I used to be an academic I burned through my PhD in three years and I
through my PhD in three years and I
through my PhD in three years and I launched myself full throttle into an
launched myself full throttle into an
launched myself full throttle into an academic career I started a small
academic career I started a small
academic career I started a small University where I could learn the ropes
University where I could learn the ropes
University where I could learn the ropes get my feet wet figure things out took
get my feet wet figure things out took
get my feet wet figure things out took extra classes in pedagogy because I
extra classes in pedagogy because I
extra classes in pedagogy because I wanted to be an awesome professor like
wanted to be an awesome professor like
wanted to be an awesome professor like the ones I had had when I was in grad
the ones I had had when I was in grad
the ones I had had when I was in grad school after a couple of years I moved
school after a couple of years I moved
school after a couple of years I moved to a bigger university more
to a bigger university more
to a bigger university more opportunities for personal and
opportunities for personal and
opportunities for personal and professional growth while I was there I
professional growth while I was there I
professional growth while I was there I worked really hard to be a great
worked really hard to be a great
worked really hard to be a great professor I wanted to be that professor
professor I wanted to be that professor
professor I wanted to be that professor that every student wanted to take a
that every student wanted to take a
that every student wanted to take a class from I also really put a lot of
class from I also really put a lot of
class from I also really put a lot of effort into taking advantage of every
effort into taking advantage of every
effort into taking advantage of every opportunity and Avenue that I could to
opportunity and Avenue that I could to
opportunity and Avenue that I could to research and present and publish then
research and present and publish then
research and present and publish then one day the unthinkable for an academic
one day the unthinkable for an academic
one day the unthinkable for an academic happens I was pulled into my chairs
happens I was pulled into my chairs
happens I was pulled into my chairs office and I was told you’re not getting
office and I was told you’re not getting
office and I was told you’re not getting tenure and I’m not gonna lie it sucked
tenure and I’m not gonna lie it sucked
tenure and I’m not gonna lie it sucked to the wind out of me here I had worked
to the wind out of me here I had worked
to the wind out of me here I had worked doing everything I thought I needed to
doing everything I thought I needed to
doing everything I thought I needed to do turn that shiny gold star of tenure
do turn that shiny gold star of tenure
do turn that shiny gold star of tenure and it being told that’s not gonna
and it being told that’s not gonna
and it being told that’s not gonna happen
happen
happen so I spent the next few weeks and months
so I spent the next few weeks and months
so I spent the next few weeks and months obsessing about the justifications I’d
obsessing about the justifications I’d
obsessing about the justifications I’d been given for this decision and really
been given for this decision and really
been given for this decision and really trying to figure out like what’s next I
trying to figure out like what’s next I
trying to figure out like what’s next I could of course go on the academic job
could of course go on the academic job
could of course go on the academic job market find a new College start over but
market find a new College start over but
market find a new College start over but then I face that same tenure climb and
then I face that same tenure climb and
then I face that same tenure climb and potential rejection that I just lived
potential rejection that I just lived
potential rejection that I just lived through maybe I could go into the
through maybe I could go into the
through maybe I could go into the private sector but how academics really
private sector but how academics really
private sector but how academics really aren’t taught how to live outside of the
aren’t taught how to live outside of the
aren’t taught how to live outside of the bubble or maybe take a little time off
bubble or maybe take a little time off
bubble or maybe take a little time off but again how academics are really
but again how academics are really
but again how academics are really taught that if you stop moving your
taught that if you stop moving your
taught that if you stop moving your research agenda moves on without you it
research agenda moves on without you it
research agenda moves on without you it was at this point where I had a paradigm
was at this point where I had a paradigm
was at this point where I had a paradigm shift in my life I decided to put time
shift in my life I decided to put time
shift in my life I decided to put time and do things that I love and realize I
and do things that I love and realize I
and do things that I love and realize I could take my academic skills and
could take my academic skills and
could take my academic skills and translate them to something I was
translate them to something I was
translate them to something I was passionate about
