Method to the Mayhem

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Giveaway: NMX 2014 Exhibitor Pass

It's almost that time again, in less then 2 weeks it will be NMX 2014 Las Vegas - January 4-6 at the Rio Hotel.

UPDATE: Congrats @delsolarfilms (Marie Caffrey)! You won NMX 2014 Exhibitor Pass. See you there!

I'm Giving Away One (1) Exhibitor Pass (valued at $297). If you are able to attend. Leave a comment and I'll pick a winner on December 30th.

The Exhibitor Pass allows you entrance into the list below.

1. Keynote Sessions
2. Exhibit Hall
3. Podcast Awards

Bloggers, Podcasters, Web TV & Radio Broadcasters and all types of New Media Content Creators from every major genre (and more than 40 countries) attend NMX (formerly BlogWorld & New Media Expo).

Attendees range from CEO to Director of Marketing to Blogger to VP of Sales. In addition, businesses from small enterprise level up to some of the world’s leading brands attend to learn, network and create business opportunities.

I look forward to the panels, sessions and learning from all the context creators. I'm also excited about the people. Old and new friends I've met through Social Media online. And taking it offline and into real life meeting at NMX 2014.

Register for NMX 2014 Las Vegas Now! Use discount code "MAYHEMSTUDIOS20"and get 20% off.

Labels: Blogger, Blogworld, Content Creator, Las Vegas, New Media Expo, NMX, Podcast, RIO, Web TV

Posted by Calvin Lee at Thursday, December 26, 2013 | Permalink | Comments

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Mayhem Studios Featured in the List25: 25 Twitter Tips To Help You Tweet Like A Pro

I'm honored to be included along with 24 other successful and influential power Twitter users in the List25 article "25 Twitter Tips To Help You Tweet Like A Pro." Thank you very much List25 and Misty McPadden.

“My number one tip has always been share and be nice. OK that was two. I have also seen myself as being like customer service. Helping my followers in anyway I can.

Through sharing good and helpful information, reshare my followers content or tweets (must be quality stuff), engaging my followers, asking and answering questions. Be consistent, be yourself and be nice.

The 7 rules I’ve always stuck to since I started on social media over 5 years ago. I’ve never changed or wavered the whole time. That’s why people like me. Well most people do.

With that said, also be careful who you trust and believe in Social Media.

There are many fakes and spammers and scammers. Do your research and go with your gut feeling.”

Labels: Help, influential, LIst25, Misty McPadden, Social Media, Successful, Twitter

Posted by Calvin Lee at Tuesday, September 10, 2013 | Permalink | Comments

Friday, August 30, 2013

My Awesome AMD A10-6800K APU Test Drive #AMDTestDrive

Disclaimer: I would like to thank AMD for Including me as part of their Influencer program and sponsoring me in the AMD Test Drive Program. AMD provided me with the parts to build a PC, free to use and review.

This review originally appeared on the AMD website.

I've never built my own PC before. I asked a friend for help with the build. My friend said, it was easy and would help guide me through the process. It was a little intimidating at first, but I had a good friend and coach to help me along. As a graphic designer, I’ve been primarily a Mac guy for past 30 years.

My friend taught me about the different parts and what they did. I showed him what AMD had sent me and we bought the other parts I needed for the build. Fortunately, I had a spare monitor or two laying around.

We shopped for the missing parts; keyboard, mouse, and cooler for the processor. I didn’t know that the processor could get so hot. I’m glad I asked for help. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have known. The FM2 A85X motherboard was huge, but I expected that from a desktop PC. We looked closely where to put the mounts on the case and where to screw the motherboard in.

Looking at the other parts, I could guess what went where. My friend tested me and I was astonished that I guessed correctly where the CPU and RAM went.

Putting the AMD A10-6800K APU CPU in was idiot proof once you figured out that the gold triangle matches up on the socket. The RAM snapped into place one way as well. Nice and easy!

It was easy to put the DVD Drive in. The Solid State Drive installation was pretty easy as well. The hard part was deciding which slot to install in. There were 8 slots to choose from. Top or Bottom??? I choose the bottom.

I turned the PC on and I could immediately feel the power of this BEAST! With all of the fans going and the noise.

We finally installed Windows and got to work with using the PC. This was a fun build. I wouldn’t hesitate to build another PC now that I know how easy it is. I’m gonna use this computer to help in my work as a graphic designer.

Thank you again AMD for providing me with:

AMD A10-6800K APU
FM2 A85X Motherboard
2x4 AMD Radeon, RP 1866 Performance Memory
Fractal Arc Midi R2 Case
Fractal Tesla R2 650W Power Supply Unit
Kingston SSDNow V300 Series 2.5", 60GB SATA III Internal Solid State Drive
LG 24X DVD Burner
Windows 7 OS Disc

Labels: AMD, AMD Test Drive, APU, Computer, Gamer Machine, PC, Radeon, Social Media, Windows

Posted by Calvin Lee at Friday, August 30, 2013 | Permalink | Comments

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Mayhem Studios Featured in Vocus: Brand Yourself Better Webinar with Stacey Miller

Thank you very much Vocus and Stacey Miller for featuring me, as an example of great "Personal Branding" in the Vocus webinar "Brand Yourself Better."

Want to stand out and become a more successful marketer? Brand yourself better, says Stacey Miller, a finalist for Oracle's Community Manager of the Year.

Your personal brand is what people see when they view you professionally. Just like a product brand delivers sales, the personal 'X-factor' delivers opportunities, new contacts, bigger projects and more influence.

Check out the webinar recap; Be a Brand in Demand: Stacey Miller’s Advice for Marketers.

Missed Stacey’s webinar? Register for the on-demand version now.

Stacey's Personal Branding webinar includes:

+ Strategy - Define a personal brand tailored to your professional goals.
+ Key Assets - Build it with your resume, elevator pitch, networks and more.
+ Leverage - Grow your brand fast with social media and online tools.

