```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FGqJKcWZDLPZuwXAkewze5ISRnL22%2F834yKm56Rmm1R5qfx63U%2F394a3579-4682-48db-8690-55c96ea64822.jpg?alt=media&token=b199bc4a-7cb8-47c6-bf25-5282c1c2134d","id":"394a3579-4682-48db-8690-55c96ea64822","width":300,"height":148,"filename":"3419F37E-B75B-4E2C-A9D5-929CBE0B229D.jpeg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

> ### My study at Mizzou’s Gannet School of Journalism - the *top rated Journalism school in the United States -* where I was a direct admit - focused on new media journalism and the evolving role of digital citizens and reporters alike as it relates to effective and ethical storytelling.
>
> ### I actually was very fortunate in that I was able to complete an effective double major, ***largely focusing on “stratcom” (or, strategic communications :) ) -*** which I’ve found myself using in my consulting and corporate careers much more often, actually.
>
> ### Initially, I had the goal of attending Columbia University, as I kind of wanted to score the Ivy League credentials, but this worked out for me, as I ended up zeroing in on **Stanford’s Advanced Project Management Program & Certification,** which I detail below!

University of Missouri @ Columbia (Mizzou)

### **The below is from my [article I’ve written for ReputationX](https://blog.reputationx.com/guest/establish-yourself-as-an-expert), read on or click through if you wish!**

5 MINUTE READ

Written by **[Graham Seymour](https://blog.reputationx.com/guest/author/graham-seymour)**

Updated January 18, 2023

> The term “personal branding” is most likely to elicit a collective grown from even the most savvy of marketers and leaders at this point. It’s like flossing: we all know we should be doing it, and many of us do, but it’s not exactly something we get excited about.

## It doesn’t have to be that way, though.

> In this article, I’m going to outline three specific tactics and tools to [supercharge your online presence](https://blog.reputationx.com/seo-reputation-management) and monetize expertise.

### A warning: this is an advanced guide primarily targeted at founders and C Level professionals. If you don’t fit this bill, you may find the below info to be a little less useful.

---

## First, let’s dispel some myths about PR and Personal Branding:

1. **Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need a high-powered PR agent to get going with this kind of thing**. In fact, if you engage in these efforts yourself, your spend will go further if you DO then bring on an expert to work with in parallel.

2. **No background is too niche to be valuable.** I’ve seen requests from obscure biopharma to baby care tips, and everything in between.

3. **This doesn’t have to be expensive in terms of money or time.** I’m going to lay out a plan below that you may notice is conspicuously absent any price tags… that’s because there’s no cost associated with these strategies!

---

> I will mention: I would be remiss not to briefly raise how useful a service like Reputation X can be in tandem with these efforts! From wiping the slate clean, to clever high level placements, to tagging in a seasoned team that has your back… I am neither affiliate nor partner to RepX but they’re my first choice for all things reputation management.

---

## So, with that, let’s dive in by starting with my proprietary lifecycle model for success in this space:

```cv
gallery
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```

### Here are the key resources we will be using for this mission:

1. [HelpAReporterOut.net](http://helpareporterout.net/) & [HelpaB2BWriter.com](http://helpab2bwriter.com/) *(henceforth I’ll be referring to them as “HARO” & “HB2B”, respectively)*

2. [F5Bot.com](http://f5bot.com/), [Segue.co](http://segue.co/) *(Segue has a paid version but isn’t necessary for this stage)*

3. Volley.app, Gamma.app, [Pitch.com](http://pitch.com/) *(Volley for asynch comms, and Gamma or Pitch for proposals)*

— *as mentioned, the free plans should more than suffice for each of these, above.*

---

## Step 1: Find Opportunities to Give

> To keep this simple, services like HARO & HB2B are very easy to use and intuitive. Both are focused on helping writers to find sources for their written works, and while many of these are smaller blogs, it is quite common to see outlets like the Times, WSJ, Forbes, TechCrunch, Inc., and their ilk on both.

> Separately, tools like F5Bot and Segue will monitor Reddit and other sites for discussion around topics that you (or perhaps more fittingly - a VA/PA/Intern/direct report) can then engage with. Get seriously specific here, enter long string key phrases that are hyper-specific to your niche, lest you become inundated with spam.

