Haters gon' hate. And, they don't pay your bills.

One of our employees received some negative comments on social media...the kind of negative comments that aren't constructive. We call these keyboard warriors "haters". Having served 8 years in public office and several more in public life haters are everywhere. How you choose to handle these people will have a great impact on your psyche and productivity.

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A Peek Inside Magic Mile Media

Take an interesting look inside a business meeting with one of our Magic Mile Media social media clients, Brooks Poole, Realtor, as we discuss strategies for his Facebook page. (If you haven't liked his page you should do that now. Fun stuff happening there.) Neuse News covers the new UPS store at MedSource Pharmacy and, of course, no vlog is complete without a dose of Gracie Herring and Mackenzie Cannon. We are loving this journey!

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Having a Blast - The Journey, Episode 32

This episode of The Journey really captures the personality and atmosphere in which we get to work on a daily basis. It looks like we are having a lot of fun and we are. But what you do not see is that between Neuse News and Magic Mile Media our team was responsible for 147 pieces of content just last week. Yes, we actually do work really hard. And we have a blast doing it. It is so important to love what you do!

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So, about last month...

Have you ever had something gnaw at you long enough that you finally had to address it?

Last month the City of Kinston requested that Neuse News run a Public Notice informing the community of the proposed Fiscal Year 2020-2021 budget. Having served for eight years as mayor, I know the budget process and numbers well. Glaring to me was the proposed $26,100 increase in the mayor and council’s salary line item. Surely that was a mistake. Surely in a time like this that would not be on the table.

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The Journey, Episode 23 - Coronavirus, Day 1

On Monday Brandon Potter and I had a real talk about our businesses and how small business owners will need to adapt to the Coronavirus. This may be the most brutally honest video we've ever done. This vlog series is not scripted, it's just a camera capturing the moments. So proud of our team and what we're trying to accomplish to help our communities. DOERS are greater than COMPLAINERS

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The Journey, Ep. 19 - 2019 Interns Victory Tour

Our 2019 Summer Interns joined me recently to discuss the integration of their education and professional goals with southeastern NC Career and Technical Education professionals who met at Kinston High School. The inaugural internship experiment at Neuse News and Magic Mile Media was a huge success because we all worked to match their skill sets and talents with projects for our companies and clients.

Three of our five interns (Gracie Herring, Parker Mitchell and Ethan Cahoon) discussed our program with these professionals and then we went back to our office and chatted about improvements for our 2020 Summer Internship Program.

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The Journey, Ep. 18 - Ministry & Social Media

When it comes to social media, the church is complacent and scared. It's way past time for ministry leaders to adapt to this really cool device called a smartphone. In a recent chat at Groundbreakers Global Leadership Summit, I broke down social media in ways to help ministry leaders understand, adapt and apply their message to technology. In The Journey, Episode 18 - Ministry & Social Media, I lay out three things that catch people's attention on social media and step on a few toes.

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Episode 3.02 with Sen. Jim Perry

Senator Jim Perry is a native of Lenoir County and proud father of three. He went to Woodington Middle School, South Lenoir High School, Lenoir Community College and North Carolina State University. A few days ago, he dropped by Neuse News to chat with BJ about a range of topics including some of his career and life experiences. Jim shared his thoughts on how our legislature works, why we should pay attention to the Second Amendment debate, and the importance of the North Carolina 2020 census.

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Episode 3.01 with Gram Spear

In our first podcast episode of 2020, we’re doing things a little differently. In the studio is Gram Spear, Vice President of Perry Management Inc. A native of Kinston, Gram attended Appalachian State University and East Carolina University. His wife and several friends recently launched a faith-based private school to deliver classical education accessible to all students, regardless of economic backgrounds. On this episode, Gram chats with BJ about basketball, social media, business practices, life, legacy and a deep commitment to faith.

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Social Media Masterclass for Realtors - The Journey, Episode 17

Recently, the Hudson Law Firm out of metro Atlanta reached out to BJ to conduct a social media masterclass. The two sessions were designed to lay out some philosophies and give tips on best practices. Atlanta is one of the hottest real estate markets in the country and a handful of the top agents came to the private class. Enjoy this episode of The Journey.

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