Michael Hollett is the co-owner of NOW Magazine and Now Communications

Michael Zipursky

Michael Hollett is the co-owner of NOW Magazine and Now Communications. Michael has been involved with NOW since 1981 and continues to work with the magazine, website and book publishing areas of the business. For the latest on Michael follow him on Twitter @m_hollett

What was the impetus for starting NOW Magazine?
An entire political and artistic scene was going unreported in Toronto in 1981 and we were launched to cover it and the businesses that grew up around it. It was this scene that turned into the progressive political movements that spawned John Sewell, Olivia Chow, Jack Layton and David Miller and the indie cultural scene highly identified with Queen West. Papers like this existed in the US but not in Canada and we were inspired by New York’s Village Voice, Chicago’s Reader, Boston’s Phoenix and others.

We decided to go free so that we could reach non-traditional newspaper magazine readers where they hung out since they weren’t going to newsstands and were abandoning daily papers.

NOW Magazine was one of the first free newsweekly’s to hit the Toronto streets, why did you decide to make it free?
We initially had a cover price, like the Voice and the majority of US alt weeklies. We decided to go free so that we could reach non-traditional newspaper magazine readers where they hung out since they weren’t going to newsstands and were abandoning daily papers. It helped us grow quickly because we were easy to find and the retailers that distributed us saw how popular NOW was and bought ads in it.

What percentage of your readers consume NOW in print vs online? And how has the shift to digital devices influenced how you run NOW?
We have 411,000 readers weekly in print and 339,000 unique Canadian visitors online per month. The digital world has turned us into a seven day a week, 24 hours a day content generating organization. Our news cycle has changed because we report news when it breaks not just when we print. We have slightly different voices online and in print and both are fun to operate in. We are obliged to be pioneers in terms of always striving to be part of what’s next in the digital world and I’m happy to say we usually are part of the ‘Next’ here at NOW. Continue reading →

BCAMA 22nd Annual VISION Conference: Liquid Content

Michael Zipursky

On Wednesday May 23rd, 2012 the BC Chapter of the American Marketing Association will be hosting it’s biggest event of the year – Vision Conference.

Held at the Westin Bayshore Hotel in Vancouver, this event brings marketers and business leaders together for a full day of ideas, learning, networking and insight into the latest industry trends.

This year the conference is about Liquid Content

Speakers from Across North America

Speakers from across Canada and the US will be presenting at Vision. They include:

Bruce Philp, Author, Consumer Republic (Toronto)
Leonard Brody, Author, The Myth of Generations (San Francisco)
Terry McBride, CEO, Nettwerk Music & Yyoga (Vancouver)
Fredrik Carlström, CEO, C&CO, Hyper Island (New York)
Jon Ferrara, CEO, Nimble (Los Angeles)
Ben Watson, VP Marketing, Hootsuite (Vancouver)
Panel Presentation: How brands can leverage and measure social clout
Entertainment: Erica Sigurdson (Vancouver)

In this digital era, how do we craft stories that provoke conversation? How do we create a message or brand that spreads organically through the power of sharing and self publishing?

Find out at the Vision Conference.

Full event information and registration at:
BCAMA Vision Conference Details

Fresh Canadian Creative & Marketing Jobs May 8th, 2012

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Here’s a quick run down of some of the hottest Canadian creative and marketing jobs making the rounds so far this week:

Social Media Manager in Vancouver with very hip and classy clothing company Indochino Apparel Inc.
More Info + Apply for Job
Sales and Design Consultant in Calgary with Quintaro Imaging, a production facility for fine graphics specializing in graphic reproduction and commercial art for architects, designers and corporate professionals in hospitality and healthcare industries, as well as residential projects.
More Info + Apply for Job
Digital Marketing Coordinator in Toronto with Circle of Care, an accredited non-profit multi-service agency serving clients across the Toronto Area.
More Info + Apply for Job
Director, Member and Community Insights in Vancouver with Vancity credit union, very hot job with well established and community oriented company.
More Info + Apply for Job

Dave Fleet, VP of Digital at Edelman Toronto on Business, Life and Media

Michael Zipursky

Dave Fleet Photo

Dave Fleet is the Vice President of Digital at Edelman’s Toronto Office. Dave has held roles in marketing and communications at large corporations and within the public sector. Visit www.davefleet.com or follow @davefleet to connect with Dave.

Dave, you’ve worked in both the private and public sectors in Canada. From a marketing and communications view what are the big differences when working in private vs. public?

From my perspective, communications principles are the same regardless of where you work. I’ve taken a lot of lessons from my time in the public sector and applied them to the work I do in agencies, especially when it comes to considering the needs of myriad stakeholders (something that is central to the life of government communicators).

With that said, there are certainly differences. While government communications requires you to get in-depth on a relatively limited set of topics, agency life generally you to work more broadly. Some people like that variety; others prefer to sink their teeth into a smaller set of topics. Agency life is also much faster-paced and high-pressure. Again, some people like that (I thrive on it) but it’s not for everyone.

