Social Media: Learning by Doing

By Juli Settlemire, NMC Business Manager

I am not handy. Not in the least.

NMC Business Manager Juli Settlemire and her sister Steph Brooks, LMT

I’m terrible at following written instructions. To me, part 1A looks deceptively like 5E section V.

However, when it comes to projects, I excel at creative solutions. So when my sister Steph, a licensed massage therapist, called for renovation assistance, I was up for the challenge.

You see, despite the current economy, her business continues to grow (maybe it’s all of the stress). In the process of renovating office space, she found herself with a whole laundry list of projects.

As a small business owner in charge of, well, everything, my sister needed to finish her renovations. When the budget tightens and the capable people are not available, I get called.

Yes, YouTube – it’s like a virtual apprenticeship. Simply type “installing flooring,” in the search field and let the experts guide you through a step-by-step process.

The drawback – no interactive component; no ability to ask the experts what to do in a tricky situation.

The result -three adults staring at the last course of planks, trying to figure out how to keep everything connected while maneuvering them under a heat register.

Steph Brooks, LMT, finishing her office renovations

At the time, I would have given just about anything to have Bob Villa with me, or my father. Expert advice, that’s what we needed – just a little guidance.

I think it’s that way with just about anything in life, with any new program or technology; it’s just helpful to get that expert advice.

Perhaps that’s why our Social Media Boot Camps have been so popular. People bring their laptops, ideas and particular needs and actually USE the programs. There’s nothing to hold them back from learning because there’s expert staff on hand to guide them through any rough spots.

So if you’re like me and find instructions to be a general waste of paper, you probably learn best by doing. I really recommend taking a boot camp. Our next one is coming up on September 26 in Augusta.

And if you need a good massage, check out Dragonfly Heights Wellness Center; let me know what you think of the flooring and paint job!