademy members here ></b></a>. The guide provides clear advice on how to optimise your activity on Ecademy, and use the facilities here as a subscriber, to maximise the impact of the content you provide. Ecademy has been building pages with your content with the search engines in mind for a long time. Many members find that using Ecademy dramatically improves their visibility on the Search Engines quickly. The design of these pages has been improved to ensure that the SEO benefits to you are maximised and both the background structure and the visible layout changed from today to maximise the SEO benefit for Members. <a href="http://www.ecademy.com/memb... src="http://www.ecademy.com/misc...; border="0">BlackStar and <img src="http://www.ecademy.com/misc...; border="0">PowerNetworker subscribers</a> have been able to add keywords and descriptions of their content specifically for the search engines for some time, which means that subscribers can write content 'into the search' that's really relevant to their business. We know the best results come to those who complete these SEO elements for every piece of content, so, from today subscribers are able to set up default keywords or descriptions for Blogs (note this also ensures any banner advertising will not be shown in the blog), Marketplace listings, and meetings and we've brought the fields for Profiles and each club that you run to one page. By completing these vital SEO fields you'll find that when you post a Blog, Listing or Meeting the default values you have set are pre-filled - these can of course be changed for each post if required. In a global economy that will be more challenging in 2009 than for some time, being found in the search engines is an important part of business strategy for any business, and these changes will help to ensure that Ecademy supports your activity and helps you to be found. To take advantage of these new features and to improve your search engine visibility as quickly as possible - <a href="http://www.ecademy.com/memb... here >></a> <a href="http://www.ecademy.com/seo&... src="http://www.ecademy.com/imag...; width="56" height="22" alt="Download Your Ecademy SEO Guide" align="right" border="0" /></a>Download your <a href="http://www.ecademy.com/seo&... guide to SEO here >></a> <a href="http://www.ecademy.com/acco... here > to join</a> the network, or <a href="http://www.ecademy.com/memb... here > to upgrade your membership</a> on Ecademy! <hr> <b>Watch Ecademists talk about membership:</b> <object width="281" height="231"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/g7... src="http://www.youtube.com/v/g7...; type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="281" height="231"></embed></object> <hr /> <img src="images/sponsor/afiec.jpg" align="right"><H2>Ecademy's Book on Networking: <I>A Friend in Every City</I> One Global Family - A Networking Vision for the Twenty First Century</H2> <strong>A Friend in Every City is an inspirational and practical guide to the art and science of networking.</strong> Watch Thomas Power talk about the book: <OBJECT ID="MediaPlayer" WIDTH="281" HEIGHT="231" CLASSID="CLSID:22D6F312-B0F6-11D0-94AB-0080C74C7E95" STANDBY="Loading Windows Media Player components..." TYPE="application/x-oleobject"><PARAM NAME="FileName" VALUE="mms://www.qmsstreaming.com/e2006/... name="autostart" VALUE="false"><PARAM name="ShowControls" VALUE="true"><PARAM name="ShowStatusBar" VALUE="false"><PARAM name="ShowDisplay" VALUE="false"><EMBED TYPE="application/x-mplayer2" SRC="mms://www.qmsstreaming.com/e2006/...; NAME="MediaPlayer" WIDTH="281" HEIGHT="231" ShowControls="1" ShowStatusBar="0" ShowDisplay="0" autostart="0"></EMBED></OBJECT> Networking is the key skill for the 21st century worker. As birth rates go down, life expectancy goes up and the business world continues to downsize to a core of permanent workers, more of us will find the 21st century a tough place to make a living. More of us will find ourselves working as freelancers or as part of 'fractional teams' that come together for a project and then disband. Fewer of us will retire on a pension - choosing instead to work on a portfolio of projects. A Friend in Every City looks first at the forces shaping the new ways of working, then at how online networks, such as LinkedIn, Open BC, Ryze and Ecademy, are evolving to provide support for them. The authors look at how an individual worker can leverage these changes to their best effect. Networks can provide us with support in all aspects of our lives. A good network will sustain us through bad times as well as good, providing emotional support as well as referrals. Contacts become connections, connections become advocates and advocates become friends. Can the new networks provide the basis for something more than personal friendship and business? If we can look forward to having a true friend in every city around the world, what changes might that bring? Can conversations change the world? <b>Table of Contents</b> 1 Living and Working in the Twenty First Century 2 Creating Sustainable Wealth 3 The Internet is Matching 4 Social and Business Networks 5 Ecademy 6 Social Capital and Citizen Journalism 7 Net-working and Global Labour Matching 8 Managing Networks 9 Net-causes 10 Networking - THE key skill for the 21st Century 11 Your Profile becomes your Reputation 12 Personality Tests and