Video is among the most engaging forms of content in marketing, social media, education, and countless other settings, contexts, and industries. There’s a reason a whopping 96% of marketers indicate they consider video to play an important role in a marketing campaign.

Maybe you appreciate the value that creating videos can yield for your business, classroom, etc. However, perhaps you’ve been reluctant to embrace this form of content for a simple reason: you believe video production is too costly.

This isn’t necessarily true. For example, with Powtoon’s video maker offering features such as templates, creating a video can be easier and more affordable than you realize.

Additionally, preparing ahead of time can guard against the actual video production process taking longer than necessary. This is another way to save money.

For example, you should always storyboard a video before actually filming or animating it. This involves planning the sequence of the video’s scenes so that you already have a vision of how the video will tell a story before you start making it. This guide will explain the basics of the process, helping you and your production team chart a course for success.

How to Storyboard a Video Project: Essential Steps

The general process of storyboarding a video will typically involve these steps:

Determine the overall style and tone of the video

Your own videos shouldn’t merely be remakes of other video content you’ve already seen. Be aware video content isn’t just effective because it’s attention-grabbing.

Video content yields a strong return on investment because it allows you to combine visual elements and audio elements to establish your brand. Thus, before you even begin working on a storyboard, you should consider how factors such as color scheme, music, and similar elements will determine the video’s tone.

Consider your video’s intended audience if you’re struggling with this step. Knowing who the video is made for will help you decide whether its “vibe” should be professional, playful, etc.

Identify key scenes and create a projected timeline

List the main points your video needs to make in order to deliver its message or serve its purpose. Then, make a scene-by-scene list of key moments in the video that will touch on these points.

These may not be the only scenes your video ultimately includes. However, they are essential scenes. Once you’ve identified them, estimate the potential length of your video to get a sense of where each scene will fit on the timeline.

Keep in mind that the platform to which you plan to upload your video can influence the ideal length for a piece of video content. For instance, clips shared on most social media platforms like TikTok or Instagram shouldn’t be longer than one minute. A video for YouTube, on the other hand, can be longer.

Determine the basic details of each scene

Once you’ve identified your main scenes, it’s time to establish such key details as:

• The settings of the scenes
• How many characters will appear in each scene
• Camera angles
• Music (Tip: Along with a video maker, Powtoon offers royalty-free music tracks and other such content if you’re creating a video on a budget)

You may also need to plan whether your video will include any special effects or animation, as you might need to generate these ahead of time. That said, Powtoon’s video maker offers several ready-to-use special effects and intuitive animation tools, simplifying what might otherwise be a complex step.

Write a script

You can technically storyboard a video before writing a final script if you have a list of all the scenes you expect your video to include. However, if you try to convert a storyboard into a script, you may find you need to add extra scenes that you hadn’t initially planned for. This can force you to spend more time reworking your storyboard.

Avoid this by writing your script first. Editing a script later tends to be easier and less time-consuming than editing a storyboard.

Choose a storyboard tool

Just as using the right video maker is key to generating high-quality videos, choosing the right storyboard tool can help you create a storyboard that truly serves as a helpful road map for you and all others involved in production.

Storyboarders come in many forms. You could storyboard a video with just a pen and paper, or you may find you’re better off using an all-in-one storyboarding software. Consider your options and choose one that’s right for your needs and budget.

Sketch thumbnails

This is the step most people associate with the storyboarding process. To storyboard a video, you will sketch basic drawings of your scenes.

Don’t worry if these aren’t perfect works of art. While including more detail can be helpful, if you’re simply drawing stick figures, you should be fine as long as you arrange your drawings in a proper sequence after sketching them.

Annotate scenes

There are various reasons you might annotate scenes in your storyboard. Examples include (but aren’t necessarily limited to) the following:

• Specifying camera angles and camera movements
• Explaining what types of music or sound effects a scene might feature
• Describing character actions

Basically, if there’s any important information about a scene that isn’t clearly represented by your drawings, make annotations accordingly.

Review and revise

Don’t overlook the importance of this step!

You shouldn’t simply storyboard a video because you’ve been told it’s an important step in the process of making a piece of video content. A proper storyboard can minimize your spending by helping you save time during the actual production phase. Thus, by following the tips here and confirming your storyboard is as close to perfect as possible before you move on to production, you’ll avoid unnecessary expenses.

Powtoon’s Video Maker Turns Your Storyboard Into Stunning Content

The production stage shouldn’t intimidate you. Whether you’re making a marketing video, explainer video, or any other type of video content, Powtoon’s video maker allows you to easily and affordably create a video with virtually just a few clicks thanks to its built-in special effects, pre-made video templates, and more. Learn more about what this online video maker can do for you by signing up today!

The post <strong>How to Storyboard a Video</strong> appeared first on Powtoon Blog.

Creating videos is applicable to every stage of life. Whether you are a student, parent, professional editor or in the workforce, videos have transformed to become the new way of interacting and engaging with the world around you. An important element in video making is choosing the right images to express your opinion or idea and leave a lasting impact. Many images come at a cost, but is there a way to find royalty free images to use in your videos?

In this article, we will bring 5 helpful tips to help guide you in finding the best royalty free images for your videos. 

Tip 1: Be Inspired 

Before starting your search for the right image, first you have to know what it is you are looking for. Look at the world around you, take inspiration from the blank canvas of the video you are about to create and build a vision of what it is you are going to want to express in your video. 

With Powtoon, the array of templates are a great starting point to giving you that first inspired thought as to what you are envisioning, with templates covering all areas of life. 

Tip 2: Be Specific

When it comes to searching for your image, you need to make sure that when typing into your search engine, you are specific as to what it is you are looking for. Typing in too broad of a word can be overwhelming, especially when you can see the direction you are taking to create your video. Further, many images may come at a cost, or needing to pay royalties to the owner of the image, so reducing your search to royalty free images will help with your search. 

Powtoon offers an array of free images from all categories for you to add to your video creation, making the process a lot simpler and easier. 

Tip 3: Be Clever with your Word Choice

Don’t be afraid to use creative words in order to be specific. Using keywords that will ease your search. Using different types of adjectives describing the color, aesthetic and texture of what you are searching for will consolidate your search and help you more easily decide what is the most appropriate image for your video. 

