WHO ARE YOU, JD GERSHBEIN?

I am a speaker, raconteur, thought provocateur, style aficionado, improviser, writer, explorer, social psychologist, neuroscience geek, philosopher, consultant, coach, mentor, marketer, actor, educator, video storyteller, broadcaster, photographer, new media producer, humorist, cartoonist, playwright, composer, blues pianist, cinephile, baseball sage, husband, father, golden retriever lover, fitness enthusiast, and pizza connoisseur. I am known for my upbeat nature, rapid-fire wit, and signature round spectacles (an homage to former Beatle John Lennon and the silent film star Harold Lloyd). Much as I try, I cannot juggle.

WHAT DO YOU DO?

I am the founder and principal of Owlish Communications, a consultancy providing bespoke LinkedIn branding and advisory services, and a professional speaker. Executives, leaders, entrepreneurs, physicians, advisors, boutique service providers, creators, sellers, and B2B companies retain me to redesign and optimize their LinkedIn profiles, increase their social engagement through high-quality content, and assist them in harnessing LinkedIn’s immense transformational potential as I have. Soon after discovering the site in 2006, I transitioned from a traditional marketing communications practice to becoming one of the world’s first independent LinkedIn consultants, and I haven’t looked back.

WHAT DOES YOUR WORK ENTAIL?

My research encompasses LinkedIn’s cognitive aspects (decision-making, identity formation) and social components (relationship science, sales behavior). I study how these two interrelated spheres of knowledge and their various subsets drive professional growth and development and share my findings with Fortune 500 companies, SMBs, associations, organizations, LinkedIn Nation, and various media channels. I produce unique, interactive LinkedIn learning experiences (IRL and virtual) that help attendees build insights and self-confidence. I also facilitate LinkedIn workshops for undergraduate and graduate students on college campuses and stage educational events for school alums and strategic partners.

WHAT'S YOUR BACKGROUND?

I received my B.A. in English from the McMicken College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Cincinnati. I earned two postgraduate degrees at Illinois Tech (formerly the Illinois Institute of Technology), an M.S. in industrial/organizational psychology, and an M.B.A. in Marketing Communications from the Stuart School of Business. In spring 2011, Stuart offered me an adjunct professor position and invited me to design and teach the school’s first-ever graduate school course on social media marketing. To the best of my knowledge, my acceptance marked the first time the subject became part of an MBA curriculum at a major academic institution.