*(An example: one time I set an F5Bot to run on Reddit for “scheduling apps” and would get hundreds of emails per day alerting me… not good!)*

### Tips for Success:

* When signing up for HARO/HB2B, choose your categories **carefully!** *You may be tempted to select all of them, but this* **WILL** *result in your inbox being flooded and you* **WILL** *find this to be a poor use of your time.*

* Be responsive, brief, and polite in replies to writers asking for help.

* Have a short blurb and link about yourself on hand to copy and paste into your replies, but

* — do be smart (read: embrace brevity) when it comes to [self-promotion](https://blog.reputationx.com/executive-reputation-guide)

* Aim for 5-7 HARO/HB2B replies per week, to start. Maybe fewer if your expertise is more niche. This may sound like a lot, but there’s a momentum to this sort of thing and you can scale down with time OR delegate the task to a PA/VA/intern with time.

* Aim for 1-3 conversations from F5 or Segue per week. Admittedly, this is the less potent of the two strategies here; your mileage may vary.

* **CRITICAL: Link your personal homepage or - better yet - a profile on a service like Volley (see next step!) or a calendaring system like Cal.com or Calendly** *(the extra step of setting up Volley is well worth it, however…)*

### Tips for Certain Failure:

* Being overly self-promotional in your replies

* Being imprecise in your categories/tract phrases

* Failing to set up good sub Dash inboxes in your email, with good filtering rules to match. (By this I mean: you should set up a separate folder in your email for these efforts, and set rules so that any emails coming from any of the three or four domains - again, those being HARO, HB2B, Segue, or F5 - drop into that dedicated email inbox.)

* Failing to maintain consistency in this experiment. **“It only works if you work it", as they say**.

## Step 2: Monetize, Asynchronously

> OK! Good news is if you’ve made it this far, you’ve already done the hard work.
>
> By now, you should have some replies rolling in, you should have the beginnings of a “final quote, where, in writers are quoting you, readers are seeing your name, and then a smaller percentage of them are clicking through to learn more about you and become interested in your services

### From here:

* Setup a Volley account - can be done on web or mobile, and is totally free.

* Setup both a free Talk To Me on Volley link as well as an hourly paid "Consult with Me" on Volley link (inside of the same app)

For example, here’s my consulting page with Volley, which can be found at [me.volley.app/gs](http://me.volley.app/gs)

While I strongly recommend this route, alternatives include Calendly or Cal.com - here’s my profile with Cal as an example, which can be found at **[cal.com/growth](http://cal.com/growth)** -

## Step 3: Look to Future Partnerships

> Now we are cooking with fire! Ideally, you have consulting engagements coming through your asynch Volley or calendar pages…

## Now, how do we turn these into much bigger opportunities? Here’s my 1-2-3 for that:

1. Make a standard template proposal on Gamma.app or [Pitch.com](http://pitch.com/) for monthly retainer work.

2. Have this ready to be customized and sent to any of your Volley or calendar page clients - *note: if they’ve been paying an hourly rate for your time and it’s been going well, they are likely to jump on the opportunity to pay a retainer that will result in them saving money month over month.*

3. Offer special rates for any referrals from your smaller, hourly/Volley customers for bigger opportunities. And don’t hesitate to be selective here, with what kind of work you take on!

---

## In sum:

> While the PR mafia may be banging down my door as we speak, because, well - and I do realize that this sort of phrasing is thrown around a lot - this kind of content is the sort of stuff that “they” truly “don’t want you to know.”

## But it doesn’t have to be that way; the more that smart executives and leaders[ take control of their personal branding](https://www.reputationx.com/services/personal-branding) and consulting destiny, the more that PR people can do to help accelerate those efforts.

