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[0:00] More state. And we're live on pirate broadcasting. Guess what. We have an amazing guest today.

And I just want to highlight a couple of things. You know if you're following hashtag pirate broadcasts you can find these replays easier if you're unable to join early in the morning like it is today.

And I just want to wish everyone in United States Happy Veterans Day if you're a veteran. Thank you so much for your service.

I really appreciate you and have all the gratitude in the world for those that serve and those that are serving and also as we develop this pirate broadcast and bring interesting people in doing interesting things.

We have an opportunity to have this conversation around it.

And so we streamed this on YouTube as well as Facebook Live.

So if if if you don't catch it on LinkedIn and you want to catch it on another platform we make it easy to produce that result. So today we have Shelly and I'm so excited to talk to you. How are you doing.

[1:06] I'm great. So excited to be here too.

[1:08] You just got back from vacation and I just I just.

Tell us how it was. You know the trip and vacation was it a vacation or just a trip out of the office.

[1:19] No no it was a vacation in St. Lucia. Beautiful St. Lucia.

I had my LinkedIn mug which is everywhere I go and I had a lot of LinkedIn lattes with people who are like you know from Canada from the states and from like all over the world that were visiting St. Lucia.

So I would bring up my mug and I even had my like you know flip flops my linked into flux and you know it started conversation and that's what I do pretty much every time I go Wait.

And it's fun for me I just come back feeling so energized and then you know connected it even like more than I ever thought I could be. So yeah.

So it was a great vacation rest relaxation but some connections made to.

[2:04] Well it's interesting to me is it is so fascinating that how.

Easy it has been over the last couple of years to really develop relationships around the globe.

As a result of the LinkedIn platform and just like yourself.

I mean it's easy to start a conversation and talk about your LinkedIn or you know talk about the connections you have or you find out.

I was at a vet last night and it's like have you used to connect on LinkedIn Have you scanned your code yet and you know people don't realize how powerful it can be.

You know it's just happening.

And you know coming from advertising on a broadcasting background it's like years ago was incredible and difficult to get an engineer to a live broadcast.

I just really it's amazing. So how long have you been on LinkedIn.

[3:00] I've been on LinkedIn since it started in 2003 but it's been 10 actually My anniversary is coming up in 2020.

March 20 20 so I will be doing some kind of hoopla and some kind of party.

I don't know I want a party I want to happen. I want it happen like I want something to happen with all my LinkedIn bam like that yeah it's gonna be ten years that I,

really took a deep dive and decided that it was something that I was going to,

you know work on and learn about and I was lucky enough by,

ten years ago I paid a coffee forward at an educational conference write about a career specialist as well and I decided that I wanted to take LinkedIn to another level.

Ended up paying a coffee forward because I saw this guy with the red jacket and a blue.

Linked in one the side of his jacket. And I wondered why doesn't he have a blue jacket.

But I said anyway I could do that in conversation. So I decided. He bought a latte and I.

I paid it forward I bottom is latte and then we both agreed that the conference was a little bit on the slow side.

We had a coffee. We talked and he ended up becoming my mentor and that's how the Linked In latte series came to be.

But let me read behind the theory exactly how fascinating.

[4:27] So in this latte linked in latte journey what would you say is the most surprising part of the equation.

Is there anything that has surprised you along the journey or really brought an epiphany to you that you can share with us today.

[4:44] I just think coffee or whatever you want to put in your mug.

Yes really. I think it just brings people together and then you know the power of Linked In and the power of coffee and bringing those two together can lead to a real relationship building.

Because coffee tends to my idea of having a coffee with somebody or linked in latte with somebody is just that it gives us the opportunity to slow things down and be relaxed and get to know each other.

I'm not there to sell I'm not there to do anything but to get to know you.

So that's how you know and that's exactly what happened in that Starbucks 10 years ago.

So you know I bring that together and then with conversation I get to know you and that's how the relationships start. And then.

Carrying it on line just allows it to develop.

[5:39] I guess it allows it to develop. That's it because then I get to see how do you interact online.

How do you help people online.

How what is the content that you're sharing. What are you knowledgeable about. How can you help me to to learn. HOW CAN I HELP YOU TO LEARN.

SO MY ENTIRE THING AROUND LinkedIn is about the learning the art of social reciprocity.

Yeah you know often with coffees. The thing is is that I take you at one time and then you take me out another time and there is no real like we don't have a time.

There's no Oh it's not going to be like tomorrow or the next day.

There's no scorecard there's no scorecard. People are just doing it because they want to be kind.

And if we really want to really truly be successful and I mean like heartfelt success they're going to experience heartfelt success.

