KONG, iPet Companion bring new technology to shelter pets

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One of the neatest parts of my job is being able to keep up on the pet industry, which can obviously be fun at times. But who knew keeping up on the pet industry could also help me learn a bit about some new technology as well? That happened when I came across an article about an online app that allows you to virtually “play” with shelter cats.

Basically, a toy is set up in the shelter and is somehow connected to the buttons on the website. When a user (such as myself) goes to that page, I can see the cats in the play area sleeping, eating or doing whatever. I can choose to press and hold one of three buttons by clicking my mouse, and each button makes a different toy spin, swirl or shake. Sometimes, the cats are too busy napping or keeping to themselves. But a few times, the moving of the toy piques a cat’s curiosity, and he or she comes to check out the commotion.

Besides being entertaining for the human user from afar, this technology has done great things for the six shelters involved in the “testing” phase, according to ipetcompanion.com. For example, iPet Companion’s website says:

After just a few weeks of installing iPet Companion, Oregon Humane Society saw the following response:

  • 18% increase in kitten adoptions
  • 295% increase in sponsorships
  • 52% sustained increase in overall web traffic

That is wonderful! While I believe it is still in the beginning phases, it is great to know that people from potentially all over the world can help shelters and the cats in them just by taking two minutes from their day to click a few buttons. I can only imagine how busy shelter volunteers are, and so genuine play time for each cat must be tough to come by. But having the general public be able to virtually play is genius, because all parties receive satisfaction.

This has huge implications for many in the pet industry, besides just in life. We often (unfortunately) have to leave me cat home alone for a night or so and I always feel bad doing it. She must get so lonely! While it is not the same thing as the physical presence of being there, using a tool like this would at least at allow my fiance and I to interact with our cat while we’re gone. We’d get to “socialize” with her momentarily while also helping her get a bit more exercise.

I encourage you to try out the app and share your thoughts. Who can think of any other ways this type of technology could be used?

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D&C Justifiably Looks at Charging for Content

In college, as I studied journalism and marketing and tried to get by on little to no money, I vehemently opposed news organizations that charged for content. I did this on the basis that most people will not want to pay to read information they could likely find from another medium or organization.

However, my opinion on this is beginning to shift as I am now working in the “real” world. As the person in charge of evaluating potential advertising opportunities for my small, local company, I tend to be hesitant to suggest advertising in printed publications. In my company’s industry, trust is of the utmost importance, and these days, people don’t trust advertising. Don’t get me wrong; advertising has its uses. It just seems to have different uses than it used to have, especially for small businesses that rely on quality service and word-of-mouth marketing.

I am sure I am not alone in this thinking. In fact, I am sure many other small business marketers have similar thoughts. Unless you have tons of money to throw at advertising, it probably will not be very useful. However, this affects the news organization’s bottom line in a negative way, as we have seen with many publications in recent years. But newspapers are getting smarter and realize that they must innovate or die, likely by implementing some sort of reader pay structure. One of the more recent newspapers looking to begin a pay structure is Gannett’s Democrat and Chronicle of Rochester. I recently read an article about their pay changes, which are slated to go into effect in May of this year.

In the article, they discuss a little bit of the history of business models for news organizations. For the most part, newspapers have been on the same business model for more than 150 years. That is a very long time to operate on the same business model, and it helps to show that perhaps it really is time for a change in the industry. Just think about the significant changes that have occurred in news organizations since then. The fundamental channels of communication — from print to internet — have changed drastically!

As a working professional, I now have a better understanding of the importance of bringing money in. If you do not make money, you won’t be around very long, and our world, no matter how transformed from even a few years ago, needs journalism. Just like any other business, a newspaper has expenses: It has employees to pay, utilities to keep up, and many other things to keep itself afloat, before even being able to make a profit.

The way the Democrat and Chronicle is going about the change sounds like the right way. They are informing people a couple months ahead of time, and then allowing people to view a few (exact number undetermined) articles per month, before asking for a fee to read all content. This seems like the best approach to me. You shouldn’t have to pay to read one or two articles a month. What if you’re from out of town and just happen to stumble on the article? However, if you use the organization’s content regularly, you should have to give something for it. After all, I’m positive each and every article they put together has plenty of work put into it – reading too much for free is like saying all of that hard work just wasn’t worth the fee.