## We are all on the same team!

###

How Services like HARO and Help a B2B Writer Can Get you SEO Juice, Credibility, & Opportunities

### *\[[Original Article Here](https://www.devprojournal.com/software-development-trends/hiring/doing-remote-the-right-way-how-top-engineering-leaders-find-and-hire-the-best-remote-talent/)\]*

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FGqJKcWZDLPZuwXAkewze5ISRnL22%2FRdnLE7XV2VcACecNSunt%2F8f8e6bec-ce6c-46d7-a442-d73ef4bf8b2b.jpg?alt=media&token=2ac9abf1-cf33-485f-83e6-3a6907913075","id":"8f8e6bec-ce6c-46d7-a442-d73ef4bf8b2b","width":1200,"height":675,"filename":"5D6D64BF-C802-4CAD-9295-1C559AAC13C9.jpeg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

> ### Building a strong development team for your company is challenging, but building a remote development team is another level of complexity that can often seem overwhelming. Even though this may seem like a tough feat, opening up the talent pool from your city to across the U.S., and beyond, allows the opportunity to find talent that best fits your company.
>
> [Upstack](http://www.upstack.co/) has been fortunate to become a resource for engineering managers when they need to start or scale remote engineering teams, and along the way, we’ve learned a ton from these technologist thought leaders about how they review, interview, and hire top talent.
>
> There are some simple practices that can help ease the search for the right people to be a part of your team:

## **Identify Need**

> ### First, you must determine [why you need to utilize a remote worker](https://blog.upstack.co/top). The need can be anything from **saving money and resources to wanting new input and diversity among your team.** 
>
> Figuring out the need for a remote worker helps determine what qualifications you need and how the remote worker will be implemented into the company.

## **Testing Technical Acumen**

> ### ***The best remote engineers, and engineers in general, relish the opportunity to demonstrate their expertise in meaningful, real-world scenarios.*** 
>
> Seeking out the best remote engineers is a careful balance of ensuring acumen with the theoretical side of engineering as well as the confidence and practical knowledge required to actually write said code.

## **Dependability**

> ### ***When choosing the right candidate for the job, take into consideration the insight gleaned from how a candidate approaches the interview process.*** 
>
> Time management and promptness can show how the candidate will interact with clients and staff.
>
> * Are they on time for the interview?
>
> * Can you depend on them to hold up these qualities moving forward?
>
> ***When dealing with remote workers, these qualities are key, since accountability outside of a traditional office has its own nuances and complexities.***

## **Communication**

> * **Is the candidate proactive, or does it take prodding for them to expand upon their thinking and share information?** 
>
> * **How responsive are they on chat?** 
>
> ### ***Looking into the way a candidate communicates in terms of efficiency and clarity can be early indicators of how they will work on a remote team.*** 
>
> The best are amazing at what they do and are delighted at the opportunity and challenge to break down technical concepts for non-technical people. You want people who communicate quickly and effectively and can understand both the industry and the audience.
>
> Most of all, the most efficient remote teams look for talented people who can blend all of these aspects across multiple mediums, and replicate, or even exceed the value of traditional face-to-face interaction. They are true polyglots not in the tech stack, but in communication as well.

## **Connection**

> ***Don’t overlook the logistics:*** prioritizing a certainty that your remote workers are positioned for success at basic technical levels will save massive headaches in the future. 
>
> ### ***Senior developers, as with any humans, despite being extraordinarily talent, are prone to distraction and disruption.*** 
>
> The best leaders of remote engineering teams are empathetic and perceptive enough to zero in on how best to accommodate the needs of their talent while balancing the needs of the project, product or business as a whole. 
>
> ### ***What can you do to make sure that these engineers are positioned to do their best work?***

## ***S*****earch for Leaders, or Help Develop Them**

> ### **Plenty of developers can easily code without ever wanting to be responsible for other people, but cultivating a sense of leadership and ownership among your remote teams pays dividends.** 
>
> A leader can become a true asset for your company in terms of their ability to motivate a team and aim for success on deadlines and quality. Can they mentor, delegate, convince and influence the team to take clear directions? 
>
> **Take this a step further with the remote worker.** 
>
> * Can they lead a team without needing to be present in a room? 
>
> * Can they mentor, delegate, and influence from a few states or even countries away?
>
> **A remote leader can do all of that, and more, by fostering a sense of responsibility, pride, and ownership, emphasizing the big picture without the need for physical visualization.** 
>
> A leader can and will always push for project success. An engaged and inspired developer will often seek out and find opportunities to improve not just working protocols, but the actual product itself.

