By Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk

Last night, I had the pleasure of speaking on social media before a group of CEOs that are part of the Georgia Tech CEO Facilitation Group, led by Andy Helm and Rob Ginn.  Members included CEOs of a variety of companies, including a beer manufacturer, a long-standing bakery, one developing a cool, new product for law enforcement called ThugFindIR, a company that makes foam seats and one that is on the verge of revolutionizing the dental instrument sterilization industry, to name just a few. Needless to say, it was a diverse crowd. But here’s the thing that I loved…this group of CEOs has been together for nearly three years. They meet for a half-day each month to help each other with challenges they may be facing as business owners. They don’t really give advice but share experiences from their own businesses that may help others make an informed decision. These meetings take place at the Smithgall Woods Lodge, an amazingly beautiful and tranquil spot in the North Georgia Mountains, with lousy cell service and bears that have been known to poop on the porch (really!).

I was impressed by a number of things, and a bit envious as well. First, you can tell that these CEOs have developed a real bond with each other and have grown to be true friends. They are emotionally invested in each company’s success, and look forward to their time together in the woods each month.

Secondly, these are very busy people, but they have committed to take the time to meet on a monthly basis, one traveling from as far away as Texas, for the good of their companies and their sanity. It’s so easy to stay glued to your desk – just need to finish one more thing – and forget about the big picture. These people understand the importance of stepping away every once in a while. There was little glancing at email or exiting to take a call. They were all present for each other and the lessons they could learn.

Thirdly, they were a great group to speak to about social media. While there were those who had a pretty good understanding of it already, and others that had none, they all listened intently and asked really intelligent questions. It made the presentation so much more fun for me – seriously, even I don’t want to hear me talk for an hour straight without some audience participation – and they got more out of it as well. It seems like everyone walked away with something they can use, or at least enough knowledge to make some social media decisions at their companies.

Finally, when the meetings were over and dinner had been cleared away, a handful retired to the porch to enjoy cigars, a libation and some great conversation. I was immediately comfortable with this group and truly enjoyed my time with them.

My takeaway: I need to take more time to work “on” BBR Marketing and less time working “in” it. I frequently talk to other business owners about challenges, successes and issues, but I would probably benefit from doing it even more. And I’m going to look for a group like this one to join, too. It will take time, but the investment will be well worth it in the end.