Not a week goes by these days that I haven’t counseled a client, especially CEOs and other executives about how easy it is to blog and how if you approach it right it shouldn’t take too much of your time. How the best bloggers are good conversationalists and provide current commentary on the issues of the day. Short posts are sometimes the best. Write about things you know and are passionate about. Blah Blah Blah. I am finally feeling guilty enough about not practicing what I preach that I’m dusting my blog and am getting back into the swing of things. The hot topic with clients these days is how to leverage social media for business purposes. I’ve seen a lot of recent coverage on the topic as well. And even more commentary from the VC commuity on the over-hyped state of social networking. Next week the Forum for Women Entrepreneurs and Executives has put together a pretty impressive line-up of folks who can shed light on this issue at their Business Applications of Social Networking conference being held March 25 at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View. They include, Ross Mayfield, Chairman, President & Co-founder, Socialtext; Jeremiah Owyang, Senior Analyst, Social Computing, Forrester Research; Karen Appleton, VP, Business Development, Box.net; Katie Jacobs Stanton, Principal, New Business Development, Google Inc.; Teresa Valdez Klein, Director of Web Operations, Parnassus Ventures; Lena West, CEO & Founder, xynoMedia Technology; Robin Wolaner, Founder and CEO, TeeBeeDee; and Gina Bianchini, CEO, Ning.

Should be an interesting event… I know Eastwick will be well represented.

bloggers, Box.net, ceos, executive communications, Forrester, forum for women entrepreneurs, Gina Bianchini, Google, Jeremiah Owyang, Karen Appleton, Katie Jacobs Stanton, Lena West, Ning, Parnassus Ventures, Robin Wolaner TeeBeeDee, Social Media, social networking, Teresa Valdez Klein, xynoMedia Technology

We’ve spent the last two days in Suzhou, also known as the Silicon Valley of China, or at least it’s one of the areas here often compared to Silicon Valley. Lots of major tech brands have large operations here, like AMD, Logitech, Phillips, Samsung, etc.

Looking at the types of businesses here, the shops, restaurants, etc., the city of Suzhou feels like it could be the Chinese counterpart of Mountain View or Sunnyvale. At first glance I was once again surprised how western this area felt. Lots of DINKS - dual income no kids - working in the tech industry, saving their money so they can send their future children to college.

The people of Suzhou are very proud of their city. It’s known for being a very comfortable place to live. Because it’s surrounded by water (similar to Venice), fish and vegetables are abundant in the local markets We spent about an hour walking through one of the local markets today. Not your typical trip to Draeger’s or Nob Hill. Think live hens, crabs, eels, frogs. Lots of Bok Choy but also really bizarre fruits and vegetables I’ve never seen before.

While today’s market stop was classic old China - there are many new things going on in this region of the country. We’ve seen major manufacturing operations, the equivalent of Costco, lots of traffic - and way too much pollution. Everywhere you turn there are signs that this is a country on the move, and their movement is quite rapid. So much has changed in the 25 years since I’ve been here, I can’t even imagine the kind of change that will occur in the next 25. A few photos to share -

barbara bates, china, Eastwick Communications, International Culture, Silicon Valley, suzhou, Technology

I’ve been traveling nonstop for two days and finally have a moment to share some thoughts. Last time I was here was 26 years ago. Needless to say things are quite different. It is hard to describe how much building and modernization has happened in the last 20 years - especially the last 10 years. I expected to see lots of new construction mixed with the old architecture of Beijing - in actuality it’s all new.

You have to really go deep into the center of the old city to see remnants of old China…there are hundreds maybe even thousands of new high rises everywhere. It is a very western city - much more than I expected.

I had a chance to meet with some folks from the high tech industry - could have had the same discussion in Silicon Valley. Lots of startups - lots of entrepreneurs looking to make their dreams come true - and cash in on the boom happening here in China.

Everything here is in overdrive as the city of Beijing prepares for the 2008 Olympics. Construction crews are working 24 by 7 trying to meet the Olympic deadlines. It’s hard to believe they will get it all done. One of the more interesting moments was standing in the center of Tiananmen Square looking at the large famous picture of Mao on one side and the very commercial Olympic neon sign counting down the days until the opening of the Olympic ceremonies. Quite the juxtaposition.