Profiling Tools 13 Wealth dynamics 14 Building a Network 15 Developing Content 16 The Power of Clubs 17 The Future of Networks <i>Appendix</i> 1 Edited Extract from Networking for Life by Thomas Power 2 Bibliography <li><b><a href="http://www.ecademy-press.co...; target="_blank">Order the hardback version now >></a></b></li> <li><b><a href="http://www.ecademy-press.co...; target="_blank">Order the softback version now >></a></b></li> <li><a href="node.php?id=67424">Download a free chapter here >></a></li> <hr> <a name="me"><strong>About Me</strong></a> <b>I'm a <img src="misc/power_black.gif" border="0" /><a href="blackstar.php">BlackStar Member of Ecademy</a></b> - click the Play button below to learn how <img src="misc/power_black.gif" border="0" /><a href="blackstar.php">BlackStar Membership</a> will accelerate your personal and business development: <object width="281" height="231"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Nn... src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Nn...; type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="281" height="231"></embed></object> I'm also the co-founder and Chief Executive of Ecademy, the social network for business people, I've got 20 years of IT, Internet and management experience and expertise, leveraging this experience to run the Ecademy business and deliver <a href="module.php?mod=paypal" target=newwindow>membership services to Ecademists</a> (members) wordwide. I'm sometimes called "half human, half geek!" as I have a wealth of Blue Chip and SME experience within ICT and e-business including team management, program management, design & programming, business analysis and product development. My key strength is recognising commercial opportunities, communicating complex technical ideas to people at all levels and delivering the vision. I've contributed to The Ecademy's '<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/exe...; target=newwindow>The 12 Principles of E-business</a>', '<a href="http://www.ecademy.com/node... for Life</a>' and '<a href="http://www.ecademy-press.co... Friend in Every City</a>' books and firmly believe the future of business is "winning by sharing" - networking, knowledge sharing and support between individuals to increase personal performance to benefit the business. I'm a proud to be a member of <a href="http://www.chiefexecutive.c...; target="_blank">The Academy for Chief Executives</a> <a href="http://www.chiefexecutive.c... src="http://www.ecademy.com/imag...; border="0" align="right" target="_blank"/></a> Click to view <a href="http://www.ecademy.com/down... Strength Finder results</a> - run by <a href="https://www.strengthsfinder...; target=newwindow>The Gallup Organization</a> Click to view my <a href="http://www.ecademy.com/modu.... Click to view my <a href="http://www.geocities.com/li...; target=newwindow>Myers-Briggs profile: ENFJ</a> My <a href="http://www.ecademy.com/down... - Glenn Watkins.pdf" target=newwindow>CREATOR Wealth Profile below:</a> <img src="http://www.sheresolutions.c...; border="1" alt="CREATOR wealth profile"> <hr> And for a bit of fun: <img src="http://images.quizilla.com/...; border="0" alt="You are Neo"><br>You are Neo, from "The Matrix." You display a perfect fusion of heroism and compassion. <br><br><a href="http://quizilla.com/users/t...; <font size="-1">What Matrix Persona Are You?</font></a><BR> <font size="-3">brought to you by <a href="http://quizilla.com&quot;&g...; <hr> I'm very fortunate to have a wonderful family: Sophia my wife, Libby and Alex. <img src="http://farm2.static.flickr....; width="500" height="375" alt="The Watkins Family 2007" border="0" /> Plus Otto and Ralph(!) our dogs - I spend my personal time with them, my friends as well as playing tennis and riding my motorbike (Suzuki GSXR 750) - though not all at the same time....! In June 2008 I rode to Barecelona to watch the Catalunya MotoGP with Ecademy CTO Julian Bond - we came across a curious garage! <img src="http://farm4.static.flickr....; width="500" height="375" border="0" /> The tour consisted of 2,700 miles of great roads, scenery, food and wine! <img src="http://farm4.static.flickr....; width="181" height="240" border="0" /> <img src="http://farm4.static.flickr....; width="240" height="181" border="0" /> <img src="http://farm4.static.flickr....; width="240" height="181" border="0" /> <img src="http://farm4.static.flickr....; width="181" height="240" border="0" /> Why motorbikes? For me they <b>unite people</b> around: - <i>Beauty</i> (both in terms of bike design and where a bike takes you i.e. the countryside, different countries etc) - <i>Kinship</i> (we help each other when out and about if needed) - <i>Community</i> (we read magazines, post on forums and talk to complete strangers on another bike at traffic lights! ) - <i>Freedom</i> (it can feel I should imagine like the old days of getting on a horse and riding off into the sunset...) - <i>Speed</i> (acceleration, top speeds and a shorter journey time!) - <i>Adrenalin</i> (nothing beats miles of open roads and twistys for miles of smiles :) ) More pics of the <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photo...; target="_blank">tour are here >></a> (click the Options link bottom right and "always show title and descriptions" for commentary...) I'm also keen on photography - here's a few shots from my <a