Tip 4: Be Smart About Your Search Methods

Even more than just being specific about your search for the right image, be smart about it. This means to make sure you’re using filters, or the correct search engines for your search. Google is the most common search engine to look for images on, so why not help yourself out and use the Google Advanced Image Search. Or through Google Images, once you have entered your subject, select the “Tools” button, where you will see the option to select usage rights. Under usage rights is the option to select ‘Creative Commons License.’ This will then filter your image search to show only royalty free images. 

What is great about the Powtoon platform, is if you have not found the ideal image for your video in Powtoon’s library, you can import the images you found through other search engines and insert them into your video. 

Tip 5: Be Creative with your Image Choice

When looking for an image, be creative. Be on the lookout for what colors will burst in your video, what outlines, designs and textures will help your video stand out when it comes to animating your video. Don’t be afraid to be creative, and experiment with different designs, moods and take your creativity to the next level. 

Your image library has never been bigger!

Go create the best Powtoon you can and include all the royalty free images you desire!

The post 5 Tips for Finding the Best Royalty-Free Images for Your Videos appeared first on Powtoon Blog.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the awesome, hard-working moms out there!

In honor of this special day,​ it is customary to spoil mom and do something extra special to show her how much you truly care! But this can be a daunting challenge, as you’ve already given your mom chocolate, pink pajamas and Hallmark cards — over and over again. SNORE! These gifts are so boring, I actually fell asleep while listing them.

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Come on guys! Your mom (wife, auntie, grandma…) deserves something extra AWESOME, full of thought, that will make her say, “wow, now I feel really special.” So, without further ado, here are:

​57 totally do-able, Off-the-Wall Mother’s Day gift Ideas that will make your mom Super Duper Happy:

1. Let’s Start with CHEESE – Cheese is pretty much edible gold; melt hard cheese (or spread soft cheese) on a large piece of bread that has been cut into the shape of your mom’s profile, a heart, or the words ‘I love you.’ 

2. Guitar Lessons – What!? You heard me, learning new instruments over the age of 40 is totally encouraged and has been proven to boost brain activity! Maybe it’s finally time to give Guitar Hero a go?

3. “Mini Me” Mother’s Day Video – Turn yourself and your mom into animated characters!​ Simply upload a picture of your face, your mom or your entire family and personalize the characters in a Powtoon video message.

4. Tea Time with British Accents​ – Arrange an assortment of teas (herbal, black, green) shaped as the word “mum.” Then set aside an hour to sit with “mummy dearest” to drink tea and discuss the royal family with your best British accents. Don’t forget to raise a pinky for every sip. (If you happen to be British then use an accent from a different part of England and have a jolly laugh).

5. Mom Advertisement​ – Create a quick commercial, using a pre-designed video ad template, where your mom is the product for sale. Talk about​ the product’s awesome qualities. At the end of the commercial (where you list the price), add the killer line: “woops, you can’t buy mom because she is priceless.” Full Mom-O-Matic Ad HERE

Edit This Video Ad Template

6. Dry Ice – Need I say more. Welcome mom into a room of your choice with a cool fog effect. When she walks into the room cover the dry ice, because “her sunshine” wipes out the fog. The same goes for dry Ice bubbles, pop them when you see mom!

7. Ryan Gosling Photoshop Meme- Take This Meme of Ryan, or any handsome actor that makes your mom melt (don’t worry, dad), and Photoshop mom into the picture. Check out this free image editor​ to crop a head in under 2 minutes.

8. Crossword Puzzle– Come up with a question like ‘Who is the most thoughtful,  giving, best ever mom in the world?’ Write clues that contain the letters in your mom’s name, then fit these squares into a puzzle and voila – Mom has a fun activity!

9. Mentos and Diet Coke Concert – Should be performed outdoors only. Arrange Diet coke bottles on a table, play mom’s favorite song, and  drop Mentos to the beat! Let the explosive fun begin.

10. Microwavable Calming Pillow– All you need is a small cotton pillowcase, a filler, and mom’s favorite aromas  (I like flaxseed, dried rose petals and​ mint, but you can use beans, wheat, lavender, ginger etc…). Heat up the pillow for 1-3 minutes and your mom will be in a happy place.

11. Bobble Head Mom – Do It Yourself! All you need is a few household items , a picture of your mom’s face (with a fun expression) and this Bobble Head Tutorial.

12. Through the Years –  First create an animated slideshow of family photos that span over several years. Next choose a character to act as a host. Lastly, have this character pop in during each scene to state the year,  location, or even a funny inside joke.

13. Fruit Shake and Taylor Swift’s SHAKE IT OFF – Nothing says I love you more than Health. Blend Pineapple, ​ mango, blueberries and all of mom’s favorite fruits into a smoothie; After the fruit shake has been digested, blast ​ ‘Shake it Off” by Taylor Swift, and dance it up on Mother’s Day.

14. Serve a chocolate fudge, ice cream, caramel​ brownie bomb – Geez, it’s Mother’s Day, calories don’t count (but, if sugar or fat is a concern, here are some lighter, healthier versions of your favorite desserts)!

15. Photo Transfer Painting – This is so cool. you will need 24 hrs, a photo printed with standard printer ink, a canvas and some acrylic gel (total cost less than $5.00). Brush a layer of gel on your canvas, lay the printed photo of you and your mom face down, press firmly and go to sleep. When you wake up the next morning, use water to wipe away the paper and you are left with the transferred image! Voila, photo painting! Tutorial here.

16. Tropical vacation in a bathtub. Fill up the tub, throw in an inflatable tube, hang cardboard palm trees and a yellow sun. Hula Skirts and Sangria amplify the effect.

17. Stamp of Mom’s Face – You’ll need an eraser, a carving knife and some artistic skills. draw an outline of mom’s face or profile on the eraser and carve away.When your stamp-eraser is complete you can glue it to a small solid object like a spice jar or block of wood to make it easier to hold. If you fail in drawing, a smiley face or a nice message like’Mom Rocks’ works fine. As a last resort you can buy love! Stamp-yo-face creates custom-made face-stamps; it’s pricey but mom’s worth it.

18. Edible ink – Take your face stamp, dip it in edible ink (beet juice, food coloring, squid ink) and stamp it all over her favorite foods, who doesn’t want to eat personalized toast and banana slices?

19. Soap – Carve your mom’s favorite objects out of lavender, rose or fragrant bars of soap; If you are not the most skilled carver, don’t worry… she’ll appreciate the effort. Put the bars in a basket that says, ‘I love you Soap much!’

20. Look Down – Print out​ images of things your mom can’t stand, then tape them to the bottom of her shoes i.e, pollen, bosses name, fighting etc… Stomp on the ground with your mom and tell her that this year all the negativity is out and only happiness will reign!​ Woohoo!