While I have never subscribed to the printed Democrat and Chronicle (in my defense, I have been living in Rochester for less than a year), I do frequently read D&C articles online, and I would be open to paying for online content. Just because I prefer the internet to print doesn’t mean what I read is any less valuable!

What do you think of paying for online content? Is it justifiable?

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JC Penney announces signficant marketing changes to price, promotion

For years, JC Penney has been one of my favorite — if not my most favorite — places to shop for clothing, primarily because they tend to have clothes that fit me and because they are relatively inexpensive. However, with exception of a couple of random items that were desperately needed (primarily from the A.N.A. brand they carry), I never, ever buy unless it’s on sale or on the clearance rack. While I want to look good, I don’t consider myself any sort of “trend setter”and I don’t have the money to spend $20 on a T-shirt. Especially when I know it will be on sale in a few weeks anyway.

It looks like many people are in my same shoes, and luckily the 100-plus-year-old brand has taken note by announcing some fairly signficant changes that focus on  playing up pricing an downplaying promotions. A recent AdAge article explained some of the pricing changes here.

The first significant change will be embracing a new pricing strategy, consisting of “fair and square” pricing. It includes three types: everyday, regular prices; monthlong values; and best prices, on the first and third Fridays of every month. To determine new prices across its product range, Mr. Johnson said that the retailer looked at what it was charging and what customers most often paid after numerous discounts. He found that only one in 500 items sold at full price, while 72% of revenue was derived from selling products at 50% off or more.

For example, a T-shirt that had retailed for $14 but typically sold for closer to $6 will now be priced at $7. In a month when it’s a featured product, it will cost $6. When it’s time to clear it out and change colors, it will cost $4. The retailer is also embracing flat prices, no more 50- or 99-cent add-ons.

This sounds great, and I am excited to see how much prices will really drop in the next month or so. However, I hope they will monitor this carefully to make sure they aren’t hurting themselves by getting rid of the “thrill of the sale.” While I advocate for pricing items as low as possible while still being able to make money, there is some excitement in a limited-time sale, and JC Penney should keep that in mind. I think they have by making certain items on sale when it’s time for them to get a move-on.

Also, I am interested to learn they will do away with the .50 and .99 pricing endings. Many marketing texts have said these price endings puts the perception in people’s heads that what they are getting is a good value. But why? If I have the option of paying $5.99 or $6.00 for something, it really isn’t that big of a deal. What’s a penny worth in today’s world? I think JC Penney is recognizing people have become smarter than this old notion.

Besides dropping regular prices, another change  to JC Penney is decreasing the amount spent on promotional efforts. According to the AdAge article, JC Penney has spent $2 million per promotion in the past. So, if they have had 590 promotional events per year, as the article states, that is about $1.18 billion or $98 million per month.

Under the new plan, rather than spending so much per promotion, they will spend only (yes, not the best use of the world only) $80 million per month, allowing them to either save $18 million monthly ($216 million annually) or put those extra million toward cutting prices year-round.

In today’s world, where saving money is essential and hokey, redundant advertising is shunned, this plan sounds like a great one; a trailblazing one, perhaps.

In addition to making price points more available, the current advertising  JC Penney has done seems to not only mention the craziness associated with sales. I mean, what American hasn’t purchased something only to find out it was significantly cheaper a couple days later? It’s one of the most frustrating feelings in the world, and they captured it in their new commercial.

In the end, I think these changes are exciting and I’m very interested to follow their success. They are certainly getting the company plenty of press and helping change the company into one that is focused on what consumers want. In fact, when JC Penney released this info, its stock rose significantly, even though it had been fairly low for a while.

From a customer’s perspective (assuming you have shopped there before in your life), what do you think of the changes they’re making?

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Filed under Advertising, Emerging Trends, Marketing

Social Gaming: Has it taken over Facebook?

I have been on Facebook since the summer of 2006, when I entered college, and had not been that interested in social gaming at until until just a few months ago.

I used to read the marketing articles talk about how popular Farmville was and how so many people played it, but I never did. I just found it as a nuisance.

