Have you ever met a connector, a giver, a person who seems to be at the center of conversation all the time? That person is Aaron Strout, and I’m thrilled (and humbled) to have him on Dialogue’s Advisory Board.

The next time you are in Austin, NYC, Boston or beyond, try tracking him down at an event and taking the time to meet him.  Undoubtedly, he’ll have a circle of friends and business colleagues around him, and he’ll be holding court and guiding the conversation on the latest and greatest social media platform or technology. Then he might invite you for a beer, or some BBQ, or some animated discussion about the Red Sox (full disclosure, I am a Yankees fan, but Aaron and I have agreed-sort of- not to let that tarnish our relationship)  :-).

Want to learn a bit more about Aaron, and what makes him tick?

Read below!

Aaron Strout: VP Marketing.  Powered Austin, TX

Aaron recently joined Austin, TX based, Powered as the VP of marketing. As the CMO at Powered, Aaron focuses not only on day to day marketing activities but also provides a social voice for the company. In this role, Aaron continues with his speaking, blogging, podcasting and social networking activities with an eye toward creating awareness and lead generation for the company.

Prior to joining Powered, Aaron was the Vice President of Social Media at Mzinga, a Burlington, MA-based provider of online communities and social networks for businesses. In his role, Aaron focused on tapping into the power of social media for business. In addition to his knowledge of the interactive and new media landscape, Aaron has more than 15 years of online marketing and advertising experience, with a strong background in integrated and online marketing.

Before joining Mzinga, Aaron worked at Fidelity Investments in their retail division, with a focus on online and acquisition marketing. Aaron’s work at Fidelity revolved around Web strategy & marketing, as well as the development of interactive and print campaigns, including direct mail, e-mail, banner & print ads, and event marketing.

Aaron is also a founding member and former president of (BIMA) and a member and former board member of the Massachusetts Innovation & Technology Exchange (MITX). Aaron was also recently elected an interim board member for the prestigious Social Media Club. He is part of a team responsible for creating standards around social media and community

Hometown: Melrose, MA used to be my hometown. I know call the place affectionately known as the ATX or Austin, TX home. Yes it’s hot but it’s not rainy.

Favorite Book/Recommended Reading: I could be snarky and tell you to look at my Facebook bookshelf but I won’t be. I love two types of books… action thrillers like Mystic River and fun business-oriented books like Freakonomics and Blink. I read other stuff too but those are my favorites. Oh yeah, I’m also a big fan of Margaret Wise Brown’s Goodnight Moon. I’ve collectively read that book to my three kids no fewer than 2,347 times.

How I Relax
Grilling, swimming with the kids, watching good flix with my wife, hanging by the lake up at my parents cabin in ME and sitting with the earphones on at a local cafe listening to the Red Sox or something on iTunes.

Rule to Live By/Words of Wisdom…
It may sound corny but I’m a huge fan of Karma in the “Pay It Forward” sense of the word. I believe in helping people out proactively whenever possible because it can only help you in the long run. This means mentoring people, taking the time to comment on their blogs, overtipping at restaurants, always taking the time to stop at kids’ lemonade stands and helping friends and friends of friends look for jobs.

DIALOGUE has evolved from a passion for social media, building relationships, and educating and inspiring others to learn and engage in this fast-moving space. But it hasn’t been without the help of some friends along the way…

So, I’ve been assembling a list of Advisory Board members to help guide the company and to offer up their personal expertise in different functional areas. I’m very grateful for their ongoing support and advice.

So, over the next few weeks, I’ll be introducing the team to you….

So, without further ado, I’d like to introduce the first member of the Advisory Board- The Savviest of Aunties- Melanie Notkin.

I first met Melanie (virtually) about a year ago, days after the launch of her company.  SavvyAuntie.com just celebrated their one year anniversary last week, and, well, she’s come a LONG way. I will let her bio tell you the rest of the story. Thanks for joining the board Melanie!

Melanie Notkin, Founder and CEO, SavvyAuntie.com
Melanie is the founder and CEO of the 2009 Webby Award nominated SavvyAuntie.com, the first online community for cool aunts, great aunts, godmothers and all women who love kids. Before launching Savvy Auntie, Melanie was an interactive marketing and communications executive for global Fortune 500 companies, including New York Times Digital and American Express, as well as L’Oréal.

Melanie is a regular panelist on the Strategy Room on FoxNews.com and a contributing editor to Toy Wishes Magazine. She and Savvy Auntie have been featured on NBC and CBS and in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Business Week, The Washington Post, San Francisco Chronicle, The Charlotte Observer, More Magazine, Huffington Post, Mashable and TechCrunch, among others. SavvyAuntie.com was ranked as one of Springwise’s Top 10 Entrepreneurial Ideas of the Year (2008) and Melanie was recently named a Heeb Magazine HEEB 100.

When Melanie first became an Auntie in 2001, she found herself concerned by the lack of resources for modern Aunts. Realizing the size and understanding the needs of the market of women like herself, she launched SavvyAuntie.com in July 2008.

She is a Savvy Auntie and Auntie by Relation (ABR) to a number of wonderful children who are the loves of her life. She is also an Auntie By Choice (ABC) to all of her friends’ kids, who come in a very close second. Melanie resides in New York where she is surrounded by the very best the city has to offer.

You can find Melanie at Twitter.com/SavvyAuntie, Friendfeed.com/SavvyAuntie and at Blog.SavvyAuntie.com

Hometown:
Raised in Montreal, Canada, now living in New York City

Favorite Book/Recommended Reading
Eat, Pray Love. I read it when I was starting my business. It helps to follow another’s journey to inspire our own.

How I Relax
In the summer, I take the train one hour away to the beach and read the paper and head back home. Just putting myself in new surroundings inspires me. In the winter, I get off the subway a stop early just to walk and enjoy a little of my favorite city.

Rules to Live by (my words of wisdom)
Listen to your heart, your mind, your body, your soul. You’re the only who can hear them.