We’re off to Shanghai today - leaving what is often compared as the Washington D.C. of China and heading to the New York City equivalent. More on pollution – shopping - western influence later.

2008 olympics, barbara bates, beijing, china, Eastwick Communications, entrepreneurs, International Culture, tiananmen square

Last night Eastwick held its third annual Black and Orange Bash at the Triton Museum of Art in Santa Clara. The event featured Eastwick’s favorite artist-in-residence Bob Nugent, (also known as staffer Erin McCabe’s dad), and his beautiful artwork, which is featured at the museum between now and December 30, and was a great time if I do say so myself.

Pacote 1, Bob Nugent

The more than 200 people in attendance seemed to enjoy the festivities. We’ve heard rave reviews about the music - thank you former Eastwicker Russell Barber and his fellow bandmates - the food and drink - the venue - and the entertainment (which included sketch artists and a fortune teller) - but most of all, the compliments are pouring in about the fabulous collection of people in attendance. We had clients and prospective clients, partners and friends of the agency - also known as FOEs. We had analysts, press (several who reported on the party) and former and current employees.

My favorite part of the night was when I had the chance to introduce people with like interests - personal or business - who hadn’t known each other before. If you were a fly on the wall last night you would have heard many conversations that started with, “great to finally meet you. I’ve heard about you for a long time.” Or “I’ve heard really interesting things about your company and have wanted to meet you.” There were lots of things that made last night’s event a success, but when I think about the secret ingredient that makes these kinds of events a step above the rest, it’s when people can make new and renewed connections with cool and interesting people. That was the real show last night.

b&o, black and orange, bob nugent, Eastwick Communications, halloween party, russell barber, triton musuem

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I’ve started to prepare myself for the usual ups and downs of big family gatherings. Don’t get me wrong, I love my family. But like the family that‘s profiled on ABC’s drama Brothers and Sisters, we have issues - and sometimes those issues can cause some pretty heated dinner table discussions. Just like the Walker Family whose escapades are brought to life Sunday evenings, many of our discussions and honest disagreements are around politics - or specifically polar political positions. Inevitably sometime during the dinner conversation I am labeled a liberal, and my husband will roll his eyes as he hears the very far right opinions of my brother in law.

This Thanksgiving I am actually hopeful that we’ll find more common ground no matter where on the political spectrum we fall. Environmental issues. I’ve never understood how or why environmental issues became political - especially a cause of the left. After all, isn’t clean air and water an issue for all people? As early as last year, I remember having a heated debate with one of my sisters (the staunchly Republican one) about the use of fluorescent light bulbs as being over hyped; as was many other issues surrounding “going green,” she argued. I was dumbfounded during these exchanges as to how anybody could find fault with the increased efforts of both individuals and corporations to reduce energy use, carbon emissions, waste, etc. She wanted to make it a political issue - I wanted to make it about the environment. Now don’t get me wrong, my sister recycles, picks up litter, isn’t wasteful about energy use, etc. But if you wanted to get her hackles up all you had to do mention anything about the “green” movement.

Today, I’m happy to report that there seems to be some in her thinking. And I can’t take any credit for it, either. I think the tide has finally turned for my right leaning relatives because there’s been so much proof, facts, research, reports, etc. from all political walks of life that it has become a cause that everyone can get behind. Al Gore’s Nobel Peace Prize nod - while not free from political association - is still hard to argue with no matter what your party affiliation. I am happy to report that during my recent visit with my sister and her husband this past weekend we actually talked about composting, sustainable energy systems and yes even fluorescent light bulbs without so much as a raised voice. So as we get ready to gather together next month, I am happy to report that there will one fewer item on the “do not talk about list” with my family this Thanksgiving- and for that I am truly thankful.

