N.A.D.I.N.E

Get Your Sexy Name

Bliggers mix and match

This is a list of all the blogs in the bloggers mix and match, my article will soon come up at shockwaves blog. And I have Jordyn "JC" Carnell on mine.

Alphonsus's Random Drivel, Unique Needs, Ari K, The News from BardHaven, Second Life, Second Life, Boned, Botgirl's Second Life Diary, Writing the Sonnet, Common Sensible, The blog of Danni- Christian Socialist Computer Addict, Dusan Writer's Metaverse, Eladrienne's Other Life, What is this crap?, Free Finds For Men, Gany's take on (any) life, Geta, Girl Wonder Speaks...About SL, Gwyn's Home, Harper's Bizarre, Her Royal Highness, Princess Ivory, Ingmann Design Group, Joonie's Journey , T I NY D A N C I N G, Wonderland Travels, One Girl | Two Worlds, Living in the Metaverse, Midcourt, Constructs of a Mind, My SLife on the D List, n0nSLensical!! , Nightflower, Tenth Life, The Poultry Report, Quirky Quaintly, Reading Radar, click heard round the world, Stories From Another Life, Samantha Speaks, Second Effects, The Shockwave Writer, SL Fashion Avengers, Socially Mundane, Second Stindberg, The Insane Life of Stuart Warf, Tempietto, The Dressing Up Box, The Winter Market, All Things Tiessa, Tiyuk's Second Life Adventures, What the Fug?, Wild Words, Metaversally Speaking, Avatrain, JohanYugen.co.uk, Second Life of My Dreams, Vint Falken, Writers in the (virtual) Sky, Aviatrix :: Zoe Connolly.

What have you learned about running your SL business...

Starting your SL business right

This is exciting.. I get to write about something serious for a change.. and Nadine Nozaki's The winter Market is who I got to be teamed up with! Writing about serious stuff isn't exactly what I'm famous for. My blog usually covers the world of 1. "Me" 2. "Clubbing" 3. "Exploring" and that's pretty much it. The topic I've been assigned is: "What have you learned about running your SL business and/or what have you learned from watching how Linden labs run their business" not a horrible set of topics if I ran a typical SL business or paid any attention to how Linden Labs ran theirs (from reading other peoples blogs there appears to be some question as to if LL actually runs their business or just lets it drift from crisis to crisis.)

I guess the closest I can do is talk a little bit about how to run a business based on my observations of how I've seen other people do it. Umm. So.. ok. Maybe I shouldn't talk about that either.

Well.. I guess that leaves me with what I've ADVISED people to do when setting up or tweaking their SL business. (I get asked to take a look at new clubs from time to time. And on occasion even get asked a serious question.)

I recommend new businesses start out doing a bit of competitive analysis. (btw.. this is called a SWOT analysis) I suggest that from a marketing standpoint they start identifying their strengths and weaknesses relative to specific competitors then taking a hard look at the opportunities and threats that exist in the market they have chosen to be in. I usually suggest they look at the market in broad terms as not just the other businesses that are direct competitors to them but anyone that is or could satisfy the basic needs their business is addressing.

The core financial decisions I usually leave to them to unwind (having not bothered to take apart Linden Labs server rates) but I do encourage a new business to carefully review their market and decide just where they best fit relative to everyone else. And I always recommend people talk to and befriend others doing what they are doing. (even competitors can be share basic information.. such as business ratios.)

The other question that sometimes gets thrown at me is about the branding of their enterprise. This is somewhat easier. Each of us in SL is essentially a brand manager for our avatar. How clearly we project an easy to understand "image" is reflected in how quickly other people recognize us when our avatar enters a room. The secret to managing a businesses identity is like that: clarity and simplicity. Start by being known for something, then as you grow, try to keep close to that original central theme.

Ok.. so.. um.. an example maybe.. for me..

I guess the closest thing I do to running a business is my blog and my famous money-losing bday/rezzday events. (btw.. This isn't a full SWOT analysis. Just a taste.)

To my knowledge no-one else is putting on monthly parties open to everyone. A key strength is basing the parties on Bday/Rezzdays – everyone has one, we all love celebrating them. A key weakness is that they are usually celebrated amongst friends more than among strangers. An opportunity was the idea of a easily promoted monthly regularly scheduled event. (since the competition is regular club events, private events, and special events on irregular schedules) And a threat is that of course anyone can copy me (they just can't copy "me".

My blog is just fluff with an occasional seriously written post.. lots of pointing out the genius of the great people I know (their blogs and stuff), and great things in SL to go explore. (the fluff is actually branding messages about "me" cleverly disguised as entertainment)

Costs for events are staffing and promotion. Period. And all my costs for events and the blog are measured in time even more than in dollars. (Venues are not a big cost factor due to my moving them around month to month and due to every club desiring greater traffic.)

