If you’re going to get to know someone over this next year, give Ms. birthday girl a try. Liz is the type of person who takes any idea and brings it ahead about seven notches. She’s full of ideas, a community superstar, and someone who I think has already made more of the web than lots of us will get to in the next five years combined.

Happy Birthday to Liz, one of the good guys.

A few months back, I flew to Chicago and participated in her SOBCon event, which was subtitled Business School for Bloggers, and ever since, I’ve been taking her advice there (and the advice of others I spent time with) and running with it. I’m thinking you should, too. I know that Liz is working on several projects, including some useful information for bloggers to consider in bringing their game up, especially if they’re considering business blogging, or blogging as part of their business. I can’t wait for that.

And in the mean time, I want you to start thinking about the skillsets you have on board, and the ones you need to add. For instance, I’m a great writer. I’m a great thinker. I’m great at relationship building and maintaining. I’m a pretty decent marketer. I’m not great at sales. I’m not great at negotiation. I have nothing with regards to legal or financial issues, except the understanding that I don’t know much about them.

If you were to need business skills as a media maker, what would they be? And if you were to be a business type looking at how blogging and other media might impact your business, what are some of the tools you would want to better understand? I’m sure Liz will be able to help you out a great deal, and in the mean time, I just wanted to start a conversation and understand what matters to you.

Are you already subscribed to Liz’s blog? It’s worth spending some time and getting to know her. She’s done a lot for me, and she’s where I look for advice and inspiration lots of times. And, if you are a decent sized corporation looking for some help in understanding the landscape, the educational requirements, and the business impact of blogging, Liz is a great resource to consider.

What do you need to know about business and blogs and vice versa?

All kinds of crazy hooligans are going to pile on their business perspective and give you a sense of how you can advance your efforts into something that might become a sustainable business. Hooligans include:

Anita Bruzzese from Gannett USA Today, on online reputation management, Brian Clark, Copyblogger, on online business models that work, Lorelle VanFossen of Lorelle on WordPress, one focusing your business to get noticed, Chris Garrett, on managing the editorial, Muhammad Saleem, on what makes an appropriate social networking portfolio, Chris Brogan, on social media choices that produce, Dave Bullock, a sales model that converts, Liz Strauss, how to build an irresistible offer and Wendy Piersall on success management.

By the way, if you register before April 1, it costs less, but honestly, either price is within the realm of reasonable if you consider this a business consulting opportunity with tons of minds that understand the old school and the new school.

So, if you’re interested, register and get your future put in order.

Photo credit, Brian Solis