Agency life is also much faster-paced and high-pressure

Dave, you are the VP of Digital at Edelman in Toronto. What does your typical day look like?

I work with a team of about 30 people, split between Canada and the US. Fortunately they’re all smarter than me, so from my perspective my role is to help to set the right direction for them, provide whatever support they need and stay out of the way so they can do their jobs.

My days are generally a mix of providing input on proposals, plans and reports from the team, participating in client calls on any number of topics, administration (hiring, finances, 1:1s with reports etc) and generally acting as a clearing house for information for the team. Sometimes I’ll get more heavily involved in specific projects, but one of the things I love about this team is that 99% of the time they’re more than capable of kicking butt without my involvement. Continue reading →

Words with Manny Bahia, Co-Founder of VancityBuzz.com

Michael Zipursky

Manny Bahia is a real estate agent with SRS Westside Realty and also the co-founder of VancityBuzz, one of Vancouver’s best known blogs covering news, sports, entertainment and more. You can connect with Manny online at @mannyvancity

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Manny, you’re a real estate agent and also run one of Vancouver’s top blogs, which one did you get into first?
Hi! My career as a real estate agent began in the summer of 2006 when the market in Vancouver was early in its blistering hot stage. I wanted to take advantage of family and friends purchasing and selling real estate at the time. My time was limited since I was still at Simon Fraser University completing a BBA and Economics joint major. I figured working with family and friends would help me financially and also assist me in gaining valuable experience I could take to clients in the future.

Vancity Buzz began as a passion project in my childhood friend’s basement in July 2008.

We are always looking at adding new features and sections to Vancity Buzz to distance and differentiate ourselves from our competition.

How did VancityBuzz come about and why did you decide to start it?
Vancity Buzz came about with our passion for the city of Vancouver. Developments and urban planning have been a cornerstone of making Vancouver the great city it is today and we had an opinion on it. We also had opinions on civic and provincial issues, sports, and entertainment. So we started a blog in my partner’s basement and began weekly meetings which we continue to this day.

Our angle has always been expressing news and opinions with light-hearted satire, and simply keeping it real. We avoid all that boring mainstream media news.

VancityBuzz has become a premier site for Vancouver information, looking back, what was most critical in making it a success? What took it from being ‘just another blog’ to such a visited and talked about online destination?
The most critical point in time which took Vancity Buzz to the next level was the 2010 Winter Olympics. We pulled all-nighters compiling guides and news for Vancouverites and tourists.

At the same time, my partner with Vancity Buzz, Karm, was deeply engaged in the Twitterverse and building quite the following, quickly. He engaged with locals on a personal level, entertained, and disseminated the content they were looking for from Vancity Buzz. His commitment to social media has been unwavering.

We wouldn’t be where we are today without our content and commitment to our social media channels.

Most recently, our growing team of the most amazing up-and-coming writers in Vancouver has been the boon to our growth. Content is king when it comes to online media.

We are always looking at adding new features and sections to Vancity Buzz to distance and differentiate ourselves from our competition. I think what Apple does with continuous innovation is something we admire greatly. Our current web guy has done a phenomenal job of implementation.

Has running the blog directly impacted your career as a real estate agent in any way, positive or negative?
It has been a negative impact since the inception of the blog. It is impossible to run a startup online business and, at the same time, be out and about selling real estate. Even with smartphones, there are certain tasks for which you need to be at the office on a computer. It is a juggling act.

However, it is nothing but positive going forward. Vancity Buzz has grown to a level of self-sufficiency and become a strong promotional engine in Vancouver. Recognizing this, we have a couple projects in the pipeline, launching shortly, which will be promoted through Vancity Buzz, along with me as a real estate agent. Our Vancity Buzz family is so solid and we’re all exploring exciting opportunities together.

He engaged with locals on a personal level, entertained, and disseminated the content they were looking for from Vancity Buzz. His commitment to social media has been unwavering.

Running one business can be challenging enough, what does your typical day look like running two?
Each day is fairly flexible, but scheduled the night before, based on urgency and priority. The morning begins with me attending sponsor emails at my home office, followed by showering and all that morning stuff. The rest of the day involves: real estate, managing technical/backend issues and development, event management, sponsor relations, Project X, Project Y, etc.

We have an amazing team where everybody is willing to take on each other’s responsibilities and understanding of outside commitments. Adding the right core executives has been instrumental in providing the positive direction Vancity Buzz has headed.

I keep myself sane with meditation. I also take out at least a night per week for family and friends.

Is staying productive a key focus for you?
Productivity is huge. Having your own businesses keeps you busy at all hours of the day, seven days a week.

I’m a huge efficiency and micromanagement kind of guy. I can’t live without my Blackberry smartphone with Google Calendar, and Toshiba laptop.

