Wait. So What Is a Vlog?
Having fun with my first official vlog guest - Rebecca Minor!
Blogs, social media posts, and TikToks (oh, my)! There are thousands of ways to share content and engage with each other professionally on social media. Evaluating all the options from a business perspective can be super overwhelming (I see my fellow consultants nodding).
I want to share my ideas and drop some knowledge, but doing so in an authentic and relevant way is a challenge that I often underestimate. You know me, if it’s not authentic and relevant, I don’t want to do it! Now, to be clear, I don’t think there’s one single way to connect with folks. I really like writing my blogs and talking about what I wrote with those who read them. I’m a sucker for an engaging podcast, and I’m fueled by the conversations that stem from my LinkedIn connections. BUT … I want more. I love catching up with colleagues I admire, and I’m a natural connector who wants to bring folks together to share and learn. So, how do I put these two passions together? (Wait for it.) A VLOG! Also known as a vlogcast. Toss the confetti! :)
Now, the term ‘vlog’ is only slightly more familiar to me than it is to you. I love the conversations and insights that come from listening to one another when the goal is learning and progressing. While blogs and social media are great, capturing those a-ha moments in writing is hard. I didn’t feel that they did justice to the magic that happens when two professionals come together to chat with the intention of learning from each other and growing professionally. I casually mentioned my frustration to one of my favorite marketing gurus, who immediately brought up the idea of launching a vlog. My reaction was something along the line of “Yes, that sounds amazing! Wait, so what is a vlog?”
A vlog is essentially a blog in video format. The goal is to be able to connect with people on a more personal level and allow for those conversational moments that I’d been missing! For me, I was hooked by the idea that I could showcase the conversations with experts that I get to have on a regular basis, and maybe we all can share insights for the benefit of the wider educational and youth-serving community! Maybe we elevate best practices, and maybe others watching can chew on them, add their own secret sauce, and implement them in their schools, so we can benefit the folks that I care most about - STUDENTS! Yes, dream big with me!
So, here we are, almost a year of planning later. I am officially launching my first vlog!!!!
I am an ardent believer that we are better together, and I’m so excited to share all of my connections and conversations with experts and educators across the country to work towards that goal. Our first conversation focuses on the life-affirming work that schools and families do to support transgender and non-binary kids. My guest is a gifted educator, clinician, and advocate whose passion is palpable and whose advice is applicable to schools everywhere. I have several other guests lined up to speak on the health and equity topics at the top of every educator’s mind, and can’t wait to share these conversations with you. Launching this vlog has been a labor of love and an exercise in vulnerability (ask me sometime about learning three new video platforms just to get the filming right), but I am beyond excited to see it finally out in the world. I could not have launched this new endeavor without the steady support of my teammate Sophie Hartig and the inspiration of my friend and colleague Saami Bloom at INDIVIDUAL.
Huge thanks to Rebecca for not only being my fledgling vlog guest but also for the life-affirming work she does on behalf of transgender and non-binary kids. Now, I’m working on several others, and hope to release them every couple of months (and hopefully more often once I get my groove).
I’d like to end here with an ask - let me know what issues you’re facing in your schools. Let me know what conversations you’d like to see or what experts you’d like to hear from. My goal is to have this vlog be a resource for educators - so let me know what you need! Another vlog is coming your way, focused on school health needs of students since the pandemic and the role of the school nurse in getting students back on track. Spoiler alert — it’s really cool!