Some of you may have seen the news today. I’ve sold Livingston Communications to the Toronto region’s Social Media Group (SMG). Maggie Fox, CEO of SMG will be my new boss, and I will serve the organization as Executive Vice President, Americas (Image: Maggie and I at Ford Headquarters last week).
Basically, I will serve major accounts as a lead strategist, head the DC office, market the company and continue blogging at the Buzz Bin (which will get a resulting content upgrade). There’s lots of coverage, and yes, even a press release (oh boy), so check it out for details.
Some of you may be asking why did he do this, so in Letterman fashion here are the top ten reasons why I sold out:
10) Maggie has bigger sunglasses than me. Have to respect that.
9) I like Maple Syrup.
8) Now I get to do what I like, and pass the bills, HR matters and computer problems to Maggie. What a great lady!
7) Family reasons, a Washington DC favorite for government official resignations. Cliched, but true.
6) Air Canada has a great frequent flyer program.
5) I was hoping to get a discount on a Ford Flex.
4) I can’t stand watching the large agencies of the world continue to guide large social media programs, often ineffectively. Together we have the strength and breadth to compete head to head with the big guys. I’m looking forward to it!
3) Canadian companies have better benefits. Shocking.
2) My internet, nano fame created a fat head. The best way to deflate my king size ego was to take the name off the door.
1) I’ve spoken to several potential buyers over the past eight months. Maggie Fox is the one CEO that I felt comfortable trusting with my career, my team, my company and its clients. She is a winner.
To our bright future as Social Media Group members!
Best of luck to you, Geoff, as you embark on this new venture. Loved your reason #2 . . . and I hope your voice (personality) continues to shine through during this transition time.
Congratulations Geoff!
Great news, Geoff. Congrats!
Congrats friend. I just put up your interview on Communication Overtones. If others want to read it, they can follow this link:
http://tinyurl.com/6morwr
Congratulations, glad to hear the great news and even better to know you will be staying with us in the D.C. Area.
Great news for both. Congrats!
Congratulations, Geoff and Maggie. For those who wish to read your interview at Conversation Agent, here’s the link http://tinyurl.com/5lclql
Congrats, my friend! What a powerhouse!
Wonder twin powers, activate! Excellent news…I am so happy for you and Maggie. Cheeers!
Thanks everyone. I cannot tell you how excited we are to be here at this special time. We appreciate all of your support.
Congrats and Good Luck!!!
Congratulations. Well done.
Congratulations Geoff and Maggie. This is good news indeed. You guys are going to make really big things happen. I’ll be watching and learning.
Does this mean you’ll have more time to Plurk & get your Karma up? (LOL) Seriously, wonderful news, Geoff. I totally understand the synergies. Here’s to great Karma… from Kanada!
Geoff, you are living every business owner’s dream. Congratulations, my friend.
Congratulations to both crews! The SMG folks are a bunch of good eggs, and as a fellow Canadian, it warms my cockles to see a Canadian company (borders? what borders?) become mighty enough to play and win in the big leagues.
Here’s to great success to all involved! :)
Congratulations Geoff! If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times, you can trust a Canadian!
Congratulations to both of you! Glad to hear you’ll still be in the area, and I’m looking forward to the next BlogPotomac if this is the kind of deal that can result….
Wowsers! Huge congrats and may all great things happen for you guys.
Those are 10 very good reasons. Especially #9, think of all the maple syrup opportunities this opens up.
Congrats Geoff, extremely happy for you all.
/kff
Great news, Geoff! Congrats and best of luck!
This is great news! Congrats Geoff for really leading the field in this area and now getting acquired!
Geoff, I always knew that you had an affinity with us Canadians. All the best to you in this new phase of your career. Mazel tov!
Geoff, WOW! Good for you!! All the best, Susan
Coongratulation to both of you Geoff !
A wonderful accomplishment. Got to make you feel proud. you’ve been a great leader in social media, pr 2.0 and the dc scene and now, I guess you’ll have even more time!
Great news, best of luck!
Geoff,
I have been blown away by your contribution to our DC community and wish you all the best. Canada has great beer and hockey, and they are so darm nice.
What an awesome list!! I especially like #10 and #1!! Congratulations to Geoff on his excellent decision. Maggie is a woman of integrity and strength and I have the greatest respect for the work she has done. Geoff – your energy, smarts and vision matched inside SMC is a recipe for true success!!
Congratulations Geoff – sounds like a match made in heaven!
Congratulations Geoff on your new alliance!
Congrats, Geoff and Maggie! A great combination!
Congrats!
Congrats Geoff!!! Best of luck in all your future efforts.
Congratulations! Sounds like great news.