21. Look Up – Get a Ladder and ​ ‘hang’ a poster across the ceiling in your mom’s bedroom (i.e.,funny message, a print of her favorite painting) so it’s the first visual she sees when she wakes up in the morning!

22. Pizza Toppings – Say ” I love you, mom” with pizza toppings. Spell out a word, message or symbol with olives, tomatoes or pepper; Add an anchovy exclamation mark at the end to show her you really care. 

23. Buy an Air Mac – or any Apple product for that matter. If you are going big, then go all the way (amiright)? When someone receives a super expensive gift from you, that love is 100% guaranteed (at least in that moment, you will have to earn it afterwards).

24. Decorated Picture Frame – forget the picture inside, decorate the frame with Mom’s favorite quotations, pictures, phrases. Shellac for a glazed effect.

25. Hand-Made Portrait of Your Mom –  Canvas, water colors and brushes will cost you less than $15 but an original piece of art is priceless. If you’ve never painted before or you don’t know how to paint, that’s even better — you earn extra brownie points for going outside your comfort zone to please the woman who birthed you.

26. Train Your Pet – (without actually training your pet). This gesture is really funny. Simply use a command that you’ve already trained your dog (or guinea pig, or fuzzy creature) to do and add a loving message before you say the command. ​ For Example, ​ if your dog rolls over at the command “roll over,” you can say: “Hey Muffy, if you​ feel​ lucky to be part of this family and have such an amazing and insanely awesome mom, a mom who knows how to cook the most delicious lasagna and has mastered the art of making people happy, then ROLL OVER.”

27. What if you don’t have a dog? Get her a dog!​ A recent ‘pet’ study from Psychology Today stated “Pet owners exhibited greater self-esteem, were more physically fit… were more socially outgoing, and had healthier relationships than non-owners.” Um, what are you waiting for?

28. Goldfish Quality Time – Fish make great pets too! Get two goldfish and a small aquarium. Replace the TV (temporarily) and write a note where the TV stood – “Relaxing Quality time with Mom” then stare at the fish together and enjoy the technology break.

29. Theme a Room– Recreate her favorite place i.e., the zoo, Mexico or Disney World, by implementing elements of that place into the room. For Example, if mom loved the vacation in Cancun you can buy Tequila, play “Mariachi” music and draw the Mexican Flag.

30. Chore Dice – Grab two cubes (you can make a cube here or buy two small Rubik’s Cubes and cover them with paper). The first cube is the chores cube; Write down a chore on each side i.e, Dishes, Laundry, Buy Nutella etc… On the second cube write names of family members- repeat names if necessary. Roll the dice and serve your Mom.

31. Countdown – Create an animated presentation listing the top ten (top 20, 30, 40) reasons why your mom rocks. You can use personal pictures as backgrounds. Here’s an example of a top 8 animated countdown.

32. Animated Family Music Video – Find an instrumental of your favorite song, gather your family and record them singing the words (this is very easy to do with Audacity, which is free). Upload the audio file to Powtoon (which is also free) and add animation- BAM! You have a personalized movie with your family’s voices for Mom. You’re welcome.

33. Live Karaoke, in Costume – Sing your mom’s favorite song, try to dress like the singer to add an extra giggle factor.

34. Acapella with Family – If you’re not much of a singer, then use your vocal chords to add a beat to the background while the rest of your family does the singing for you! Add some friends to the choir, the more the merrier!

35. Website for Mom – Many moms are scared of technology, so start her off by setting up her very own website/blog (Wix and WordPress are great tools), she can even get an explainer video or slideshow on the homepage using the Powtoon Plugin.

36. Mom Resume – But if your mom is a tech savvy​ business woman, then make an animated resume listing all your mom’s skills and awesome credentials, then tell her why everybody would be lucky to hire her as MOM!

Edit this Resume Template

37. A Maid and a Masseuse​ – Mom gets the day off with a side of Shiatsu.

38. White Glove Test – If you’re strapped for cash, clean the house yourself. This is no joke, I’m talking eat-off-the-floor clean,; Get to every nook and cranny. Hand mom a set of white gloves to examine your work. Judgement Day has arrived.

39. Personal Manicure/pedicure– Time to paint mama’s fingernails or toenails!

40. Finger Message– Family members paint letters on each of their fingernails with nail polish,​ spelling out a message, (that goes for you too, dad and hipster brother). Line your hands together and let mom read this weird and endearing human art piece!

41. Short, Surprise Video Message– How cool would it be for your mom to be tagged in her Instagram feed with a 15 second video message from you! If she doesn’t have an account now is a good time to create one! Or you can just send the surprise video Whatsapp, SMS etc…!

42. Parlez-vous francais? Enroll Mom in an online course to learn a different language (there are many courses that are cheap and low budget).

43. Recreate a Scene – Act out a scene from mom’s favorite book or movie, parodies are the best ( ​ ‘50 shades of Grey’ may be an exception).

44. Picnic Time– Picnics never get old. Set out a red and white checkered blanket, a whicker basket, some delicious snacks. Bring mom to the park (the grassy outdoorsy smell does good for the soul( but if you are self isolating, any room can work!

45. ‘I love You’ Fungus/Bacteria – Buy a Petri dish, agar, a Q-tip and find a piece of moldy fruit (Less than $10.00) Prepare the Petri Dish; Dip the Q- tip in moldy fruit ​ (or the floor or your mouth or anywhere full of bacteria) and write a loving message on the agar (“Love you MOM”). Place the Petri dish away from sunlight and wait a few days until mold/bacteria grows into the message.

46.Knitting Lesson – It’s the hottest, old-school thing to do. Be warned this activity is addictive and everything you own will eventually be covered in a layer of patterned yarn.

47. Origami Time – A few pieces of paper, a guide and some quality time could result in some pretty cool paper creations!

48. Hot Chocolate/Coffee Bar – Set up a mini Bar with different chocolate types (dark, white) and flavors (vanilla, chilli pepper, mint). Act as a the barman and brew up a hot beverage catered to your mom’s tastebuds. Throw in a few toppings like marshmallows or pistachios. Before she drinks, make a toast to your mom!

49. Lyric Video – Make a funny animated lyric video of mom’s favorite song so she can bop along to the words with props, backgrounds and colors that are personalized and tailor made for her! Upload to Youtube and add a description like “In honor of my mom…” Here’s an example of Uptown Funk Featuring Bruno Mars.

