Associated Content Producers Spotlight

For those of you who don’t frequent the AC forums there’s a bit of a joke about “The Kelly’s.” The reason being is that there was at one time several Kelly’s active on the forums. One thing all of us “Kelly’s” have in common is that we are known to disappear from the forums and return and disappear and..well you get the picture. Although I must say, out of all the “Kelly’s” I’m the one that sticks around the most. So in the spirit of The Kelly Club I give you articles written by a few of the 600 Kelly’s on Associated Content. Myself included.

Kelly Herdrich is one of the disappearing Kelly Club members. Once in a while she pops her head into the forums so we know she’s still alive out there somewhere.

Some of her articles include:
Personalized Baby Shower Gifts for Parents
NYC Nightlife Guide for Lower Manhattan
How to Tie a Toga
Too Pretty to Fly? Does Judgment Equal Discrimination?

Kelly Hendrix is a fairly new Kelly Club member. So new in fact that she doesn’t even know she’s one of us. So far this Kelly looks to be trying to find her niche and dabbles in a variety of topics.

Some of her articles include:
The Philosophy of Happiness
How to Get Your Money’s Worth (and Enjoyment!) Out of Disney World
The Place D’Armes – Breathtaking Hotel in the Heart of New Orleans

Kelly Spies, that’s me. I’m one of The Kelly’s at Associated Content. My articles and interest tend to seem a little ADD in that they are all over the place topic wise.

Some of my articles are:
National Underwear Day, August 8th
Naked Sports: Sports Activities for the Nudists
How to Dispose of a Dead Body
What Happens to Your Website When You Die?

Kelly Fleming has been an Associated Content writer since 2007. She won the PMA award for top preforming richmedia and has published over 1,000 articles. You don’t see her on the forums much but she has made a name for herself amongst the other content producers.

Some of her articles are:
Work from Home: Squishy Cash
How To: Use Google Maps
Keeping Your Marriage Alive: Tip #1
Different Uses for Step Stools

Kelly Schaub is a brand new content producer. She just joined earlier this month and already has one article published. I’d like to welcome her to AC and to the Kelly Club.

Here’s Kelly’s first article:
Keeping Your Child on a Balanced Diet When They Start School

To see a listing of all 600 Kelly’s registered at Associated Content, click here.

Popularity: 20% [?]

There have been questions regarding copyright issues and photo submissions amongst content producers, particularly some of the newer content producers. Associated Content covered some of these issues recently during a town hall meeting. Here are the slides from that town hall meeting which will hopefully clear up some of the confusion.

Popularity: 11% [?]

I attempted to video the town hall meeting a couple of times and while this time I managed to actually get to the stupid camcorder to record the whole thing was distorted and moving around like there was an earthquake under my monitor. Luckily for me there weren’t any slides during the webinar so all I needed was the audio.

I’d like to point out a couple of things that might be worth paying attention to.

Listen to what Luke has to say about getting rejections from your content manager. He has some good advice on what you should do if you think your content manager misunderstood your material.

Something else interesting was what Luke had to say about AC’s thoughta on different forms of media.

One more thing I want to bring up is that Luke mentions to go through the help desk for help. There is NO help desk. What I believe Luke is referring to is the FAQ page or the Contact Us page.

I also want to warn you. I am by no means a guru with a camcorder and I was trying to get everything together so I missed the first few minutes. Maybe 3 minutes max. I apologize if the audio of this town hall meeting sounds like crap but I did the best I knew how to do. Enjoy.

Town Hall Meeting August 20, 2008

Popularity: 11% [?]

AC is going high tech.  In case you missed it Mike just announced the new search plugin for Firefox and IE.  I haven’t tried it out yet because I”d have to download Firefox.  You should check out SeaMonkey sometime. Hopefully Mike will implement a search plugin for SeaMonkey.  (hint hint)

To find out how to get the search plugin head over to Mike’s page and read his article AC Search Plugin for Firefox and Internet Explorer.

Popularity: 2% [?]

I recently had the pleasure to interview our award winning Associated Content Staff Member AC Sam. I wasn’t sure if he’d accept my offer so I was pretty surprised when he volunteered to be my victim. Without any further babbling from me I give you an inside look at one of the men steamrolling Associated Content towards success.

Me: Is Sam your full name or is it short for something else?

Sam William DeWitt is my full, legal name. I was named after my two grandfathers.

Me: What generation bracket would you most likely identify with? baby boomers, yuppies, gen-x’er, old farts etc.

Well, I’m a Gen-Y guy I guess… the Nintendo generation? Team Apathy. None of these really fit me. But I know I came after Gen-X. So whatever that makes me is what I am.

Me: What did you do before you came to AC?

Honestly, I was wandering around a bit in the job market. I worked for several years in radio, doing on-air work mostly, but also doing a lot of promotions gigs. You know when you go to a store and a station is broadcasting live from outside the store, and there are a bunch of people in cargo shorts and tee shirts hanging out in the tent? I was one of those people. Not the best job in the world, but my tan was unbelievable.

I’ve also done inside sales (hated it), media relations (loved it), and worked in the Athletics department of a Division II school here in Denver (LOVED it).