ABC, al gore, Blog Action Day, brothers and sisters, nobel peace prize, thanksgiving

This evening, several of our cool clients (although all of them are cool), are off celebrating their nomination to the AlwaysOn 100 list. Congratulations to current Eastwick clients BroadLogic, Coghead, Identity Engines and Scalent as well as Eastwick alumni Azul Systems, Stoke and 3VR Security for rising above the noise and being recognized as true innovators.

I am often asked by clients whether these awards really matter. And for the most part I think they really do — if for no other reason than providing third party validation that these companies are doing something interesting, unique and worthwhile. But the real reason I think this particular award matters is that it provides a stage for smaller companies who may not have the big budgets to market themselves onto other high visibility platforms. Making the AO100 does help these sometimes little known companies rise above the noise.

A few interesting facts about this year’s winners:

• Only 8% of the companies on this year’s list were also among the AO100 in 2006.
• This year, many of the companies on the AO100 list are at earlier stages of development than in previous years. Although 80% are shipping products, 5% are still developing their products (but show enough potential to be included on the list), while 6% are just beginning to launch beta products.
• The average funding per company and total funding for the list also show the shift toward younger companies.
• Last year’s AO100 raised a total of more than $5.5 billion in VC funding and the median funding amount per company was close to $44 million. By contrast, the far earlier-stage 2007 list has raised $2.2 billion total, and median funding per company is around $22 million.

We’re particularly proud of this year’s class of Eastwick clients who made the list. Congrats!

3VR Security, AlwaysOn 100, AO100, Azul Systems, BroadLogic, Coghead, Identity Engines, Innovation, Recognition, Scalent, Stoke

Eastwick is looking for smart, motivated people who want a successful career life, not indentured servitude. We have offices in San Francisco, and Redwood City (moving soon to Mountain View.) We’re a highly creative technology public relations firm, recognized for delivering client results and representing some of the industry’s leading brands and high-potential start ups.

We’re also pretty darn proud of the people at Eastwick, and highly selective about who we bring into the agency. But that’s OK, because we have a lot to offer the right people. Most agencies will tell you they put client interests first, but we see things a little differently — we put staff development and satisfaction first, because happy, professional, informed people tend to be really good at making clients happy.

Eastwick is always looking for associates, senior associates, and directors to help us support some of tech’s most interesting companies, and right now we’re particularly interested in finding a senior director/VP with consumer experience. If this is interesting to you, check out the job description and get in touch with us. We’d love to talk to you!

Career Opportunity, consumer, director, Eastwick, Mountain View, PR, public relations, Redwood City, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, VP

One of the ways we stay connected here at Eastwick is by depending on our hotshot research department to uncover trends, issues and best practices. Recently, they conducted some research on how companies are handling the communications challenges associated with losing a key executive. I thought I’d share some of the things they uncovered.

Common Threads, Observations, and Likely Questions

In reviewing some of the coverage stemming from the executive departures of SAP’s Shai Agassi, Cisco’s Mike Volpi, and JetBlue’s David Neeleman, Eastwick has observed some common threads and a set of questions/issue that come up in the wake of these departures: All 3 men were seen as beacons of innovation at the respective companies. Agassi in particular was seen as a major force in shaking up the corporate culture and leading the shift to more flexible, Internet-savvy software—a major change for the enterprise software behemoth. As a result, the question that always arises, and therefore sparks speculation:

“Will these companies continue to innovate, and how?”

Though Volpi and Agassi will not remain with their respective former employers, both plan on retaining consultative roles at the companies. Both have expressed their interests in pursuing different paths from those of SAP and Cisco. For instance, both are seen as likely to be pursuing CEO positions at alternative energy companies. Volpi has reiterated that he never plans to take a position with a Cisco competitor. JetBlue’s Neeleman will remain as a non-executive chairman at JetBlue and plans to pursue other passions. The questions that arise from this are:

“How influential will these executives continue to be at their former companies, and what companies will they be a part of in the future?”