Also check out the slides from webinar "Brand Yourself Better"(pdf).

Labels: Branding, Elevator Pitch, engagaement, Facebook, Google Plus, instagram, Network, Online Tools, Personal Branding, Promotion, resume, Social Media, Stacey Miller, Twitter, Vocus, Webinar

Posted by Calvin Lee at Wednesday, August 14, 2013 | Permalink | Comments

Monday, August 05, 2013

Mayhem Studios Featured in Dave Delaney's New Book, New Business Networking

I am honored to be included in Dave Delaney's New Book, New Business Networking. I'm one of the New Business Networking stories in Dave's new book. How New Business Networking, Twitter brought me design work from Guy Kawasaki.

I was first introduced to Dave by a good friend when he was the Social Media Coordinator and Online Promotions for Griffin Technology. We've been great friends since then.

Learn a little more about what the New Business Networking book is about.

What is New Business Networking?
Business success is all about connections, relationships, and networks! New Business Networking shows how to combine proven offline business networking techniques with the newest social media—and make them both far more effective.

Why New Business Networking?
Everyone should build their network before they need it. New Business Networking includes everything you need to know to get started today, or to revitalize and strengthen your existing network.

Labels: Business, Dave Delaney, Guy Kawasaki, Networking, New Business Networking, Social Media, Twitter

Posted by Calvin Lee at Monday, August 05, 2013 | Permalink | Comments

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Samsung Galaxy S4 and Me

Everyone surprised with a new Samsung Galaxy S4

As a Brand Ambassador and Life Style Blogger for Verizon #VZWBuzz. I'm given fun products by Verizon to try out, like the Jawbone UP and Samsung Galaxy Camera. I give my honest feed back. My opinions are my own.

Recently, I was invited to the Verizon headquarters in Orange County to learn more about Verizon and their products. That will be in another blog post.

During dinner that night with great food and friends. Verizon surprised everyone with a new Samsung Galaxy S4 Phone. The crowd goes wild!!

I really wanted to check out the Samsung Galaxy S4, even though I am more of a iphone guy than Android. After using the S4 for couple weeks. I am really surprised how much I like it. Dare I say, I love it.

Fun with Ann Tran during dinner and receiveing our S4

The Samsung Galaxy S4 is pretty powerful with a Qualcomm 1.9 GHz Quad Core Processor and
Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean. It's pretty speedy and responsive. I'm always on the go and at events. As you may or may not know, I'm a tweeting and social media maniac! I need all the speed I can get.

I'm also loving the 5” Full HD Screen at 1,920 x 1,080 resolution. The larger screen is such a plus but not overly huge. S4 fits in your hands well. With the larger screen, it really helps me to see my photos, websites and smartphone text much better now.

Great time with Chris Fluery and the ladies

The 13 mega pixel camera takes great photos. I love that it has different settings that help you take better photos depending on the lighting conditions. One of my favorite modes to use is HDR. I use that one a lot in dark environments or in general.

I also like the fact that there are many photo editing apps on Android. Not just photo editing apps but advanced editing apps for free. Like Snapseed, Aviary and Photo editor.

All the apps are very useful to me. I usually, edit the photos on the fly. Then push out to all my social networks during events and conferences. I also use Photo Grid, a photo collage app. I use Photo Grid so not to flood my social stream with too many photos at once.

Loving her new Samsung Galaxy S4

Labels: #VZWBuzz, Brand Ambassador, connected, internet, Life Style Blogger, Phone, S4, samsung, verizon, Verizon Insider, wireless

Posted by Calvin Lee at Thursday, July 25, 2013 | Permalink | Comments

Monday, May 27, 2013

Mayhem Studios Featured in Brands with Fans: Think Outside the Blog, How To Find Hidden Influence

Photo taken by Marty McPadden

Thank you Melonie Gallegos from Brands with Fans for featuring me in her blog post, "Think Outside the Blog, How To Find Hidden Influence."

The post is about Influencer Outreach and thinking outside the box in finding influencers. How you might be overlooking influence in other channels. Social influence is everywhere from Twitter to Pinterest. Marketing is becoming more visual, you might be surprised how much impact a single photo may have.

In 2010, Calvin Lee @MayhemStudios was called a "Twitter Marketing Phenomenon" by Forbes. While he has a blog, it wasn’t blogging that made him famous. He’s kind of a big deal on Twitter, Instagram and other social networks.

Calvin is sought after by major consumer brands to try their products and spread the word to his 82,000+ followers. Why so influential you might wonder? It’s not that complicated.

He’s genuinely an all around nice guy whom people trust and who loves sharing. Trust is a key ingredient.

Labels: Ann Tran, Blog, Branding, fans, hidden, influence, instagram, Marty McPadden, Melonie Gallegos, Misty McPadden, outreach, sharing, Social Media, Superben, trust, Twitter

Posted by Calvin Lee at Monday, May 27, 2013 | Permalink | Comments

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Mayhem Studios Interviewed on Tech in Twenty

Check out my interview with Luis Carlos Sandoval Jr. of Tech in Twenty. We talked about Social Tools, Personal Banding and Social Influence.

Labels: Blog Talk Radio, Branding, influence, Internet Radio, Interview, Luis Carlos Sandoval Jr, Personal Branding, Social Media, Tech in Twenty, Tools

Posted by Calvin Lee at Wednesday, May 22, 2013 | Permalink | Comments

Wednesday, May 08, 2013

Mayhem Studios Featured in Social Media Today, "Forbes Top 50 Social Media Power Influencers of 2013 [INFOGRAPHIC]"

I was very honored to be included in "Forbes Top 50 Social Media Power Influencers of 2013 [INFOGRAPHIC]." It shows stats and figures of the influencers in the top 50. The Infographic was created Steven Sefton for Social Media Today.

