Leaving Lowe's for smaller and better things

After a year in which my team grew Lowe's Home Improvement's Facebook page 700%, I'm leaving the Fortune 50 company to pursue other social media ventures. I'd like to apply the lessons I learned leading social media for a top company to your company. I'd also like to take the real experience I gained in Silicon Valley and Stanford University and make that real for you. (I studied at Twitter and Facebook on a fully paid Knight Fellowship to Stanford in 2008-2009.)

We had quite a ride at Lowe's, and made national headlines. During a viral promotion around holiday shopping, we made the Lowe's page the second-fastest-growing page on Facebook -- gaining 56,000 fans in one day -- no small feat for an outfit that sells hammers. My team also implemented a customer-service platform on social media that has made Lowe's responsive and attentive to customer needs. My departure is my choice, regretted by my bosses, and not without misgivings. I leave many friends at Lowe's, and will be forever grateful for my time there. We had a ball.

But I'm leaving to pursue smaller and better things -- consulting, speaking, teaching and a startup or two. In the end, I'm just not a corporate guy. Interested in connecting, getting my help with your social media needs, or having me speak? (For a while, the speaking part will be free.) Contact me via Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or mrjeffelder (at) gmail.com.