Eric Schmidt (Google- CEO) World Economic Forum

Eric Schmidt, Google’s CEO, spoke to the World Economic Forum that was meeting at Google yesterday. He took on a number of issues. Viacom lawsuit. Cookie lifetimes. Personalization and privacy. Good wrapup of all the latest issues hitting Google lately.

Podworks.in - Unconfernce & Workshop on Podcasting

This time I am really gonna miss this Unconference and Workshop by The Knowledge Foundation (TKF) called PODWORKS, because my scheduled itinerary to Middle East is on 1st of June and Eventis scheduled on 9th and 10th of June. I really want to be part of this Unconferences where you can learn and share knowledge.

What is Podcasting ?

Podcasting is the distribution of audio or video files, such as radio programs or music videos, over the internet using either RSS or Atom syndication for listening on mobile devices and personal computers.

Podcasting's essence is about creating content (audio or video) for an audience that wants to listen when they want, where they want, and how they want.

India's Biggest Event on Audio & Video Podcasting

PodWorks.in

Date: June 9 & 10, 2007 (Saturday & Sunday)
Venue: Tidel Park Auditorium, Chennai.

Cost: Rs.200

PodWorks.in is a 2-day workshop styled unconference dedicated to the sharing of knowledge around audio and video podcasting. It's a successor to the extremely successful BlogCamp that was held last year.

The event takes place on June 9 & 10 at Chennai.

PodWorks promises to bring the best of the podcasting, blogging, new media community together to learn, share, experience, and grow. How do we know it'll be the best? Because *YOU* will be there.

No one at PodWorks is simply an attendee; all are participants. Making PodWorks an amazing experience is the responsibility of all of us!

You do NOT need to be a podcaster to attend a PodWorks. If you're interested in podcasting, if you're a listener, a blogger, a musician, an internet enthusiast, or just someone curious about podcasting and new media, then please join us -- and bring a friend or colleague.

Why You Should Come To PodWorks

1. To Learn the Latest Tips and Tricks
2. To Associate with the Podcasting “Movers and Shakers”
3. You Can Present to Your Podcast Peers
4. To Promote Your Podcast & blogs
5. It’s NOT Free
6. Chennai is a Hub of the Media Industry

Check more info & updates in official website www.podworks.in

Thanks
Aj

Unconferences, what the heck is this?

Listen to the podcast from Kiruba on the Unconference booK with SUDHIR SYAL



Voice your views In an Unconference, everyone participates, contributes and learns

A new style of conferences is sweeping the IT world promoting an open spirit, a willingness to learn, to share, to participate and voice your opinion. Will this be the way all conferences will be conducted in future?

The central philosophy of an unconference can be summed up by the maxim
“The audience is more intelligent than the speaker.” This means a member of the audience has as much of a licence to voice his views as the speaker. Another law which holds good throughout an unconference event is ‘The law of 2 feet’. The law of 2 feet states that “If at any point you find yourself in a position where you are neither learning nor contributing, you move yourself to one where you think you would.” This means everyone participates, contributes and learns from one another.

Unconferences in India!India has seen a sudden surge in unconference, with technologists, entrepreneurs, researchers and corporates showing immense interest and as many as 10 barcamps held in the last two years. The first barcamp in India was held in Delhi on April 3, 2006, and the event has since moved to Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Pune. After that Blogcamp, Wikicamp, now Podworks.
You can read more about Indian unconference style in article published by Hindu Metro Plus. Unconference book!

Cheers!!

The Knowledge Foundation- TKF

Sharing knowledge is the best way of learning.

The Knowledge Foundation is very successful to bring out people for niche events like Barcamp, Blogcamp and Wikicamp and now Podworks.in

Listen to this podcast from Kiruba interviewing Syed Nazir Razik who is the Secretary, The Knowledge Foundation, Chennai

To Becoming a consultant

Becoming a consultant is about leveraging your reputation as a leader and expert in the field. It generally comes with experience and accomplishment, but it also comes with knowing how to enhance your image in the marketplace. Nowadays, the term consultant can mean a lot of things, but it generally refers to an individual who gives professional advice to others.

Successful consultants can make a lot of money, depending on the rarity of the expertise, but the range varies, as does the method of compensation. As a consultant, you can work independently or in the employment of others, for example with Accenture or Buzz Marketing Group. However, unless you are working for a prestigious firm, independent management consultants generally make more on their own; their compensation typically ranges between $50 and $350 an hour.