50.​ ‘Post it’ love – Place 100 post its all over your house – each with a reason why you love and appreciate your mama, if you can’t think of 100 reasons, that’s OK, think harder, you spoiled little child.

51. Mom Business Cards – For moms who want to move up in the tech world; Create a Skype, Viber or an account on another cool communication platform. Come up with a catchy title for the’Greatest Mom Ever’ and create handmade business cards with her new account details. Later that day have your family or friends contact her via the new account.

52. Coupon Book – Easy to prepare, a bit of time to execute. Create coupons for movie time, house chores, or anything else you think mom would like as a gift.​ Follow through with high energy and love!

53. Towel Set -Sew mom’s name on a towel set or beach towel.​ If you have patience, then add some fake diamonds, sparkly gel, or tie-dye effect. Be original; the tackier the better!​ If she doesn’t hang your towels in the guestroom or bring it to the beach, she’s embarrassed of you and doesn’t love you. Just kidding!

54. Grow a Salad – Go to your local gardening shop and buy a load of different seeds that make up the vegetables, fruits and spices that your mom uses for cooking, smoothies or salads. Simply take a few empty glass jars,​ fill ​ ‘em with soil, label the jar and voila, mama has a salad growing in her living room.

55. Follow in Mom’s Footsteps – Outline your left and right shoe and cut out about 20 ​ ‘footsteps.’ Tell your mom, “I know what you want to be when I grow up (or when you get older).” Place the footsteps on the floor and have them lead to a picture of your mom. Awww.

56. SMILE- Mom is happy when you’re happy. This one is easy. Cut out a paper arrow, smile and point it to your pearly whites- let her know, “Mom, this smile is because of you!”

57. A Big, Lovable, Huggable Hug. Yup, I just used an adjective to describe itself, that’s how awesome your hug should be.

And that is how you make your mom feel special for Mother’s Day! I hope you enjoyed these 57 Off-the-wall gift ideas for mom!
Do you have any other crazy or heart-warming Mother’s Day gift ideas? What is the coolest gift you’ve ever given your mom? Let us know in the comments below!

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Send a sweet, funny eCard that is easy to personalize with pictures, jokes, memories and fun animations!

Pop open that bottle of Champagne and throw on that red sweater you love, because Valentine’s Day is here and the world is about to find out just how thoughtful YOU are!  This year, we’re going to help you surprise your sweetheart, work buddies, friends, and even your clients, with the most original gift yet: Valentoons —Valentine’s Day Video Templates that are ready for you to customize and send! (And share on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!)

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People want experiences…yet they get things

A survey of more than 4,000 U.S. consumers reports that the average person will shell out $71 on a Valentine’s Day present (the top gifts being chocolate, flowers, jewellery, and fancy dinners), yet the most desired Valentine gift was listed as “Experiences”; something thoughtful, different and original.

The secret to thoughtful gifts is to MAKE IT PERSONAL

No one would turn down a relaxing spa day or the chance to take a cool course (furniture design, anyone?) but there is no way that it will elicit the same reaction as a hand-made Valentoon video! Emotional gifts that pull at the heart strings are an epic win for both the giver and receiver!

See More Valentine’s Day Templates

The new V-Day trend – Valentines for everyone!?

Gone are the days when your Valentine was limited to romantic lovers and secret crushes —  the holiday of love has morphed into a global celebration of appreciation, recognition and pure happiness that extends from home to work! It’s the one time of year that you can take a step back and say “Geez, I’m lucky I have you in my life!” 

We asked 4 people — with no design background, to customize a video template

Remember that Einstein template above? It’s called Geek Love and it’s a popular Valentine’s day e-card among science lovers and nerds, (i.e., those who admire the pursuit of higher intellect). It consists of only three slides: An intro slide, a pun slide, and a closing slide. You can quickly customize the template with your personal details, such as your name and your recipient’s name, then send it as is.

Or you can make a few small changes to turn this video card into an original creation… by swapping images, characters, backgrounds props, scenes and video clips with our 1-click SWAP feature. And that’s exactly what our four awesome volunteers did. Without further ado, here are the four Valentoons in all their glory:

Colleague Appreciation – Valentine eCard

Romantic Love – Valentine eCard

Thank You to Customers Valentine eCard

Shout out to Friends – Valentine eCard

A few small changes result in big wins!

Did you see what they did there? A few small changes resulted in a super original, super thoughtful Valentine’s Day eCard, personalized to those you love and appreciate —arguably the most epic Valentine’s Gift Idea of 2020! And the best part is that it’s so quick to make and so easy to send you can make multiple versions for different people — even if it’s LAST MINUTE! So get started spreading good vibes with video eCards, and don’t forget to share on social media with #Valentoon for a chance to be featured on our social channels!

The post The Most Epic Valentine’s Day Gift Idea for 2020 – A Quick, Personalized Video Card that You Make Yourself! appeared first on Powtoon Blog.

Streaming video is fast becoming ubiquitous. In fact, the technology is spreading so fast, there are entire communities of professional gamers you’ve never heard of, streaming their gameplay to millions of followers.

Let me take that back! With over 434 billion minutes of streaming video viewed in 2018 on Twitch, you probably HAVE heard about this amazing phenomenon.

Something this awesome always has awesome people behind it, and Twitch is no exception. I got to steal a few moments with Amir Shevat, VP of Developer Experience at Twitch, and I asked him five (actually, six) questions to get a glimpse at what makes Twitch so game-changing, and how Amir thinks about video, communication, and the future of the industry.

Question 1: Tell me about yourself! How you got to where you are today?

How did I get here? By car! No, just kidding. I’m a startup guy and a software engineer. I’ve worked in small startups; I’ve worked in big organizations. No matter what project I’m working on, I have fun — and I really love to innovate and work on developer platforms.

Question 2: Your title at Twitch is VP of Developer Experience. What does that mean?

Yes, the title might be a little confusing, but what I do it very simple.

Basically, I’m a VP of Product. Twitch has multiple product pillars. There’s the streamer-facing, the viewer-facing product, and I’m responsible for the developer-facing product.

That includes working on the tools and services that developers need to build on top of our product. I’m responsible for all the APIs that Twitch has. I’m responsible for the identity service that connects between the Twitch identity and the game identity, for example. And I’m responsible for apps like our marketplace (our apps are called Extensions), which helps developers extend Twitch by adding more functionality.