In the case of Volpi and Agassi, both were seen as likely successors to the current CEO. Agassi’s departure was positioned as a reaction to the fact that the current CEO’s contract was extended (leaving Agassi out of the running). Though Volpi’s departure is talked about as being a decision “almost entirely on personal grounds,” Volpi was often characterized as a major force behind Cisco’s growth. He was often speculated to someday fill the shoes of CEO John Chamber’s and his departure has been painted as clearing the path for CDO (chief development officer) Charles Giancarlo’s succession to CEO. This might give rise to the question:

“Are these executives leaving because they have no chance of inheriting the CEO title they feel they deserve and/or are their departures paving the paths for other executives to succeed the current CEO?”

Charles Giancarlo, Cisco’s Chief Development Officer, was seen as Mike Volpi’s mentor. He is staying onboard at Cisco and is seen as John Chambers’ most likely successor. The question that may arise here is:

“Would an executive leaving a company take his best people with him, and if not, do these people play a significant role in the company’s future?”

One analyst accused SAP of being “slow to react to growing industry trends such as open source and software-as-a-service.” At the same time, Agassi was seen as a driving force to bring these new innovations to SAP. The question that may arise here is:

“Is the company closed off to innovation, thus spurring executive departures?”

Finally, in all three cases of executive departures, executive management has been made available to the press for comment. This appeared to deter some speculation and showed the executive management to be committed to the importance of communicating management changes to the public, customers, and perhaps their own employees. In SAP’s case, the founder Hasso Plattner was available for comment as was Charles Giancarlo of Cisco. JetBlue turned out to be the winner in the communications area, in that in the wake of its operation snafu, they put forth a huge campaign to communicate their apologies and next steps to its customers and the public. The coverage around the departure of Neeleman all reference this positive, active communications effort, perhaps putting much more speculation around his departure to rest. The question that arises here is:

“How open can we be with our customers and the public about an executive departure? Can our candidness work in our favor?”

crisis communications, executive communications, high tech public relations, responsible PR, Social Media

A couple of valued acknowledgements just came our way. Eastwick was once again named to the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal Top 50 Women-Owned Businesses list, and this year we made it into the top 20 (at #19). This is great recognition because the list is compiled based on company revenue, number of employees in Silicon Valley, and percentage of employees in Silicon Valley who are female.

We were also nominated for a Silver SABRE Award in the Internet category for our work on the beta launch of Coghead’s DIY online application development platform. The Silver SABRE Awards, sponsored by The Holmes Report, recognize the best client programs in specific industry sectors, and for Coghead our goal was to register 3,000 beta members. But for outreach, instead of focusing on mainstream media, we focused on the blogosphere, and ended up exceeding the target number prior to the beta launch, reaching 8,000 within two weeks of the launch, and hitting 12,000 a week later. We’ll find out if we’ve won on May 8th.

While it’s true agencies vie for these awards for their PR value, the real pleasure in getting them is the acknowledgment that we’ve been successful at delivering on the promise to our clients and creating a culture that promotes success for both clients and our employees. And that feels good.

Coghead, Pr Agencies, Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal, Silver SABRE Award, Social Media, The Holmes Report, women owned businesses

If you’re anything like me, you ignored those pesky LinkedIn requests for years before actually jumping in on this social media network phenomenon.  I say it’s a phenomenon because when you receive four of them in a day coming from as diverse an audience as a staff accountant, a former client, former employee and long lost college buddy, you start to get the picture that something’s happened and that LinkedIn is here to stay.  No longer do I let those requests sit in my inbox forever before responding to them…or as was the case in the beginning just immediately deleting them because it was just too scary to deal with and a personal attack on my privacy.  It was like if I pushed that “Accept” button…then all of a sudden I was giving someone permission to contact me anytime…maybe too many times.  And what if it was someone I didn’t know well? What I’ve since come to value is that it’s not as scary as I first thought, or as intrusive…and yet it’s really a great way to stay connected to all kinds of people.  It’s helped us with recruiting, new business, partnerships, etc.  And the part I like best is connecting with long lost friends, former colleagues, even childhood acquaintances.  So if you’re one of those who freeze up when a LinkedIn request appears in your inbox.  Don’t freak out…press accept…it’s not as scary as you think.

recruiting, Social Media, social media. personal networking, social network, social networking, staying connected