Learn how to really stand out of a crowd!

I can’t say enough thanks to Dan Walderschmidt for seeing the beauty in being different. I just read an article he wrote after his TedX experience called “Success Starts With You Being Different“and I have never read something before that completely encapsulated my whole mission statement.

And… he said it in only 6 easy steps.

1. Being different won’t kill you…
2. Being different will get you noticed…
3. Being different won’t have people outwardly lauding you… (at first)
4. Being different secretly makes people respect you…
5. Being different probably won’t get you the incremental job promotions…
6. Being different positions you best to be able to change the world…

I couldn’t have said it better Dan… I also was at TEDxGreenville and it was somewhat of a memory of a time when I lived in Greenville, had blue hair and found out that it wasn’t accepted to be different and very tough to find any respect in certain communities. I went through tons of tough times and lots of teary bedtimes after run in’s with people who would make rude comments or generally avoid me at all costs…that’s when I thought I would never fit in anywhere, I almost dyed my hair back to normal. That’s when I met TimTV and he inspired me to just be myself and that’s when my blog Destructo Deviations started to showcase the different side of Greenville. A year later I have learned that just being myself has made me stand out of the crowd and more opportunities than I can count.

I personally think the strongest people in this world are people who take the time to understand others, to let different become normal and to realize that the best qualities of someone is generally something that makes them stand out. Why not make your whole self your best quality?

Miss Destructo is Yammin it Up In Greenville from Miss Destructo on Vimeo.

As most of you know I just traveled to Greenville, South Carolina…. Why was I there? Because of Bruce’s Yams of course… to return back to the place where all the yamsanity began for me. I made this very special video for all the Bruce’s Yams fans and to tell a little bit more about the story behind the blue haired gal who tweets and types for Bruce’s Yams.

Attending the “idea” conference TedxGreenville was only the marshmellow fluff on the casserole for me. Tedx was a great place to share my Bruce’s Yam story with others to help inspire and spread the word about our favorite food.

At the end of the video I held a get together of a bunch of Bruce’s Yams fans and my friends in Greenville, South Carolina. The Yam-A-Palooza tweetup (twitter meetup) was a hit and many great ideas came from it. I can’t wait to have a contest to see who can make the best yam cocktails and t-shirt designs now! You may even see us (the cans, not me) at the media conference SXSW next week! I am now realizing the possibilities for yams are endless and people are willing to help start the spreading the word in their towns. Yams are a becoming of a trendy item, i’ve even heard of people going on multi city scavenger hunts to find a can of Bruce’s Yams!

Thank you all for the support and keeping me fueled with new ideas, if you have a cool yam themed event or something sweet potato related (festivals, personalities or whatever!) let me know, I might just show up in YOUR town for the next yamventure!

Oh, yes. And there’s a special yam dance I made just for you all in the video… feel free to make your own yam dance and send it to me!

Thanks again for being a fan of Bruce’s Yams and Miss Destructo!

Stay yamtastic,

I found my new archnemesis "Yam Coat" at TEDxGreenville

Last week was a rollercoaster, it started out not so good (as most of you know my father Cpt. Spauldad has been in the hospital), however ended with a great accumulation of returning to my past in Greenville and inspiration for the future.

Greenville, South Carolina… where this whole social media career started for me, where Destructo Deviations began as a blog showcasing different gems of Greenville while I was diving into cans of Bruce’s Yams because of unemployment. Now it’s funny that I am returning for a conference TEDxGreenville that showcases the talents of Greenville (and beyond) while working for Bruce’s Yams.

Talking with fellow Tampa social media tweeple (and all around awesome guy) Kevin Lyons, on the plane ride over here. It’s strange how only looking back a few months you find your self constantly moving yourself into either a step up or a step back, it all depends on your attitude. Working hard to succeed is always good, but we both found that it’s always the moments where you aren’t looking for something that you get the light that shows the next step in your path. However, it’s always good to look back (or visit) those old places you’ve been through those tough times in your life. Usually those times when you are yelling in your head “What am I doing?” or when you feel like you aren’t making progress in your current situation.

