The mobile application market has literally exploded in the last two years, opening the door to entrepreneurship to a huge range of professionals – namely, me. The business I have been building over the last year - AboveGround Applications, is focused on bringing creative, compelling mobile applications to market. Our 1st product, NearBeer, is set to launch on April 20th, 2011. It will leverage user generated content, geo-location, and social media to generate an active user base.
My professional network has been essential to building the company and the product. My investors all come from within this network, and without them there literally would be no company. As I have been learning everything I possibly can about developing mobile applications my network has rapidly expanded to include project managers, developers, lawyers, accountants, and a host of people in various creative fields. Without this network for support the project most likely would have stalled and died. It would have made it hard to get on the road to establishing myself as a player in the mobile application marketplace.
Breaking into the mobile application and gaming market offers ample opportunity to utilize digital media to kick-start one’s career. Having an online presence via Youtube, facebook, and LinkedIn is essential. Personally, since I have a video editing background I also maintain a Vimeo account in addition to my Youtube account. Whatever your professional field there is bound to be a social networking site that focuses on your interests, and you should leverage this asset. Lateral Action and Spyre Studios offer an index of creative and professional networking sites that are a great place to start exploring what is out there.
Another option is to start a blog (like the one you are reading). By managing your content properly and keeping your writing style professional and career oriented can demonstrate your expertise in the field. This has the effect of making you stand out against others also seeking to break into the field. By keeping the blog witty and up to date, it is possible to grow a loyal following of readers and build your reputation.
Depending on the field, a podcast might be an appropriate avenue to pursue. Similar to a blog, a podcast allows you to disseminate your expertise and build a following via digital audio distribution. Professionals on the move today use their time in the car or gym to listen to things they want to learn bout or interest them but don’t have the time to pursue on their own. You can utilize this push technology to build your reputation in much the same way you would with a blog or newsletter.
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