Creativity in #RVA, Wow! Now how to learn and act.

So it seems we struck a nerve with this whole “creativity” thing, huh?

The post was the most viewed and more importantly, the most commented on blog post in the year and a half or so that the blog has been, well…blogging.

I urge you to read the comments and add your opinion to the mix.

If you need something to kick your creativity in the butt, there are two events in the next couple of weeks to put on your calender.

The first is the next #SMCRVA/Hype Richmond event on March 18.  THP is proud to sponsor the evening’s speaker, Shashi Bellamkonda, the “social media swami” of Network Solutions.  I was fortunate enough to see Shashi speak at Blog Potomac about a year ago.  He along with Scott Monty from Ford were able to articulate how truly to use social media for business purposes.  The Network Solutions blog is a great example of how a company can reach its target audience — in this case small business owners — through the creation of an online community.

Shashi will talk about personal branding.  My guess is he will spend some of the time talking about how he spearheaded the social media movement in his company as the evangelist that brought C-level execs, the legal folks and the rank and file together and rallied them around social media.

Here’s a recent Q and A with Shashi in the Washington Business Journal.  If you want to begin the dialouge with Shashi on Twitter before his appearance, you can reach him at @shashib.

Here’s a video with Shashi from about a year ago to whet your appetite.

After the creativity blog post, our good friend Jo Kennedy of the Visual Arts Center of Richmond reached out to let us know about “Creativity Forum 201o.”  The Visual Arts Center is partnering with the Robins School of Business at the University of Richmond (disclosure: UR is a THP client) on this one. 

Well-known author Daniel Pink is the draw.  His talk will focus on how creatvity at work is not a luxury but a necessity.  Jo says this kicks off a focus for the Center on the issue of creativity at work.

I’m sure these aren’t the only events on the horizon exploring the subject of creativity.  Based on the comments and conversations I’ve seen and had over the last few days, there are plenty of people not only exploring the subject but also looking for ways to make it a vital part of Richmond’s identity.

The challenge, as it always is in Richmond is to get people to work together for the common good without concern for credit or ego.