The majority of my team are engineering and product people. I also have developer relations and data science, and a lot of other functions.

Question 3: How do you use video to communicate internally or externally at Twitch?

In the end, I truly believe that a company that uses its own product is a better company.

Amir Shevat, Twitch

On my team, we use video to engage with our developers. Once a week, we release our own developer outreach content, and we have a Twitch channel where we show developers how to build on our platform, and interview developers who have built on the platform.

It’s definitely an intentional move to use Twitch to communicate about Twitch. I think the key is that you want to use your own tool to engage if possible. I’ve taken that along with me in all my work. For instance, at Slack, we had a Slack channel for talking to our top developers. Working like this makes the value of your product clear through experience.

In the end, I truly believe that a company that uses its own product is a better company. I’ve seen instances where that is not the case, and that’s bad.

Question 4: What is your top prediction for streaming video in the year ahead?

My top prediction for the year is that streaming entertainment is going to grow even beyond what it is today. And it will be a common thing that everyone uses all the time. Basically, all of us will be experiencing streaming video every day, and I think games and the experience of community and online streaming will be a major part of our everyday life.

Question 5: Being a more effective communicator is high on the list for all of us. What are your top communication tips?

Tell a story to a person in a way that they empathize with it.

Amir Shevat, Twitch

What I really prefer is clear and concise communication. I think a lot of people try to add more — and more is actually less. I think if you are clear and concise, that is one of the most useful traits you can have.

The other advice that I have is to tell a story to a person in a way that they empathize with it. Start with the “what’s in it for me?” perspective from the other person’s side. Startups will often come to an enterprise and say, “Hey, you should use our product, it’s awesome because of one, two, and three.” And that is not the right way to communicate. The right way to communicate is, “Hey, we think you have these three problems, and we can help you with your problems. Let’s start the discussion and see if that’s true.”

Bonus Question: If you had to restart your career from scratch, what’s the first thing you would do?

What’s the first thing I would do? I would do the same thing again. I would go to a startup and try to innovate as fast and as fun as I can. I would learn how to code and learn other professional skills I need… and enjoy the ride!

Thanks, Amir!

A huge and awesome thanks to Amir for taking the time to answer these humble questions. Whether we’re looking ahead to the coming ubiquity of streaming communities, or just thinking about the best way to connect with people through empathetic communication, these are the ideas floating around at the cutting edge of technology and culture.

Want more? Keep up with Amir on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Medium.

What’s YOUR communication philosophy? How about predictions for the year ahead in your industry? Let me know in the comments below!

Stay awesome!

The post The Cutting Edge of Streaming Video — 5 Questions with Amir Shevat from Twitch appeared first on Powtoon Blog.

Being considered one of the top video influencers for 2019 isn’t just about having the highest subscriber count… although, that can’t hurt. This list includes the heaviest hitters, for sure, as well as a few up-and-comers who will be vital to video in 2019. Why? Because being a video influencer is really about finding a unique voice that speaks to a specific audience in a way that they love and respond to.

Still don’t know what I’m talking about? No problem! I came with visual aids. Here are the eight top video influencers for 2019!

PewDiePie — 94 Million YouTube Subscribers

PewDiePie is an original. Forging his following with offhand remarks while gaming, and building an irreverent comedy empire all his own, PewDiePie is the individual with the most subscribers on the entire YouTube Platform.

Of course, you can’t be this big without some controversy, including accusations of racial insensitivity and a very public battle with the rival YouTube channel, T-Series.

Love him or hate him, PewDiePie is one of only a handful of YouTube channels to surpass the 50 million subscriber mark, earning him a ruby play button. Awesome work, PewDiePie!

Dude Perfect — 41.2 Million YouTube Subscribers

Take a few buddies, add some challenging-but-trivial task to complete, and multiply by video… what do you get? Dude Perfect. Whether you enjoy the bro-ish repartee or the mesmerizing stunts they film, their audience on YouTube has grown to over 40 million subscribers. (For scale, that’s bigger than the population of Canada!)

Their most popular video depicts the most complex rube goldberg device I’ve seen in a long time, all triggered by a blind ping-pong ball toss. Enjoy:

Liza Koshy — 16.7 Million YouTube Subscribers

One of two former Vine stars on our list (more on that a little later), Liza Koshy uses humor and her naturally playful attitude to keep her fans faces glued to her channel. All that love has even elevated her show, interviewing world leaders and more.

But the best way to get to know her one-of-a-kind style is to watch her work. Here’s one of her most viewed videos, “World’s Best Beauty Hacks.”

Joe Rogan — 16.3 Million Followers

Joe Rogan has had a varied career. From his standup, to his role on ‘90s sitcom News Radio, to the insect-ingesting reality franchise, Fear Factor — Joe has always brought his signature big-dumb-lovable-ape persona. But hiding behind that mask is someone with endless curiosity, and the courage to make his voice into one of the most popular podcasts online today.

Between his Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter accounts, Joe boasts over 16 million followers, and some of his most popular episodes have millions upon millions of listens.

What makes Joe a video influencer, not just a podcast influencer, you ask? It’s simple: when he records an episode of the Joe Rogan Experience, his trusty producer, Jamie, switches on the cameras, and they live-stream every episode on YouTube just for kicks. Millions of Joe’s followers enjoy engaging with this extra dimension of the show. The live video puts the audience right inside the studio with Joe’s eternal list of taste-makers and industry leaders.

Enjoy his most popular (and possibly weirdest) interview ever: Elon Musk:

Nas Daily — 12 Million Facebook Followers

Here’s what you do: set a goal and achieve it. Well, that’s what Nuseir Yassin (a.k.a. Nas) did when he launched his Nas Daily Facebook page. His goal: make a 1-minute video every day for 365 days. Well over 1,000 days later, and he’s still going strong.

We even got a chance to connect with Nas the last time he visited Tel Aviv.

(Pro tip: Don’t want to miss it when we meet these influencers in-the-flesh?Follow Powtoon on Facebook!)

Zoella — 11.8 Million YouTube Subscribers

If you’ve ever wanted a sweet-as-sugar personal style guru, but you don’t want to take yourself too seriously, then Zoe Sugg (Zoella, to you and me!) is your influencer!

Beginning her work while toiling away as an intern for an interior design company, her blog had tons of followers by the end of that first year. And it wasn’t long before she founded her original YouTube channel. She’s built additional channels, partnerships, lifestyle brands, and published two books on top of it all, but her YouTube presence remains strong and influential.