Labels: influencers, Infographic, power, Social Media, Twitter

Posted by Calvin Lee at Wednesday, May 08, 2013 | Permalink | Comments

Monday, April 22, 2013

Mayhem Studios Interviewed on PodjamTV: Inspiring Connections 11 - How To Build Influence On Social Media

It was my pleasure and honored to be interview by two of my favor people Misty and Marty from PodjamTV in their Inspiring Connections series.

In Inspiring Connections 11: How To Build Influence On Social Media. I share my tips and insights regarding the challenges I face as an influential social media personality and how I have became one of the most influential and loved person on social media.

You can also check out the video/audio episode on PodjamTV.

Labels: Connections, influence, Inspiration, Interview, Marty McPadden, Misty McPadden, MM, Podcast, PodjamTV, Social Media, Twitter

Posted by Calvin Lee at Monday, April 22, 2013 | Permalink | Comments

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Mayhem Studios Featured in Forbes "Who Are The Top 50 Social Media Power Influencers, 2013?"

I am very honored to be included on Forbes "Who Are The Top 50 Social Media Power Influencers, 2013?" Along side some pretty awesome people I know and love.

“#26. Calvin Lee - Calvin runs Mayhem Studios, a design practice in LA but has become perhaps better known for his social media work and social media advocacy.”

Labels: 50, Forbes, influence, Social Media, Twitter

Posted by Calvin Lee at Wednesday, April 17, 2013 | Permalink | Comments

Monday, April 01, 2013

Love my Social Samsung Galaxy Camera

Disclosure: I won the Samsung Galaxy Camera at a Verizon #VZWBuzz event during #CES. All opinions are my own.

I really like the Samsung Galaxy Camera a lot, even love! It's a really fun camera! It's running on Android, Jellybean 4.1. It's basically a Samsung Galaxy smart phone minus the phone. You can download apps and share your photos to all of your Social Networks through a Verizon, AT&T plan or a wifi connection.

Most of the photos that were taken during my trip at SXSW was with the Samsung Galaxy Camera. Check out the photos on my flickr page.

Samsung Galaxy Camera Specs.

16.3MP backlight-illuminated CMOS sensor
21x zoom with 23-481mm equivalent focal length
1080p 30 fps video capture
4.8", 308ppi HD Super Clear LCD, 1280x720 pixels
Android 4.1 'Jelly Bean' operating system
1.4 GHz Quad-core processor
Wi-Fi and 3G or 4G connectivity
15 'Smart' shooting modes
Voice commands
Manual mode

What I loved about the Galaxy Camera

1. The Samsung Galaxy 16.3mp photos are crisp and clear. The photos are incredible, even taking the resolution down to 300dpi, the size was still at 11"x15". I've even started using the Galaxy Camera more than my iPhone.

2. The 21x optional zoom is awesome for photos and videos. I have zoomed 21x during a concert taken from the nose bleed seats. The photos/video looked incredible and sharp, considering how far away I was.

3. It handles lower light situations pretty well, much better than most smart phones but still can't handle very dark situations.

4. Android camera combo. The ability to go online and share your photos directly from the camera to all of your Social Media networks like Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and Linkedin.

5. Make new friends by using the camera. People love shiny new toys they've never seen before and want it. The quality of the photos help a lot!

6. I love how wide the lens is and the ability to capture so many people in one photo.

What I didn't like so much about the Galaxy Camera

1. It's a little too heavy and bulky. If you ever dropped the camera, it would not survive.

2. It has problems focusing in really dark low light situations even with a flash.

3. No force flash mode or the ability to lower the intensity of the flash, only in manual mode. The flash is too bright and sometimes the flash wouldn't fire.

4. It needs a view finder. Very much like most smart phones on sunny days. It can be hard to see anything on the display.

The bottom line

Even though the Samsung Galaxy Camera is the first generation combining an Android OS with a camera. It's still a pretty good one. With that said, it's not perfect. It still has a few bugs.

The camera is a little laggy when the camera power save mode was turned on. Once I turned it off, it was pretty fast. Pulling up photos from the photo gallery to share takes a little too long.

The price is a little high but I would still recommend the Galaxy Camera. The ability to get online and share from the camera is a big plus.

Samsung announced that they will be releasing a wifi only model with the same specs. and a lower price of $450. It will be available at the end of April 2013.

Labels: android, CES, Galaxy Camera, Photography, Review, samsung, Share, Social Media, Swag, SXSW

Posted by Calvin Lee at Monday, April 01, 2013 | Permalink | Comments

Wednesday, March 06, 2013

Mayhem Studios Quoted in Forbes "12 More Ways To Be Legendary And Successful On Social Media"

I was quoted, number 4, in part two of the Forbes article "12 More Ways To Be Legendary And Successful On Social Media," written by TJ McCue.

“This is also what Calvin Lee, whose photo and advice graced part one of this post, and well-loved Twitter Master, espoused yesterday. Be genuine. Be nice.

In addition to this, says Mr. Lee: “Know your audience. Many of my followers are small biz to medium size. Many can’t afford a designer like me. Articles on web design, color, inspiration and basics of design really helps them. Novice articles are the best — my audience doesn’t benefit from intermediate or advanced design topics.”

Labels: Forbes, quote, Social Media, Successful, Twitter

Posted by Calvin Lee at Wednesday, March 06, 2013 | Permalink | Comments

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Mayhem Studios Quoted in Forbes "19 Things Successful People Do On Social Media"

I was quoted, number 7 in the Forbes article "19 Things Successful People Do On Social Media." under Ideas for Successful Social Media Relationships and Campaigns written by TJ McCue.

"Calvin Lee, from Mayhem Studios in Los Angeles, is someone who has made his mark in actually “Being Genuine.” He told me that it may sound like a cliche today, but: “I’ve heard that for the past 4 years, since the first time I jumped onto Social Media, more specifically Twitter. [But being genuine...] It’s totally true!”

“I believe in doing good deeds and not ask for anything in return. My goal is in helping others where I can, sharing useful information, answer questions, reciprocating and more importantly. Be NICE! When you do good deeds, it will be returned to you 100 times or more."

