Why Social Media, why me?

So, my venture into the social media consultancy world is fairly recent, actually, it's really recent, it came about because of a meeting I went to in cardiff called Make It Happen Monday, which was launched by 4Networking to help people like me running SME's get help and direction from other SME's.

Up until that point I had been running The Chepstow Cupcake Company, and Go Fudge Yourself, food based companies. During the meeting, you have to stand up and say what you think you're good at, and then in another round stand up and say what you think you need help with.

At the last meeting I didn't really know what to say I was good at. I mean, I can give you a fantastic buttercream recipe, but that's not really going to help your business expand now is it? Your waistline, yes, maybe, but not your business!

Anyway, between that meeting in December, and the next one in January, I was told the incredible pain in my neck was a ruptured disc, and the pain in my shoulder was Supraspinatus Tendonitis, and I needed to take 3 months off baking. 3 MONTHS!?!! I'm a single mother dependent entirely on my income! I can't take time off!!

Anyway, whilst pondering this, I went to another MIHM meeting in January. I stood up and explained that in my businesses I had successfully used Social Media to create brand awareness. Pretty much everyone at the meeting already knew of me from Facebook or Twitter, so they knew I was speaking the truth.

Much to my surprise I was voted an 'expert' which meant enough people wanted to hear what I had to say about Social Media. Well there you go, I had a fantastic group, who I shared a lot of knowledge tips and tricks with, and at the end of it, a few people asked if they could pay me to come and give them training sessions.

WOW!

I of course said yes, and right there, right then a business was born! I've struggled a little bit since then with being branded an 'expert', I don't think of myself as that, I've learnt on the job and I was a little bit scared I wouldn't know what I was doing.

However, the people that I most respect in the industry, Peter Kay, Allan Blair Beaton, Dickie Armour, and Barry Watson, have welcomed me into the fold, and as Pete said:

So, if the experts have included me, does that make me an expert? Well, no, I don't think that's for me to decide, I think it's for me to prove. Other people will decide that, so I decided to as the experts here's what they said:

'Social Media is too broad, too many disciplines, too many components. No one can be an expert of it all.' - Pete

Allan pretty much said the same thing independently


' it's impossible to be an expert. You can only be a participant in what's going on.'


'Agree with ABB. there are no experts. We're all learning together!'
- Dickie 

I love this thought process. Social Media is moving and developing too quickly for anyone to be an 'expert'. All I can say, is I adore social media, it's a natural part of my day, and I rely on it completely to keep up with my friends and listen to and engage with my customers.

I hope I never do know it all, It would be boring then!