I spent my first hours in Greenville with Bryant who is somewhat a VIP at his local sushi joint, I felt like I was in the mob. Venturing upon plates of Sushi (no sweet potato tempura!) and learned the proper way to eat a bowl of noodles. He showed me these bubble gum flavored, Japanese drinks that have marbles in them. I looked at the Japanese food store we were in to see if they had any Sweet Potato Kit Kat bars. Hashtag this #Yamfail

Later on in the evening I attended the pre-TEDx Greenville meetup for the TEDx speakers and VIP’s, it was great to be able to network with some of the best of TEDx and see some of my very missed Greenville folks. I made so many great connections that night and new friends… It’s was interesting to see the mix of the old southern gentlemen and business ladies next to people like TimTv and myself. Even better it was amazing despite the differences, the similar connections you can make by just talking about a can of Bruce’s Yams, “Oh yeah! We love yams… *insert 10 minutes of rambling off their favorite yam recipes*” Bruce’s Yams and Miss Destructo, bringing people together. #yamwin

I can honestly say I didn’t know what to expect from TEDxGreenville, i’ve been to many conferences before where you pick and choose the people you want to go see and usually I stand out in the hallway meeting people more than I spend attending panels. But TEDx, is more of a “your butt must be in the seat” for every speaker, not so much to force ideas upon you but for you to share a common experience with your fellow attendees during a whole day of performances, speeches and inspiring stories. I just remember walking into the building in amazement of the number of people that had shown up, it was a packed house and as my new Tampa pal Kevin said “I can’t walk in front of you” as there was so many of my long awaiting twitter and blog fans stopping me in the lobby. “Miss Destructo!” was a common heard phrase that day and I have to say it was a pleasure meeting all of you. Without the fuel and ideas that I get from my followers and readers, my life would be much different and less full of yams. It was great to hear that most of you already follow my yamtastic adventures with Bruce’s Yams, most of the Greenville people I met can remember when I was running my “Will Work For Yams” campaign on my twitter account. That’s why Greenville and attending TEDx was so special for me, to open doors to new opportunities while among the people that first inspired me.

TedxGreenville was amazing, not only did I learn how to grow mushrooms and about the power of ignorance. But I learned that the greatest power of the event was it’s ability to connect a broad spectrum of topics and people to relate to every person’s life. Truly worth every penny, as I walked away from the conference that day with not only many new friends and career opportunities but enough knowledge to power a small country. For a small town, Greenville has a big community and an even bigger heartbeat in it’s role in social media, technology and business. As I got asked many times that day “Would you move back Miss Destructo? We miss you!” ah, my dear Greenville, it is a romance that is only a muse and not a long term relationship. But what I have taken away from this event will further my everyday quest to find my place in this world.

Ted X Greenville Re-Cap from Miss Destructo on Vimeo.

Huge thanks to Bruce’s Foods, Trey Pennington, Phil Yanov, Aaron von Frank, Susan Sebotnick, TimTv, Kamran Popkin, Kevin Lyons and all of my friends new and old for supporting me on my yamventures in Greenville. Keep rockin the yam pride, i’ll see you all again and next time I am bringing yams. Lots of yams.

View all my TEDx Photos on Flickr…. http://www.flickr.com/photos/missdestructo/sets/72157623456052513/

More TEDx Greenville Photos by @linkerjpatrick can be found here… http://picasaweb.google.com/thinkhammer/TEDxGreenville2010#5445544077092125714

Last week I had a conversation with Trey Pennington about Social Media Marketing and the methods that have worked best for me to find that next step in life whether it be a career opportunity, hobby or even personal life goals. I had discussed being yourself and being unique, this week I would like to further explore that topic as I get asked quite a bit by you the Destructo Devations reader “I want to do something new, but I don’t know how to do it.”

1.  Look to the past- When ever I feel that pulling sensation of either cabin fever with my life or just the “feeling stuck” syndrome. I spend a day in a huge tupperware box I have, going through old family photos and home movies. Sometimes when I feel that sinking feeling of “going nowhere”,  I look back on my life as a child and it really puts things in perspective on how far i’ve come and to not give up. Every time I go back and view a old home movie of myself at three years old, I realize that back then that these things now didn’t matter that much. It’s amazing the feeling you have when you put that mindset that money isn’t what your world revolves around, it’s that carefree childhood spirit that the best entrepreneurs have tapped into.

2. Get rid of negative people- Naysayers, people that gossip about you, those general debbie downers. Cut em off, don’t think that your friends make you. YOU make you. Many people get stuck in situations where their social circles have control over every aspect of their life and people that would stab you in the back to make themselves look better. This is the real world, people are fake, there are tons of snakes and sharks in any circle. Some people thrive off the success and downfall of others. Listen to your instincts and never let anyone use you for their benefit solely. YOU make your world, there’s a lot in this world we can’t control but take the reins over the things you can control.

3. De-Materialize- Look around your house, does it look like a thrift store? If so, it probably belongs there. If you need money, stop for a second and see what you can sell or downsize before you start complaining that you are broke. I recently got rid of half of my belongings and old clothes, most I just gave to Salvation Army… I’ve never felt so free!