Branding issues. Well.. I know a lot of great people that are lots of fun to go to a party with. And.. ahem.. I like to think I'm kinda fun to have around too. All my events and my blog are strongly associated with me and my image. Not so much to flog my ego as to consistently tie my blog and the events I associate myself with to a central image.. in my case: "me" (and "I" am also a unique competitive advantage unduplicatable by anyone who'd want to try to copy me.)

So.. that's me. What's your business and brand all about?

Jordyn Carnell, "JC"
http://midcourt.blogspot.com
or http://jordyncarnell.com

An extraordinary night in malka

This is a story from my roleplay life, to give a view of what my life is like.
My Grandsire Aeai and Elder Naline had given me some paper work to do, so I was sitting with Xerx on my roof, deep down in work. When I see many people I seen before coming into malka. Both the pack flooded in. I saw it going wrong, weapons being drawn, up I jumped. Telling Xerx to get ready and rush down, a big jump and I landed weapons in my hand next to the throne, Xerx still a little confused following behind me. I see my family in full fight with people I know is in the pack, I Michel a friend form the Brood standing there, I had to ask him if he was here to help us or not, his answer was " no, Nadine, I guess not". Sadly I had to turn my blade at a friend, over this I hear Karoline shout "Let's wipe out Malk pestilence!!". Somewhat surprised an other old friend here to kill me, but not time to think about it, I jump at Michel, he gets support of two more, that are now three on me and all old strong demons. I don't back an inch and keeps on hunting Michel with all my power, my mind focusing on the blood coming from his body each time my blade hits. Soon three strong demons get to much for me and I fall down on the floor. Slowly breathing and concentrating I let the blood in my body heal my wounds and craws back ready to continue my defence of the city. The outside attackers had really miss judged the malkavian defence will, and the healing power of our blood.
I fight with great fury, but still the attackers are many, I go down a second time, now Hanna and Arpahel helping to heal my body, as soon all limbs start to react I'm back down and offering my self to the defence, hopefully hurting them I fall again, get a demon foot on my back, pressing me down with the words "stay down" something I really didn't intend to do, all my mind and body working to get up and back helping my family, with blood running throw my mouth I utter my despise for the demons lowering them to help lycans, Michel next to me again answer me with "I help the Brood, Nadine. I help my family. My Queen stands near you" his queen adds "You're the one on the floor. If you want to talk about lowered". I can't hold back a giggle and as Karoline passes I use my strength to ask her, "you also help lycans", she bends down next to me and wispers, "That's your Malk Queens fault...she even not is worried about her own family why even does she not show up on the plate if she even is needed!" as if a single malk even would have thought about letting Mahrk getting even insulted with out offering our lives first, Karo should have know better she was once a malk, I could not longer hold back my laughter.
Soon my limbs answer my body enough to craw away, I find Michel down on the floor, as my vitae have almost left my body, feeling weak form rebuilding my limbs I put my fangs into his body and drink drink my self strong again, but as I stumble to my feet i get a sword in my back and fall again. Michel crawls towards me tries to smile in his pain and as our eyes meet I hear his voice "We have to stop meeting like this, dear" I'm still surpriced to see his family helping the lycans, not idea that Karoline paid them both much to come and attack us. We both get on our feet about the same time. As I stumble up I look at Michel and to give him some warning I speak to him, "Let me hunt you". This is the start of a long duel between me and Michel for about 20 minutes we face each other all over Malka until he finally falls for my blades. I bend down at his side gives him a kiss and whispers "Just my work." Before I can explain more his Queen jumps on me, and I have to finish the battle against her. As we finished and drove the last of the invaders home, I can catch my breath for a second and look around, what a mess, this place really needs cleaning goes throw my mind. Tired and thirsty I pull Xerx close and sinks my fangs into her neck letting her blood revive my tired limbs.
As I feel strong and ready again, my mind still tired form the fight a well known voice is heard all over the town, "I claim the Malka throne for me!!", Karoline had obviously lost all her mind, my brain was all clear before she had finished the sentence and I rushed to get her off Mah's throne, I'm there and throws my self blade first at her throat, Xerx is at my back but despite the help she pushed me down I hiss a curse at her, with the helping hands of my Xerx I get back standing I continue to attack in pure rage. Not feeling how she hurts my body. I notice her will falling back. I press on and she starts to run, behind the graveyard I reach up with her. Finding her chanting a spell, a portal starts to appear in front of her i push my sword thou her body and it collapses around my sword and falls into the collapsing portal, before I can push my self throw the portal that vanish before my eyes. I'm left standing my eyes focused on the blood of Karo on my sword not understanding how I defeated her.