Have you ever considered publishing an e-book or guest authoring on other websites? I have a blog based upon on the same information you discuss and would really like to have you share some stories/information. I know my audience would enjoy your work. If you are even remotely interested, feel free to send me an e-mail.

Sounds simple enough: "drive evangelists of your product to bring others to your door in a fraction of a second", "encourage individuals all over the world to communicate and help", everybody holding hands singing "Kumbayah", yes?

You still have to have a good product/service at a competitive price that you can deliver with excellent customer service. Facebook & twitter are all well and good but if you don't have the fundamentals in place, a creative campaign (they don't just create themselves, do they?) nor the personnel to monitor all the "human connection" - guess what? #FAIL

But I reckon there are more than enough "social media strategists" who will be glad to point you in the right direction(s) until they find something that works. Yay!

Anthony, you answer your own question: Does Your Brand Really Need To Be ‘Social’? The answer is yes and no. There is no right or wrong when it comes to social media - it's all a matter of who you ask. The social media "purists" will lean towards "relationships" & "engagement" whilst the private sector will always lean towards sales & revenue generation.

So who's right? or wrong? Social media is like religion - you can argue it all day but in the end, there really is no winner in such a debate. So let's stop analyzing social media so much and let's just enjoy that it's here...and that we live in a country that affords us the freedom to use it however the hell we want. Yes?

Nuff said.

PS - We might be related...

I can appreciate your desire to do your thing in life. I quit a very nice paying sales & marketing position to start my business over 3 years ago and haven't looked back. I'm originally from NYC (lived there the first 33 years of my life) and you'll love it there. Still have all my family up there. Keep us posted on your progress. *high five*