Exclusive audio interview with Ryan Briggs, founder of The Construction Network.
It is probably clear to most DemolitionNews readers that we are firm believers in the power of social media and social networking. In addition to this blog, DemolitionNews has a presence on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and a multitude of other sites through which we gather and share information.
Our fascination with social media initially grew out of necessity. As journalists, we had grown tired of receiving out-of-date news that had been filtered by an editor with little or no feel for or commitment to the business they’re paid to serve. However, as time has moved on, our fascination with social media has turned into an addictive love affair. Instead of our news being filtered by a no-name editor whose vision may be clouded by the lure of advertising money, our news is gathered and shared by demolition professionals the world over; citizen journalists, if you will.
In years gone by, it would have taken a major international publishing company with a huge team of reporters and a bottomless expense account to bring you the daily (and even hourly) news updates that we’re able to provide thanks to our friends and contacts on Facebook and Twitter (among others).
Now there will be some among you that dismiss social networks as new-fangled, a passing fad. But think about it for a moment. Many of our readers belong to trade associations, federations and institutes. Why? For most, it is the only place that they can share their hopes and fears and information and experiences with like-minded individuals. And that is why the various meetings, conferences and conventions run by these trade associations continue to be so popular.
Now imagine having that ability to share at your finger tips 24/7; and imagine if it were not confined just to your country of origin but which also extended overseas. You now have an idea of why we support as many social networks as we do.
Of course, these networks are not without their challenges. And Facebook, which now has over half a billion members, is a case in point. For every useful news resource contained on Facebook, there is another 30 that merely add to the daily information deluge that constantly threatens to drown us all.
So imagine a social network that was created purely for those with an active interest in the “built environment”; construction and demolition companies and workers, to be precise.
Well, that’s exactly what The Construction Network (tCn) brings to the table. Founder Ryan Briggs has developed an online platform that, like Facebook, allows members to share information and make friends and contacts. But, unlike Facebook, tCn members are vetted to ensure that they are active within the construction or demolition industry and are not there merely to leech off that sector.
Here at DemolitionNews, we were among the early adopters of the tCn model and have watched it develop over the past year or so. But as the online platform is upgraded with a number of new features, we caught up with founder Ryan Briggs to find out more about this “Facebook for the built environment”:
And when you have finished listening to the audio (hit play, below), please use the code p6fc4b to get your exclusive FREE membership of The Construction Network, and be sure to check out the demolition community at the same time.