Remember that going out on your own is not just fun and games. Becoming a consultant constitutes a high degree of risk, as you have to find your own customers. There will be good times and there will be bad times, and you need to learn to live through them both. And while many people feel that consultants work on their own schedule, it is often quite the opposite. Becoming a consultant means that you work when you have business. That is, until you are established and are fortunate enough to be able to turn some people away.

Here are some tips to keep in mind if you are thinking of becoming a consultant.

Knock on doors
Finding customers is the lifeblood of being a consultant, and to do so you must be aware of the market for your expertise and you must single out the firms that might be in need of your services. If you have existing contacts in the industry, it might be as simple as giving them a call directly.

For those without the contacts, things get a bit more complicated. Make a list of all your potential leads, and make a habit of following up on each one of them. Be prepared to cold call or approach a company to sell your services, but do your research first.

Remember that a good pitch must address specific issues and offer specific proposals. When you have set up a first meeting, remember to explore the problem with the potential client and get an idea of their expectations and time lines.

Look for “anchor” clients
You have to pay the bills, so when you start out as a consultant, focus your attention on finding at least a couple of anchor clients who will give you enough work to keep you at least partially occupied. These are the ones that you want to find because they will give you steady, guaranteed business while you slowly build up your clientele. Without a steady diet of repeat business, you will spend too much time prospecting for clients rather than making money serving them.

Choose a specific field
Hopefully, if you have decided that you want to be a consultant and have started to knock on doors, you will have already decided on a field of expertise that matches your ambitions. This should be the obvious part of the exercise, but how narrow or wide a net you cast will ultimately determine how the customer comes to view you.

If you have quite a broad experience, you might be tempted to position yourself as a general-strategy or business consultant, but this could harm you if it takes the attention away from your core competency -- perhaps an expertise in supply chain optimization -- which could offer higher billings.


Build credentials as an expert
Why should people trust you? After all, if they're paying you top dollar, you better be able to provide them with a reason to do so. One of the best ways to gain credentials as an expert is to volunteer your services in highly publicized venues and forums.

For example, if your personal expertise is in sales training you could volunteer to speak as a guest lecturer at a university or as a panel member on a radio show.
Without the right credentials, it is hard to win business. Positioning yourself in the public eye is a great way to build credibility and get your voice heard by journalists and news writers. Members of the media are generally under tight deadlines, so make yourself easily available for quotations.

Design a compensation structure
Try to find a win-win solution. Many companies are reluctant to hire a new consultant because they are wary that the fees will not justify the results. They are nervous about spiraling costs and the last thing they need in a time of crisis or change is another huge expense.

Designing a creative compensation structure is especially important if you are new to the consulting industry. Without a solid record of success behind you, you will find it hard to charge top dollar by hour, especially in the beginning.

One idea is to borrow a page from the legal profession and charge a percentage based on your client's level of success. Many law firms bill contingent on courtroom success and they make a lot more money doing it this way.

If you are good, you might negotiate for a high percentage of cost savings or revenue improvements that would give you much more than if you collected a flat fee. When you charge based on the level of success that you bring, your customer benefits and so do you.

Prepare a pitch
What do you bring to the table? Paint a rosy picture of what sort of results you believe you can achieve and try to shy away from the costs. The first thing people are accustomed to thinking of is the budget. They come in asking the question, “What sort of damage is this guy going to do to our pocketbooks?”

If you have a well-designed compensation structure, you will shift their thoughts away from their budget worries and toward the benefits that you'll bring instead.

Remember that, in your pitch, you have to be specific. Abstract promises of improvement do not win business, only concrete proposals and ideas do. Practice your pitch in front of others until you have it honed and polished. Don’t forget the “elevator pitch” because, quite often, you will get cut off and need to sum things up in less than 50 seconds.

Now go save someone
As a consultant, the benefits you offer to the client are embodied by the efforts and results that you are able to personally bring into their business. You need to possess the inner drive because no one is there to urge you to keep on working.

It is tough work, but it can also be rewarding. Decide whether you have it in you before you take the plunge, and once you do, use these tips and you’ll be saving people from going out of business while achieving success in your own business as well.

Samuel Hui on AskMen.com
Career Advisor - Every other Thursday

AME Info Corporate Blog: UTube Sues YouTube

AME Info Corporate Blog: UTube Sues YouTube

Swamped.

Just swamped beyond belief right now! That’s a good thing though. Will resurface for air at some point in the future !