That all changed when they added The Sims Social.

Since middle school, I have absolutely loved the Sims video game and that love grew with me as I entered high school, college and adult life (although, sadly, I’ve only had time to play a once or twice since graduating high school). Now, with The Sims Social on Facebook, I can play one of my favorite computer games with my friends. Granted, it is not the same. It obviously is not nearly as comprehensive as the software version.

However, as an adult with limited time to begin with, it is perfect. I curse the game when my energy runs out, but it forces me to do something else for a while, even if it’s just to switch over to Who Wants to Be A Millionaire (I made it to a million once!) or Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader (Yes, I am, thank you).

Despite my love of these games, at this point I refuse to spend my hard-earned money on the virtual goods offerings — the Sims Cash, the extra games of Millionaire, etc. Yet, I seem to be in the minority: The social gaming industry rakes in $8 billion annually and the virtual goods market is projected to reach more than $20 billion in a couple years.

This means it will likely continue to be a great place for marketers to observe and continue to join. Sure, some industries lend themselves easily to social gaming, namely video games, board games and game shows. However, think of the possibilities for other industries — maybe your company could event the first social gaming smash hit that outdoes even the classics!

To end this post, here are the games I play most often (1 being most often, 5 least often):

  1. The Sims Social
  2. Who Wants to Be A Millionaire
  3. Words with Friends
  4. Bejeweled Blitz
  5. Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader?

What social/Facebook games do you play the most?

 

 

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Filed under Emerging Trends, Facebook, Personal Story, Social Media

How I used my smartphone during a trip to D.C.

I have traveled occasionally to larger cities — namely New York City and D.C. — since I was a kid. But earlier this week, for the first time in my life, I traveled to a big city with a smartphone (specifically, a Droid Incredible). And I couldn’t have been more satisfied.

Having a smartphone during an adventure to a large, relatively unknown city can be a life-saver or, at the very least, a trip-saver. For example, I used my phone in a few different ways during my two-day trip.

Kevin and I at the Washington Monument in D.C.

1. Looked up the Metro map (and other important maps).

This one is obvious. Having ridden the NYC subway on multiple occasions, the London Underground a few times and the DC. Metro once or twice before the trip, I consider myself familiar with how they operate, although certainly not an expert. But those initial moments in the Metro when we couldn’t find directors or a map are stressful. Luckily, my trusty smartphone was there to help Kevin and I find our way to downtown DC from Arlington!

2. Found addresses for local attractions.

The National Mall is a wonderful place to visit. It’s chock full of history, and visitors can easily access more than 10 intriguing museums for free. However, finding a place to eat in this tourist-y area can pose a challenge. It’s not quite the same as places like Times Square or Buckingham Palace, where there tends to be at least 10 places to eat on each block (or so it feels). So what’s a hungry tourist to do when feet grow tired and stomachs grow ornery? I used FourSquare and Google to find places. That’s not to say we didn’t use a little exploration of our own to find a refreshment stand with hot dogs, but FourSquare’s explore feature made it fairly easy to find restaurants within walking distance.

3. Took quality photos.

Now that it’s all said and done, Kevin and I probably have three sets of pictures: a set he was taking on my point-and-shoot camera, a set I took on my phone and a set he took on his phone. Naturally, we each had common photos we wanted, for which we used the camera. However, photos he wanted he used his camera and photos I wanted I used mine. Then, we uploaded our photos to Facebook and tagged each other. Voila – no way we will forget this trip!

4. Stayed in touch with friends and family.

Sharing photos with folks back home is not enough; smartphones allow you to actually engage with friends and family while on your trip. This

means Kevin’s mom could easily let us know that the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial had just opened to the public so we could be among the first to see the newly carved monument. It also meant nearby family I had forgotten to inform of our visit could give me a shout to say, “Hey, what’s the big idea, not calling me when you’re so close?” Whoops!