Labels: 19, campaign, Forbes, quoted, Social Media, Successful, Twitter

Posted by Calvin Lee at Tuesday, February 26, 2013 | Permalink | Comments

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Mayhem Studios Completes Redesigned of MBDA Business Center Los Angeles Website

I just completed the redesigned website for MBDA Business Center Los Angeles.

The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) Business Center – Los Angeles, is operated by the University of Southern California (USC) in partnership with the City of Los Angeles, Mayor’s Office of Economic & Business Policy (OEBP). They are one Center with two locations and are a part of the national network of over 40 MBDA Business Centers, funded by the U.S. Department of Commerce - Minority Business Development Agency. The MBDA Business Center-Los Angeles offices are located at University of Southern California and at City Hall in downtown Los Angeles.

They measure their results by working to serve minority firms throughout the Southern California region and nationally to win contract awards and receive loans totally $100 million annually. Since 2007 the Los Angeles center has successfully secured: Over $400 million in contracts, More $107 million in financing.

Labels: City of Los Angeles, MBDA, Minority Business Development Agency, U.S. Department of Commerce

Posted by Calvin Lee at Thursday, August 16, 2012 | Permalink | Comments

Monday, August 13, 2012

Vizify: Create a Cool Infographic of Yourself

Vizify is a pretty cool way to view an Infographic of yourself, by pulling in your personal data from all your social networks to create a snapshot. I first heard about it two weeks ago from one of my friends @EmbarkCreative on Twitter. She hooked me up with an invite. I loved it!

Vizify soon after set me up with my own personalized invite code, so I can share with all my friends. If you want to try out Vizify, use code: mayhemstudios

They also make another cool little tool called "Tweetsheet." It's your Twitter activity as an Infographic. Angry Birds + Your Tweets = Tweetsheet.

Labels: Angry Birds, Infographic, resume, Social Media, Tweets, Tweetsheet, Twitter, Vizify

Posted by Calvin Lee at Monday, August 13, 2012 | Permalink | Comments

Saturday, August 11, 2012

Mayhem Weekend on the USS Abraham Lincoln AirCraft Carrier

It was an honor to be invited by the U.S. Navy and sponsored by Guy Kawasaki and Dennis Hall to stay over night on the USS Abraham Lincoln AirCraft Carrier.

We were invite to participate in the U.S. Navy's outreach program to social media personalities to participate in social media embarks, campaign to bring a better awareness of the U.S. Navy. The understanding of the role of carrier aviation, as well as demonstrate the high-level of training required to keep our Sailors ready to meet the nation’s needs.

It was such a great experience, we got to see rare first-hand look, at life aboard a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier, and witness the flight operations on the deck. The pride and professionalism of young men and women who serve our country at sea. I also have a greater appreciation for our service men and women that protect us from harm.

There were lots of bonding time with my other shipmates.

Damon Berger - What's Trending

Susan Etlinger - Altimeter Group

Lyle Fong - Lithium Technologies
Matt Harding - Where The Hell is Matt

Chip Heath - Stanford

Dan Heath - Heath brothers

Shira Lazar - What's Trending

Jeremiah Owyang - Altimeter Group

John G. Taylor - Community Medical Centers

Marilyn Terrell - National Geographic Traveler Magazine

Cara Renee - Cara Renee Photography
Raymond Leon Roker - Red Bull

Check out all my photos from my trip on the USS Abraham Lincoln AirCraft Carrier.

Suit Up Boys! Jeremiah Owyang - Lyle Fong - Matt Harding

USS Abraham Lincoln AirCraft Carrier: Matt Harding

Labels: AirCraft Carrier, airplane, ocean, sea, Social Media, U.S. Navy, USS Abraham Lincoln

Posted by Calvin Lee at Saturday, August 11, 2012 | Permalink | Comments

Wednesday, August 08, 2012

Mayhem Studios New Twitter Master NYC Shirt Design

Check out my new Twitter Master NYC t-shirt design (larger version here) with the help of awesome illustrator Ricardo Gimenes. I'll will be bringing these with me on my first trip ever to New York City. If you want one, come find me New Yorkers!

I plan to meet with up friends, followers and have fun, fun fun! Also tour NYC and startups like Mashable, Foursquare etc. #mayhemNYC

Labels: Branding, cartoon, New York City, Social Media, spikes, t-shirt, Twitter Master

Posted by Calvin Lee at Wednesday, August 08, 2012 | Permalink | Comments

Monday, July 30, 2012

Mayhem Studios Speaking at V3con Panel: Social media's impact on mainstream media & blogging

I'll will be Speaking at V3con Panel: Social media's impact on mainstream media and blogging at V3con: Digital Media Conference August 25 - Japanese American National Museum.

Register at V3con - Use Promotional Code: V3-Mayhem (case sensitive) for $10 off Full-price registration. #V3socialmedia

The Panelist:
Garick Chan, Social Media Club LA - Modertor
Evan Bailyn, Evan Bailyn
Abe Kwok, AZ Central
Lisa Lee, Facebook

Is social media the future of news? More and more people are getting their news from social media — on their mobile devices. Journalists are finding that social media can be a valuable tool for research.

Social media’s immediacy drive the immediacy of news, but raise the hazard of inaccuracy. How are journalists and bloggers adapting to the new reality?

The V3 Digital Media Conference (V3con) will highlight and expand multi-platform Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communications by gathering thought-provoking AAPI online journalists, creative social media communicators, seasoned bloggers and those interested in engaging on digital platforms.

In this unique, one-day conference setting, all are invited to share their experiences, knowledge, endeavors, and visions with others during interactive panels and workshops.

