Which cover do you like better?

Or this one?

I recently started teaching a course at Armstrong Atlantic State University for their Graduate Certificate in Professional Communication and Leadership, and only two weeks in it has taught me that I truly love educating. I used to teach high school English which I loved 75% of the time, but with social media, I get downright giddy talking about the history of social media, best practices, and the cultural shifts it has caused including ushering in The Thank You Economy–one of the books we are reading in my course Social Media for Professional Use.

This giddiness got me thinking. In my years as a social media professional, the teaching moments I’ve had are more memorable than any other aspect of my business. Explaining to someone how they can use Twitter to futureproof their career. Helping a business owner discover a better way to execute their social media strategy. Answering questions from aspiring or new social media professionals. These moments and other moments like them are what make me want to dance a little in my chair.

So, I will be using this blog to share what I’ve learned on my journey as a social media consultant, manager, strategist, content creator, brand journalist, and all the other hats I’ve worn and continue to wear for both myself and my clients. If you have a question, from how to price a proposal to the tools I love for managing it all, comment below or shoot me a tweet to www.twitter.com/ShawndraRussell and I’ll answer it here on the blog. In between, I’ll share tips for how to navigate the world of being a social media professional and helping your build your personal brand so you can find a social media job you love, add social media services to your existing skill set, or build your own social media services business from scratch.

And be on the lookout for some cool things happening in April, like the launch of 51 Ways to Help Your Social Media Manager Crush It and Social Media Managers Bootcamp. Both were created to help you, the current or aspiring social media professional, kick major ass online.