We will learn that art of social reciprocity and that is why I am on LinkedIn. I am a gold giver not a go getter.

[6:43] Yeah and the other thing about it is and this is something that I really truly believe in is if you have the opportunity to have a conversation long enough for someone,

there is always a thread and a connection you can discover along in that conversation because you're so close.

We're much closer than people imagine we are and so that that connection and that conversation is so powerful and it's it's easy to do it like this now as compared to 10 years ago,

and having coffee and in person just adds another dimension to that intimacy in that that knowing somebody because you can see them you can have a conversation you can laugh you can,

learn together and just enjoy the moment and that's so powerful so powerful for sure.

[7:32] When I can do it off line I do it off line. I mean I don't know I definitely have a lot of coffee.

I don't think I would do like I did last November and I had 30 copies in 30 days.

I was very caffeinated but the beauty and having you know having a coffee chat now is I can have one off line I can have one online.

And the reality of it is that LinkedIn allows me to grow these relationships all over the world.

I can honestly say I was thinking about it not long ago that I could go to the U.K. I could go to Australia I could go like I could just go pretty much anywhere.

India and I would have people that I could meet up with.

You never met in person but could actually sit down and feel like you know they're part of my family or a friend.

And that's pretty late.

I don't know that to scare birds because I did it because were my exactly it blows my mind that I have all of these relationships all over and I never feel like,

I used to travel and I used to think OK what am I going to do when I get there.

So it's like we're linked and linked in workshop or I'm doing some kind of speech or.

I always used to think when am I going to do when I get to a place like besides like prepping and stuff. What am I going to do with it. No anybody.

I. It doesn't even cross my mind now.

[9:00] That's no longer a problem.

[9:02] No like I'm right or I like let's meet up what's planned in advance.

And I've been very blessed because I have met quite a few people that I linked in.

And then I realized well it was just like nothing.

We all just congregate. We all or we get together and it's like wow we we know each other like we know each other.

We feel like we know each other from the core because it's developed online.

And then we took it off line. So there's a beauty in that as well.

[9:33] I was at an event last night and I was in a group of individuals that I not I'm not typically involved with and somebody walks up and you know because my had my glasses weird you know it's kind of noticeable,

to a group connected on LinkedIn.

[9:50] I just wanted to say hi. Hello. How are you. It is like thank you so much for coming up and saying hello. I just.

[9:57] We had a great conversation was a great evening and we ended up you know all of us had dinner together.

But it's fascinating to me how it's evolved over you know because in truth I joined in 2005.

So I was a late bloomer compared to you.

So and and it's evolved you know a lot of people still believe that are not involved in linked and still believe that it's about job resume that oh all the time.

This is so not that anymore. I mean you know obviously recruiting does take place and it's a different kind of recruiting and it's just.

Even in the last 10 years Shelley it's been amazing to watch the changes like why video isn't.

Change is coming on in some of the little details the ability to actually do voice memos and some of the things that add to that personal touch is really powerful and a lot of people still don't recognize or,

realize that it's even available. So.

[11:03] A lot of people don't want to do a deep dive and what I've learned is that some people you're not are not going to be open to,

it being something else and maybe they don't want it to be something else and I've decided that I'm totally okay with that.

I mean LinkedIn was never meant to be an online resume.

I mean if you actually did some research and you know Reid Hoffman is the founder of LinkedIn.

If you you know do any type of.

[11:35] Reading into some of the articles that he has gracefully put forth graciously put forward for people to read it it is really evident that right from the get go it was never meant to be a cut and paste of your resume.

It's always been about networking and building relationships and yes recruiters and employers can use LinkedIn like I mean.

[12:01] It's so cool that you can use it to find any you know somebody from internship level to a CEO on LinkedIn.

But it still comes down to it's not about recruitment as much as it is about seeing the person on their network seeing who can who they're connected to and seeing.

Also like social recognition like testimonials and recommendations that are on their profile.

So the reason that you know it makes sense for there to be that kind of offering or a service on LinkedIn is because the power of what people say about somebody.

No one is really important if they talk about their services or their products or how they are as a person very important and to the power of introduction again is really important.

And 3 just how you navigate can even tell the employer way more than a resumé ever will.

So that's why even though it's a networking site and it's a site to build relationships not put quotations around that end quote.

[13:15] It's still recruitment is it is there are so many components of that that are important to recruiters and employers because now it's no longer,

about just you know do you fit the skills and qualifications are you the kind of person that I want to hang out with at the watercooler. Yeah.

