Ken DeGilio, Founder & Chief Storyteller, LaunchMob Media 

Ken “Orlando Ken” DeGillo

1. How long have you been in business and what exactly do you do? 

I landed my first job as a marketing director for a resort company in Florida after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Advertising from the University of Florida in 1990. Throughout my career, I’ve held many different positions in marketing, PR, and communications. In addition, I was a social entrepreneur before it was a cool thing to do. I was a nonprofit director for over nine years. After working for nonprofits, I started freelancing as a writer for national brands. Currently, I teach college at Full Sail University and I am the Founder & CEO of LaunchMob Media, a boutique Internet marketing and brand consulting business located in Orlando, Florida. I use my brand journalism skills to create web content for local and national brands.

2. Have you always run your own business and would you class yourself as an entrepreneur?

Throughout my professional career, I’ve been successful by using my marketing and communication skills to help other entrepreneurs achieve their business goals. As a social entrepreneur, I used my entrepreneurial skills to create new, national partnerships, gain national media, develop new revenue streams and create global opportunities. Now, I am taking what I’ve learned throughout my career to help build my own business, LaunchMob Media.

3. How do you see social media playing a part in your business in the future?

Social media is a tool that will continue to grow and evolve to help businesses tell their story and engage others in their brand. I am counting on my company to help companies use these tools to bring brands and customers together. I also see my company helping entrepreneurs to use social media to grow their own personal brand, which will continue to grow in importance.

4. How do you see social media playing a positive part in the local community?

As “social media” matures, people will want to make more meaningful investments with the time they spend online. From volunteering to earning money, my prediction is that more Gen Y and other social media enthusiasts will be the first to step up to volunteer to help charities in their local community. I also think that due to the rise of social media, more people will go for their passion by creating their own business opportunities by using social media. Through my company, I give back to my community by providing social media training opportunities to entrepreneurs and nonprofit organizations.

Follow Ken on Twitter – @OrlandoKen

We caught up with the former member of parliment for Burnley and Pendle – Peter Leslie Pike who is a Labour Party politician in the United Kingdom. He was a member of Parliament for Burnley from 1983 until 2005.

1. Are you enjoying retirement ?

Peter Pike Chair of the Labour Party in Burnley and former MP

I wish I had served one more term – but I am still very busy

2. Are you still involved with the Labour party ?

Yes I am Chair of the Party in Burnley.

3. How do you see social media playing a part in Politics on going and the local community ?

I am not the greatest advocate of these new things – I am 75 but accept they are a part of the world of 2012 and have to be used

4. Do you think the Internet could eventually be used as a way to Vote during a general election ?

I think with adequate safeguards we have to make use of modern methods to vote – we need to increase the number voting

We caught up with Alastair Campbell the former spokesman to Tony Blair during his downing street years.

Alastair Campbell Talks to OMD. Photograph by Graeme Robertson

1. What is your current role ?

Varied.

2. Do you miss not being involved in politics full time ?

yes and no.

3. How do you use Social Media ?

what you see is what you get!

4. What are your thoughts on social media policies and the implementation of them ?

huge opportunities, not always being taken.

5. What Negative and positive effects has social media had on your role can your provide real examples ?

too many to mention. sorry so brief. I get hundreds of things like this!!

To find out more visit- http://www.discoverlaser.co.uk

We caught up with Gill Montero (centre of the picture above) at Discover Laser to find out her views on social media -

We started Discover laser Ltd in Dec 2007, so 5 years- we are a medical-cosmetic clinic offering treatments for rejuvenation, problem skin, excessive hair, unwanted tattoos, body contouring and hair loss and more. 2013 will be a landmark year for us as we relocate our clinic into the very successful and prestigious Crow Wood leisure and health club in 100 acres of beautiful Burnley countryside.

2. Have you always run your own business and would you class yourself as an entrepreneur ?

No. My husband (the clinics doctor, Dr Miguel Montero) had been working with lasers in medicine for years and was excited by all the possible applications of this technology. It seemed a natural thing to progress into this ever developing field of medicine and for us to start our own clinic. I don’t necessarily think of us as entrepreneurial but we have invested in the latest technology and continue to do so. He particularly likes to be innovative and is currently doing a clinical study of the affects of Co2 injections to relieve the symptoms.

3. How do you see social media playing a part in your business in the future ?

In the not too distant future, we’ll hit a generation of people who have never lived without it. We need to prepare to engage more with our patients this way than we do now. I see review sites becoming especially important so reputation management over the internet should become an everyday part of managing our business too. Twitter, facebook ,blogs etc are now the norm when it comes to communication and businesses need to use this to their advantage.

4. How do you see social media playing a positive part in the local community ?

I think it could have an impact socially- look at what happened over last summers riots, but it wont always be negative. I’d like to think it could be a force for good but we need to be aware of rumour and have a way of making sure we are dealing in facts and not just internet gossip.

I caught up with lecturer Stephen Murphy from Accrington and Rossendale College who taught me at the old Rawtenstall College. Excuse the plug but you can view the film he produced this year online -

Marvins Song – A existential Love story of loss and grief set in Lancashire (click here).