Notice how well she works with other YouTubers to build her presence! Here’s her most popular video with special guest Miranda Sings (over 23 million views so far!):

King Zach — 3.7 Million YouTube Subscribers

King Zach is the rare talent who can gain popularity on one platform, and transfer it to another. Our tech landscape is littered with the MySpaces and Friendsters of this world. And each defunct platform had its own class of influencers, whose influence normally vaporizes with the undoing of their platform of choice.

Vine was where King Zach built his name — a once beloved, but now shuttered, video social network that limited its creators to videos only 6 seconds in length. Think a video Twitter. When Vine shut down, King Zach continued kinging, taking the show to YouTube.

He uses clever camera tricks to draw his viewers into a visual magic show. In fact, in his most popular video he reads his audiences’ minds…

SciManDan — 160,000 YouTube Subscribers

SciManDan fights the forces of disinformation on YouTube by directly responding to flat earth videos with established physics. His follower count is smaller than some others on our list, but he’s been growing at an insane clip, picking up his last 60k subscribes in less than three months.

But the real reason SciManDan makes the list is that he is truly an influencer. His wry sense of humor contrasts with the often hysterical tone of his subjects. He puts batty conspiracies and anti-fact movements in a powerful context. He is influencing the conversation in favor of facts, reason, and the scientific method — truly using the power of video to make the world a better place!

Here’s his most popular video, which takes a look at the kind of “experiments” flat-earthers conduct…

Did I Miss Anyone?!

So that’s my list for the day. What about you? Did I miss a crucial video influencer in 2019? Got a YouTuber you never miss? Got someone who posts the greatest ‘grams in the West? Let me know in the comments below!

The post 8 Top Video Influencers We Can’t Get Enough of for 2019 appeared first on Powtoon Blog.

We all know that creating an outstanding presentation is part art, part science. And just like actual scientists and artists, presentation pros take time to get together, share their newest discoveries, and help strengthen their industry.

I’m talking about none other than the Presentation Summit. And here’s a question: How would you like a pass to this year’s Presentation Summit (a $1,600 value) for FREE?

Context Is Key

For a little context, I sat down with Rick Altman, the host of the Presentation Summit, and author of Why Most PowerPoint Presentations Suck – And How You Can Make Them Better, to learn why video is making a big splash this year at the summit.

Video is so incredibly evocative to a storyteller and PowerPoint’s improved handling of multimedia has brought it within reach of all of us.

It is with great excitement and pride that we are teaming up with the folks from Powtoon for this contest, as they are as passionate about making movies than just about anyone I know.

I can’t wait to see what contest entrants send us and I am equally excited to show off the finest efforts at the Presentation Summit this Fall.

Rick Altman, Conference Host, The Presentation Summit

Make a Powtoon from your PowerPoint & Get a Free Pass to the Summit

Yes, friends! This year’s Presentation Summit Sweepstakes is commin’ at you! Create a Powtoon video, up to 90 seconds in length, from a PowerPoint presentation using our PowerPoint-to-video solution.

You can check out the webinar below to get details about how our PowerPoint integration works. But if you’re already a PowerPoint to Powtoon pro, you’re ready for the sweepstakes!

How to Enter the Sweepstakes

Here’s all you need to do:

First, if you don’t have a Powtoon account, sign up today. (it’s totally free to get started!).

Next, take a PowerPoint presentation, convert it to a Powtoon video, and enhance it with characters, props, video backgrounds, a soundtrack and voiceover. You can import right into Powtoon, or use the Powtoon Microsoft Add-in.

Once you export your perfect video, enter the sweepstakes using the form (be sure to include the URL to your Powtoon player page). Then just sit back and let our judges crown you the winner!

Enter by May 31 to Win!

Don’t put this off, ladies and gentlemen! The final day to submit entries is Friday, May 31. We’ll announce the winners in June.

Check out the sweepstakes page for all the details, including contest rules, grand prize and runner-up prizes, a full webinar replay to teach you how to transform your presentations into amazing videos, and the entry form to complete by May 31st.

Winner Announcements and More…

The winners will be announced in June. Details about the grand prize, and runner up prizes can be found on the sweepstakes website.

We can’t wait to see your superior presentations… powtoonified!

Enter the Presentation Summit Sweepstakes today… and we’ll see you in San Antonio!

Stay awesome!

The post Presentation Summit Sweepstakes — Turn Your Presentation into a FREE PASS! appeared first on Powtoon Blog.

Is it really worth it to use video to rock thought leadership? All executives know that they need a strong personal brand to help give a personal spin on the thought leadership they offer to their industries. But with so many hats to wear — meeting investors, managing budgets, and creating a vision and strategy for the future — it can be hard for C-Suiters to set aside even more time to create awesome content.

Believe me: The payoff for creating original and engaging video content is massive. I compiled this master list of people who are about to inspire your socks off! Across channels, these business pros are using video in their own way, and I hope these get you thinking about how to grow your audience with video!

Let’s meet our incredible video-crushing execs, shall we?

Mark Kilens — VP of Content and Community at Drift

Pulling people from all corners of the Drift HQ, Mark Kilens goes face-to-camera, offering tips on how best to use their conversational marketing tool, company announcements, and sharing new job openings.

Seemingly unscripted and set to a casual backdrop of employees working in their open space, the videos feel authentic and Mark elevates “co-host” employees as thought leaders. Quick takeaways, company culture, no fuss videos — check, check, and check!

Lessons for Execs: Native LinkedIn Upload is your friend! Be sure to add captions to your videos though, so that viewers can enjoy your insight both with their sound on and switched off. Lastly, people crave authenticity! By offering some face-to-camera time and showing a behind-the-scenes glance at your office, you can invite people into your comfort zone.

Susan Wojcicki — CEO at YouTube

Susan Wojcicki is no video creating typhoon, but she has put out a few awesome “Creator Letters” over the past few quarters. These videos offer her take on what’s most recently gone down at YouTube and where the company is heading next.

While she’s not stepping in front of the camera, Wojcicki uses her own voice to narrate the videos and give it that personal touch. She uses colorful animation to tell the story of where YouTube and its creator community have been, opportunities the YouTube team has noticed, and what they’re planning to build in the future.

Lessons for Execs: Transparency from the top is such a valuable practice for executives to exercise. It shows users that feedback is shaping the product you’re working to build every day. But of course, you don’t need a professional animator to draw your company updates from scratch. Use CEO company announcement templates from video creation tools like Powtoon and add your own voiceover to accomplish the same effect in minutes!   