[13:34] Yeah and so important that's so important. Speaking of the watercooler we should probably see who is involved in this conversation today and maybe maybe highlight some people that are doing something.

Joining us today because I think we have some people joining us and I just wanted to check that out.

[13:53] So Marine Vicki Matthew Lori more lovely part of Nablus. You know.

[14:03] Everybody that is joining us and everybody that has,

has been here or listens to the replay I just want to extend a moment of gratitude for you and thank you so much where we're visiting,

Shelly who has been on Linked In since the beginning and just helped so many people you helped so many people out.

And I just love your articles in your the things that you share and I love watching the interaction that you have and the love and kindness that you extend to the community.

So hats off gratitude for loving you.

It's awesome. And so I just want to I just want to recognize the fact that you know it's not about the tool it's not about the platform as much as about the individual.

And I think that you know we understand that you know we are who we are and I love the idea and the opportunity to highlight other people because I think you know if,

I can help the people around me then my life is improving. Right.

And that's kind of my philosophy is is extend a kindness to somebody and it's just you know makes makes two smiles.

[15:15] And I mean I think that that's what success in our inner success is really about.

Like yeah I don't know if I wasn't able to impact people and,

in my own little way I I don't think that I would be on this platform because that's really what it comes down to for me.

It always has has been to be honest with you. Right.

I mean once I learned about it and learned what I could do with it then I never looked back like it became a tool for me to empower people.

Yeah. And that comes from you know a story a way back when to.

But it my own personal story and having LinkedIn allow me to get my voice back and then it became like it became my mission because I felt that it was a gift for me.

And that way I could help empower other people to find their voice.

And so many have. And every day I get on. There's somebody that is starting.

Somebody is starting to write somebody is starting to comment. Somebody is starting to build their story.

And it's that when I when that happens that's when the magic happens.

[16:30] And we all have a gift to share. And I applaud those that take the initiative and the courage to actually begin that journey and start sharing it because it's a safe place.

I mean you know to be able to use bite size pieces and post little comments and start venturing out and you get some feedback and you know you could build a community around what you're doing and what you believe in.

And it's not a difficult it is it doesn't take as much time as one would think because you can really grow you know a lot of connections and have a lot of good conversations if you want to put some time into it.

It does take time. I'm not going to lie you know like I could literally if I if I don't moderate myself I could be on Lincoln all day long because just like I think you probably can understand and appreciate that it can be addictive.

[17:24] We just have that power over those feelings just kind of moderate that a little bit.

[17:31] So you're now talking a little bit about the other side of the equation. There's been a lot of changes in linked recently.

There's been a lot of updates over the last I would say a year two years in it.

Are there any you'd like to tool on the mobile phone. You know they moved around me who's around me and the networking is changing a little bit.

And also you can actually record video for a response in confidence and a few things like that.

Are there any big changes that you have just really really just said this is what I've been waiting for or this that's helped so much.

[18:15] There's always changes on LinkedIn. I mean I I mean,

I like linked I like I guess it depends on who you are.

Right. Like I liked LinkedIn video but I don't use it a lot.

I have to dabble in it. I like the voicemail but I forget about it.

[18:36] I think I've just been so used to like sending messages and then I think wow would be nice to send you know because when I receive them I'm really happy in terms of I use a lot.

I started to use the QR code because a lot of people don't even realize we have one but it's a lot easier especially when it's one on one,

when I'm in a group by always use by nearby but when I mean you know when I'm not I you know use the QR code and it was something that I knew about.

But you know there's so many things that you just have to find out what works for you and then you know kind of dabble in it and see if it's your words not you.

But you have to be really aware of the changes like there are a lot of changes that have come about in groups and in company pages.

So for the people who are using their own profiles the most like I do.

[19:29] I don't I tend not to like dabble as much in my company page like company page from my logo I built my company page for credibility but because,

of what I do I don't tend to dabble in the in that on that page because of the nature of what I'm trying to accomplish on LinkedIn.

So it's better for me actually. Much more productive for me to be speaking to people from my own page from my own story.

However for any entrepreneurs and for new business owners,

they should really be taking a look at the company page now because there have been a lot of changes and a lot of things that you can do that you couldn't do before,

and which will make it a lot more interactive with your clients or with potential clients.

And so I see that there's even going to be more changes around that. So I would definitely.

[20:26] And you know I work a lot with entrepreneurs so it was something that I would definitely take a look at,

even if you didn't think that it worked before it might work more for you now and start getting your brand out there because it is one place that is free but one place that can help connect.

[20:45] Your feet like your own Web site or your own blog.

And it's another place for the internal algorithm to work for you.

So that's just a little thing that I would do would highly recommend.

