My education at Generosity U.

A year ago I was completely oblivious to the way the Internet was changing marketing and PR. I wasn’t even blogging. A few weeks ago I stood in front of more than 100 people at Charlotte WordCamp and spoke confidently on blog promotion and twitter. How is this possible? Because of you.

I am continually amazed at how generous the online community is and at how the social media community embraces newcomers. At every turn I’ve found encouragement, motivation and generous information sharing. So many people have helped me. Here are a few who stand out:

Scott Hepburn:If it weren’t for Scott I’d probably still be writing press releases for newspaper reporters. Yeah, I was that far in the dark. Scott not only opened my eyes to the way things were changing, but he did so with insight and enthusiasm that compelled me to investigate. Whenever I need to explore an idea “IRL” he makes himself available to discuss it. Thank you, Scott, for starting me on this exciting adventure.

David Meerman Scott: David’s fantastic blog and The New Rules of Marketing and PR helped me get my arms around what was happening out there. Since then, David has popped up online now and then as a source of encouragement. Thank you, David, for putting things in terms even I, a work-at-home freelance journalist cum copywriter, could understand.

Mack Collier: I’ve never met Mack, but I feel as though he’s a friend. I’m sure I’m only one among many who feel this way after “meeting” him online. Although many would consider him a social media rockstar, I’m certain he’d chuckle at the thought. Humble, friendly and always encouraging, Mack is a true Southern gentleman and all-around nice guy. “There are no social media experts” he continually asserts, inviting everyone to join the conversation. This leads to rich and rewarding discourse, for which I am eternally grateful.

Did I mention he’s brilliant? The Viral Garden is just one of the many ways he shares valuable insights and information with anyone who’s interested. Thank you, Mack, for your generosity of spirit.

Brian Clark: Copyblogger reminds me that the writing – and my readers – should always come first. Thank you, Brian, for helping me find new and effective ways to communicate.

Chris Brogan: Chris’ blog has probably cultivated more social media enthusiasts than any other. And he’s a smart, insightful guy. But he’s also incredibly generous with his information and discoveries. And he cuts to the chase. Thanks, Chris, for remembering that I read your blog in between fishing expeditions

Connie Bensen: Connie is the queen of online community management, a concept with which I have a growing fascination. She is genuine, giving and a supremely clear communicator. Thank you, Connie, for helping me understand how all this stuff fits together.

Jason Falls: The best thing about Social Media Explorer is that you can always take something practical away from it. Thank you, Jason, for dishing out valuable takeaways with your clever posts.

Beth Harte, Amber Naslund, Danny Brown, Frank Martin, Ann Handley and countless others have reached out in friendship and a sense of community and I am grateful for every kind gesture, every word of encouragement, every helpful post and all the smiles you’ve brought to me.

Special thanks to Lyell Petersen for prodding me to start this blog and Scott Lundgren for encouraging me to keep running, two things that have helped me maintain my sanity over the past few months.

Everyone mentioned here, and everyone reading this, should know that even the smallest gesture can make a big difference in someone’s day – or life.

Photo credit: friendofalex15 via Flickr