Not too long ago I recall feeling completely overwhelmed with the resources and tools available to engage with people online. I felt my privacy was in question regarding who was saying what about me and how they were going about doing it. My instinctive reaction back then was to advocate for no participation in social media, never to hear a praise or criticism ever again. No more sharing of photos, music, or videos. If people wanted to speak to me, they could meet me in person or pick up the phone. For many businesses, there is much paralleled value in this story. 

What was once thought of as a barrier or perhaps an interrogation of my space is now a toolkit that enables literally anyone to share thoughts, experiences, videos, photos, or comments about anything under the sun. This can all seem very overwhelming for the newcomer; however, there is great value for small (and large) businesses alike to be active with social media and by extension social business.