href="http://www.ecademy.com/node... trip to Peru - "The Ultimate Netwalk"</a>: <img src="http://farm2.static.flickr....; width="240" height="181" border="0" /> <img src="http://farm2.static.flickr....; width="240" height="181" border="0" /> <img src="http://farm2.static.flickr....; width="240" height="181" border="0" /> <img src="http://farm2.static.flickr....; width="240" height="181" border="0" /> <img src="http://farm2.static.flickr....; width="240" height="181" border="0" /> <img src="http://farm2.static.flickr....; width="240" height="181" border="0" /> <img src="http://farm2.static.flickr....; width="240" height="181" border="0" /> <img src="http://farm2.static.flickr....; width="240" height="181" border="0" /> And some from Mykonos (a wonderful island!): <img src="http://farm2.static.flickr....; width="181" height="240" border="0" /> <img src="http://farm2.static.flickr....; width="181" height="240" border="0" /> <img src="http://farm2.static.flickr....; width="181" height="240" border="0" /> <img src="http://farm2.static.flickr....; width="181" height="240" border="0" /> <img src="http://farm2.static.flickr....; width="181" height="240" border="0" /> And a few from over the years: <img src="http://farm4.static.flickr....; width="181" height="240" /> <img src="http://farm4.static.flickr....; width="181" height="240" /> <img src="http://farm2.static.flickr....; width="181" height="240" border="0" /> <img src="http://farm2.static.flickr....; width="181" height="240" /> <img src="http://farm4.static.flickr....; width="181" height="240" /> <H2>"...it's hard to stay mad, when there's so much beauty in the world. Sometimes I feel like I'm seeing it all at once, and it's too much, my heart fills up like a balloon that's about to burst."</H2>Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey) - American Beauty. Finally here's one of my favourites: <i><b>"Incidental"</b></i> <img src="http://farm4.static.flickr....; width="375" height="500" alt="Incidental" /></a> <hr> <B>My Book Recommendations</B> "<i>Most Leaders are Readers</i>" - Jack Canfield. <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/exe... Cluetrain Manifesto - Christopher Locke et al ></a> <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/exe... Tipping Point - Malcolm Gladwell ></a> <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/exe... the Revolution - Gary Hamel ></a> <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/exe... Pieces Loosely Joined: A Unified Theory of the Web - David Weinberger ></a> <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/exe... Internet Galaxy: Reflections on the Internet, Business, and Society - Manuel Castells ></a> <a href="http://www.ecademy.com/node... Friend in Every City - Thomas Power, Penny Power and Andy Coote ></a> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/... to Change the World: Social Entrepreneurs and the Power of New Ideas - David Bornstein ></a> <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/exe... - Jack Black ></a> <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/exe... Celestine Prophecy - James Redfield ></a> <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/exe... and grow Rich - Napoleon Hill ></a> (My favourite personal development book of all time!) <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dre... of Jupiter - Ted Simon ></a> And finally most recently: <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dre... From My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance - Barack Obama ></a> I'm not "political" - but I do feel a connection with Barack Obama who's story above opened my eyes and mind to many things. The World awaits in hope that he is able to continue to connect and unite around <i>core values</i>: <b>Hardwork, Honesty, Self Reliance, Respect for other people, a sense of Empathy, Kindness, Faith</b>. <div id="smPromoteOWHTWidget"></div> <script type="text/javascript" language="javascript">var SM_NOS_OWHT=5;var SM_WIDGET_WIDTH_OWHT=335;var SM_TAB_OWHT = 'rising-fast'; var SM_REF_OWHT=''; var SM_OPEN_NEW_WINDOW_OWHT = 0;</script> <script src="http://socialmedian.s3.amaz...; type="text/javascript" language="javascript"></script> My favourite poem by my daughter Libby! (Aged 12 at the time) <b>Pain</b> Pain isn't a punch or a prod Pain isn't when a bone is broken Pain is when hurtful words are spoken Pain isn't a slap around the face or a push in the back Pain isn't being physically shook Pain is when someone makes a shallow comment on the way you look Pain doesn't always mean being physically hurt Pain can sometimes mean someone talking to you, as if you were a piece of dirt Pain can be avoided by thinking about the words you say Pain in the world will be less when you start caring today…. Thanks for taking an interest in me - be well, be happy and be connected! <img src="http://www.ecademy.com/imag...; border="0"> <I><B>Glenn</B></I> Glenn Watkins Chief Executive Ecademy Connecting Business People <a href="http://www.ecademy.com&quot...; <a href="http://twitter.com/glennwat... Glenn ></a> <a href="http://twittercounter.com/?...; title="Twitter for @glennwatkins"><img src="http://twittercounter.com/c...; width="88" height="26" style="border:none;" alt="TwitterCounter for @glennwatkins" /></a> <b><i>Growing old is compulsory - growing up is not!</i></b>
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