Janis La Couvée: Community Builder
What is I Have My Own Life To Live?
This website is the extension of my Twitter experience.
My online life changed in April 2009 while at a Surge Strategies business breakfast. We were discussing social media, and Twitter in particular. At the time, I firmly believed social media to be a massive “time suck” with limited value.
Then, Susan Low, from Directis Consulting, mentioned that people were meeting face to face at “tweetups”, and the penny dropped. I know how to build community. Here was a new community to be involved in, to influence, to contribute to.
And contribute I did. It still amazes me that people find what I have to say interesting – I am so thankful for the audience and the friendships I have built online, and off.
Those 140 character tweets have turned into tweetups, meetups, dinners, coffees, fundraisers, groups, speaking engagements, conferences and “camps”.
Gradually, as my “voice” developed, I started this website which covers community and the arts, mainly in Victoria BC and on Vancouver Island.
People often ask about the ROI (return on investment) of social media. I’m not sure how you can even begin to measure everything that has happened since that day in 2009.
I met my husband, Frans Jonker, via Twitter and Social Media Club. We were married in February 2011.
I was a member of the Social Media Club Victoria leadership team from 2009-2014 and the lead organizer of Twestival Victoria from 2009-2013.
In August 2010 I was the PR manager for The Road to Port Hardy Charity Bike Ride by Frans Jonker, a fundraiser for the BC Cancer Foundation. In 2011, I appeared on the Babes (and Blokes) Go Bare calendar, another BC Cancer Foundation fundraiser.
Twestival Victoria, The Road to Port Hardy and Babes Go Bare were largely crowd sourced, funded and sponsored through social media.
What originally began as a way to share information about the arts community with “followers” on social media has grown to include reviews, interviews and previews on this site.
I have a regular column, ArtSmarts, at Monday Magazine.
Community and giving back are important to me. Coming from Ucluelet on the wet, west coast of Vancouver Island, growing up in a remote location with limited access to the outside world, I learned early from my parents that volunteering is a must. My 87 year old mother continues to inspire me!
I volunteer in my local neighbourhood (through the Hillside Quadra Neighbourhood Action Committee) and in the arts community.
Janis La Couvée @lacouvee on Twitter
I believe we all have Our Own Life to Live, and our own songs to sing, at a time, culturally, when we are encouraged to worship celebrities. My blog seeks to shine a light on the endeavours, passions and creativity of “ordinary” people who are often overlooked.
Through my two sons (Christopher Loran, 100.3 the Q!’s Roadie and Elliott Loran, actor and musician–Million Dollar Quartet, Space Hippo, Long Day’s Journey into Night) I have come to witness and appreciate the diligent hard work necessary to create a song, run a fundraiser, or produce a play – to entertain us, the audience.
This website is my way of giving back!
Please don’t hesitate to contact me with information about your performance, event or fundraiser.
If you would like to book me as a speaker or have social media questions, please email me at janislacouvee AT gmail DOT com or through the contact form.
Finally – THANK YOU!
