Tell me about your Company?
I am the creator, owner and doodler in charge of JGoode Designs, a company that sells a variety of gift and apparel items featuring my own original art.
http://www.jgoodedesigns.com

What was your first experience of social media?
If we don’t count the original message boards/forums, chat, etc. (mine was Virtual Places Chat on excite.com) – I first started playing with social media through MySpace. When the site launched I was an employee of Intermix Media, the original owner of MySpace. The CEO sent out an email requesting all employees signup and start connecting – so I did. We basically ran around adding friends with no other purpose than to build a list of pals and leave notes for one another. I still have my original account, but tend to use other services much more. Now I’m a big fan of twitter (@jgoode) and Facebook (jgoode).

What is the biggest tip you would give to a newbie in social media? Don’t play a role, be yourself. Social media is merely an extension of you, an extra avenue to make contact with others interested in what you have to share whether it’s business or personal. So be yourself and start by sharing what you know and what you have to offer.

How do you find art and social media come together?
As an artist I have found that social media is even more important to get involved in because the communication adds a voice to the previously silent art. Connecting and sharing ideas with other artists/designers has been invaluable. Being able to showcase our own work with potentially thousands of viewers is an amazing milestone for the artist community. We can all expand our own self promotion – the tools are already here.

What do advertisers do that you wish they wouldn’t?
Pimp themselves all over the virtual universe. In my opinion, everything has potential to be tied to a sale somehow. With referrals and recommendations, sales can come from anywhere and they should. However, this doesn’t mean every moment and every angle needs to be pushed as a sales pitch.

What do bloggers do that you wish they wouldn’t?
Believe there are blogging rules for everyone. I think writing is an art and because of this should be used to express the way the writer intends. Not all artists create the same, nor do all writers write the same… Their goals and intentions and reasonings don’t have to be the same either. Blogging is about sharing, we should all be sharing how we feel we need to share.

Where do you see growth in the social media field?
Broadening horizons where we didn’t even know the landscape ended. I think social media is not only tearing down bearers, it’s helping each of us create lines of communication we didn’t know we could use. We are connecting with people we didn’t know existed and we’ll be able to work more efficiently with people that didn’t know we were here to help. The communication playing field just opened wide – each of us a mere click away from one another.

What new ideas are advertisers coming up with to take advantage of new trends?
The most successful trends I am seeing are those being used by advertisers that are reaching out to help as opposed to forcing information as a salesman. They are listening to the needs through the various conversations and answering with solutions they can provide. Other advertisers are sharing ideas and unlocking the previously unreachable communication lines to offer better information and support. It’s all about communication and conversation.

What do you do to improve the world?
I strive to inspire one smile every day. I hope it’s passed on or shared, but my goal is to help at least one person experience an extra moment of happiness.

What do you do that is green?
I think “green” is a way of thinking, living and common sense. As a family we try not to waste and we recycle what we can. I try to consolidate my errands so I don’t drive all over the place every day and we watch how much water we use. We have a small family garden which allows us to teach our children about caring for nature as well as appreciating what nature has to offer. I’m sure I could do more, but we try to do our part.

What is one thing about you that not many people know?
I started my first business at age 11 – I hand painted greeting cards and invitations.

What’s your favorite book?
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, I always thought it would be an amazing place to live where food fell from the sky, can you imagine, cheesecake rain showers? I’m so very excited it’s now a movie!

What is on your iPod?
I don’t have an ipod – can you ask what’s in my tape cassette collection instead? I have an iphone mostly because it drove me crazy to think my non-apple-loving husband had an iphone and I didn’t. Although my music tastes are a hodge podge mis-matched variety of tunes, some of my favorite musicians include Norah Jones, Ani Difranco, Collective Soul and Louis Armstrong

What are your contact details (email, company, blog, facebook, myspace, forums, etc)?
Jen Goode
aka Jgoode (goodie as in gumdrops and tooshoes)
Shop: JGoode Designs jgoodedesigns.com
Blog: JGoode.com
Facebook.com/jgoode
Twitter.com/jgoode

What events do you go to?
My interests and business topics reach much farther than the affiliate marketing community, however the main event I attend is Affiliate Summit both in Vegas and on the east coast each year.

How do you prefer to communicate?
Through text – IM, email, messaging. I can type and think of multiple things – I can’t talk on the phone and think about anything else.

Who would you recommend, and why?

Lisa Riolo – if you want to brainstorm business ideas
http://www.lisariolo.com

Missy Ward – if you want to rally troops for a good cause
http://www.missyward.com

Tara Reed – if you want to learn how to license your own art
http://www.artlicensinginfo.com/

David P Goode – if you need an architect (for buildings, not websites)
http://www.davidpgoode.com

Wil Reynolds – if you want to learn anything about SEO
http://twitter.com/wilreynolds

Trisha Lyn Fawver – if you need a recap of an event – best notes eva!
http://www.trishalyn.com/

My Aunt – if you want to learn how to make any kind of crafty thing in the universe
she’s not online – she’s busy creating

Angie A. Swartz – if you need encouragement and support
http://www.twitter.com/aaswartz

Tim Jones – if you need a Disney expert at your side
http://www.guide2disney.com/blog/

Karen Garcia – if you need more good people in your life
http://www.facebook.com/karengarcia

What is one thing people can do for you?
Make an effort to ask each other that very same question – “What can I do for you today?” – and really listen to the answer.