passionate about
passionate about and that’s animal rescue now the point
and that’s animal rescue now the point
and that’s animal rescue now the point of this talk is not to tell you how much
of this talk is not to tell you how much
of this talk is not to tell you how much I love dogs I or rescue there literally
I love dogs I or rescue there literally
I love dogs I or rescue there literally is not enough time on the planet for
is not enough time on the planet for
is not enough time on the planet for that and y’all are lucky that they
that and y’all are lucky that they
that and y’all are lucky that they didn’t let me bring my phone in because
didn’t let me bring my phone in because
didn’t let me bring my phone in because we would have been here looking at dog
we would have been here looking at dog
we would have been here looking at dog photos all night
photos all night
photos all night instead the point tonight is to explain
instead the point tonight is to explain
instead the point tonight is to explain to you how I was able to take the
to you how I was able to take the
to you how I was able to take the arsenal of skills that I learned as an
arsenal of skills that I learned as an
arsenal of skills that I learned as an academic and translate them into
academic and translate them into
academic and translate them into something successful and rewarding
something successful and rewarding
something successful and rewarding outside of the ivory tower I founded
outside of the ivory tower I founded
outside of the ivory tower I founded organization called Rocky’s friends and
organization called Rocky’s friends and
organization called Rocky’s friends and entered the stage of my life that I like
entered the stage of my life that I like
entered the stage of my life that I like to call doctor dog the first skill that
to call doctor dog the first skill that
to call doctor dog the first skill that I brought with me to my new life was
I brought with me to my new life was
I brought with me to my new life was problem-solving the root of all academic
problem-solving the root of all academic
problem-solving the root of all academic pursuit is problem identification and
pursuit is problem identification and
pursuit is problem identification and solution the same was sure of the rescue
solution the same was sure of the rescue
solution the same was sure of the rescue I looked at the challenges that other
I looked at the challenges that other
I looked at the challenges that other rescue organizations had faced and I
rescue organizations had faced and I
rescue organizations had faced and I took my understanding of audiences as a
took my understanding of audiences as a
took my understanding of audiences as a new media scholar and I got to work I
new media scholar and I got to work I
new media scholar and I got to work I built a digital foundation for our
built a digital foundation for our
built a digital foundation for our rescue and got my dog’s Facebook page
rescue and got my dog’s Facebook page
rescue and got my dog’s Facebook page Reggie his personal Facebook page to
Reggie his personal Facebook page to
Reggie his personal Facebook page to 12,000 fans please don’t judge that well
12,000 fans please don’t judge that well
12,000 fans please don’t judge that well having the fans is really great you have
having the fans is really great you have
having the fans is really great you have to know what to do with them once you
to know what to do with them once you
to know what to do with them once you have them having 12,000 people hanging
have them having 12,000 people hanging
have them having 12,000 people hanging around doesn’t do you any good if you
around doesn’t do you any good if you
around doesn’t do you any good if you don’t know how to engage them so the
don’t know how to engage them so the
don’t know how to engage them so the second skill that I brought with me
second skill that I brought with me
second skill that I brought with me audience analysis and reach in an
audience analysis and reach in an
audience analysis and reach in an academic world if you don’t know your
academic world if you don’t know your
academic world if you don’t know your audience you don’t publish in a digital
audience you don’t publish in a digital
audience you don’t publish in a digital world you have to know it brings your
world you have to know it brings your
world you have to know it brings your audience back what do they want to see
audience back what do they want to see
audience back what do they want to see how can you engage them how can you
how can you engage them how can you
how can you engage them how can you possibly keep their attention in the
possibly keep their attention in the
possibly keep their attention in the vast digital worlds of Facebook and
vast digital worlds of Facebook and
vast digital worlds of Facebook and Twitter and YouTube and the list can go
Twitter and YouTube and the list can go
Twitter and YouTube and the list can go on because I understood audiences I knew
on because I understood audiences I knew
on because I understood audiences I knew how to balance the happy on the left
how to balance the happy on the left
how to balance the happy on the left with the sad on the right and I knew
with the sad on the right and I knew
with the sad on the right and I knew that if we inundated our audience with
