5 Questions with... Melissa Smich

This week's 5 Questions features one of Toronto's best known social media personalities:   Melissa Smich. 

Melissa is a traditionally trained PR professional who works in marketing for SoftCom and lives her life online.  Creative, curious and a somewhat functioning blogaholic, she regularly contributes to and manages five blogs: Subtle Nuances, Naked Dating, and three corporate blogs on technology and mobile. You can also find Melissa at the local PodCamp and Austin's SXSWI mostly on panels discussing how to foster relationships on Twitter.

Beyond her unhealthy inclination towards twitter, Melissa is an avid volunteer with a penchant for unpretentious art, good food, great wine and even better conversation.

What motivates you to do what you do on a daily basis?

I love what I do. I love the people around me, on and offline. I love being engaged with, randomly and daily; It makes my day more interesting. And let me tell you, there's nothing more satisfying than having people reach out to me, personally, with a question or issue, being able to help, and then see them tweet happily about our products/services/support after.

I'm constantly surrounded by interesting people who have something to say and are not afraid to say it. People who are also supportive, interested and engaged with me. Whether I'm debating pirates vs ninjas, dishing out naked dating advice or running around Toronto with a sign reading "honk if you like virgin", I finally feel like being myself is accepted. I finally feel like a part of something great.

Do you have any tips for people wanting to create a name for themselves in your industry?

• Be yourself, but don't say anything online you wouldn't want your mother to see. No one wants to hear your late-night twexting (twitter sexting? Thanks for that one, Jeremy).

• Engage often, but give more than you take from the community. People need to know they have a voice, don't push messages down their throat making them go silent.

• Take it off... offline that is. Social tools are awesome catalysts for creating relationships with people who share similar interests, but nothing seals the proverbial deal quite like some good old fashioned face time.

In your opinion, why is Toronto a hotbed for cool tech start-ups?

Toronto has a great tech/start up/socmed community. We are all generally quite supportive of one another and go out of our way for our peers. I know I have not been a part of the scene for 3+ years like a lot of my peers, but between SproutUp, CrisisCamp, DemoCamp, PodCamp and every tweetup in between, we have a ton of opportunity to meet like-minded people, share in great ideas and get involved in our own way. If all else fails, you can make an ass of yourself at #loserkaraoke.

What's your favourite tech toy and social media site and why?

For social media, I'm all over Twitter like a bad rash.

I'm not huge on toys, but I love, love, love Canon Cameras. Call me their unofficial spokesperson, but I have been using their digital elph cameras since the 3.2 mega pixel version. Every couple of years I'll break or lose one and each time I come back to the Canon Elphs. I once decided to try something new, invest a little more in a "better" camera, but the photography expert talked me down from that ledge.

Recently, I've been lucky enough to get my hands on a slick new HD cam for the office. The video experts at Vistek and The Biz Media pointed me towards a Canon Vixia HD cam and once again, I'm in love.

Who would you say is one of Toronto's social media/tech stars and why?

There are way too many to list.

I think for tech and start ups, Sarah Prevette, Jay Goldman and Dave Crow.

For mobile industry, Dave Coleman has a sixth sense for the industry and where its headed.

For PR, I have a lot of love for what Dave Fleet is doing.

For art/fashion I love what Jen (aka. Bras and Ranties) and Rannie Turingan are doing.

For social media/online branding, I love what Erin Bury, Andrew F Stewart, and of course Scott (aka UNmarketing) are up to.

And of course, the people who have their own dedicated columns in my tweetdeck: Jeremy Wright, Renee Warren, Jon Crowley, and Guy Gal.