Category: Networking

Posted in Communication, Networking

SUNY New Paltz Alumni Network

Posted on by Phillip Vélez
SUNY New Paltz signage near the Old Main Building – photo by Phil Velez

I am a proud alumnus of the State University of New York at New Paltz, my home away from home for approximately the last 30 years. For the past several, I have been a member of its Alumni Council, which represents over 72,000 alumni across the U.S. and around the world. I love promoting my alma mater whenever possible, however, this is the first time I’m blogging about it.

One of the aims of this post is to encourage my fellow New Paltz graduates, and students who attended the school, to become active within the Alumni Association. The university has created an online platform for the SUNY New Paltz community called the Orange and Blue Network. It’s the best way to stay connected with the amazing institution of higher learning located just 90 minutes from New York City.

Jacobson Faculty Tower at SUNY New Paltz – photo by Phil Velez

The history of the school nestled in the Hudson Valley begins in 1828 with the opening of the New Paltz Classical School. In 1833 it was re-organized as the New Paltz Academy which later became the New Paltz Normal School in 1885 and then the State Teachers College of New Paltz in 1942.

The college at New Paltz joined the State University of New York system in 1959, first being called the College of Education, then the College of Arts and Sciences before its current moniker as a university which it has been using since 1994.

My experience as a student at New Paltz has helped shape the person that I am today. My formative college years prepared me for life providing me a solid academic and social education I cherish to this day.

While an undergraduate, I became a member of the first fraternity at New Paltz which dates back locally to 1889. Becoming a brother of the Delphic Fraternity has historically tied me to SUNY New Paltz. Annual fraternity reunions have been held in the town of New Paltz since the early 1990s and I have only missed a few.

The Old Main Building at SUNY New Paltz – photo by Phil Velez

If you have registered for the Orange and Blue Network, thank you for being a part of the online New Paltz community. If you have not registered yet, I strongly encourage you to do so. The platform allows you to stay connected, share your journeys, and support the next generation of Hawks.

By registering, you’re not just reconnecting with old friends; you’re also becoming part of a dynamic community that continues to thrive and make a difference. Let’s come together, celebrate our shared heritage, and contribute to the ongoing success of SUNY New Paltz. Join us today and be a part of something truly special!

Posted in Communication, Networking, New York, Social Media

Business Networking

Posted on by Phillip Vélez

networkingAs 2014 begins, my professional focus will be on business networking.  As a social media enthusiast, I have become more active on LinkedIn and finally reached the coveted 500+ connections. During the past few years I’ve concentrated on developing a social media network and now in 2014 I hope to create and maintain a strong business network.

I have been a member of Meetup.com for quite sometime and will be much more involved socially this year as well. I look forward to promoting my marketing/communication work with new contacts and learning more about how to work and connect with my present and long-time contacts in the New York City metropolitan area.

Wishing everyone I’ve ever come in contact with via my social, educational, and professional life a very happy and professionally prosperous 2014!.

Posted in music, Networking, Social Media

The New Myspace Site May Be Worth Checking Out

Posted on by Phillip Vélez

(Screen shot of the new Myspace site.)
(Screenshot of the new Myspace site.)

Remember MySpace? If you thought it was dead, think again. The social networking site that was the precursor to Facebook has been recently resurrected by a group of new investors including Justin Timberlake.

The new owners have been revamping the site since September and opened it up to the general public in January. Like millions, I have not actively used MySpace since the explosion of Facebook. I was curious to see what Timberlake and company did with the dinosaur of social media so I took it for a little spin.

If you remember your old MySpace login info you can use it on the new Myspace. You can also register with your Facebook or Twitter account or set up an entirely new account. The new Myspace is not going to compete with Facebook or Twitter so those companies have nothing to worry about. However, Spotify might want to keep an eye on the new Myspace.

When you log in to the new site using your old info, you’ll notice that none of your old friends, photos, music, artists or bands are automatically transferred. You begin your new Myspace journey with zero connections. A connection on the new Myspace is similar to a “Like” on Facebook. So if you are a musician on the old MySpace, you’ll have to start from scratch on the new Myspace to rebuild your fan base. That alone has many critics predicting the demise of the new site.

