If you are a young professional in San Francisco who attends networking events regularly, you probably have spotted Kevin Nichols, president and CEO of KLN Publishing on more than one occasion. It could have been at the Embarcadero Chevy's LinkedIn Cinco De Mayo mixer while you balanced that margarita in one hand and passed out your business cards with the other. Or it could have been at the downtown MR The Barbershop social where you scarfed down the pita at the front while greeting other attendees.
Whether you attend these events in the city to network for new clients, meet new people, or to simply get free food, get to know Kevin because he is THE go-to-person and moderator for LinkedIn's Downtown San Francisco Networking Group. The UC Berkeley graduate organizes symposiums, monthly mixers, and coffee sessions around the city that provides opportunities for San Francisco's young professionals to network in the local business community.
Kevin opens up to Examiner readers about the power of social networking and why you should be using these sites to strengthen your career. In addition, he talks about his guest appearance as a leadership expert on upcoming radio shows this month, and the group's plans to organize an Employment Symposium for job seekers and employers to connect in the city.
Q: What is KLN Publishing, LLC?
A: KLN Publishing, LLC is a small independent publishing company located in Northern California that specializes in writing and publishing various forms of media since its conception in 2004. We specialize in providing expertise in the following areas to our clients: public relations, media relations, social networking, marketing, communications, and event planning.
In addition to serving our clients, KLN Publishing publishes material on food, wine, travel, entertainment, politics, community involvement, business, career guidance, and self-help topics in various mediums such as magazines, newspapers, radio, television, and the like.
Q: Why should San Francisco's young professionals use online social networking for their careers?
A: Social networking has become one of the most profitable industries in the world over the last 3-4 years. Billions of people have created profiles on various networking sites and are allowed to express themselves as well as meet individuals that would normally be outside of their reach. For example, in the past, a young writer would have to query a literary agent in order to pitch a book idea, but now that same individual could theoretically submit his / her resume query directly to the CEO of that publishing company via email. That's powerful.
Q: What specific social networking sites do you recommend for professional networking?
A: LinkedIn is hands down the best for professional networking. It automatically provides legitimacy to your purpose. Facebook, I use primarily for friends and family but have created numerous business opportunities from there as well. Twitter, I am still learning how to maximize this but who needs a press release these days when you have this? And MySpace, depending on your industry and value.
Q: Online social networking can cause problems. Some professionals have lost their jobs, gotten sued, or not been hired due to their online reputation. Where and how do you draw the line between separating social networking for professional and personal purposes?
A: Unfortunately, there is no line between the two. You have to be responsible on these sites no matter what. How you represent yourself has to be consistent on all of your sites. There are ways to make your accounts private but still overall, these sites can provide business opportunities. One might be concerned with doing business with someone who brags about his/her marijuana usage on the weekends or is cruel to animals. I am more laid back on my Facebook and Twitter but still have to be (conscious) of my audiences whenever I "publish" something, because that is what in fact we are all doing. Rarely can you "take something back" so you have to make wise decisions about what you post and where.
Q: Describe a personal professional success story that resulted from you using social networking in San Francisco
A: A friend of mine from high school is starting a new venture called Live Your Dreams Production and saw my profile on LinkedIn. Since I was "living my dream" per se, he asked me if I would be willing to be interviewed on camera for his company. I agreed. His director / producer handed me his business card and I saw the company's name and logo. Ironically, I had just published an article that day to raise funds for his non-profit media company. Now is this world small or what?
Q: Tell us about your upcoming radio shows.
I will be a guest on Leadership Lessons with life coach and consultant, Dr. Milondra Coleman on www.blogtalkradio/leadershiplessons on Wednesday, June 10, 2009 at 3 p.m. PST discussing how I define leadership and manage a full-time job; entrepreneurial endeavors; and family. On Saturday, June 20, 2009, from 9-10 a.m., I will be a guest on Nurse Rona's Community Forum on Green 960 AM discussing fatherhood on Father's Day. People should tune in because there is always something that can be learned from other people's experiences to make life's challenges a little less complicated.
Q: Tell us about your Employment Symposium. How can San Francisco's young professionals get involved?
A: I am the moderator of the Downtown San Francisco Networking Group on LinkedIn. Back in March we had a "Wealth Management Symposium" and it went well. We have decided to continue doing symposiums on various topics and industries periodically. I have been saddened by the state of the economy, and many of our group members have been unemployed for 8-10 months. So we decided to organize a symposium where job seekers can improve their marketability, fine tune their resumes, and learn any tips while providing employers the opportunity to interact with cream of the crop talent. It is currently in the planning stages so if anyone is interested in being a panelist, is an employer looking to hire, or a job seeker looking for your next opportunity, please visit http://linkedindowntownsf.blogspot.com for more information.
Q: What are 3 restaurants or venues you like meeting with clients for business in San Francisco?
A: I love coffee. I enjoy meeting at Peet's and Starbucks because they are close, fast, and cheap. However, when I do dine, I like Kokkari, the Waterfront, Osha, Unicorn, and Aqua.
For more information: LinkedIn's Downtown San Francisco Networking Group and the Employment Symposium, go to http://linkedindowntownsf.blogspot.com