Nicolas Beique — Founder of Helcim

Unlike the first two picks that claimed their video thought leadership on their personal channels, Nic Beique, founder of Helcim, uses the company’s YouTube channel as his stage. He’s got a series on there called The Helcim Vlog that I’ve recently discovered and am totally digging. He covers everything from financial advice for small business, to company culture, and more.

The small-yet-mighty FinTech company, based in Calgary, has gone all-out on this YouTube video series. They’ve got an adorable and ever-changing intro snippet, groovy background soundtracks, multiple camera angles to catch the perfect shots, and they aren’t afraid to use text overlays and merged media to keep viewers on their toes.

Lessons for Execs: If you want to invest in a video thought leadership strategy that straddles polished edits, down-to-earth humor, and unforgettable content, make Nic and his team your North Star. Keep in mind though that no video series of this caliber can be built in a day. Do your homework to see what players you’d need to pull off a campaign like this.

Caterina Fake — Serial Entrepreneur

Shifting gears, it’s important not to forget about videos that take a minimum amount of effort. Caterina Fake, a serial entrepreneur at companies like Flickr and Etsy, started using Facebook video, not to publish new content, but to repurpose and distribute her podcast content.

Fake’s new podcast, Should This Exist?, explores the commonly overlooked human side effects of AI. To help get the word out about new episodes, she marries soundbites of herself and her guests with simple visuals into videos. The goal? Rope viewers in and get them to click and listen to full episodes.

Lessons for Execs: By far the simplest of video examples we’ve given so far, this kind of video content can inspire people to repurpose and redistribute their other content (be it audio or text) as a video to engage more potential viewers. As Caterina shows, a little effort can make a great impact.

Melinda and Bill Gates — Co-chairs of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

You’ve really Rip Van Winkled the past 40 years if you don’t know who Bill Gates is. That being said, not everyone is as familiar with the Microsoft founder’s wife Melinda Gates and their joint foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The goal of the foundation is to improve healthcare and reduce extreme poverty around the world.

Bill and Malinda don’t shy away from sharing videos natively on their LinkedIn accounts. What makes their videos stand out is the diversity in types of videos they produce.

One day one will post a video on female goat nurses that are empowering women in India.

Up next? An adorably prop-filled face-to-camera and stop motion video on the future of civilization.

After that? A technicolor animation video about the power of phones and reproductive education.

What’s more? A good old thought leadership interview with merged media.

You get the idea.

Lessons for Execs: Don’t feel like you’re tied down to a single form for video content. Creating a diverse tapestry of videos can help keep your audience engaged — never knowing what will come next. This approach also allows you to best exercise your creativity and storytelling techniques — which will shine through and be greatly appreciated by your viewers.

Nicholas Thompson — Editor in Chief of Wired

Nicholas Thompson uses LinkedIn for his weekly segment “#MostInterestingThinginTech”. No shocker of a title and topic from the Editor in Chief of Wired, Nicholas talks face-to-camera about what tech news makes him excited, curious, and edgy.

This no-frills video approach helps us step away from some of the more hi-tech (and high priced) videos we’ve seen in the past few listers. It’s super stripped down: one camera, one take, no words or objects zooming around the screen. Pretty approachable.

What makes Nicholas’s series great is his consistency. He posts about twice a week, no matter what. Whether he’s sitting comfortably in his office at sunset or using his AirPods on the go, he makes sure that his take on the tech scene is shared.

Lessons for Execs: You don’t need serious equipment to make videos with a serious following. Above all else, people crave consistency that builds trust and loyalty. As long as you can work up the nerve to talk passionately about what’s on your mind and do it on a regular basis, the people who appreciate what you have to say will find you.

Sallie Krawcheck — CEO and Co-Founder of Ellevest

Known as one of the most senior women on Wall Street, there’s no doubt that Sallie Krawcheck’s video topic would be her specialty — finance. What makes Sally’s LinkedIn video series stand out is the countdown timer in the top left-hand corner of her screen. That’s because Sally’s thought leadership is part of a segment she does for GZERO Media’s 60 Seconds.

Lessons for Execs: While you might not get a fancy sponsor or big distribution partner, it’s a good idea to think ahead of how you will distribute your content if you want it to extend beyond your reach. Think about potential partners who will want to help share your video content with their audiences.

Satya Nadella — CEO of Microsoft

We’ve been seeing a lot of funky video creators on this list, but Satya Nadella’s straight-shooter interviews are nothing to scoff at. As the CEO of Microsoft, Nadella can get any thought leader he wants to sit down with him.

Nadella interviews top trailblazers who are moving the needle in spaces like education, automobiles, and healthcare. Focused on the cutting edge of innovation, Nadella doesn’t mess around with fancy swooshes and zooming effects, and gets straight to the point with his futuristic all-star roster of guests.

Lessons for Execs: If you’re in a field that deserves video content that’s a little more straitlaced, respect the topics you’re addressing and the people who will be watching. If you’re looking to do an interview, regardless of the field, do your research to see who not only is leading in your space now, but those addressing some of the greatest challenges your audience will face in the years to come.

Brené Brown — CEO, Professor, Author

Speaking of making the world a better place, Brené Brown, the CEO and founder of The Daring Way is using her platform to train helping professionals everywhere.

What’s cool about Brené is her ability to create video content that can be posted both on her Instagram and her LinkedIn. Brown is uniquely charming due to her warmth and approachability, not to mention the serene backdrops she’s always taking center stage in front of.

And what’s even more heartwarming is the types of videos she makes. Many of her videos are Q&As of helping professionals; reading off challenges they’re facing and her offering kind and thoughtful answers to take away.

Lessons for Execs: So often as executives, it can be easy to “understand” the challenges of your customers based on market research and fancy buyer personas. But why not ask your audience what challenges them? Create a simple face-to-camera video answering their questions, and they’ll be floored that you actually listened.

Sara Blakely — CEO and founder of Spanx

Coming to Blakely’s Instagram page, she rocks showing off the balance between work, family, and fun that exemplified her brand. Her videos are consistently authentic and candid — fiercely modeling in her own life what it means to be a self-empowered woman. Needless to say, female fans watching want in on her vibes, with the help of some Spanx of course.