Steve is normally asking the questions and has interviewed many famous names within TV and Film including Alex Cox, Margi Clarke, Lee Ingleby, Julie Hesmondhalgh, Phil Hawkins, Hasraf Dulull, Sushil Chudasama and Bruno Coppola, cousin of Godfather director Francis Ford Coppola.

Back to the interview…

Now based at the impressive coppice centre in Accrington I wanted to pick his brains on Social media’s effects on his role and the local community -

1. How long have you been a College Lecturer ?

12 years

2. What areas of media would you consider your speciality ?

If you don’t mind me asking what are your qualifications ?

Practical film and TV. MA in Media, Communications and Cultural Studies (from University of London) BA (Hons) Media Production (Bournemouth University) and PGCE (teaching qual from Huddersfield University).

3. How do you see social media playing a part in your role as a lecturer at college ?

Increasingly social media is being used in education as a communication and learning tool. We use facebook, flickr, twitter, and other platforms for students to upload work, create practical production groups, do research and a whole manner of activities.

4. How do you see social media playing a positive part in the local community ?

It’s all about communication. Communities are formed through interaction with each other. We rarely get out and get together socially as neighbours and residents, so social media bridges that gap and helps people keep in touch and share information. Look at how people in communities used social media to make a positive impact after the riots to reclaim towns and public spaces.

The old college building in Rawtenstall where Stephen taught hundreds of students now demolished. He is now based at the impressive Coppice Centre in Accrington.

5. What are your thoughts on social medias role within the Public sector ?

Should Social Media policies extend to cover personal usage ?

At the risk of sounding authoritarian, I believe all public forums should have rules and regulations. Obviously freedom of speech is important in a ‘free’ society, but without restrictions of some kind, their will always be some to overstep the boundaries.

6. Do you see potential in Film students using Social media to showcase their work in the future ? Could a “Blair Witch Project” style film be discovered from the UK across the Atlantic via social media channels ?

Definitely. We use vimeo, you tube and facebook for video work.

Look at the ‘life in a day’ feature (see below) that was created from clips posted all around the world.

A wonderful example of the use of social media to create film content and the kind of thing that will be a document to how we used to live in the future.

Ridley Scott on the film -

1. How long have you been in business and what exactly do you do ?

Carl Bradshaw

I have been in business in one shape or form for over 20 years, from a provincial insurance broker in financial services to digital design and email marketing, I currently run my own management consultancy (for want of a better description) that specialises in helping micro and small business achieve growth through a professional approach to sales and sales planning. Remember: a new client costs more to attain than looking after an existing client.

I also volunteer with a number of business based voluntary organisations across Lancashire, and work as a business coach and mentor, helping business owners deal with the stresses of running a business, whilst setting goals and moving forward to success.

2. Have you always run your own business and would you class yourself as an entrepreneur ?

Since leaving college I have only had three actual employed position’s, so yes I have mainly run my own businesses both with and without partners and a number of joint ventures. My health has also played a large factor in my decisions to remain self employed, as I suffered a serious illness in my early twenties that means I cannot always conform to the 9-5 life that an employer would expect.
Although I have run a number of business I wouldn’t necessarily class myself as an entrepreneur; just an individual who is happy carving their own path through life.

3. How do you see social media playing a part in your business in the future ?

Social media plays a number of different roles within my future business plans, not only as a sales tool, but also in making sure that my customer service levels are right and as another method of staying in contact with clients, friends and family.
Although I sometimes struggle to see the value in Facebook and Google Plus I can however, highly recommend Linkedin and Twitter as successful business tools.

4. How do you see social media playing a positive part in local community ?

A good question, one of which I hadn’t really considered, and have no answer.

1. How long have you been a local councillor ?

Steve Hughes Young Local Councillor Rossendale, Lancashire

7 months – I was elected in May 2012 to represent the ward of Irwell, Bacup and was voted in with over 50% of the vote. I am the youngest councillor to ever sit on Rossendale Borough Council (aged 19 when elected)

2. Have you always wanted to be a councillor  ? If not what was your background before local politics ?

I had always had a small interest in the political system and started to take a real interest just after the general election of 2010. I then joined the Labour Party and started to become a ‘active’ member. I never studied politics at school or college, and there isn’t anyone in the family interested in it, but its something I have grown to love.

3. How do you see social media playing a part in your role as a councillor in Rossendale?

Currently studying a Computing degree I have had to study the importance of social media and how it is used within different environments. Moving forward, social media is going to be a massive part of councillors lives. Facebook and Twitter are fantastic communication tools for the next generation and will soon become the norm in all peoples lives.

I have Twitter (@SteveHughes92), Facebook (facebook.com/CllrSteveHughes) and a website (sphughes.co.uk) which I try and use and update as much as I can, but in the future these tools will be vital in communicating to constituents and the wider population.

4. How do you see social media playing a positive part in the local community ?

Social media enables people to communicate instantly, and defiantly with older people can help with issues such as being lonely and keeping in touch with family members.

Tools such as Facebook and Twitter can be used to start campaigns, sign petitions etc, all import in the political world.

Social media, I predict will become massive within local communities in the future.