An Inner Struggle - Techie vs. Entrepreneur, Round 1
If you've frequented the hotspots of Social Media blogging lately, as I have, you'll notice the usual trend. Dismisal by the technology heavy-hitters of any newcomers to the playing field. Often it's done in jest, oh just kidding, you know... But as with all things techie and fun, the true Techies don't like having to share their playground with "the rest of us."
I've often referred to myself as Techie Lite - I know more than many of my family and friends (with the exception of my brother) but much less than any self-identified Geek. I can change a hard drive and wire a basic network, but I'm not a Geek. I'm not an expert. I'm just a gal blogging about things that interest me. I'm an aspiring entrepreneur. I love computers, love technology, love to write and love to socialize. So here I am.
Is there a place for people like me in the vast new world that is being called Social Media? I think so. Of course, that gets back to the heart of blogging. We all think we have something important to say. Success is when a bunch of other people agree with you. Social networking really isn't new (I was networking online in the 90s in a variety of venues), but it's new for a lot of folks. Social Media is more than just technology, that's the whole point. When someone tweets to his network about losing his job, he's less concerned with the underlying technology and more concerned with making an emotional connection to those who care. Social Media is about allowing us, as a human species, to connect with each other on a deeper level even as our world becomes more and more wired!
Recently Wayne Sutton, of SocialWayne.com, wrote a blog post about Why People Hate Self-proclaimed Social Media Gurus. And I agree with his post wholeheartedly. However, I think the real trouble lies in the disconnect between the Techie Jet Set and the Entrepreneurial Jet Set. True techies are anti-establishment (in the good sense), worship Apple, had 3g before you or I knew what it was, and they were using web 2.0 long before we were socializing through Twitter. Meanwhile, the Entrepreneurial bunch won't touch a product until they've answer the question "what will this do for me and my bottom-line." Techies tend to be introverted. Entrepreneurs tend to be extroverted. Of course, some of the most successful Internet ventures have been started by those who manage to strattle the fence between a love of all things OS-driven and a love of Napoleon Hill! Anyway, I've noticed that very few Techie blogs are free of advertising. In the end, no one minds making a buck, do they?
What to do, what to do? At the ripe old age of 20, I did buy, own and read The Macintosh Way (by Guy Kawasaki) when it was first published in 1990. So many colleagues borrowed that book from me back then that I don't know what happened to it. I do have a LAN certification from DePaul University (although it's so old, my knowledge is way outdated!). Yet, I can't be a Social Media cyborg (although it sounds cool). On the other hand, I'm not into slick Internet sales, MLM, and the like. Lastly, I don't want to be part of the Mommys at Home Unite movement either (although some have tried to discredit or belittle me for being a mother, nice!). Isn't there a place for the rest of us? As I expand my social networks, I get the sense that people I've connected with are not sure exactly where I fit in. The technology-driven types can tell that I'm not quite "there" and the entrepreneurial types know I'm not a who's who or a what's what.Techies need to be more welcoming of those who hopped on board the coolness train, and business-types need to be more mindful that, for some, technology is a passion not a dollar sign.
Maybe they'll all just pick up their marbles and go home. But they should remember, the true fun in playing is enjoying the environment.
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