Starting a blog

I've been thinking about starting this blog for about a year now. A session on bolgging at the recent Alliance for Nonprofit management annual conference (second week of August, '04) has finally gotten me to get started. In fact, I've decided to start two blogs:

• One on a variety of nonprofit management stuff (this one)
• One personal one--with various rants, comments and random stuff.

So, why am I starting these blogs. The reasons for the two blogs are totally different:

Nonprofit Stuff:

• I'm starting my on nonprofit consulting practice. While I currently have a lot of visibility from my previous job creating and running MAP for Nonprofits' technology services, I need a way to keep my name and services in peoples minds. A paper newsletter was too expensive. I've thought of doing an email newsletter but getting the time to put together a whole issue has been difficult. With a blog, I can write posts whenever I have time and then remind people to visit the blog with a periodic email.
• Most people think I mainly work with technology. What I really do is implementing new programs and help nonprofit organizations improve their operation. Technology is one of the tools I use. A blog will help me expand my image in the community beyond just technology.
• Being an independent consultant, I can't walk down the hall and bug a co-worker with the "cool new thing" I just found about nonprofit managment. With a blog, I can do that to a wider audience.

Random stuff blog:

• Being an independent consultant can be lonely.
• I like to talk about my experiences with others. Being an independent consultant limits that (see"lonely" above).
• I need a place to rant about the current Republican administration in Minnesota and in Washington DC.

I'll be adding things to these blogs randomly so check back.

sheldon