5. Engaged with local advertisements to receive discounts.

Finally, anyone who has ridden the D.C. Metro has likely seen advertisements for the International Spy Museum. The first  couple times I saw them, I thought, “Oh, that’s kind of neat.” The ads asked passersby to figure out codes and text the clues.  Toward the end of the last day, I caved and texted my answer to them. I had to play with the spacing to get it right, but eventually I received $5 off admission to the Museum. And if we had been there just one more day, we would have used it! Next time Kevin and I venture to the Capital, I’m sure we’ll visit the Museum not because of the $5 off, but because of the impression the interactive advertising left on both of us (me a marketer and he an accountant).

So, I ask: How have you used your smartphone on a recent vacation? Or do you prefer to leave your phone at home and have a true adventure?

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Filed under Emerging Trends, Mobile, Personal Story, Smartphones

Kashi proves its worth with the 2011 REAL Tour

For the last few years, I’ve been a heavy advocate of social media. However, the last few weeks have begun to show me that traditional event participation can be a useful marketing strategy. This came to mind as I planned for the Wayne County Fair in Palmyra, N.Y., where one of my company’s hospitals will have a booth. I’ve really enjoyed preparing for this booth, although it’s a lot of work. Although I’m somewhat of an introvert, I truly believe the best way to attract clients and build a brand is to get your brand’s “face” in the community through events.

This weekend at Rochester’s Park Avenue Festival, Kashi excelled at this type of marketing through their 2011 REAL (Renew Eating And Living) Tour. Other booths gave out free samples. After all, that’s a major part of any summer festival. However, Kashi excelled at combining face-to-face interaction, modern technology, social networking and event marketing.

Here’s what happened. Using a touch screen computer, festival-goers filled out a quick survey with their name, email, zip code and some other information. Then, the person receives a bracelet with a QR code. The person then goes through three tents. The first contains more than 10 different samples of all kinds of food, from cereal to pita chips to granola fruit bars. Then, the visitor scans his or her bracelet after answering which food was his/her favorite.

The second tent is mainly for educational purposes. Although you could choose other sections of the tents, I went with the ingredient-guessing module. On a large touchscreen that reminded me of a TV or a computer, I selected whether certain ingredients were good (and used in Kashi products) or bad (and, therefore, not used in Kashi products). I would say I got about half correct and half incorrect, and then was able to scan my barcode a second time.

The third tent contained mostly Burt’s Bees products. I got a few free samples of lotions before scanning my bracelet for the third time. I was then ready to check out and receive my goody bag!

I scanned my bracelet to for the fourth and final time. I filled out a brief questionnaire, and they offered me to share my participation with my Facebook friends. However, I declined. While this idea sounds good in theory, I didn’t feel like taking the time to log in and also felt that could be a little dangerous if someone got my login information.

I received my goody bag, which contained a few more samples and some coupons, all in a reusable grocery tote bag that I then carried around the festival.

I was already something of a fan of Kashi, but engaging in this event made me like them even more. Not only did I get to try a cereal of theirs I had never had (and really liked), but I got to learn more about the company and the products. And it was literally all in my front yard!

What experiences have you had with event marketing like this? Do you think it works to build brand awareness and strengthen customer/business relationships?

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Job Update: How I got it & what I’ve learned

As I begin my third week in my first post-college career, I decided to reflect on how I got my job as a marketing communications specialist at Monroe Veterinary Associates as well as what I’ve learned since starting two weeks ago.

How I got my job

Ironically, although I am a strong advocate for career networking, I got my job using a “traditional” method: Finding the position on CareerBuilder and applied. However, the difference between this position and other positions I applied to is that I sent in a paper cover letter and resume rather than applying online. Mostly, I did this because this is what the instructions said to do. However, I would urge job seekers not to forget about snail mail and follow-up phone calls for highly desired jobs. Many recruiters will receive hundreds of email or online applications, but few people send an accompanying hard copy via snail mail, so it may be an effective way to get noticed.

A few tasks I’ve completed in my first two weeks…

Of course, my first few days consisted mostly of getting to know the organization and the job better. I spent time going through old virtual and hard-copy files to learn about the past. Then, I did some catch-up work, which included phone calls and emails to colleagues and solicitors who had been working with my predecessor. During my first two weeks, I’ve written and distributed a press release, pitched a local journalist, submitted site updates to the web master, monitored hospitals’ Facebook pages and collected veterinarian-authored articles for our sponsored Pet Tales publication within the Messenger Post Media. Those are just a few things, and I really like the variety so far.

