Well... I have a few ideas.  I already have a pretty full schedule of social networking events... and so now I get to add Active|Rain activities to it... and I'm really excited about that. 

Actually, as soon as the training call that I missed comes online, I am going to listen to that, but I still have some ideas... 

Let me back up a couple of years...

I joined Active|Rain back in June of 2007.  I was searching on Google for some marketing ideas and hit some A|R posts... and some on another network.  I joined both and surfed around them.  I was astounded by the depth of information I found.  There were some luminaries... Jeff Turner, Jay Thompson, Missy Caulk... dozens more.  These folks were sharing loads of incredible information.  And everyone was so welcoming.  Tim Maitski, I think he was in 2nd place behind Jim Crawford in GA, welcomed me on my first post. 

I was still a member of both sites, and participating in both regularly... but the points system on A|R had hooked me into daily participation.  I wanted to be first in my county.  I was commenting regularly on blogs, and forging relationships. 

The real clincher was going to the NAR Convention in Las Vegas that year.  In the Blogger's Lounge I got to meet Jay Thompson...  And then A|R hosted a party at the Palms.  There I met Matt Heaton.  I also met Matt Fagioli and Patty Keller... also from here in Atlanta.  I was also fortunate enough to meet Sara Washburn (Jon's wife) and Marlene Scheffer.  It was really cool to meet people that "lived in the computer".  And that is still the highlight for me.  REtechSouth (Atlanta, twice), RE Bar Camps (San Francisco and Charlotte) and Inman (SF '08) were also opportunities to meet folks I had known from A|R.  In every case it was a joy.

I think I have actually met, IRL (In Real Life), around 100 folks from A|R.  Some aren't active on A|R anymore, but they are still my friends.  There are others I have talked with on the phone or exchanged emails with...  And in every case I have found the active members of the community to be helpful and very open with how they are successful.  This is an incredibly generous community. 

So, here we are... 

I'm really excited to help Active Rain grow the community.  I have learned so much and gained so many incredible resources because of my involvement here that this opportunity to pay it forward a little is wonderful.  There are some pretty cool and amazing people here.  I am fortunate to know some of them.  And now the fun part will be showing others how to grab some of the Rain the way I have been able to.  This is a great place to learn, and when you are ready to go live, Google LOVES Active|Rain.  There are plenty of opportunities for consumer interactions... and LOTS of business building opportunities as well. 

I can't wait to welcome some more folks into the Rain, and show them how to embrace the growth...