Lessons for Execs: Some C-Suiters like to keep their business persona and personal persona as separate as possible. For the faces and brains behind more consumer-based products though, it might be worth considering how you can merge the two to tell a seamless lifestyle brand. Of course, if you don’t like sharing your life publicly, don’t! Be true to yourself, and your audience will thank you.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Different Strokes for Different Folks

As a primetime millennial, my mouth always watered as a kid sitting in front of the TV and seeing Reese’s commercials. At the end of each ad, came the punchline you couldn’t help to say aloud along with the voiceover, “there’s no wrong way to eat a Reese’s.” The same goes for video creation.

Know yourself. Know your audience. Know your industry. If we’ve learned anything from this post, it’s that there are a million ways to slice a video to showcase your thought leadership and your company, so follow your heart and get shooting!

Are there any executives you know that are making videos that we missed? Let me know in the comments below who you think should be lucky #11 and why they’re a video making inspiration to you!

The post 10 Executives Who Are Using Video to Rock Thought Leadership appeared first on Powtoon Blog.

We’re used to new companies springing up to disrupt old industries. But sometimes the most familiar brands are doing unfamiliar work right under our noses. Did you know that Johnson & Johnson is pushing the boundaries of AI technology? How about the fact that they have the sixth largest corporate venture capital fund (beating out tech giants like Microsoft and Samsung)?

Clearly, I need an update, and there’s no one better to talk to than Neil Ackerman, JnJ’s Senior Director for Global Supply Chain Advanced Planning. Neil is truly remarkable, from how he volunteers his time, to his previous work serving in key roles at Amazon, to the fact that he holds 10 U.S. patents.

So, without further ado… Here are five (actually six) questions from the cutting edge of Tech & Health!

Question 1: Your title at Johnson & Johnson is Senior Director, Global Supply Chain Enterprise Plan and Innovation. That’s a mouthful! What does that mean?

My objective is to deliver an improved customer experience and competitive advantage by leveraging advanced capabilities. Still a mouthful? Let me give you a little context.

Johnson & Johnson is one of the top 10 companies in the world for market capitalization. And, in fact, we are the largest healthcare company in the world. For all of our customers and partners, supply chain concerns can make an immense difference to the bottom line and to consumers’ health outcomes.

I work across all segments — from pharmaceuticals and biomed devices to consumer planning processes — end-to-end. That means the entire supply chain process, from sourcing and creating, to delivering final products to customers. Because of the global business environment and today’s consumer trends, digitizing the supply chain is our most important task.

Another way to think about what my team does is to consider what I like to call our four main “innovation power areas”:

1. Intelligent platforms and predictability

2. IoT and sensors

3. Track and trace

4. Customer fulfillment and the last mile

We push the boundaries of technology to improve the entire supply chain, from end to end.  

Question 2: Does Johnson & Johnson use video, either internally or externally?

Yes! Look online and you’ll see tons of our videos on many of the most common platforms covering a variety of topics — from consumer products to the Human Performance Institute, and even how we engage with healthcare challenges globally.

Video is how you educate the public today. It’s how you educate internally. Video is how you get attention in this very cluttered world. Short, high-impact videos are extremely powerful, and motivate people to live healthier lives. If we can provide people with the means to live a healthier life, then we are fulfilling our mission at JnJ. Video is simply essential.

Question 3: What’s your top AI prediction for your industry in the year ahead? How will it change our world?

Artificial intelligence should be called REAL intelligence —  there’s nothing artificial about it. AI actually starts with humans. Human beings draw the insights from AI and machine learning. Not only that, but you have to make all of this work with rapid speed to create a competitive advantage for your company and your customers — and you need people for that. Good people.

With those kinds of people in place, AI is already improving our lives in four main areas. I call them the 4 P’s:  

Projection (optimizing future production through data-based forecasting)

Production (smarter, faster, more efficient production)

Promotion (reaching the right customer in the right place at the right time)

Personalization (providing a targeted user experience)

I think all of this will change our world in some very important ways when it comes to optimizing our health. First, AI will help improve wellness and preventative medicine. Combined with IoT (smart, connected devices), AI will create effortless ways to implement wellness. Your wellness plans will be personalized to take into account your body type, where and when you exercise, and how you spend your time. Finally, we should see an impact when it comes to aging, managing chronic diseases, and end-of-life challenges.

These are all important parts of optimizing healthcare that AI will impact deeply over the coming years.

Question 4: Have you ever worked with a mentor? How do you find someone who’s right for you?

Yes, many! I forged my connections with them all in different contexts, and I connected with them all for different reasons.

When it comes to seeking out mentorship, the most important thing is to understand what your values are, and to follow your heart and your value system. I don’t look at mentors as, “Well, this person told me to do X and I did it.” I looked for mentors who aligned with my values, and therefore understood how I think about things.

If you have a mentor who’s only focused on one area of life, but fails to understand you as a person, as a whole being, it won’t really matter what their advice is. We are all complicated people, and it’s really important that if you’re not sure who you really are yet, that you get a mentor to help you figure that out first. Questions about big decisions, your career path, your family, are difficult, and should be addressed with both earnestness and passion for what you love to do.

Question 5: Do you have a particular philosophy or tips you live by when it comes to effective communication?

Funny you should ask. My team has actually compiled a list of Acker-nyms — a list of all my our teams’ favorite sayings for working together. The title reads, “Neil always says, there’s no exclusivity on good ideas.” In other words, no one has the perfect idea, and no one likes a know-it-all.

That basic idea of respect and collaboration is key to how I understand communication. It’s not just important for the ideas we’re discussing, but also how we communicate with each other.

In my office I keep a sign to remind people about our talking rules:

#1. Listen — There’s no extra points for talking a lot!

#2. Simplicity — Democratize your message. Make it for everybody in your audience.

#3. Build trust through accuracy — We don’t exaggerate to make ourselves feel important.

Bonus Question: I’m starting my career from scratch… Tell me what I should do!

The worst thing you could ever do is tell somebody what to do. I would try to help you discover what you want to do, or what you’re passionate about. But if I just tell you what to do, then we’re really missing the whole point of life.

Thanks, Neil!

Wow. Changing health outcomes for the human race. Innovating at the cutting edge of artificial (real!) intelligence. And simple, honest, and value-based communication. No wonder he’s pushing the boundaries. Keep up with Neil and his groundbreaking work on LinkedIn.

So… how do YOU communicate effectively? Will machine learning change the way you go about your life? Has it already? Tell me YOUR take in the comments below!

Stay awesome!

The post The Cutting Edge of Tech & Health — 5 Questions with Neil Ackerman from Johnson & Johnson appeared first on Powtoon Blog.