[21:00] I saw I saw a post about that the other day and I thought OK yeah especially if you're doing you know consistent content if you can actually post that and we share that on your company page I could see where that could really bring a lot of value.

[21:15] Yeah. And you don't want to reinvent the wheel like everybody else. They have to reinvent the wheel on LinkedIn.

Lyndon was meant to give you the platform and the people but if you already have something that's working for you.

Just use LinkedIn to help you elevate it so already been doing a blog.

Just take the blog he created a little bit to make sure that it works for the audience that you're trying to attract on LinkedIn. Most of the time it's the same audience.

And then just take it and just highlight where it originally came from and and put your post up there.

But it can just allow you to to broaden your audience right.

[21:50] Yeah yeah. Well in the as you know evolving and always changing and stuff so depending on where you put your your content and how you share it you know publishing an article or,

putting it in your feet or you know testing different things is always a good practice. I mean it's.

Going back to the idea that it's just a tool and it's just you know you kind of have to experiment with it and say OK well they're changing things so I need to pay attention because I think people get scared of that right.

[22:19] Like they get scared. Is it too much. Am I the right one to be doing this.

You know putting off too much contact isn't the right content. Is there somebody better.

And then it all comes down to imposter syndrome which really exists something then it's fortunate. But it does.

And I and I think the only way to get through it is to just work through it and realize that you know every expert was once a beginner and not just continue to go through,

go through it with like minded people and then they're going to help you to walk through it as well because you're such the support unlinked linked and can be once you establish those relationships the support can do so right.

[23:01] Yeah imposter syndrome. I tell people it's hey you're standing in line for groceries it's like there's someone in front of you there's someone behind you and that's all it is.

This is someone in front of you and someone behind you being where you are you have your own groceries to deal with.

It's like you hit your groceries in move forward. Yeah.

[23:23] It's so important to recognize you know it goes back to my thought process with you know everybody has a gift in until you have the ability and opportunity to share that gift it's yours.

It's like so interesting when you find something that you're really you know you can be passionate about and you find an interest in and time disappears when you're involved in it.

You know it's really amazing when that takes place so I encourage people to experiment go explore you know might be video might be you know words audio or video images you know whatever it happens to be,

discover what works for you.

And it just accepts who you are and amplifies what you can bring to the table because it's just amazing.

[24:14] It's just I just can't get over the fact that it's so amazing that we can share this stuff so amazing until you know a lot of people still get,

caught up in the comparison game as they do our line as well and it's it's it's easy to get caught up in that. But.

[24:34] We all start somewhere and it's like anything. It's it's not about where other people are.

It's where we are at the moment and keep your eye on the prize of digital currency. Like I really think about that all the time. And what that means.

So digital currency comes from you know building the relationships building the trust building the support building the community building it to the point where you have this hashtag linked fan right.

That's your digital currency which is always working for you like it's always working for you but it's not it's it works in a very like ongoing.

And it has to be a consistent process.

And instead of thinking about the you know when I made a comment about this when I was in St. Lucia but the gold at the end of the rainbow you know when I was a kid I wanted that goal.

Everybody said there was goal there. So why not go after it. But of course I would never get a better one.

[25:37] I would never get there. So the idea is never stop thinking about the end.

But think about like the process because when we stop thinking about the end we engage more with what's going on in the moment.

And that's what starts to impact us. And that's what moves us forward and that's how relationships are built.

And at the at the end of the day everything will boil down to trust.

So success on LinkedIn will will always boil down to trust.

[26:09] And as it happens one conversation at a time. Exactly.

You know and it's so funny that you know when I find joy in the journey.

And less about the destination because in my experience you know,

it's always been you know you imagine what the end result is going to be and inevitably there have been occasions where I've made it to the destination.

It's like you look around you thinking why do they want to be here.

[26:41] It's like this is ridiculous. I enjoyed the journey much more than the destinations.

I just want to go back on the journey. So it's OK.

[26:49] Keep looking at the people looking at what you're doing and progress every day is really important. Don't.

Don't get discouraged over the things that you see other people doing because you're not doing it.

Think about what you can do right now in order to accomplish your goal and your mission your objective.

Because as you know like I said it's one conversation away and it's so important to you.

Just like we're doing here you know we we connected over a year ago and it's it's this thing that you go back and forth and you make comments and you know you allow yourself the opportunity to breathe in this conversation.

And it's just so important for people to just realize that they have their journey they have everything is right where it needs to be you know is right where it needs to be.

And so just enjoy it and enjoy the journey so.