Labels: Abe Kwok, asian, AZ Centra, conference, Evan Bailyn, Facebook, Garick Chan, influence, Journalists, Lisa Lee, Social Media, V3, V3con Digital Media Conference

Posted by Calvin Lee at Monday, July 30, 2012 | Permalink | Comments

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Mayhem at San Diego Comic Con

Me and the Masters of the Universe. San Diego Comic Con

I had such a great time at the San Diego Comic Con this year hanging out with friend like SuperBen and Jess3. I loved all the Cosplay geeks, comics and toys.

I haven't been to a comic con in over fifteen years. I didn't have any luck in getting passes in recent years. Passes were usually sold out.

I was lucky this year that Sondra Drahos and Insight Editions sponsored me, it came out of blue. I was very happy about it! They invited me out to comic con for the Art of Blizzard Party!

Insight Editions is a publisher focused on creating superlative illustrated books on photography, music, and popular culture. Lavishly produced and visually stimulating, every volume from Insight is dedicated to the skillful interplay of word and image.

Check out all my photos from the San Diego Comic Book Convention.

Star Wars: Darth Vadar: San Diego Comic Con 2012

Labels: Blizzard, cosplay, costume, geeks, influence, insight editions, San Diego Comic Book Convention, sdcc, Social Media, sponsored

Posted by Calvin Lee at Tuesday, July 24, 2012 | Permalink | Comments

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Terranea Luxury Resort Weekend Getaway Klout Perk

Terranea Luxury Resort Weekend Getaway is probably one of the most awesome Klout Perks that I've received from Klout so far.

The weekend stay at the Terranea Resort was courtesy of Terranea Resort. They also included a $200 resort credit to do with however I see fit during the weekend.

The service and people are top notch. I felt totally pampered and taken care of. The food at Bashi, Nelson's, Catalina Kitchen and Mar'sel Restaurant was absolutely delicious.

I was very honored to be invited to Mar'sel Restaurant for dinner by Chef Michael Fiorelli. Chef Fiorelli prepared a special ten course meal for me and my guest.

It was such a great resort and dinning experience. I would love to return to the Terranea Resort very soon. Check out all my photos from my trip to the Terranea Resort.

Labels: Branding, Chef Michael Fiorelli, influence, Klout, klout perks, Marketing, pampered, PR, Social Media, Terranea Resort

Posted by Calvin Lee at Thursday, June 14, 2012 | Permalink | Comments

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Mayhem Studios featured in Mark Schaefer's New Book "Return on Influence"

I'm featured in Mark Schaefer's new book, "Return on Influence." It was an honor to be included in the book as one of the case studies; about online influence, social scoring and Klout. It was also an honor being featured on his lectures and slide presentations during his book tour.

Return on Influence shows you how to measure, adapt, and grow your influence online using groundbreaking new technologies and field-tested marketing tools.

It's a step-by-step guide that shows you how to take advantage of social scoring systems to measure online influence, harness it, and leverage it for your business.

It was awesome meeting Mark Schaefer in person at SXSW. You can pick up Mark's new book at Amazon.

Calvin Lee and Mark Schaefer - Return on Influence #SXSW

Labels: Branding, influence, Klout, Mark Schaefer, PR, Return on Influence, ROI, Social Media, social scoring, SXSW

Posted by Calvin Lee at Tuesday, May 15, 2012 | Permalink | Comments

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Mayhem Studios featured in WIRED article "What Your Klout Score Really Means"

I am featured in the WIRED Article, "What Your Klout Score Really Means." Klout measures your online influence but not necessarily your real life influence. I believe it can lead to real world by building your online influences and connections. I 'm a big believer in Klout.

The article is broken down into several topics; How employers are using Klout scores as a factor in hiring, Klout Perks and the pressures of keeping your score up. I was interviewed about my experiences with the Klout perks and Klout in general.

You can read the full article over on the WIRED website, "What Your Klout Score Really Means."

Labels: Analytics, influence, Klout, klout perks, PR, Schwag, Social Media, wired

Posted by Calvin Lee at Tuesday, April 24, 2012 | Permalink | Comments

Wednesday, February 01, 2012

Small Trades: My Photo Shoot with Josh Ross

My photo shoot with Josh Ross from his new portrait series, “Small Trades.” You can check out the larger photo here.

The series is based on Irving Penn’s series of the same name. As with much of Josh's work it’s an exploration of the uniqueness of people and how that relates to the rest of their life.

By controlling the variables in a series of images he allow people’s unique character to emerge and contrast with the similarities that Josh have introduced.

In the past Josh have explored people who are yoga practitioners, people who are runners, and now he's exploring the trades that people are a part of.

The series is currently ongoing but you can see more images by visiting Josh Ross website, Josh Ross
Creative.

Labels: iPad, iPhone, Klout, Photography, Social Media, Sprint, Technology, Twitter

Posted by Calvin Lee at Wednesday, February 01, 2012 | Permalink | Comments

Monday, July 25, 2011

Mayhem Studios Interviewed (video) on the Buffer Tweet Café Series

I was recently interviewed by Leo Widrich (@LeoWid), Co-founder of the Buffer. How to be more unique on Twitter (video). So check out the video above and/or head on over to the Buffer for more on my interview.

The interview is focused on four points.

+ What are your Goals on Twitter

+ How to be more authentic

+ Showing transparency

+ Will Twitter still be here in 10 years

Labels: authentic, Buffer, Clients, Interview, Leo Widrich, transparency, Twitter, unique

Posted by Calvin Lee at Monday, July 25, 2011 | Permalink | Comments

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Mayhem Studios Featured on Klout Series, Klout Stars

I was just featured on the Klout Series: Klout Stars. The series highlights top influencers and how they got to where they are today. You can check out the other Klout Stars on the Klout website.

@Klout and @Megan Berry asked me a few questions on how I got started.

+ How did you get started on social media? “In the early days, my first experience with anything social was AOL. I used to spend hours chatting online with lots of people. It sucked up lots of my time just like something else we all know called Twitter.

I’ve gone through life wondering what is my thing. I believe, I’ve found it, more like it found me. Twitter is really what started it all for me. I’ve never thought of myself as being in social media. It kind of just happened and I love it.