Me:If you could have the job of your dreams, the ultimate career in the universe, what would you do professionally?

Wow… honestly, I’d love to end up back in athletics. I had a great time with the student-athletes and coaches, and it was great to really be immersed in that team atmosphere. But my dream jobs are, in order:

1. Quarterback, Denver Broncos
2. Catcher, Boston Red Sox
3. Community Relations Manager, Associated Content

Me: Do you see yourself retiring from AC, meaning is this where you want to work until you retire?

Wow, I’ve never actually been asked that before. AC would be a great place to retire from, I think. The thing that I love about AC is being able to affect the company with everything I do. I’ve been here for a while now, and I know the ins and outs pretty well, so everything I want to accomplish helps the company, and it’s a great way of looking at it. But I’m still pretty young (turning 30 in April), so the thought of retiring from anywhere is very foreign to me.

Me: What would you say has been the most exciting thing you’ve experienced at Associated Content?

I would say watching the company grow. When I started, there were about seven of us, total, packed into a little two-rooms-and-a-lobby office in Cherry Creek North. I was a part-time Content Manager, so I only came into the office twice a week or so. We moved a few blocks away, to a bigger office, so I started coming in every day. But soon, we outgrew that space, and had to take up half a floor of the same building. Now we’re ankles to elbows in that space, so the next move will probably have to be a significant one. The thing about it is, nobody minds the moving and the shuffling around. It is the sign of a good, growing company that we are doing so, and that is based largely on the influx of Content Producers we’ve had coming into the site. If it wasn’t for all the great CP’s, I’d still be coming in twice a week.

Me: Do people off the street ever just walk in to the AC office? If no, is there a reason; for example, the AC building sits at the back of a dark alleyway or there is a big, scary bald guy guarding the door?

You know, I’ve never seen people wander in off the street. But it’s not because we have anyone guarding the door. Of course, if you’re coming by, we’d love to hear from you first, if for no other reason than it would give me a chance to clean my desk.

Me: Does AC do business with other local business owners?

Well, we’ve done some things with eBags in the past, and they’re located in Denver. I think Disaboom is in Boulder. Other than that, we eat lunch at a bunch of local restaurants, so you could say we do business with locals every day!

Me: You come across so sweet on the AC forums that many of us have been wondering about you. For starters we’d like to know if you’re married? If you are married would your wife get upset if we flirt uncontrollably? We don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings.

I’m not married, but I do have a serious girlfriend named Maggie. She’s in the picture with me. And she says you can look but not touch, and that you can flirt as far as your keyboard can reach. J

Me: Do you have children?

Nope, none yet. Someday.

Me: What kind of shoes do you wear most of the time and what color? (you can tell a lot about a person by the kind of shoes they wear)

Well, it’s summer time, so flip flops are the order of the season. I’ve got two pair; one pair is black, with red trim. The other pair is tan. I can’t find the tan ones these days, so the black ones are getting a lot of wear.

In the winter, I wear work boots mostly, or hiking shoes if the streets aren’t too gross.

Me: Do you get all bundled up in the winter with scarves and gloves and the giant parka? Is it really THAT necessary?

I’m not so much for the parka, although my ski coat definitely got some wear in the last two years when we had some serious cold snaps in town. Two years ago was the blizzard, so my standard gear for walking around town (car was useless) was ski pants, ski jacket, hat, gloves, scarf, and goggles. Yep, it was necessary.

Me: Do you have any tattoos or body piercings? If so what and where are they?

I don’t currently. I had my ear pierced in college. Maggie is trying to get me to get some tattoos, but I haven’t decided what or where those would go. I’m leaning towards a Celtic cross on my forearm, but that might be a little racy. And I’m fairly certain my mother would have a heart attack. So it’s a work in progress.

Me: Does the AC office have a dress code or uniform?
Oh my, no. Jeans, shorts, tee shirts, button-downs… we’re all family here.

Me: Are you tall, average or short?

I’m tall. 6’3”, and a big dude, by all accounts. I hit my head on a lot of stuff.

Me: What makes you laugh?

Great question! A really funny movie (Knocked Up, Austin Powers, Big Lebowski) can do it. Chuck Klosterman, who is my favorite writer, always gets me. Anything by Nick Hornby. And, I think my friends are the funniest people in the world. My buddy Matt Bowker is a brilliant stand up comic in Boston, and he makes me laugh every time we talk. Hilarious. You can check out his stuff HERE.

Me: Do you ever write articles?

I used to write a lot more than I do now. I think, at the end of the day, I’m pretty worn out on the computer, so I just try to relax. I have written a few, and I used to write a lot more for a website called BroncosUpdate.com, but…

Me: What’s your favorite kind of article to read?

I love the humor section on AC. I’m a big sports nut too, so anything about the teams I care about.

Me: Lastly, can you give us a hint at what’s coming for AC and the content producers in the future? I know you can’t give us any detailed information but maybe just a clue?

I don’t have much information in that direction, but I know there are some good things coming through in the next 3-6 months. These are things that will make AC an even better home for your content.

