Hello. My name is Chip Hartman. I own a small business called Meridia Systems (meridiasystems.com) based in Morris County, New Jersey, USA. I'm a writer, a newly published author, and visual information specialist.

This blog will explore many topics but will be heavily focused on networking, the 21st century job search, personal branding, online marketing and advertising, and visual communications. I plan to make the posts informative, mildly entertaining, and as thoroughly engaging as possible. I think it will work quite well. Occasionally, it may fall flat on its face. That's life.

I'd like to kickstart the blog by acknowledging a group of people that have had a profound influence on my life over the past three years: The Empowering Today's Professionals Network (the ETP Network) headquartered in Jackson, NJ. Rod Colon, Founder and CEO of the ETP Network, has not only opened up the doors to 21st century networking ... he's blown the roof right off of it and exposed its inner workings for everyone's benefit.

Let me get specific. The old view of networking: Dress up, stock pockets with business cards, pop a few breath mints, attend a networking event, shake hands, exchange business cards, promise to get in touch but never do, then go home.

The 21st century view of networking: Learn how to connect with others properly, build relationships from those connections, cultivate and nurture those relationships, leverage the power of social media, weed out the unproductive branches, become a veritable beacon of good will and abundant sharing, and get as close as you can to establishing yourself as an authority in an area of special interest to you. Whoops, almost forgot ... ALWAYS FOLLOW UP!

The new method gets you to your professional destination in much less time and with far more dignity than the old method. And it's the lynchpin to the 21st century job search. Rod Colon and the ETP Network have proven it.