When Keith asked me to blog about what inspires me, I couldn't pinpoint just one thing. Then it hit me: my passion is people. Heading up social media at an agency built around advocacy means that people are the core ingredient in everything I do. I find myself walking down the hallways of 22squared constantly smiling, smacking high fives and genuinely connecting with all the bright, fun people who surround me every day. I talk to my coworkers about how their awkward dates went, the ridiculousness of being a new parent, killer advertising... and if you peel back these things, what truly fires me up to come to work are ideas worth sharing. This same concept is being played out in social media: a Like, a ReTweet, a comment, a +1, they all help individuals confirm core their desires to share with and receive affirmation from each other. And now, for the first time ever, brands can enter consumers' personal (social) spaces and evoke these same desires, thus creating a bond they've never before been able to achieve. I can go on and on about how this is going to be the key to all successful advertising in the future, but instead I'll just urge you to ask yourself one thing: "When I interact with people around me, what do they do that evokes my emotions? And how can I get a brand to evoke these same feelings?" I think you'll find the answer lies in the fact that brands need to act more like people.

Gotta go, there's an epic game of ping pong with Justin Oh calling my name in our playroom.