Progress is always on one side. It doesn’t win every battle, but it wins the wars, and it pushes us forward as a result. On the other side? The old way, fiercely protected by those who benefit the most from the status quo.

We’re at a moment in time where progress and “the old way” are butting heads once more. Two cultures — old-school and new-school — in an era where humanized business is set to be the successor to years of “big faceless entity.” Old-schoolers relied heavily on manipulation in the past, and now are expected to do a complete 180. New-schoolers understand the importance of being a real part of the community and want to be there. It should be clear who is better suited to help businesses succeed in this new landscape.

But those dependent on the status quo are clever. They know the best way to keep a movement from swallowing them is to co-opt it. To feign belief in the buzzwords, the catchphrases and the philosophies, but never really put them into practice in a genuine way. To them, it still boils down to marketing. Just another opportunity to promote or sell. It’s not about the people.

This is the war. The clash. It’s a good vs. evil story, and it’s of the “Choose Your Own Adventure” variety.

As a business, you have a choice. Will you cling fast to the old ways of thinking, and the old-schoolers who talk the very basic talk but aren’t interested in the walk? Or will you recognize that new technologies and new expectations require new approaches?

Whatever your decision, remember: progress wins the wars.

Don’t end up on the wrong side of history.

We’ve added a Social Media Events page to the site, highlighting events taking place in the Harrisburg area as well as in neighboring cities and states. The list is very much evolving and will continue to grow as we learn of more events.

Learning should be accessible to all, so this list will be limited to events that are free or charge less than $30 for admission. Social media is a grassroots phenomenon. It is media by the masses — a way for every voice to be heard. High-priced conferences and seminars undermine this truth.

If you have a nearby event you’d like to have added to the list, please get in touch!

-@shawn

A soft launch may also refer to the release of a website, hotel, or other product or service to a limited audience. Soft-launching is a method for gathering data on a product’s usage and acceptance in the marketplace, before making it generally available as a hard launch or grand opening. Companies may choose a soft launch to test the viability of a product or to fine tune a product before implementing a larger marketing effort.

We’re quietly taking the wraps off of the site today but will continue to add additional services, products and content on the way to a hard launch sometime next month. For those of you who’ve made it here… thank you! Your support is greatly appreciated.

-@shawn