Twitter has really helped me become a social butterfly, once shy and still am at times. I really enjoy hanging out and meeting new people, especially my followers at conferences, events and out on the street. Yes, it does happen once in awhile.

It’s funny, I’m known better as a social media guy than a designer, which that is what I do for a living. My goal was never to become this social media person. I joined Twitter to make new friends, connections, help others and push out great info.

As an extra bonus of all this sharing and helping, it somehow created influence and trust for me. Brands have been reaching out to me; sending me on trips and asking me to try their goods, services and review their products.”

+ What’s your strategy for the content you produce and share on social media? “My motto is always to give value; be helpful and be nice. I’ve become almost like a news media outlet. I see myself as filter or editor of great information, a curator according to Klout.

Know your audience. Many of my followers are small biz to medium size. Many can’t afford a designer like me. I try to tweet articles on web design, color, inspiration and basics of design to help them. Novice articles are the best — sometimes intermediate or advanced design topics may go over their heads but I still throw those out there.

Recently, I have expanded my tweets to anything I enjoying in life; like food, movies and traveling. I take my followers on my journeys wherever I go.”

+ What advice do you have for someone who wants to take their social media influence and presence to the next level? “You have to really engage with your community and build those relationships. Be a resource for them. I’m a designer, so I tweet lots of design articles for beginners, intermediate and advanced. I also answer questions. If it’s not in my area of expertise, I try to find an answer for them.

Retweeting is a great way to build your network and say “Thanks, I like what you tweet. I want to spread the word.” Make sure the context offers value that is helpful to your followers, no selling.

The real big one for me is attending events, tweetups and conferences. You build a stronger bond after an In Real Life (#IRL) meeting. When you meet finally, It’s just like hanging out with an old friend.”

Labels: Klout, Klout Stars, Maketing, Megan Berry, Promotion, Twitter, Twitter Master

Posted by Calvin Lee at Wednesday, June 15, 2011 | Permalink | Comments

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Mayhem Studios Featured on BNET: How To Build a Twitter Following

I was recently featured on BNET: CBS Interactive Business Network. They were interested on how I built my Twitter following. If This Guy Can Get 66,000 Twitter Followers, So Can You. I think this is such a bad title. Makes it sound like, it's all about getting as many followers as possible but it's really about building a Twitter following.

Here are few of my tips on building a Twitter following.

+ I’m just being me, engaging with my community. I try to be a resource for them. I’m a designer, so I retweet lots of design articles for beginners, intermediate and advanced.

+ Know your audience. Many of my followers are small biz to medium size. Many can’t afford a designer like me. Articles on web design, color, inspiration and basics of design really helps them. Novice articles are the best — Sometimes intermediate or advanced design topics may go over their heads but I still throw those out there.

+ Answer questions. If it’s not in my area of expertise, I try to find an answer for them.

+ Make sure to retweet others and share great content. Retweeting is a great way to build your network and say "Thank, I like what you tweet. I want to spread the word." Make sure the context offers value that is helpful to your followers, no selling. That’s how I’ve become friends with people like Chris Brogan, Guy Kawasaki, and key persons with Brands, small and large companies.

+ Be transparent. I share what I enjoy in my life and I’m very transparent about everything I do. I tweet photos and check in on foursquare. People feel that I am a real person and part of their lives.

+ Take online connections to the next level. Attend tweetups and conferences. You build a stronger bond after a In Real Life (#IRL) meetings. It’s just like hanging out with old friends.

+ It’s all about them. Be nice and courteous. Help your followers any way you can. Building a following is like providing great customer service. I'm always there to help a friend, the small guy, charities and my community.

+ Always give value. My followers know I like trying things out. Many brands and companies have offered me trips, products, etc. Often I’m already using the products or schwag I receive, but either way I’m honest and fair about how I feel.

I always stay true to myself. If I am given a product to review, I trust my community knowing they won’t doubt my choices. I focus on giving my followers real value; when you do, you’ll always stay on the straight and narrow.

Labels: CBS, Followers, Following, Jeff Haden, Promotion, Schwag, Social Media, Twitter, Twitter Master

Posted by Calvin Lee at Tuesday, May 31, 2011 | Permalink | Comments

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Samsung Droid Charge on the Verizon 4G LTE Network

Disclosure: The Samsung Driod Charge was provide to me by Samsung for me to test and keep.

I've been pretty much a mac and iphone guy my whole life. Using an Android phone never crossed my mind until now. A friend of mine, Alana Joy working with Samsung approached me about testing the Samsung Droid Charge and giving it an honest review.

I was very excited to take the Samsung Droid Charge for a test drive before it was officially released. Here are some features of the phone.

+ 4.3” Super AMOLED Plus Touch Screen Display
+ 8MP camera: Front-facing camera
+ HDMI
+ 1GHz processor with Android™ 2.2 platform
+ 4G LTE speeds on Verizon

The feel and look of the Samsung Driod Charge is very similar to the iPhone. Even playing around with the Driod Charge for a few hours, it felt very comfortable. It would be a smooth transition from the iPhone to the Driod Charge, if I decided to switch.

I have to admit, the larger 4.3" super Amoled screen on the Droid Charge is pretty nice compared to the iPhone's smaller 3.5" screen. The screen itself is so clear and vibrant, that is one of the biggest selling points for me. With That being said, the screen is also a big battery suck.

Having a 8mp camera doesn't mean it will take better photos. The Droid Charge takes some pretty decent photos but seems a little muddled. I have seen better photos with less mega pixels. I wish the colors and white balance was a little better.

I like some of the default settings on the camera like Panoramic. Pretty awesome how it can stitch together eight photos and pretty seamless.

I found the Samsung Driod Charge to be pretty responsive and quick with the 1GHZ processor, being on the Verizon 4G LTE network helps a lot. Speeds are blazing on Verizon 4G LTE, anywhere from 3mb-18mb down and 3mb-5mb up depending on your area. The average I got around town was 10mb/5mb.

