Who are my Mentors?

This is something I’ve been thinking about for a while. Everyone has a hero they look up to, someone they admire. The realm I most associate myself with is the new media crowd (blogging, podcasting, internet video). Let me introduce you to my mentors:

Internet Business:

Jason Van Orden -Podcaster first and foremost, entrepreneur at heart. He was responsible for most of the promoting ideas I’ve implemented on this blog/podcast.

Podcasting:

Paul Colligan – Best mentor anyone could ask for. He knows this area well, and is an awesome friend to have. To me, his name is synonymous with podcasting.

Blogging:

Yaro Starak – One of the first blogs I ever followed when I first came into this realm in early 2006. Everything he writes is so simple, anyone can understand it.

Darren Rowse – When I first ran across ProBlogger, I thought of the name. I said, “I want to be a Pro-Blogger” and I’ve modeled much of what I do on the internet around that statement.

Social Media:

Leesa Barnes – Started out podcasting, made a book, then merged into the realm of social media. Best interviewer I’ve had, and LOVES speaking on New Media.

Those are my mentors, what about you?

How are my Spiritual Birthday and this Blog related?

Well, very simple. I went to a conference in March of 2006, and there met Ken Pierpont. It was at that conference I first heard about blogging and the power behind it. He also touched a bit on podcasting, which I had never heard before. I came home and purposed at that point to start “blogging”. I kept it as a bit of an online journal if you will for a while, then started digging deeper into blogging. That started my move into podcasting, and I’ve never looked back. I absolutely LOVE the connections and the conversations that I’ve had in this space. Not to mention the pure POWER behind this “new media revolution”.

I strategically planned this blog out. I didn’t want to get a wordpress.com or blogger.com blog. I didn’t even want to go under a pen name. I wanted to be me, and creating my own blog helped me achieve that. From the start, this venture was flooded in prayer, and I made a definite step by releasing my first post to the world exactly three years ago today. Here is the first post I ever wrote:

http://taylormarek.com/2006/04/02/spiritual-birthday/

Since then, what has happened still amazes me to this day. I have interviewed some very popular people on the internet, I’ve been reader of the month for my local library, I was interviewed for the monthly JA newsletter, I’ve had the honor of being written about in the book “Podcasting for Profit” by Leesa Barnes, and I had the pleasure of being able to attend the 2008 New Media Expo. The website has continued to grow as well.

I am still amazed that those whom I consider “rockstars” of the new media realm and doggedly follow actually know me personally. That alone encourages me to continue cranking out new content for you guys. God is good isn’t He?

Today I turn nine in the Lord, and this blog officially turns three. I embrace the expanding horizon with open arms thanking God for this opportunity He has laid in front of me and welcoming whatever new opportunities He will lay in front of me in the days, weeks, months, and years to come. Thank you for being a part of this special celebration.

#86 Sponsored by GoDaddy: Credit Card Backlash, Sales staff or Advertising, and Google battles Viacom while Dell frauds

This episode has been sponsored by GoDaddy. Get your piece of the Internet today and save 10% on your next order by using code POD11 or BLU11. http://www.godaddy.com

In today’s episode you will learn about how credit cards can eat you alive for Finances. For Business, will you pick a sales staff or invest in advertising, and for Technology, I give an update on the Google/Viacom lawsuit and how Dell was caught red-handed.

The articles used in today’s show can be found at:
http://askfsb.blogs.fsb.cnn.com/2008/05/23/taking-your-web-design-firm-to-the-next-level/
http://www.informationweek.com/news/internet/google/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=208400312
http://www.informationweek.com/news/hardware/desktop/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=208400410

If you have any questions, comments, or ideas about anything mentioned during the show, or to give your two-cents on a topic, call our toll-free line at 1-866-TMP-2860.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 38:25 — 17.6MB)

Podcasting for Profit Rock Star

Sorry I didn’t get this announcement out sooner.

Looking to purchase “Podcasting for Profit” by Leesa Barnes?

Ship Date is Sept. 30, but you can pre-order the book here: http://www.podcastingforprofitbook.com/

Why am I mentioning this book? Because I am in the book! I was interviewed by Leesa Barnes a while back to be included in the book, and I gave her many good ideas that she put into it. Just recently on her blog, she listed the “Podcasting for Profit Rock Stars” in order of appearance in her book. You can find me in “Chapter 9 – Building Your Expert Status” of Podcasting for Profit. I am PFP rock star #75.

You can find the entire list here: http://www.marketingfit.com/the-podcasting-for-profit-rock-stars/