But after taking a tour of the new Myspace and testing it out for about two weeks or so, I have to say I’m a fan of the new entertainment site. You can connect to a song, an album, artist, video, photo, and another new Myspace member. The focus here is really not on collecting a lot of friends or followers, but on enjoying music you love.

I compare the site to Spotify because unlike Pandora, you can listen to a particular track whenever you want (as long as it’s available) and as often as you like for free. Similar to YouTube, you can also view music videos whenever you want.

You can create your own profile, display your top eight favorite artists, highlight a profile song, post updates like on Twitter and post pictures like on Flickr. The search option allows you to find your favorite music/artists and the discover option allows you to find new music from up-and-coming independent artists.

Not everyone is going to love to the new Myspace and some might not see the need to dive into another social networking site, but if you love music and want to have another online vehicle to listen and view your favorite artists and find new ones, the new Myspace site may be very well worth your time.

Posted in Networking, Social Media

Google+ is Coming on Strong, But is it the Next Facebook?

Posted on by Phillip Vélez

There’s a lot of talk around Google+, but is it the next Facebook? It’s really too early to say. Google+ became one month old yesterday and it already has a reported 20 million users. However activity has slowed down recently, but it’s still not available to everyone. So does Facebook have anything to worry about?

“With tens of millions of users and Google behind it, Google+ has become a major player,” Rob Enderle, an analyst with the Enderle Group, told Computerworld.

However, a report by Hitwise, an Internet traffic tracker, found that for the week ending July 23, Google+ had 1.79 million visits, down 3 percent from the week before. The report also noted that the average time spent on the site had fallen 10 percent that week to 5 minutes and 15 seconds.

I’ve been using Google Plus for a little over two weeks now and so far so good. I do notice that not all my colleagues, friends, and family are on the network yet, but that should change once Google opens it up to everyone. Even then, I don’t think Google+ will become as huge as Facebook, mainly because users have to have or open a Google account. I am not sure non-Google users will open an account just to check out Google+.

Twenty million members in one month is not bad for Google+, but Facebook is currently up to about 750 million members. Though Facebook would be dumb not to keep an eye on Google+.

“It’s very early to tell whether Google+ will appeal only to a group of insiders who like to use it a lot, which is the case with Twitter, or whether it will become a broad threat to Facebook,” Forrester Research Senior Vice President Josh Bernoff was quoted as saying by PC World.

I don’t think Facebook has anything to worry about because the masses will remain on Facebook and its membership will continue to increase worldwide. Google+ may very well be a success, but with Internet and social network savvy individuals.

But it really is too early to say. Let’s see how it all plays out. If you have any predictions about Google+ feel free to leave a comment below.

Posted in Networking

Bronx Entrepreneurs and Business Network

Posted on by Phillip Vélez

This past week I attended an event sponsored by the Bronx Entrepreneurs and Business Network (BEBN), a networking group for, by and about Bronx entrepreneurs and businesses. The group is headed by Clarisel Gonzalez, a multimedia journalist, social media strategist, blogger, and social entrepreneur.

The event was hosted by the Bronx Women’s Business Resource Center and Monroe College. The guest speaker was Nilda Perez, CEO of Aspire4Life.com, who made a presentation about “Building Your Business Mindset.”

The presentation was informative and inspirational. It help me really look at the possibility of jump starting an entrepreneurial venture. The session highlighted the pros and cons of running your own business, pinpointing the rewarding aspects of taking a risk to enrich your professional life. There would be great challenges along the way, however the BEBN provides me with an opportunity to connect with like-minded people and learn from their experiences and share my expertise.

It was great to be in the company of others striving for self-determination and success. At the event the BEBN debuted its new logo, created by CodeNYC, and Inca Kola refreshments were provided by the NYC LGBT Chamber of Commerce.

If you are a business owner or hope to be one someday, and a resident of the Bronx, check out BEBN and become a member.