Justin Kozuch

Many years ago, a rabbi once told me “Nothing happens by chance alone. Everything that happens, does so for a reason.”

Inspired by my friend DJ Waldow’s job search, I have been contemplating where I fit in, the skills I’ve developed, my experiences over the past few years, and how it all relates to who and where I am today and what I bring to the table.

Working on the Pixel to Product research study was one of the most rewarding projects I’ve ever had the opportunity to be part of. I had the chance to meet hundreds of industry professionals across Canada; to speak with designers, strategists and social media marketers from all walks of life; to connect with thinkers, thought-leaders, and talented entrepreneurs. I was fortunate enough to have won the very first Mesh Prize, an accomplishment that I will always hold dear.

And while I have a little bit of work left before the research study is complete, I know that I must now begin to look forward into the future. Towards new opportunities. Towards making a difference. Not just for myself, but for others.

For the past 4 years, I’ve immersed myself into social media and have learned a great deal about this marketing channel. For the past 3 years, with the help of talented folks like DJ and others, I’ve come to learn a great deal about email marketing. I’ve also started down the path of understanding the role community management plays in informing and engaging users, as well as improving a product or service by way of gathering and synthesizing feedback (among other things!). I believe in helping people and the power of relationships; this is what drives me and motivates me, and is the root cause for undertaking this journey I’ve embarked on.

With these skills, I’m ready for something new. I’m ready to take things to the next level.

Next Stop: Community Manager

The next phase of my life takes into account all of those things I mentioned above. I’m looking for a community management role, be it for a startup or an established organization. The specifics of that role aren’t clear to me, but will take advantage of the skills I have acquired thus far in social media, digital, and marketing, as well as provide me with the opportunity to improve those skills and learn new ones.

It is my hope that I can leverage the connections and personal relationships I’ve created over the past few years to help find this job.

Can you help?

Simply put, I want to do cool things. I want to help people. I want to give back to the community that helped me get my start. I’m keen to leverage the skills I’ve acquired in helping a company succeed in their email marketing, social media and community management endeavours.

You may have an opening right now or in the near future, know of someone who has an opening, or simply want to connect. You may not fit into any of these categories. And that’s fine, too.

To give you a better sense of my skills, I’ve embedded my resume below:

Download a copy of my resume here.

If you have an opening right now, why not schedule a meeting? I’d love to get together with you over coffee to talk about your needs and where there may be a fit with your organization. If you don’t currently have an opening at your organization, but know someone that is looking for someone with my skill set, drop me an email. I’d love to meet with them and talk.

Curious to learn what others think about my professional talents? Check out my LinkedIn profile.

Thank you for taking the time to read this blog post. I’d be grateful if you shared this post, my resume, or my LinkedIn profile with your network. Click the Tweet button, share it on LinkedIn, Facebook or Google Plus.

Let’s do this!

- Justin

How airlines use Twitter: Original post courtesy of Guy Kawasaki.

I’ve long held the belief that social media can be an effective tool in providing customer, if used properly. Used improperly, it can do irreparable damage to your brand, your reputation, and potentially result in lost revenue and hordes of angry users descending on you with the wrath of God. A social media “do’s and don’ts” policy is one of the first documents any brand should create if they’re at all interested in having a presence in social media.

Last week, I flew from Toronto to Calgary. As I was growing tired of Air Canada, I opted to fly WestJet to see if their service was as good as I had heard. Shortly before my flight, I sent out this tweet: 

Upon my arrival in Calgary, I pulled out my phone to check email and see what was happening on Twitter. I also noticed I had a new DM. What I saw blew me away:

“Hope you have a great flight! Thanks for investing :)”

Now, to be clear, I’m not an influential person on Twitter. In fact, I’m not an influential person anywhere. I don’t seek preferential treatment, nor do I want or expect it.

Seeing this made me feel like I was the most important person in the world. The effort needed to send a quick message to a customer is inconsequential. The potential for loyalty and appreciation, isn’t.

Marketing is about building and nurturing relationships. Each of your employees, from the janitor to the CEO, are your brand ambassadors. Each of your employees are the face of the company. This was how they made a difference to me.

It was a simple direct message from WestJet that earned my loyalty.

As part of the MyCityLives video series “5 Best Places To Be Mayor of on Foursquare”, Adil Dhalla from MyCityLives and I say down to record a quick clip about David’s Tea at 336 Queen St in Toronto. Check it out, and let me know what you think in the comments below!

Kudos to the bus driver who kept his cool in a heated situation. This is the type of transit system we can all build.