Geoff,
Sometimes we have to stop doing something that seems to the outside world like a sure thing…to do something even more spectacular. Congrats for having the insight to know when to make a change.
No doubt you are lucky to have each other!
Drew
Congrats Geoff! But really…I know you are running for a public office!! :-)
Awesome, Geoff! Congratulations to you and to Maggie for creating such an awesome team. All my best!
That is big news! Congrats from me, as well, to both you and Social Media Group. Best of luck on the joint venture.
Hey Geoff. Congratulations, this should be a great deal.
My only word of caution is don’t be overly optmistic about reason #6. I would recommend flying WestJet any chance you can over Air Canada – simply a better experience ;)
Congrats and best wishes!
Geoff, congratulations to you, Maggie and your teams!! The suspense over the weekend was worth the news! Loved reason #4! There are little agencies doing the same thing…ugh! Would you consider taking on a small start-up? ;-)
congrats, geoff. sounds like a coup and the best of all worlds. does this mean we might see you again?
Congrats once again… I also trust blondes with big sunglasses, good work.
Wow, that’s huge news. Congrats, Geoff and best wishes to your & your team’s new direction. You’re future’s so bright, you gotta wear shades, whether they’re as big as Maggie’s or not!
Congrats to Geoff, Maggie and the respective teams. Looking forward to seeing and hearing what else you folks have up your sleeves.
Hey Geoff, congratulations!
Just like Guy Kawasaki with his Truemors sale, I can say regarding your firm “I remember when!” Watching your company and brand grow and expand these last couple of years has been so fun to see. I am really proud to know you, and to watch you move into the next, custom built role for you and your family.
I love my Canadian friends and know you will be well taken care of.
Rock on!
You know the actual reason is that you just wanted to work with me. ;-)
This is, IMHO, a perfect move for SMG and Livingston Communications – you and Maggie complement each other well and together, your capable teams will be even better positioned to provide sound advice to clients. Best of luck and keep up the great work!
Congratulations again to you and Maggie! I’m sure it’s a match made in heaven, and you’ll be able to offer clients an even more incredible value now. Let me know if you and/or Maggie would like to drop by for an interview for one of my blogs. Cheers to you both for the future.
Good luck ;-) Sounds like a very interesting thing brewing.
Nicely done, Geoff. Moves like this only validate the work we’re all doing in this space, so it’s really great to see your two teams coming together.
Looks like stealing your team to play in Canada may be at least a little bit of compensation for the team Washington D.C stole from us! ;-)
Best of luck to you both! Maple syrup is yummy…mmmm…
Jen
Congratulations Geoff!! Big move that I’m sure will be a wonderful new growing experience for you. You know my stand on Canada…it is after all my home country ;-)
Great job! Good luck with everything and…I might send you my resume :)
Just learned of this Geoff from Toby Bloomberg. I have to start reading my RSS feeds more often! Oh, congratulations. I wish you and Maggie the best of luck.
Woo hoo! You will certainly take the market by storm, Mr. Geoff and Ms. Maggie – we all applaud you, and to all of us here in the states, kudos to #3, better benefits! You got us there. Congratulations, now knock ‘em dead!
Very exciting! I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, congratulations!!
Congratulations Geoff! Sound like pretty good reasons to me! ;-)
Congrats! I am big fan of Maggie. Sounds like a great fit.
Bravo! Love the top 10 list format. So happy for you and your team…and your new team–enjoy the journey, break new ground and pop the champagne!
Hey Geoff, This sounds really exciting ! SMG obviously sees your “vision” & appreciates your feature/benefit.
All the best. . .
I read about the great news while on vacation this weekend. It made my day. Congrats to you! No one deserves success more! Cheers!
Congratulations to you, Geoff, as well as your awesome team–Qui, Marinel, Michael, and Larissa! So glad you’re staying in DC and I’m really excited for all the great opportunities this will bring to your company…as well as to your new clients. (would’ve written sooner but I’ve been out of town)
Wooo – that’s a lot of love! Wow, awesome comments, nice!
As a quick update – I have purchased a new pair of sunglasses, and they are even bigger. I WILL BEAT YOU AT SUNGLASSES!
Congratulations and best wishes, Geoff. I’m delighted to learn you’ll continue blogging at the Buzz Bin. And Maggie looks like she’s a very nice person :-)
Congratulations Geoff! Must mean everything Ive heard about you is true. Lots of luck and tons of success in your new adventure.
Maggie and Geoff,
Looks good on both of you…and what a team. Good stuff. You will tear it up. ROCK ON!
Respect to the better benefits–I’m the only US citizen working in a Belgian social media software firm, and they are continuously surprised at my surprise at what’s included in my benefits! That and the Euro have led me to love working in Europe. But I do miss DC. Best of luck to you both!