Privateers- Backing Your Pirate Ships

A few weeks ago, I wrote about the beauty of pirate ships. Essentially, the premise was that pirates attack the goal for the goal’s sake, and don’t focus as much on the ships themselves. In the way old days, governments would fund privateers to carry out missions on behalf of the organization, and share back a percentage of the plunder.

Effective today, I announce the start of my privateer effort. My pirate ship is officially in the water. There’s no flag (official website). There’s no fleet (yet). And I do have the backing of my government (company).

New Marketing Labs

I’ve taken over a piece of CrossTech Media after a conversation with Nick Saber and Stephen Saber. I don’t really know what I should make my title, because really, who give’s a rat’s ass? I’m driving the vision I laid out, backed by Stephen and Nick. That’s what matters.

I have two direct people on my team right now: Mike Lewis, President of the Business Marketing Association of Boston will be my General Manager and delivery partner. Rich Erb will be my sales executive for the events. (I still also have all of CrossTech working with me, and am partnered with CrossTech Partners for solution delivery on platforms and more complex projects.)

The business has two main pieces: education and service.

Education: New Marketing Summit

Flagship of the events I run is the New Marketing Summit. We’re doing four of these in 2009, including Milan, Italy. That’s the plan.

On top of these, we’re doing something to help parents understand the Net so they can better educate their kids. They’ll be one day events all over the place. We’re doing some one day boot camp education events that will be step-by-step and hands-on stuff. If you want that in your city, we’ll find ways to bring it. That’s just the beginning.

Service: Project Dogfood for You

Here’s where it gets crazy. I have worked with marketers, PR types, and social media folks tons over the last few years. Starting now (and based on some advice from Seth Godin and Todd Defren), I’m using New Marketing Labs as a new media agency arm for what I’m doing. What does that mean?

I’m offering my best social media efforts to midsized and larger businesses in a formal and professional manner, complete with execution teams and development support. What kinds of offerings? Out of the gate:

• Reputation Management including listening technology (heavy on the listening)
• New Media Relationships including blogger relations (with some GREAT partners and me)
• Community Projects including platforms and community management
• Email marketing and web design (primarily through my partner network).

You know me, or you know what I’ve shared with you to date. You know how I operate. I work collaboratively, and I build teams, and I deliver everything with the goal of being helpful. So, I’ve decided to get into the game directly and deliberately.

I’m invigorated. I’m excited. I’m nervous, because this is my first pure play effort, so I’m going to have to jump into the world of YOU wondering if I’m praising clients and stuff. Here’s the deal: I will disclose clients every single damned time. I will also list them on my About page.

So that’s the news. I’m starting a new business tied to my existing partners. I’m going to run even more interesting events in 2009. I’m available to work on your social media execution for internal and external projects. If you’re a business in need of such, come get me. If you’re a social media practitioner, you and I can talk about working together, and we’ll talk about how I vet or that.

I’ve got a great team around me, and I’ve got a pirate ship!

Questions? Problems? Ideas? Business opportunities? (A guy can ask, right?)

Photo credit, Mike Baird

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