January 3, 2012

Where are you geographically?
Johnny Grey Studios has a national presence with offices on both coasts, while Wheelock Maidique LLC is in regional New England.

Where are you professionally?
I have been in the Kitchen industry for 25 years, starting with my cousin Norman Fay, and have worked for major domestic and international manufacturers, founded two successful small k & b businesses, and imported products from Europe. I am design director of Johnny Grey Studios, and have a new business with design partner Mark Alex Maidique. We are opening a new showroom in January.

Kitchen projects from Wheelock’s portfolio

What is your Twitter handle?
I administer several Twitter accounts: @chuckwheelock,
@johnnygrey,
@wheelockmaidiqu (a Twitter name only allows 15 characters).

Are you on Facebook?
We also have several Facebook (FB) profiles and pages: Chuck Wheelock, Johnny Grey Studios and Wheelock Maidique.

Whom do you follow on Twitter?
Our firm is multidisciplinary, and we follow diverse interests: business leaders and journals, architects and designers, news organizations, sports and entertainment personalities, local organizations, bloggers and kitchen industry leaders. Topics include construction and real estate, entrepreneurship, marketing, sustainability, food and wine, travel, skiing, sailing and science: You can see whom we follow on our pages. Specifically I must mention
@PaulAnater
and @SaxonHenry,
the two people who truly got me started in the right direction with social media. Also, google Blogger19 for an exceptional group of media mavens, including @SusanSerraCKD,
@AndieDay,
@kitchendiziner,
@ClarityK
and @JTGoldberg.
On Fridays, look for the hashtag “#FF” to learn about others you should follow, such as @tkpleslie,
@MarkJohnsonFAIA and
@bobborson.

Is there someone you wish would follow you?
Ashton Kutcher is not the answer. The intent of our social media efforts is to find and retain the needle in the haystack: individuals and organizations interested in working with us. And George Clooney.

What do you do on Twitter and Facebook?
There are several ways to use Twitter and FB as a communication strategy, such as customer service (@UnitedLinen) and deals (@zappos). We try to address what our followers actually care about through content curation: continuously publishing and sharing quality content that interests our audience. We use Facebook pages for business-related topics, and Profiles for more personal stories.

How often are you on Twitter and Facebook?
One thing we learned was to post content when your audience is engaged. This is usually mornings and early evenings for our followers. I use my iPhone to check updates often, but usually for just a minute or two. I start my day reading newsletters and updates for about half an hour, then post and reply several times throughout the day—about an hour and a half daily while multitasking. Additionally, I research and draft story lines in advance for about two hours a week.

How often do you update on Twitter and Facebook?
At least one to five tweets and one FB post daily. I retweet and hit the “Like” button about twice as much.

What are three favorite work-related blogs and/or websites you read regularly?
SmartBrief, Modenus and KitchenandResidentialDesign.

Do you have a blog? Or do you write for a blog?
Johnny Grey Studios has a blog on its website, to which I occasionally contribute. Check out my recent posts on the great Disney artist Mary Blair and a kitchen we designed for a barge in France. Most blogging is done by the master Johnny Grey himself. Look for a blog soon from Wheelock Maidique.

What are some favorite blogs and/or websites you read for kicks?
Sail Racing, Salomon Digital Magazine, US Speedskating and The Art of Manliness.

What kind of phone do you have?
I recently upgraded to the iPhone4S. My readers know how much I disliked my Blackberry Storm.

Do you like it? If not, what kind of phone would you rather have?
I love my iPhone, especially the way it integrates with my Mac and iPad over the iCloud. The voice feature Siri is surprising and useful, such as talking hands-free to send emails and text while driving. The camera has great resolution. And there is an app for practically everything.

What do you use your phone for?
Everything: email, text, voice and data, calendar, camera, Facebook, Twitter, news, digital magazines, GPS mapping and local guides, alarm clock and stopwatch for speedskating.

Have you downloaded any work-related and non-work-related apps? Are there any that you can no longer live without?
Evernote, TweetDeck, GoogleMaps and Kayak are indispensable. I use a mileage tracker, QR reader, Houzz, Food&Wine and FT How to Spend It.

Do you have an iPad? What do you use it for?
I use my iPad for everything except calls. It’s a great way to present our portfolio, drawings and details on the spot. One looks rather goofy when using it as a camera.

How much time during a week do you spend on social media?
About 12 hours, including the weekend.

Is this problematic?
Only for my family.