that if we inundated our audience with
that if we inundated our audience with sad photos and sad stories every single
sad photos and sad stories every single
sad photos and sad stories every single day we’d wear them down we’d lose our
day we’d wear them down we’d lose our
day we’d wear them down we’d lose our reach and ultimately our fundraising
reach and ultimately our fundraising
reach and ultimately our fundraising which brings me to my next skill
which brings me to my next skill
which brings me to my next skill in the narrative so we could get to the
in the narrative so we could get to the
in the narrative so we could get to the cash in academic writing a clear
cash in academic writing a clear
cash in academic writing a clear narrative is imperative in the rescue a
narrative is imperative in the rescue a
narrative is imperative in the rescue a focused narrative is literally
focused narrative is literally
focused narrative is literally imperative to our survival
imperative to our survival
imperative to our survival I had a friend one day say something to
I had a friend one day say something to
I had a friend one day say something to me
me
me I’ll see man you find really sweet lives
I’ll see man you find really sweet lives
I’ll see man you find really sweet lives for these dogs and that day the
for these dogs and that day the
for these dogs and that day the narrative of street life – sweet life
narrative of street life – sweet life
narrative of street life – sweet life was born it’s one of our one of our dogs
was born it’s one of our one of our dogs
was born it’s one of our one of our dogs now every dog story is told through the
now every dog story is told through the
now every dog story is told through the narrative of their street life – their
narrative of their street life – their
narrative of their street life – their sweet life this has been really well
sweet life this has been really well
sweet life this has been really well received by our audience and it’s
received by our audience and it’s
received by our audience and it’s frequently hashtagged on Twitter the
frequently hashtagged on Twitter the
frequently hashtagged on Twitter the motto is the basis of our fundraising
motto is the basis of our fundraising
motto is the basis of our fundraising and so actually helped us grow our
and so actually helped us grow our
and so actually helped us grow our social media presence now no academic is
social media presence now no academic is
social media presence now no academic is happy without data so well the best day
happy without data so well the best day
happy without data so well the best day the best part of my day is definitely a
the best part of my day is definitely a
the best part of my day is definitely a puppy breath there is a
puppy breath there is a
puppy breath there is a behind-the-scenes job in understanding
behind-the-scenes job in understanding
behind-the-scenes job in understanding the analytics and the data of rescue so
the analytics and the data of rescue so
the analytics and the data of rescue so every week we get a email from the
every week we get a email from the
every week we get a email from the adoption sites with statistics and data
adoption sites with statistics and data
adoption sites with statistics and data how many people are seeing our dogs
how many people are seeing our dogs
how many people are seeing our dogs what’s the click-through rate by city in
what’s the click-through rate by city in
what’s the click-through rate by city in order to best focus our efforts it’s
order to best focus our efforts it’s
order to best focus our efforts it’s important to understand these statistics
important to understand these statistics
important to understand these statistics so that we can understand what dogs are
so that we can understand what dogs are
so that we can understand what dogs are desirable by what market for example in
desirable by what market for example in
desirable by what market for example in Portland in Oregon people really like a
Portland in Oregon people really like a
Portland in Oregon people really like a mutt I had a guy asked me one day for
mutt I had a guy asked me one day for
mutt I had a guy asked me one day for the muddiest mutt I had he wanted a
the muddiest mutt I had he wanted a
the muddiest mutt I had he wanted a wingman I found him that brownish brown
wingman I found him that brownish brown
wingman I found him that brownish brown dog and shipped him to Portland on the
dog and shipped him to Portland on the
dog and shipped him to Portland on the other hand people in Boston tend to like
other hand people in Boston tend to like
other hand people in Boston tend to like smaller dogs because many of them live
smaller dogs because many of them live
smaller dogs because many of them live in apartments in the city and small dogs
in apartments in the city and small dogs
in apartments in the city and small dogs are easier to manage it’s also vital to
are easier to manage it’s also vital to
are easier to manage it’s also vital to understand how these websites run their
understand how these websites run their
understand how these websites run their algorithms being able to keep our dogs
algorithms being able to keep our dogs
algorithms being able to keep our dogs on the first page of an adoption search
on the first page of an adoption search
