The Social Media Whisperer – Erik Qualman

“Social media isn’t a fad, it’s a fundamental shift in the way we communicate.”

If the book “Socialnomics” rings a bell, most probably you may have seen it on Amazon’s #1 Best Selling List that is present in countries like the US, Japan, UK, Canada, Portugal, Italy, China, Korea and Germany. The American author behind this intriguing topic is none other than Erik Qualman, who is sometimes also called a ‘Digital Dale Carnegie’ and the ‘Tony Robbins of Tech’.

One of the world’s leading social media experts in his own right, Qualman is a five-time number one bestselling author and keynote speaker who has performed in over 55 countries and reached 50 million people (As of 2021) with his books and content. He was even voted the second ‘Most Likeable Author’ behind Harry Potter’s JK Rowling. A gifted video storyteller, his entertaining, educating, and empowering style has led to collaborations with big brand names like Coach, Chase, Sony PlayStation, IBM, Facebook, Starbucks, Montblanc, Polo, Nokia, Google among many others.

Furthermore, his works have been highlighted by major media outlets such as 60 Minutes, The New York Times, WSJ, USA Today, ABC News, Forbes, CBS News and The Huffington Post. He also helped achieve the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest continuous podcast. A former sitting professor at Harvard & MIT’s edX labs, Fast Company listed Qualman as a Top 100 Digital Influencer. He made it onto Forbes’ Top 50 Power Influencer list as well.

With the amount of popularity and accolades he has amassed over the years, it’s hard not to pay attention to this titan of social media. We caught up with Qualman to find out about his journey, influences and thoughts on the future of social media, among other insightful aspects of his life.  

EARLY LIFE

Tell us more about your family background and share with us on what it was like growing up. 

I was very fortunate to grow up in Detroit with very supportive parents and brothers.

How did your upbringing shape the person you are today? 

Where I grew up hard work, grit, and grind are the values that everyone lived by. This taught me that nothing is given, everything is earned. Any success I have today is because of this middle-of-America mindset that was instilled in me at a very young age. There’s a name for it – ‘Midwest Values’.

How would you sum up your childhood?

Pure joy. I’m grateful every day that I was so lucky in my childhood and life. While there were obvious hurdles and challenges I wouldn’t trade them for the world.

JOURNEY

Why did you choose to venture into social media as a career? 

I’ve been lucky to be surrounded by incredible and intelligent people. I make sure to spend as much time as I can listening to them. I’ve also adopted the motto of fail fast, fail forward, and fail better. The best way to increase our rate of learning is often by increasing our rate of failure.

At the same time, I am extremely passionate about social media, mobile, new trends, and beyond, because it’s less about the technology and more about the relationships it can enable if used properly. Socalnomics is truly simply about a core need that we as humans have desired since the dawn of time; the feeling of being connected to others! Socialnomics has a lot to do with technology but more importantly, everything to do with relationships.

Technology is always exciting, but what is great about social media is the way that it connects everyone. Social media is less about technology and all about people. The inspiration for my first book, Socialnomics, is that I really wanted everyone to understand that a monumental shift in the way we live was coming.

What were some hard decisions you made, lessons learned, and challenges faced along your journey?

It’s been fun, but it has also been very challenging. I’m a pupil of the Tom Izzo school of thought that it’s not about me, it’s about “we”. The hardest challenge is that you do have to do self-promotion around your personal brand. The way I’m able to push through it is by knowing that it helps our greater mission.

Our greater mission is to entertain, educate, and empower people to their best leadership and life in this digital age. Walt Disney started his company with his personal brand, but long-term he was able to build something that lasted well beyond his personal brand, impacting everyday people. 

There are days where I may not have the energy to be “on” – whether that’s performing, shaking hands or signing autographs. But at the end of the day these are great challenges to face and what always keeps me going is the mission. I want to make sure we help everyone that needs help. Also, my readers, audience, fans and people that we help are what fuels me — their smiles, tears, laughter, and kind words keep me going.

ACHIEVEMENTS

Which achievements are you most proud of?

Without question, it’s being a Dad. There is nothing in this lifetime that will be more important than me raising my kids.

What do you think makes you such a likeable presenter and author? 

With regards to being the second most likeable author in the world… First of all, it was a very distant second!

Secondly, I think my mom even voted for JK Rowling! I’m a huge fan of JK Rowling so it’s always a shock, even to this day, when I hear it or read it. I’m overjoyed that my readers feel this way. I’m blessed to be surrounded by amazing people.

I’ve also been lucky since birth to have a natural fascination with the stories of other people. I love being around people and letting them shine, letting them tell their stories.

Share with us some success stories of companies and people you helped through the work that you do.

I’ve been so fortunate to partner and work closely with so many businesses and organizations as they continue to transform including: Facebook, Hershey’s, Oreo, Dairy Queen, NASA, New York Life, Disney, Google, SAP, Chase, Cartier, and many others.

What lies ahead in terms of your goals and ambitions? 

With my performances, publications, and productions we are trying to have fun and help people. Specifically, we want to educate, entertain, and empower 7 billion people to their best life by 2030. We just crossed 55 million so we still have a long way to go, but we can do it!

MBA Commencement 2011

PERSONAL (LIFE)

To you, what are the most important things in life?

Your mission in life is to discover your gifts and the purpose of life is to give them away.

What’s worth mentioning on your life’s bucket list that you have not done? 

Here are the top three items on my bucket list:

1. Travel the world with my kids for a year

2. Publish a Young Adult Fiction Book

3. Open a giant kids amusement park

Why do you do what you do? (What drives you every day)

Helping others succeed gives one more satisfaction than your own personal success. Ironically, you will become more successful when you help others succeed. My motto is ‘Have Fun. Help People’.

Who are the role models and influences in your life?

My parents, Tom Izzo. Seth Godin, Mel Robbins, Adam Grant, Malcolm Gladwell, and Magic Johnson.

What are some things that many people don’t know about you? 

1. • Getting my teeth knocked out led to a college scholarship

   • I have a baby Cheetah named Equalwoman

   • I almost made President Obama pee in his pants from laughter

VIEWPOINTS

You mention something on video about stepping deeper into your story and shared how you took 15 years to realise that being called “Equalman” isn’t happening against you but for you. Could you elaborate on it? 

I’m a big believer that things happen for you, not to you in life. My first initial (E) combined with my last name (Qualman) form the moniker Equalman – which sounds like a superhero. For years I avoided the name “Equalman” as it was a constant source for teasing and bullying. Then a magazine, for their cover story, because of “Equalman,” wanted me to wear Clark Kent-Esque Superman glasses. They also wanted them to be bright green since Patrick’s day was coming up. Both the moniker and green glasses stuck with people. This moment happened for me as it allowed me to step into my story. Today, one of my main messages is encouraging everyone to step into their story. While uncomfortable at first, it is the most comfortable place we can be long-term.

As for me, the green glasses teach me to walk in discomfort every day. They also remind me to focus. And, they have been good for business. While we do lose some business because of them, we gain more business in total. To be outstanding, you first need to stand out. It’s hard to miss the 6’6” guy with green glasses and the name Equalman. Companies are now buying green glasses for their virtual or live audiences by the thousands. They are fun and remind people to focus.