Happy New Year! Here’s to 2013 being a year filled with wonderful times and opportunities to be profitably courageous and positively contagious.

Angela and I have invested the previous months focusing our time and energy on a mission field. Our ministry work (Lk 14:23, Mk 16:20) has been fulfilling and, at times, stretching – and we look forward to more exercise in 2013.

As I begin to return some attention to business, the work I do will be focused on helping business grow using the SmallBizTracks model. Personal and Spiritual writings will be found on my Armchair Articulations site. Angela has begun working on her second book and continues to care and share at 1019Ministries.

As 2013 becomes the date on the calendar, I pray this year brings an abundance of blessings and that you remain healthy in your work and your walk.

Whistle Stops are conversations, eye-openers, or tools representing the brain train discovered while traveling along the Conversphere.  From business to education, life hacks to giving back, these are the posts and links that have in some way grabbed my attention this week!

• The 6-Step SEO Audit Every Marketer Should Conduct via Hubspot
• 99% Conference 2012: Key Takeaways on Making Ideas Happen from Behance
• 26 Tips for Success With Location-Based Marketing from Social Media Examiner
• Why Small Business Have A Huge Advantage Over Brands In Social Media on SocialMouths
• 5 Creative Uses of Facebook Offers for Business by Jon Loomer
• The Noob Guide to Linkbuilding via SEOMoz

I’ve been using the new Pocket app (formerly Read it Later) to save some must-read (later) articles. These were a few I saved this week.

Whistle Stops are conversations, eye-openers, or tools representing the brain train discovered while traveling along the Conversphere.  From business to education, life hacks to giving back, these are the posts and links that have in some way grabbed my attention this week!

Elsewhere:

• Where to Start When There are So Many Things to Learn, Do, Apply, and Study – by AskKim – "It's about filtering"
• Blogging Priorities: Deciding What to Do Next  – at GrowMap – Putting Kim's suggestions into action
• 3Cs of Social Media – on HubSpot – Same three as ours, but with a different perspective. 
• 5Rs of 21st Century Content Curation – by Valeria Maltoni – The why and how  (Learn, Do, Apply, Study again)
• A Christian Trapped Inside the Matrix - by John Harris -This matrix won't last forever

Here at ConverStations (in case you missed it):

• Am I Adding to the Conversation? Good question/not-so-good question. Once you get over it, you're over it.
• Driving the Streets of Social Media: There are more than one way to do things, and you don't have to do things the way some people do thiers thing. Do your own thing.
• Do You Talk Write?: Do people recognize your voice on your blog, your prose when you speak?
• Walking the Stacks of Our Life: Can you hear the questions when you see them?
• Can Your Customers Find You? Hang Your Shingle on the Web. Some astounding stats on what's missing
• Half-a-Blog: Tethered to SoLoMo: A new series of semi-thoughts tied together.

And on Twitter or Facebook:

• The strongest faith looks backward AND forward. Poor is the faith that looks only in remembrance. #Faith  
• Avoid the Noise: Like a Tweet? Favorite it now, RT it later. Everyone wins. #SkimScanSave  
• 10 Legit Ways to Gain a Twitter Fast Friend Following http://bit.ly/j8npfb #702010 
• The "problem" is often not THE problem. #Questioning
• Aint' it funny how the way you feel shows On Your Face? "A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance. . ." Prv 15:13 #EWF
• "In teaching you cannot see the fruit of a day's work. It is invisible & remains so, maybe for 20 years."~Jacques Barzun
• When I aspire to be the dumbest person in the room or conversation (mindset, not actions), I learn a ton!!
• Biz Folks "When I was in School…" shouldn't b past tense; Edu Folks "When they get in the Real World" happens daily #bizucation

Whistle Stops are conversations, eye-openers, or tools representing the brain train discovered while traveling along the Conversphere.  From business to education, life hacks to giving back, these are the posts and links that have in some way grabbed my attention this week!

Elsewhere

• The Seven Basics of Multimedia Storytelling at Media Orchard: Story – it's not pitching what's on sale or why you can help them. Give them a story that relates to them.
• 7 Pillars of Social Wisdom at The Relationship Economy: By understanding the pillars, you'll be in a better position to ignite action (Don't miss the video sketch in the post).
• I'm on a Social Media Horse at Forrester Blogs: Some great numbers and examples of the giddyup that's been in full gallop for awhile.
• 50 Ways to Measure Success by Kyle Lacy: To think, there's many who don't measure at all – but here's a great checklist to get started.

Here:

• Give Your Readers Gifts with Every Post: Hey, it's the holiday season. And in this case, by giving, you'll also be receiving.
• Ideas From Walking the Stacks: If you're having a challenge with creativity, take a trip to the bookstore or library. Here's what I do when I go "idea" shopping.
• Scroll the Stacks – Use Your Mouse to Get Ideas: And if you can't get out (snow?) go web surfing with a purpose.

Happy Travels:)

Whistle Stops are conversations, eye-openers, or tools representing the brain train discovered while traveling along the Conversphere.  From business to education, life hacks to giving back, these are the posts and links that have in some way grabbed my attention this week!

Elsewhere:

• Archiving My Tweets by Tara Seale – Great tips on how to archive your twitter messages. Some folks aren't aware that every tweet you send is it's own web page, and a part of your complete content profile – Your Name, Your Content. Archive so you always have access to it.
• How to Write Re-Tweetable Tweets in 5 Minutes or Less by Mirna Bard – Great tips on providing more value to your "tweeps" in less time. Make sure to watch the video Mirna provides us.
• How to Optimize Your Twitter for Search Engines by Angelita Williams – Four important questions to check on your findability via Twitter.
• 25 Ways to Use the Web to Find Content for Your Blog by Danny Brown – Some fantastic tips for curating content so you can add to the conversation on your own space.
• Social Media 101: Content Marketing by Cece Salomon-Lee – These tips are something just about everyone can implement immediately. Give #3 a try – it's a sure-fire hit!
• 50 Brilliant Ideas You Can Execute On Right Now by Gary Whitehill – Really great list of ideas — and if you start on any of them, you can also start a blog to go with it:-)

Happy Travels:-)