The battery life was a big negative for me. The Droid Charge battery only lasted four hours and it took a long time to recharge.

My final word, the Samsung Droid Charge is great phone on the Verizon network, which you can't go wrong with. It's very responsive, fast and a great value.

Labels: 4g, alana joy, android, charge, droid, LTE, samsung, verizon

Posted by Calvin Lee at Tuesday, May 10, 2011 | Permalink | Comments

Monday, May 02, 2011

HP EliteBook 8740w Mobile Workstation Review and Giveaway

Disclosure: HP provided me with two, HP EliteBook 8740w Mobile Workstation to review and to keep afterwards.

I would to thank HP again for allowing me to review the HP EliteBook 8740w Mobile Workstation, Plus HP gave me a second one, worth $4,899 to give away to my one of readers and followers. The details of the HP Giveaway will be below after my review.

I have used both macs and pcs my whole life. I prefer macs as I find them to be smoother running and trouble free. I was exciting to test out this supped up EliteBook 8740w Mobile Workstation. Here is a little recap on the specs on the HP EliteBook 8740w Mobile Workstation.

+ Intel Core i7-740QM (1.73ghz, 6mb L3 Cache)

+ 8gb DDR3-1333

+ 17″ WUXGA (1920×1200) LED-backlight DREAMCOLOR display

+ NVIDIA Quadro 5000m with dedicated 2gb DDR5 workstation-class GPU

+ 500gb 7200RPM HD

+ 2.0mp integrated webcam

+ LightScribe DVD +/- RW burner

+ Full-sized backlit keyboard

+ Three button trackpad mouse

The Body Construction
The HP EliteBook 8740w Mobile Workstation is a BEAST! It has a metal casing; very heavy, very well protected, very much like a tank, which is a good thing but with that said. It's also too heavy to take it on the go. The battery is also huge and heavy, like a giant brick. The combination of the HP EliteBook 8740w Mobile Workstation and the battery would make it impossible to carry around all day.

The Goods
I said, earlier that the HP EliteBook 8740w Mobile Workstation is a beast and a very powerful machine. People forget that the video card makes a big difference on the speed and how fast something renders. The NVIDIA Quadro 5000m video card on the HP does an excellent job of 3D rendering, animation, video editing and graphic design.

I ran it through some tests on Photoshop. It didn't have any problems rendering a 30 mb file with a bunch of other apps opened. I also advanced a video streaming video forward and it didn't stutter at all. I tried it my mac book pro too but it had to rebuff before the video would start playing again.

I notice that when you work the HP hard, it gets really hot. It can be used as a heater in the winter months.

The HP EliteBook 8740w Mobile Workstation comes with a DreamColor display, meaning it displays billions of bright and vibrant colors. I thought the display looked great and the colors were really saturated and bright. Sometimes, a little too bright for me but I couldn't find the option to reduce the saturation.

The Final Word
The HP EliteBook 8740w Mobile Workstation is a great machine for anyone in the creative field, that needs a powerhouse for 3D rendering, animation, video editing or graphic design. It's a great value for the price, if you don't already have a mac. The HP EliteBook is more of a desktop workstation than a mobile one. It's just way too heavy to be carry it around with you, which also goes for the battery.

For a more in depth review. Check out @FuelYourMotion, HP EliteBook 8740w Mobile Workstation Review and @PrimeSuspect, The HP EliteBook Mobile Workstation project

HP EliteBook 8740w Mobile Workstation Giveaway

The HP EliteBook 8740w Mobile Workstation is a great machine for any creative individual and worth $4,899. I didn't want to just pick a random submission. I want to give the HP to someone that is creative and can use the power of this machine.

I am going to make you guys work for it. The most creative story of why you want the HP EliteBook 8740w Mobile Workstation wins. Good Luck!

The Rules
1. Follow Twitter account @HP_PC
2. 400 words, give or take
3. Email to mayhemstudios [at] gmail.com
4. Submissions must be received by May 18, 2011
5. Creative retweet of this blog post which includes "@HP_PC" and the hashtag "#HPelite"

Labels: HP EliteBook 8740w Mobile Workstation, influence, Intel Core i7-740QM, NVIDIA Quadro, Twitter

Posted by Calvin Lee at Monday, May 02, 2011 | Permalink | Comments

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Mobile World Congress and Barcelona! Here I Come!

Disclosure: LG Mobile is sponsoring my trip to the Mobile World Congress 2011 and to Barcelona, Spain.

The Mobile World Congress represents the interests of the worldwide mobile communications industry. The Mobile World Congress conference is held this year in Barcelona, Spain from February 14th-17th. Its mobile industry's "must attend" event with more than 49,000 visitors in 2010.

As an integral part of Congress, the conference agenda will feature speakers representing the leaders of the world's most innovative companies, both from within our industry and from the growing number of adjacent market sectors joining our expanding mobile ecosystem.

I can't believe in couple of days I will be in Barcelona, Spain! Two years ago when I started using Twitter. I would never thought, I would end up traveling to Barcelona for the Mobile World Congress 2011. Twitter has opened up so many avenues for me. It was one of my dreams to visit Europe one day, that dream has arrived!

I would like to thank LG Mobile for offering me this great, once in a life time opportunity by sponsoring the trip and covering all my expenses. I'm excited to start this journey with LG Mobile. I will also be accompanied by two other great guys; Alister Cameron and Will Francis on this trip.

I'm not sure what to expect at the Mobile World Congress, since this is my first one. I'm excited to take in this new experience. I look forward to using the LG Optimus 2x during my time at MWC11, provided by LG Mobile. I'm an iPhone guy but this gives me the opportunity to try out an android phone. I'm also looking forward to checking out the LG Optimus 3D phone and the LG tablet, LG G-Slate.