4. Look in the mirror- After getting rid of so much stuff, I realized this was the perfect opportunity to start a new personal image. Just because that suit looked good in the 80’s doesn’t mean you still look awesome today. Sometimes we need to keep our image fresh and interesting to the public, just look at Madonna, David Bowie and Lady Gaga. Constant reinvention of the self! But what was the image I wanted to portray and how could I do this on a budget? Honestly, most of the time… I am a jeans and t-shirt kind of gal but i’ve always got a great pair of boots to back that up. Start small and find that one accessory that stands out, a great pair of glasses, nice shoes, a cool tie from Cyberoptix maybe? Whatever the accessory, make it you and make it unique, I have a cheap pair of red sunglasses that always gets attention. Sometimes though you need more help than that or have no fashion sense whatever, there are personal image consultants or look to a celebrity or someone that you admire. Steal ideas from their outfits and find the cheap knockoff of it….thrift stores are amazing for finding clothes! Sometimes I will splurge a little on key pieces that I will use a bunch (Shoes, Suits, Jeans) but never pay $30 for a t-shirt. I always again look back on people that I admired when I was younger for style choices, I can remember wanting Saffron from Republica’s haircut…but, I was always told by hairstylists “Good luck, it’s a hard hairstyle to keep up on curly hair” but I went for it (Big ups to my CHI Flat Iron!) . It really touches me when I get email from fans with their new hair color or bob haircuts inspired by me.  Oh and always get a little teared up when a little kid goes, “Mommy, I want blue hair!”, I can remember being that little kid. Whatever it is, don’t be an exact copy of someone else, make it you!

5. Nothing is a disability- If you have a unique physical appearance or a disability, make that a part of your personal branding. Don’t be ashamed of anything that is a part of you. It makes you special out of a crowd, for example Mr. D is a videographer has to wear an eyepatch sometimes. I suggested maybe he should become “the one eye camera guy”. Honestly, sometimes I feel like a freak being six feet tall and super skinny. For awhile there I didn’t even want to leave the house, people can be very mean. Once I learned more about other people going through the same thing, I felt a shift happen in my thinking, I was proud of my height and was able to focus more on the uniqueness of it. Sometimes your success in celebrating your disabilities can inspire others as well.

6. The “Deets”- Details, details, details… all the fun stuff that comes with running a business or trying to promote yourself. Make yourself a press kit, business cards, get out to networking events, start conversing with people on Twitter doing what you want to do.  Even in the unemployment line, start up conversations around you… you may find your new best friend. Every moment is an opportunity, always pay attention to the details and you may find yourself constantly with new opportunities for reinventing yourself.

7. Learn from others- One book that changed my life, was Design Your Self by Karim Rashid. This book has seriously been everywhere with me, through college, to Europe, Greenville and beyond. I don’t think there is a better book out there to reinvent yourself, Karim Rashid has taken his personal experiences as a graphic designer to create a guide to designing yourself. Not to mention it’s so easy to read and on the eyes, every page is a little piece of a typography masterpiece. It covers every single aspect of your life that could need redesign, even your love life. If you need a checklist or a one stop guide, hunt this book down now. Beware, don’t leave it in your bathroom or coffee table it might get stolen.

Never stop inventing yourself. We are never done, we are never finished with life until death. Keep life interesting and you will find new opportunities and inspiration for your next step. Open yourself up to the world and the world will come to you.

You only have one life… become the person you always wanted to be, RIGHT NOW.

Okay. You know I am not actually going to tweet naked for anything, but I will be honestly tweeting my heart out for the next month to raise enough money to attend SOBcon in Chicago.

Why do I want to destroy my social media boredom at SOBcon so badly? Going down this road of social media management isn’t exactly something that you can learn at the local college or even with all the social media books in the world, you need one on one experience and guidance sometimes. SOBcon is a different kind of conference, it’s more like a huge think tank to help you on your next step in your social media program. What makes it even more special is that you have 125 of the biggest brains in the business helping you out while making connections with people that are in exactly the same boat you are.

Sometimes it’s hard to keep the fuel going and you need help from other people who understand your daily challenges especially in Social Media. For example, I just created a nifty little tumblr site for Bruce’s Yams called “Bruce’s Yams Was Here” where we get yam fans to send in photoshopped or real pictures of cans in different places, it’s a great tool for fan involvement beyond the usual Bruce’s Yams twitter and facebook pages. But it’s not the end of the social media road for Bruce’s Yams and to keep the yam pride alive, I need to find new ways and techniques to keep the yam-olution going and my own Miss Destructo accounts fresh. I am deeply inspired by other people and getting advice from those who have been there before. It’s hard to find your personal Obi-wan Kenobi sometimes but if you travel and seek wisdom from others your next step can be right around the corner.