Reading Sam’s responses to my questions was both enlightening and funny. Thanks Sam, for the interview!

P.s.  Photo above is Sam and girlfriend Maggie.  Cute couple.

Popularity: 16% [?]

If there’s one thing about Associated content that remains consistent it’s the variety of people found in the mix. One particular group is starting to stand out. I like to call them the Greenographers. Here’s a list of some cool eco-friendly, green content producers.

Rosa Hayes is an experienced content producer with over 400 thousand page views to her name and more articles than you could possibly read in a week long readfest. With a few eco-friendly articles under her belt she’s on her way to being a top greenographer as well as a top 1000, PMA, badge bedazzled CP. Titles from her extensive library of articles include:

Green it Policy Making Way Around the World
TerraCycle Products and Going Green
Recycled Jewelry, Herb Gardens and Other Mother’s Day Gifts for Eco-Friendly Moms

Big Momma has an impressive collection of green articles in her library. She’s been around Associated Content for a year now and during that time she’s managed to make it all the way to clout 8 and churned out over 800 articles. Some of her green articles are:

Plan Your Wedding with the Environment in Mind
Fatten Your Investment Portfolio with Green Investing

A Brewster Smythe Writing Concepts takes green living (and dying) to a whole new level. This Indiana lady FOUNDED a committee that is overseeing an ecological change in her community. She’s put her knowledge to use in her writing and has given us titles like:

How Waynedale, Indiana is Going Green!
Bury Me Green: Eco-Friendly Funeral Options

Popularity: 20% [?]

Associated Content Producers love to write about each other; from interviews to thank yous.  Here are a few great articles specifically geared towards other content producers.

The Top 10 Most Outrageous Comments by AC Content Producers in 2007 by Hard Worker. – Oh my god! he did not just type that?! The most outrageous things that content producers have written on chat rooms, message boards and article comments.

Guide to Public Confessions Articles on AC by Pam Gaulin -I confess….everytime I see an article with the word confession in the title, I have to stop and read it. How about you? Have you missed some hot confessions on AC?

AC Newcomers 2007 That You Need to Read by Pam Gaulin -  Are you reading articles by these Associated Content writers who joined AC in 2007?

Women Writers to Watch on AC in 2008 by Herstory – The Associated Content boasts hundreds of prolific, professional writers, male and female. Yet, our culture, as liberated as we are, still many women feel it unladylike to promote their own work…

Finding Christian Writers on AC by Hannah

Helpful and Knowledgeable Writers on AC by Ryanick Paige – While these have been my go to authors for my must read materials, they may not be yours. Regardless they should be thanked for their helping hands and hearts for sharing their knowledge with us.

Associated Content Producers: Good for Your Soul by Gary Davis – A Thank You to AC Producers.

The Best Associated Content Success Stories by Hard Worker – How Associated Content has led the way for success for content producers across the country.

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If you haven’t already signed up to participate in the next AC Town Hall meeting there’s still time to get registered. Simply log in to your AC account and click on the “community” tab. From there look for the “Town Hall” tab and follow the instructions.

The next town hall meeting will discuss the rules and regulations of Associated Content. This is a good refresher for those that have been content producers for a while as well as shed some light on some of the frequently asked questions we see on the forums.

This from the town hall meeting page on AC:

AC Rules and Regulations
AC General Counsel Craig Abruzzo will lead an interesting discussion about the legal aspects of participating as a Content Producer. He’ll explain the details of our Terms of Use and provide guidance on how to ensure your content abides by our submission guidelines. Craig will address all content formats, including images – one of the hot-button topics on the site.

When: August 6th 2008 6 p.m. Eastern Time.

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Associated Content may not be YouTube but there are some pretty talented, and funny, content producers publishing some great videos. Here are 5 of my favorite funny AC videos.

Brazilian Bikini Wax – I find this video to be hilarous. It’s isn’t on the same scale of funny as the waxing scene in the movie The 40 Year Old Virgin but it comes in a close second. If you’ve ever wanted to see a man get a Brazilian bikini wax now is your chance. Content producer Jason Love films himself getting a bikini wax. It’s worth the watch.

The Associated Content Rap – Who knew Jennifer Claerr was so funny? Who knew she could rap? You have to check out Jennifer’s white woman rap. It’ll have you in stitches!

Water on Pooper – This video appeals to the junior high disgusting potty humor in all of us. (Don’t try to tell me there isn’t at least once little ounce of potty humor in you!) Get your chuckle on with Tyler Harbolt and watch as this bathroom attendee gets a very unwelcomed surprise!

Billy Doug Bob (BDB) – Associated Content’s well kept redneck secret is out. Content producer Skitz has let the cat out of the bag in this redneck interview.

Funniest Way to Remove Cowboy Boots – This video isn’t all that funny. What is funny is that the content producer thinks it’s funny. What’s even funnier is you never actually get to see t his cowboy boot removal process except in one quick clip. We do get to see a lot of Shawn Grover’s floor though.
Do you have videos on AC that you’d like to see promoted? Drop me a comment and I”ll check them out.
Kelly

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