I hope to enjoy Barcelona's; culture, food, architecture, people, etc while I'm in town. I will have one whole day and most nights to explore Barcelona. I'm sure you'll be seeing my stream of photos as I live tweet and blog through out the course of the week. I can't wait!

Finally, follow the hashtag #MWC11 for the latest on the Mobile World Congress Conference. Make sure to follow us on twitter. Check out our updates during MWC11 and our activities in Barcelona. @LGmobileMWC @Aliam @WillFrancis @mayhemstudios.

Labels: Alister Cameron, Barcelona, LG Mobile, Mobile World Congress, MWC, Social Media, Spain, Twitter, Will Francis

Posted by Calvin Lee at Thursday, February 10, 2011 | Permalink | Comments

Monday, January 17, 2011

HP EliteBook 8740w Mobile Workstation Unboxing

Disclosure: HP provided me with two, HP EliteBook 8740w Mobile Workstation to review for free and to keep. The second HP EliteBook 8740w Mobile Workstation will be a Giveaway after my review. Stayed Tuned!

Thank you very much HP for the opportunity to try out this badboy!

Until then, check out the unboxing and features of the HP EliteBook 8740w Mobile Workstation

+ Intel Core i7-740QM (1.73ghz, 6mb L3 Cache)
+ 8gb DDR3-1333
+ 17″ WUXGA (1920×1200) LED-backlight DREAMCOLOR display
+ NVIDIA Quadro 5000m with dedicated 2gb DDR5 workstation-class GPU
+ 500gb 7200RPM HD
+ 2.0mp integrated webcam
+ LightScribe DVD +/- RW burner
+ Full-sized backlit keyboard
+ Three button trackpad mouse

Labels: HP EliteBook 8740w Mobile Workstation, influence, Intel Core i7-740QM, NVIDIA Quadro, Twitter, unboxing

Posted by Calvin Lee at Monday, January 17, 2011 | Permalink | Comments

Monday, January 03, 2011

Mayhem Studios Featured in Forbes Article: Twitter Marketing Phenomenon

When I started Twitter two years ago. I never thought I would end up being interviewed for Forbes Magazine. I guess it's true what they say. If you do what you love, everything will fall into place.

I have to admit that I'm a Twitter Addict. I love sharing information and being a resource to others. I also enjoy building strong relationships with my followers online and in real life (#IRL) at Tweetups and conferences.

I have built up friendships and trust in my community through Twitter, which also have lead to other benefits like: Audi allowing me to take the new A8 on a San Francisco road trip. A free round-trip flight on Virgin America’s new route from Los Angeles to Toronto. Test driving the new Toyota Prius for a week and trying out a new high end laptop from Hewlett-Packard.

The article suggest a shift, word of mouth advertising from a regular joe like me is more valuable than from a celebrity. You would trust a friends opinion over a celebrities.

So head on over to the Forbes website. Check out my interview," Twitter Marketing Phenomenon Calvin Lee."

Also check out Forbes article "Klout: The Biggest Popularity Contest Of All." It's an interview with Klout CEO, Joe Fernandez. I have a little mention in the article.

I would like to thank Victoria Barret for interviewing me for Forbes Magazine. Victoria Barret's Twitter is @VictoriaBarret.

Labels: Advertising, Analytics, Branding, Design, Forbes, Joe Fernandez, Klout, Marketing, mayhemstudios, Metrics, Twitter, Victoria Barret

Posted by Calvin Lee at Monday, January 03, 2011 | Permalink | Comments

Friday, February 19, 2010

Game Changer: It’s The Little Things!

It was an honor and privilege to be asked to participated in Sarah Robinson's "30 Days To Changing Your Game." The idea; 30 bloggers, 30 blog posts and 30 ways to inspire others to create new habits and new ways of thinking to changing their game.

The excerpt from my article is below. You can read the full article; It’s The Little Things on Sarah Robinson's Blog, Escaping Mediocrity.

There is no secret to being a success on Twitter; it’s the little things that count. The same principles can be applied to your daily life as well.

A few things I did that changed my game and it can for you too.

Value - Sharing your knowledge, expertise and helping others with it, adds value. You will be the trusted person that everyone will go to.

Be Nice – Being nice is very easy to do and don’t expect anything in return. It doesn’t take much to show kindness, that kindness will be returned in full when you least expect it.

Community – Contributing and being part of a community; helps build relationships and trust. It will also give you the sense of belonging, like family. When in need, you can call on your community for support.

Share Your Life – Take a chance; Open up and share something about your life. People are more willing to do business with someone they know something about, builds trust.

Labels: 30 Days To Changing Your Game, Design, Escaping Mediocrity, Inspiration, It’s The Little Things, Marketing, Sarah Robinson, Self-Promotion, Twitter

Posted by Calvin Lee at Friday, February 19, 2010 | Permalink | Comments

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Mayhem Studios On Judging Panel For Mediabistro's First Annual Logo Awards

It's an honor to be asked to sit on the judging panel for the First Annual Mediabistro Logo Awards. The impressive jury includes famous names, ground-breaking newcomers, and mid-level creatives who know all the factors that make and break great design, including; Calvin Lee, Mayhem Studios, Armin Vit, Underconsideration, Rob Janoff, Robjanoff.com, David Airey, DavidAirey.com and Fa’eq Al’Olaiwat, MadinaB

Mediabistro First Annual Logo Awards Contest celebrates and promotes the best in logo design. Builds buzz for your work, your firm, and your client.

Winners will be promoted to millions around the world through several websites such as Brands of the World.com, Ads of the World, Graphics.com, Graphic Design Forum, Unbeige, Liquid Treat and others.

So head on over to Mediabistro's First Annual Logo Awards and submit your logos NOW!

Labels: Ads of the World, Brands of the World, David Airey, Fa’eq Al’Olaiwat, Graphic Design Forum, Graphics, Liquid Treat, Logo Design, Mediabistro, Unbeige, UnderConsideration

Posted by Calvin Lee at Wednesday, December 30, 2009 | Permalink | Comments