[27:40] Enjoy it and don't get caught up like one thing that I've had to you know I would say one of the hurdles is to realize that not everybody's going to want to have a LinkedIn latte not everybody.

OK and not everybody's going to want to or not everybody's going to like you or not everybody is going to like your style and it's a hard it's a hard thing to swallow because,

our nature as humans is to want everybody to like us.

But in reality that's not the case. So I carry that every day. So I think about that every day.

And so I don't get caught up in it. So if I'm on vacation and I say hey let's have a linked in lab day and post it,

on LinkedIn and then I have you know we have people who are like totally into it and they can't wait to do that because it shows the part of their personality and then I had you know.

[28:37] I had a couple of people that said no.

Why would we do that we wouldn't put on the last day on LinkedIn. Like that's a job.

And you know I I. At first you know there's a little team like like they want to have a linked in Latin with me let me give them my mug.

I know you're right. But then I'm quick if I take it personally.

I have that little thing like why wouldn't they want to have a link to the lab.

Come on people but then quickly after I think OK maybe they they don't want to maybe it's not their style maybe they they're not there yet. Maybe they never will be. And.

And that's OK and a quickly I move on. Then what about you.

You tell me it's about them. Actually it's not about me. So I had a little thing because I am human. Yeah.

[29:27] And I move on and I find my next person who's going to enjoy the linked latte and I take it all in and I enjoy it.

And I've learned that along the way. But it's it is hard for some people.

I realize that it's hard for people because they want to be so liked off line and then they want to be online.

Some people don't realize that online behind our LinkedIn profiles.

They're just a bunch of people with like people flaws and imperfections and I just have to like myself.

That's why I read said knowledge and like we're just a bunch of wonderful people and we all have,

things to offer but we all have things that you know we're humans. Yeah. So it's interesting.

But I don't think everybody catches that that behind and you know what's most important about LinkedIn is it's never about the title.

It's always about who you are behind the title.

So I think when we get away from taking the title and trying and trying to be that title Yeah become more human.

And in 2017 if I remember that hashtag from a note hashtag linked in human and I'm in now anytime I do a workshop or a talk I talk about that.

[30:49] That's brilliant. That's brilliant. So I really and I really appreciate the hashtags,

you know and some of the personalities behind the hashtags and what you can see and what you can understand by the by the reaction and the response of those hashtags in the movie.

It's always amazing to me to do that.

So what's going on in Shelley's future what do you see and linked in you see more of the growing and expansion of the.

Linked in lattes and in some of the the kindest connections that are taking place.

And so. So what do you enjoy about the possibility of the future you mentioned. Next spring you might be doing something.

[31:31] Somewhere. So I'm going to expand the link to black day. No of course it's going to come from me.

No I'm hoping to do something big in January so everybody can kind of watch out for that.

It's going to be around the hole a whole year and you're involved with these,

around the linked Elad these series and and so I will be reaching out to my to my LinkedIn folks and hopefully building something around that I won't take too much now.

But there will be these people that's all I had to post in December but just let's say let's get the coffee you or whatever you want to put in the mug and let's have fun with that. So that'll be in January.

In March I will be in Chicago with the no longer virtual conference and I'll be,

doing a workshop with Zach messy on on the power of Lincoln. So looking forward to that.

And you know a lot of speaking engagements coming up and you know just a lot of.

Linked in love sharing.

[32:44] I love that love that I just really have all the appreciation and world for what you're doing in I and I smile every time I see your posts.

And I just appreciate all the things you're doing to help others around you.

And I just wanted to make sure that we had the opportunity to share you know with as many people as we can and that's the whole purpose of the pirate broadcast is like we don't have to.

There's no rules here we could do what we want. We could talk about what we want. We'd share what we want and it's really about bringing people together and having an opportunity to just start the conversation.

[33:23] So it's like the linked in law taste if you know if if we got some what tastes here we can have one go,

boom.

[33:35] Thank you so much Shelly for being here. I really appreciate it.

I know you have a big day and you're getting ready to get back into the swing of life and everything else from vacation and and I could talk for much longer.

However I want to be respectful of your time and everybody that's joined us and I just want to give a shout out to Jeff Young.

[33:57] You know Matthew taps all of these people sharing Lanny.

I mean Nick I mean we've got quite a few people in the room now in Christie.

Kristen Cheri thank you so much.

[34:13] I just I will return your comments I will respond to your comments today.

That's my my my mission in life is to interact and thank you so much for being here share.

Jeff Shelly and I just I just thank you so much for everybody being here.

And this is the pirate broadcasting and you know kindness is cool while they're free and you enjoy the day.

[34:42] Thank you. Kindness is cool and this is cool.