It’s just for me, getting there is the problem. However, every problem has a solution and here at Destructo HQ we believe that nothing is impossible. This is where I need your help… I need $700 to cover travel costs for the whole weekend and more money for the ticket itself. But getting the travel cost out of the way comes first as they have a nifty register now, pay later with SOBcon.

Speaking of Social Media Obi Wan Kenobi’s….Here’s what you get if you donate!

Chicago great Barry Moltz will give one of his three books If you make a donation of $25. Here are the choices… http://barrymoltz.com/books Just include in your paypal donation which book you want and i’ll forward your address to Barry!

HUGE thanks to Scott Stratten @unmarketing who will be offering access to his “UnBootCamp Online” (just the online workshop) to anyone who donates $50 or more.

BONUS. If you donate $100… Mr. Unmarketing will throw in the consulting part of the workshop too. When you donate leave a note on paypal if you want the UnBootCamp and i’ll forward your email to Scott!

Here’s where you can donate.

If we can’t raise enough in time i’ll be saving the funds for my next major conference which is Blog World in October… any penny or donation is highly appreciated since I am still counting my yams and saving up for future medical needs.

Let’s make SOBcon a little bit more blue this year!

It’s been one year since I was sitting in a Greenville apartment trying to figure out how I was going to afford my next meal, splitting subway sandwiches with Mr. D and invading the local bookstore for a bit of inspiration. We took this same photo as above, last year at the same time to remind us of those times… now it’s a year later and so much has changed. I never thought I would be back in Tampa, actually making money off of my blog and having a budding career in social media.  I admit the whole Bruce’s Yams adopting me to be their twitter gal is something I would have never imagined last year at this time.

It would take me a short novel to explain all the various twists and turns that have coincidentally brought me to writing this post today, one thing about life is when it throws things at you, bad or good… go with it. I thought a few times that I was absolutely crazy for thinking that I could become anything of a blogger and less of having a career in social media, I didn’t even know what the term actually meant. *I can hear Chris Brogan gasping*

I had started many blogs before and they never went anywhere, the difference about this time is that I started using the power of twitter and facebook to promote my blog and build a fan base around a personal brand of Miss Destructo. However, this didn’t go without many “What the hell am I doing?” moments, while living in Greenville I thought that having blue hair was not going to get me anywhere and I almost dyed it back to my natural color. Lots of stares, lots of disapproving looks in Greenville really made me think that to be accepted, I needed to change.

I started really focusing and looking at everyone who has ever inspired me, what do they have in common? Being unique, being business savy and being personable. Another thing they have in common, not a single one of them had a plan or anyone to tell them how their life would turn out. They took risks, went through bad times but ultimately with patience good things came to them. Over the past year, I have learned from my mistakes, turned down endless offers, made huge leaps & purchased many one way tickets.

Things take time, if you start a blog… my number one tip is patiently work hard toward your goals. Don’t set out thinking you are going to be “the most awesome blogger in the universe”… Just be “the most awesome blogger in ONE person’s universe” first!

To start, you have to go beyond the screen and get out there! Here’s some of the events I plan on attending this year:

• March: TedXGreenville in Greenville, South Carolina
• April: SOBcon in Chicago
• May: Spending a week in Canada for Kinetik Festival in Montreal and speaking at Geek Girls Montreal.
• Sept: Dragoncon in Atlanta (Yes, I am a nerd)
• October: Blogworld in Vegas and Izeafest in Orlando
• December: #140 Character Conference in LA

It’s going to take a lot of yams and money to get to all these events, so this year I look forward to speaking at events. I want to go beyond the screen and reach out and to get my inspiration out to others I have to make this investment and step forward.  Since it seems every event I have attended lately people ask “Why aren’t you speaking…we want to see YOU speak Miss Destructo!” *aw, shucks* so if you want me to speak at the above listed events or want to sponsor me to attend your event. Send me an email at missdestructo@gmail.com. I am currently looking for sponsors to send me to these events, or you can anonymously donate to me using Paypal and the same email address. *wink wink*

It’s been one heck of a journey and I look forward to traveling to meet some of you! I could have not done it without all of you… the Destructo Deviations fans. You’ve kept me going through the worst times and have guided me to create new paths, all of your suggestions, ideas and comments have fueled me each day in the past year. Keep it going and i’ll pay it forward in new giveaways, advice and inspiration for you to start writing your life the way you want it to be written.

Cheers to another year of Deviations!