However, I think the most important tool for productivity would be meditation, by far. A focused, clear, and relaxed mind goes a long way to make the right decisions and increase mental stamina and efficiency. Twenty minutes per day can save you hours.

Do you have a good work-life balance?
Work-life balance is important, depending on the circumstances. When you’re in early stages of a startup, forget about life. Once things stabilize a bit, you need to take breaks to keep sanity.

I keep myself sane with meditation. I also take out at least a night per week for family and friends. My family, friends, and girlfriend are very supportive and I wouldn’t be able to do what I do without them. Vacations are important for recharging. I live by the “work hard, play hard” doctrine.

Can you share a personal or business challenge that was hard to deal with and how you overcame it and what you learned from it?
The toughest business challenge I had to face was holding off as a real estate agent at the beginning of this year for four months. We were going through a transition period at Vancity Buzz and so I focused all my attention on it, giving up real estate opportunities. Sometimes it’s good to focus on paddling one boat than multiple boats.

In hindsight, it worked because we reached a level of self-sufficiency, giving more flexibility now.

What is your favourite quote of all time?
Anything motivational. I hear or see a new quote every day. Whether it’s academic or rap music, I don’t have a favourite.

What is one thing that your coworkers, clients or friends may not know about you?
I love them like family.

Ron Cann, Director of Product Marketing & Sales at Central 1 Credit Union

Michael Zipursky

Ron Cann is the Director of Product Marketing & Sales at Central 1 Credit Union, a wholesale financial services provider which serves credit unions, banks and corporate clients across Canada. Ron also serves as the President of BCAIM and sits on the board of the CMA. Prior to joining Central 1, Ron held positions at Karo Group and the North Shore Credit Union.

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Ron, what are the first few things that you do each morning?

I go into work early so I try and be “Stealth Dad” and slip out of the house without waking anyone up. I try and workout every morning at our office gym so usually that’s first on the list. Once I hit the desk I’m scanning my Google Reader, LinkedIn updates and a few news sites online. I then focus on clearing my email and organizing the day.

Email seems to be a problem plaguing all professionals these days, do you have any tips for dealing with email and to make it more productive?

I have been focusing a lot on this, as email can be a real black hole. I interviewed a few colleagues to see what works for them and here is what I’ve developed as my process:

Do away with folders and rely on your email tool’s search capability. It’s massively improved over the years especially if you use a Mac.
Create two folders (1) Action (2) Archive. Create a system to prioritize your Action folder.
Every morning empty your inbox by either (1) deleting (2) archiving or (3) putting in the action file to take care of later. If the email item takes less than 2 minutes to deal with it, deal with it at that moment.
Commit to checking email at planned intervals. Turn off all notification sounds, alerts, etc. I check email in the morning, just before lunch, mid afternoon and then at the end of the day. Tell your staff/co-workers that if they really need to talk to you then to pick up the phone. Most items in an inbox don’t need 30-second turn-around times.

What time do you usually arrive at the office? And what does your typical day look like?

6:30ish if I’m working out and 7:30 ish if I’m not. My day is a hodgepodge of meetings and project work and can go from extremely strategic to extremely tactical in the blink of an eye as I have a lean team. Continue reading →

Words with Search Marketing & E-business Specialist Harmit Kamboe

Michael Zipursky

Harmit, as I read over your work experience, one thing that stood out is your focus on results. Why have you chosen to list out the results you’ve achieved rather than just list the work you’ve done for your employers – like so many others do?

Well, numbers are pretty much everything. They state the facts clearly and make it easy, at least in my mind, to figure out what works and what does not. At the end of the day, that is what every one wants to know.

In the case of some SEO work where I have had success, it comes down to having a basic understanding of how documents gets indexed and ranked.

I like the fact that the numbers take subjectivity out of the equation.

You search marketing work and case studies have shown some dramatic increases and over-achievement of key metrics. How were you able to achieve that and what should other people keep in mind if they want to achieve results like that?

I think everything comes down to understanding how things work. Knowing the problem is half the battle.

In the case of some SEO work where I have had success, it comes down to having a basic understanding of how documents gets indexed and ranked. Ask yourself why does some one else rank ahead of you? How can you provide more value to a user than them?

In the case of some of my PPC work, where I have had success, it comes down constantly eliminating the wasteful traffic and getting the CPA (Cost Per Action) to move lower. Proper recognition to overall click attribution is a big part of accurate measurement. It was a few years ago that did I some work with Circuit City. I was amazed at the number of phone orders that were being generated by some of the PPC work I was doing.

It sounds a bit contrived but it is true. Doing whats good for users is usually what is important and that is what search engines look for too.

In the case of some of my e-commerce work, it was all about opening up additional channels of relevant traffic and monitoring the Cost Per Order. As an example while working for an e-commerce retailer, researching and documenting the process and then selling on the different global Amazon sites under a different name and price point was something that allowed us to sell more on a commission only basis. Continue reading →

Stephen Jagger

This year the conference is about Liquid Content

Speakers from Across North America