Top five lessons I’ve learned in my first two weeks…

  1. Communicate in the most effective method, which is often NOT email, although that may be easier for you. It’s often more effective to visit someone’s office or call someone on the phone. I would add that my phone and verbal communication skills have already improved tremendously.
  2. Speak up, especially when it comes to matters of your particular job, such as media relations or social media. People like to receive help from someone who is a quote-unquote expert in their field. Use that expertise to help your company or organization. After all, that’s why you’re there!
  3. Take breaks from your desk to walk around for a few seconds, and take advantage of the time you (hopefully!) have for lunch to take even just a five minute walk around the building. Sitting for so long not only makes concentration more challenging come 3:30, but it also is bad for your health.
  4. Get to know your industry and your local audience, if you’re new to the area. I know nothing about veterinary services but am enjoying learning more about what veterinarians and animal care professionals do. I’m also gaining even more of an appreciation for the Rochester area.
  5. Introduce yourself to as many people as you can, especially if you’re in marketing or communications. This has been a challenge for me because I’m not the kind of person to introduce myself to people I don’t know. However, the more people I know, the easier and more effective my job will be.

For those of you who just started a summer internship or job, how did you get it and what have you learned so far? If you don’t have a job, what is something you wish you knew about having a job? 

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Brazen Careerist revamps brand to focus on being ‘totally live’

Just a few weeks ago, I wrote about the Network Roulette service Brazen Careerist offers. Even though little time has passed, I have to bring up Brazen Careerist again because they recently revamped some key areas of their brand.

First, they’ve adopted a new logo. The original logo featured light blue bubble letters, while the new logo focuses on red and black. It’s certainly a cleaner, more polished look to bring Brazen into the future.

Second, they’ve started a new blogging  contributors network, of which I’m a proud member. The blog, called Brazen Life, focuses on various topics, including entrepreneurship, business, the job search, nonprofit, social media and personal development. I’m excited not only to contribute to the network by writing posts but also to read what others in the Brazen community have to say about their own experiences and advice.

Finally, the third aspect of Brazen Careerist that’s changing is its focus. Brazen has shifted its focus to become a more valuable resource. To do this, it will focus on being “highly educational,” “incredibly useful” and “totally live,” according to a recent blog post by Ryan Healy, co-founder and COO of Brazen Careerist.

My favorite of these three areas is totally live, which comes back to Brazen’s Network Roulette. As I mentioned in a previous post, if you haven’t looked into a Network Roulette event, check it out! They’re fun, fast-paced and great for meeting new people with similar interests. In fact, a recent network roulette event led me to write a guest blog post for Patrick Pho’s Quarter Life Crisis series. (Read my post, The Quarterlife Crisis Series: A Millenial’s Advantage.)

In closing, as you can probably see, I’m excited. This will surely lead to more success for many, and I’m excited to learn how it will turn out. To all Brazen Careerists past, present and future: Based on what I’ve said and what Healy wrote, what do you think about Brazen’s changes and its future?

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What I learned from Rochester’s Eyes on the Future 2011

Five years ago, if you had asked me, “Could you see yourself living in Rochester?” I would have returned a blank stare. But after attending today’s Eyes on the Future Expo and Summit, I have never been more excited to respond to that question with a resounding yes. The following video is just part of the pumping factor from today’s event.

When I decided to go to the conference, I didn’t really know what to expect. I have never been to a regional business summit event like this before, but I figured it couldn’t hurt to get out and learn a little about the city and its business, while perhaps meeting some new people, too.

I gained a ton of insights from the conference and even got to catch up with a friend from St. Bonaventure. One major lesson I learned is how challenging, yet rewarding, it can be to tweet from a live event. Learning how to balance listening with typing words for a tweet and learning how to pick out the best information is tough. Also, you want to communicate with others tweeting at the event, which is a challenge in and of itself.

A few other things I learned include the following.