on the first page of an adoption search engine and constantly boost their
engine and constantly boost their
engine and constantly boost their adoption profiles helps those move dogs
adoption profiles helps those move dogs
adoption profiles helps those move dogs more quickly and it helps us save more
more quickly and it helps us save more
more quickly and it helps us save more lives
lives
lives finally academics taught me how to press
finally academics taught me how to press
finally academics taught me how to press Revere
Revere
Revere it is perhaps the ultimate academic
it is perhaps the ultimate academic
it is perhaps the ultimate academic skill rescue was hard there is never
skill rescue was hard there is never
skill rescue was hard there is never enough space or time or money and
enough space or time or money and
enough space or time or money and academia taught me to deal with it
academia taught me to deal with it
academia taught me to deal with it figure it out
figure it out
figure it out find solutions stop whining move on and
find solutions stop whining move on and
find solutions stop whining move on and do all of this why multitasking and
do all of this why multitasking and
do all of this why multitasking and doing ten other things these skills have
doing ten other things these skills have
doing ten other things these skills have allowed me to make Reggie’s friends both
allowed me to make Reggie’s friends both
allowed me to make Reggie’s friends both financially and emotionally sustainable
financially and emotionally sustainable
financially and emotionally sustainable we fundraise ahead so that we can take
we fundraise ahead so that we can take
we fundraise ahead so that we can take on difficult and expensive medical cases
on difficult and expensive medical cases
on difficult and expensive medical cases we have a fund that we call the flora
we have a fund that we call the flora
we have a fund that we call the flora fund who’s named after one of our dogs
fund who’s named after one of our dogs
fund who’s named after one of our dogs it’s our savings that we use to pay
it’s our savings that we use to pay
it’s our savings that we use to pay expensive medical bills and then we
expensive medical bills and then we
expensive medical bills and then we reimburse ourself through fundraising
reimburse ourself through fundraising
reimburse ourself through fundraising this model has allowed us to save close
this model has allowed us to save close
this model has allowed us to save close to five hundred and fifty dogs with zero
to five hundred and fifty dogs with zero
to five hundred and fifty dogs with zero debt so I may no longer be a traditional
debt so I may no longer be a traditional
debt so I may no longer be a traditional academic my academic skills have allowed
academic my academic skills have allowed
academic my academic skills have allowed me to become a CEO a CFO a CIO and
me to become a CEO a CFO a CIO and
me to become a CEO a CFO a CIO and doctor dog I know we’ve all heard the
doctor dog I know we’ve all heard the
doctor dog I know we’ve all heard the phrase those who can’t teach but the
phrase those who can’t teach but the
phrase those who can’t teach but the reality is is those who teach really can
reality is is those who teach really can
reality is is those who teach really can do a lot of things I spent a long time
do a lot of things I spent a long time
do a lot of things I spent a long time buying into the idea that successful
buying into the idea that successful
buying into the idea that successful academics were only found inside of the
academics were only found inside of the
academics were only found inside of the Academy especially in my
Academy especially in my
Academy especially in my post-apocalyptic non-tenure gaining life
post-apocalyptic non-tenure gaining life
post-apocalyptic non-tenure gaining life but I realized during this time there
but I realized during this time there
but I realized during this time there are many alternate roads for academics
are many alternate roads for academics
are many alternate roads for academics there are many many organizations both
there are many many organizations both
there are many many organizations both public sector and private sector that
public sector and private sector that
public sector and private sector that can benefit from the skill set that an
can benefit from the skill set that an
can benefit from the skill set that an academic brings with them
academic brings with them
academic brings with them I would encourage both academics and
I would encourage both academics and
I would encourage both academics and private sector employers to embrace a
private sector employers to embrace a
private sector employers to embrace a new narrative that the proverbial ivory
new narrative that the proverbial ivory
new narrative that the proverbial ivory tower is no longer the final destination
tower is no longer the final destination
tower is no longer the final destination for successful academic and for any of
for successful academic and for any of
for successful academic and for any of my academic friends out in the world who
my academic friends out in the world who
my academic friends out in the world who may have been denied tenure there’s life
may have been denied tenure there’s life
may have been denied tenure there’s life after I promise
”
Be First to Comment