## **Take on Explorers**

> When looking over resumes, despite the tendency to focus exclusively on credentials and raw years of experience, engineering leaders do themselves a disservice by glossing over personal and passion projects, which can serve as a fantastic measure of what motivates and inspires top talents. 
>
> ### ***Do they maintain an interest in the latest trends in software development?*** 
>
> When developers pursue personal projects — be it their own applications, contributions to FOSS-y software, or engagement/mentorship within their community, they are demonstrating a forward-thinking mindset and trying to understand the deeper thinking behind the technologies that they work with. 
>
> The best engineering leaders know that this is a careful balance — experts know not to fear developers who pursue their passions, but also ensure that they have the bandwidth to deliver on the projects they take on, as members of a remote team.

## **Team Player**

> ### ***At a fundamental level, programming can be broken down into a series of logical operations.***
>
> It is unlikely that you will see two developers come up with the same solution. 
>
> The best candidates pride themselves on clean documentation that’s quickly “grokked” by other developers who might come after or alongside them. 
>
> ### They also have the ability to [present their thoughts and take feedback](https://blog.upstack.co/10-ways-to-improve-your-communication-skills-as-a-freelancer). 
>
> Remote workers who excel in their trade see this as an opportunity to both highlight their contributions and aid others in their own interrelated tasks. That inconvenience won’t deter the best candidates: to the contrary, they are the unique individuals that can take what they’re given and adapt to the situation, sans-frustrations or complaints.

—

> ### Avid readers of DevProJournal are uniquely attuned to the reality that remote software development work isn’t for everyone, but for the seasoned engineer, it represents a real opportunity to do their best work. 
>
> ### ***For the engineering leader, it presents a critical competitive advantage: a global office with global-class talent.*** 
>
> ## Don’t hesitate to seek out those in your employ with existing remote experience — they’ll have their own unique tips and tricks, coupled with a keen understanding of the existing company culture… ***this results in a special sort of alchemy that positions these distributed engineer teams for continued success with each project.***

—

Doing Remote the Right Way: How Top Engineering Leaders Find and Hire the Best Remote Talent

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FGqJKcWZDLPZuwXAkewze5ISRnL22%2FZ7PTYeqVYp86DLIhMzwj%2F23dad0a8-d053-4f8e-95d6-c97ddf270e68.jpg?alt=media&token=c44e57df-24a2-44ae-9979-0c9c8a29debd","id":"23dad0a8-d053-4f8e-95d6-c97ddf270e68","width":1525,"height":361,"filename":"C577AD11-CC2B-4AB3-B738-049B973CD5C0.jpeg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

> ### This is a rigorous certification course as part of the SAPM / Stanford Exec Education system.
>
> ### Akin to the PMP, this required intensive study and a capstone project, but unlike the PMP, which still pays (arguably undue) homage to purely waterfall techniques of PM, SAPM focuses on agile project management, touches on Kaizen & others, while using real world projects at companies - primarily in the tech sector - to give students real-world experience.
>
> ### I was *extremely fortunate* to have this program paid for largely by my employ with both **Randstad**, a leading global professional staffing firm, and **Hewlett-Packard**, and for them to be so gracious as to permit me to work on this program **while working full time.**
>
> ### **I feel this speaks to not only my passion for cutting edge project and program management techniques, but my willingness to take on a very real commitment to continued education whilst in the workforce. Ask me about this if you like!**

SCPM/SAPM @ Stanford University -

We're bringing the next billion people onchain - it's going to look nothing like you think it will. Also, follow me on Farcaster! @greyseymour :)

SCPM/SAPM @ Stanford University -

This is a rigorous certification course as part of the SAPM / Stanford Exec Education system.

I was extremely fortunate to have this program paid for largely by my employ with both Randstad, a leading global professional staffing firm, and Hewlett-Packard, and for them to be so gracious as to permit me to work on this program while working full time.

I feel this speaks to not only my passion for cutting edge project and program management techniques, but my willingness to take on a very real commitment to continued education whilst in the workforce. Ask me about this if you like!