  • Innovation and collaboration are important for companies, of course, but they’re also important for individuals if Rochester is to continue being a smart city. Panelists suggested average citizens innovate at every opportunity they get. This means whenever possible, look for a better way to do something, whether better means more efficient, more enjoyable, more effective or something else.
  • Education and business must work together in today’s society. Gone are the days of having separate academia. Today we all need to work together to help each other. Universities need businesses to provide research and funding to while businesses need universities for new talent and creativity.
  • People in New York state and in the country often focus on downstate New York, ignoring the various regions we have in upstate New York. We have so much to offer here if we could work together as neighbors while still differentiating each area.
  • All you young professionals will love this quote from Dr. Nancy L. Zimpher, chancellor of the State University of New York: “Paid internships are critical to retaining our grads.” As a precursor to that, Zimpher and others expressed that retaining graduates is critical to New York’s and Rochester’s success.
  • Education is so important, and not just college education. We need to work with students from early childhood all the way through higher education.
  • Higher education should involve more entrepreneurship because we now realize this is something that can and needs to be taught.

I could go on and on about more that I learned about business in Rochester and upstate New York, and if you’re interested in what myself and others tweeted, check this out. But what do you think? If you attended, what advice or information stands out most prominently in your mind? If you followed via Twitter, what did you think of the tweets? If you were unable to attend, do you have a question for someone who did attend?

Share your thoughts. I’d love to get a discussion going surrounding Rochester business. I really am excited to be relocating there!

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Filed under Personal Story, Small Business

Connecting digitally on Brazen Careerist’s Network Roulette

Whether you’re settled into a comfortable, fitting career or whether you’re hunting wildly (as I am) for your dream job, you can learn a lot from Brazen Careerist, a social networking site that provides professionals an opportunity to connect with each other in a casual, fun environment. The site recognizes the importance of and establishes the bridge between personal and professional life.

I joined Brazen about a year ago, and while I don’t use it as much as Twitter or Facebook, I do enjoy using it to engage like-minded professionals in stimulating, timely conversation.

One of the most useful features I’ve used on the site is the Network Roulette. Basically, this is a professional version of Chat Roulette, without video. You register for the event, which takes place on your computer at a designated date and time.

Source: http://www.brazencareerist.com

Before logging in, you should make sure your profile and resume are updated. Also, you have the option to answer these questions: What are you seeking? What are you providing? For example, during the blogging Network Roulette I participated in earlier this week, I said I am seeking opportunities to guest blog about social media, marketing and journalism, and I’m providing advice on these topics. Having this information immediately available makes it easier to find out if you should continue talking to this person. Plus, it lets you get to the meat of the conversation right away.

After logging in to the chat and filling out the brief introductory information, you’re matched with another participant in something reminisicent of a private chat room. You’ll have three to five minutes to talk to the person, and then you can “follow” them or ask for further contact information to continue the conversation afterward. The idea is to meet as many people as possible and then to get deeper into conversation with them at a later time.

If you’re a little confused about Brazen Careerist and Network Roulette at this point, no worries. Here’s a list of ways certain groups of people can use the site and that particular tool.

  • Students & Job Seekers: Whether you’re seeking an internship, a post-graduation job or just want to prepare yourself early (a great idea, by the way), you can use this time in your life to build your network as much as possible. But it’s more than just talking to people initially — make sure you follow-up with people you meet via Network Roulette to establish long-lasting relationships that benefit both parties in the long run.
  • College professors and career center staff: With job-seeking students, you likely stress the importance of networking (especially with alumni) frequently. While arranging in-person networking events between students and alumni are ideal, they can be challenge in today’s hectic world. However, Brazen works with colleges to establish Network Roulette events for colleges, which provides an easy way for alumni and students to connect with each other digitally.
  • Employers: Career fairs are great for meeting potential employees, but they can be costly and challenging to organize, and results aren’t guaranteed. While Brazen doesn’t guarantee results, either, the event is at least less costly and less time-consuming, making it a more effective way to find potential job candidates.
  • Life-long Learners: Life is a journey, and people help you enjoy it. On Network Roulette, you can find and connect with people who have similar interests. Rather than resorting to articles or other resources, you can use the people you meet on Brazen to learn more about certain topics.

What other groups might find Network Roulette useful? What do you think of Brazen’s Network Roulette concept?

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