Audio By Carbonatix
Chris Heuer is the cofounder of Social Media Club, along with his wife, Kristie Wells. Founded in 2006, Social Media Club is for anyone who is passionate about creating and consuming media. The organization’s slogan, “If you get it, share it,” is the driving force behind each club, where people gather to share knowledge about social media, technology, and related topics. There are 72 local chapters in nine countries around the world, and it continues to grow.
Though based in San Francisco, 40-year-old
Heuer is originally a Miami boy, having moved to Miami from Chicago when he was 7. He
graduated from Palmetto Senior High, went away to college, spent his summers
here, and came back to work in the 305 before he settled elsewhere.
The idea for Social Media Club began brewing in the ’90s during the early Silicon Beach days,
when Heuer cofounded a web development company in South Beach. Guru Communications built web applications
and websites, including the first version of Sobe.com.
Heuer was in South Florida this week to speak at the
inaugural meeting of Social Media Club Palm Beach County. Riptide spent some time on the phone
with the affable Heuer, whose enthusiasm about social media is nothing short of
infectious.
New Times: What inspired you to start SMC?
Chris Heuer: Many experiences have inspired me, but the idea started back around 1995
with my web development agency in South Beach. In those days, we were charging
far less than other big-shot companies to build websites. I was a young kid entrepreneur and I
thought I knew everything. I’d
point a finger at ad guys and tell them: You just don’t get it.” It was a very combative
atmosphere. Then one day I
realized that I could help them learn, and that turned my attitude around.
NT: Once
your attitude shifted, what did you do about it?
Heuer: I
watched the rise of the dot-com era and started thinking about how important it is
to be a good netizen. We desperately
needed more media literacy. In the
late 1990s, I was part of an online consortium of Internet professionals. We shared ideas among ourselves, which
made me realize there was a vast digital divide between those who knew things and those who didn’t. So at
first, we rented an office space at Miami Beach City Hall to train people on
really basic stuff, like how to click links.
NT: When did
Social Media Club start to become a reality?
Heuer: I went
to the first BarCamp in 2005 and saw all the sharing going on among geeks in real
time. There was open access to
information, and I had the opportunity to meet so many great people. I realized then that participation was
the new form of marketing. It was people — not the technology — that actually
mattered.
NT: Social
Media Club’s slogan says, “If you get it, share it.” What if you don’t get it?
Heuer: Social
Media Club is about socializing information and helping people “get it.” The human element makes it
valuable. I really believe
everybody can grow and prosper through social media literacy. We’re very fortunate that other people
have also seen the need to share ideas and best practices.
I’m most proud of the “If you get it, share it” idea. The idea of sharing has really touched
people and grown organically over time. That came from the heart and captures my values about living that
openness and transparency.
NT: How do you feel about South Florida’s social media
community today? We now have two club chapters, one covering South Florida and
the other Palm Beach County.
Heuer: One of the reasons I moved away is because businesses
used to see the Internet as a fad, so there was little economic development. But what’s happening today in South
Florida is terrific. Alex de
Carvalho, the South Florida chapter founder, has done a great job of building
communities down here.
It’s only natural for Social Media Club to splinter in the
tri-county area. The distance
thing between Miami-Dade and West Palm Beach makes it harder for people to get
together. But we can find ways to
work together. We’re going to have
a lot stronger community.
NT: What’s
in store for Social Media Club?
Heuer: We’ve
reached a point of critical mass, and we’ve done that by letting go of the
brand. We have free and paid
memberships now. Our goal is to provide value to society as a whole as well as
to professions in the private, government, and nonprofit sectors.
A new member site is coming up with some additional helpful
services. We’re also putting a little more formal structure into our operation
scheme so we can serve people more efficiently. We really want to seriously invest in our mission of
media literacy for all, eventually offering accessible workshops and classes.
NT: You also
have another company. How does it fit into the grand scheme of all things Chris
Heuer?
Heuer: At this
point, I describe myself as a creative catalyst for Adhocnium.com. I’m all
about creating change, embracing technology, and doing things slightly
differently. I want to leave
people enriched, not depleted. I
take a holistic approach when helping companies through training, event
production, teaching gigs, and speaking engagements. I really like the concept of creating positive change that
benefits everyone.
