Influencer: Nate Riggs

Nate Riggs is the kind of guy that makes you know there are young people in the world that want to work hard and earn the successes they’ll achieve in life and in business. He’s in his twenties and has already been part of several successful business ventures, including his current gig as Principal and Lead Social Web Strategist for Social Business Strategies in Columbus, Ohio. He’s a fierce blogger and a clear up-and-comer in defining how social media plays into human business.

Nate and I got to know each other initially through twitter and passing links back and forth to good blog content. I am especially a fan of how Nate focuses on putting together videos along with his written posts. He’s a great interviewer, the kind of guy that’s easy to talk to and isn’t afraid to ask thought-provoking questions. We finally had the chance to work together while we both were part of the social media team covering the Business Marketing Association National Conference in Chicago. Let me tell you, the guy really gets it when it comes to putting the marketing, branding and social media pieces together.

I consider Nate an influencer because I think he has a really fundamental understanding of what makes people successful when using social media for building personal and professional brands. He understands networking and takes in each conversation as an opportunity to learn and grow. He’s genuinely curious about the world and interested in learning about not only who is becoming successful, but also why. He asks a lot of questions. He’s not afraid to say “I don’t know.” He seeks out mentors. He helps build the careers and shape the minds of students. He learns as much as he can every day. More of us should approach our world this way.

When I asked to Nate about his passion, he told me about his family and how they motivate him to work hard so he can provide for them. Check out our video interview to get a better idea of where he’s coming from.

Our families and the people close to us are often the best motivators because they love and care about us. We don’t want to let them down. I think it’s really important to think about what Nate said: our time with our family is the most important part of the day. When we love what we do, we work hard, and that’s a good thing. But, remembering the balance is the key and I think Nate offers us a nice reminder to think about appreciating all aspects of life, especially those outside our business.

I highly recommend getting to know Nate as a friend, a colleague and a resource. Check out his blog. Bring him in to speak. Engage in conversation on twitter. Reach out to him to see what you both can learn.

Check out my other influencers here.

Photo: Taken with Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi. Exposure 1/13 sec. Aperture f/3.5. Focal length 40mm. ISO Speed 400.