Twitter Interview With Donna Jackson

Twitter Interviews – #CKinterview

Today’s Cross-Cultural Interview is with Donna Jackson. You can also find her on Twitter: @wisequeen.

This is a 2 part interview:

• Part 1 – The Blog Interview
• Part 2 – The Twitter Interview for 10 Cross-Cultural & International Questions

The transcript of the Cross-Cultural Twitter Interview with @wisequeen is below

Donna Jackson – Part 1

Here is the first part of the interview with Donna.

Donna, For those who don’t know you, can you please tell us something about yourself?

Donna Jackson: I have lived and worked across three continents in the past 15 years. I learned Italian, this opened up another whole culture and world to me. I also speak two African languages and fair Dutch, in addition to my home language English. I live between Como, Italy and Switzerland.

How did you pick up your cross-cultural skills?

Donna Jackson: Working and travelling in many different countries as a financial marketer and advisor. As a Rotarian and Toastmaster I have always had friends and acquaintances all over the globe. My childhood, education and university experience was very international.

How do you use your cross-cultural skills in your business?

Donna Jackson: I use them every day living and working and as I do between German-speaking Zurich and Italian-speaking Milan and Lugano, whilst conversing daily with companies as far flung as South Africa, Australia and USA

Can you tell us about your blog?

Donna Jackson: I had already started my career in the financial global arena so when web 2.0 was born it was a natural progression for me to build my brand on line. I had written articles and copy for different publications and I started blogging on wine and business five years ago, when blogging was rare. I then became a paid blogger for a big network in Canada where I had a large audience.

As wisequeen, (which was a name I inherited from a financial panel I wrote for) I now have a very international following on my Tech and start up blog and twitter. I teach corporates and institutions on communication using web 2.0 tools and Social media.

I travel extensively helping people build brand through social media and via partnerships and collaborations. My business is not limited to Europe many of my projects and clients are American. My company, Amandini.ch, takes web companies to the next level, using social media and the web to build brand and to develop communities online.

I attend and have spoken at international conferences/forums in Basel, Zurich. Milan, Rome, Paris, London, recently where I blog and tweet live on VCs, Tech start ups, social media, angel investing, and building web 2.0 companies.

I’m building up a few resources here on this blog, and wonder if you have any insights to help me add to them.

Have you come across any cultural stereotypes that bother you?

Donna Jackson: Some European cultures are very locked in to the Old way.

Do you have a favorite show that could help people understand cultural issues?

Donna Jackson: “A room with a view”

Do you have a book you could recommend to help others improve their cultural insights?

Donna Jackson: “The Italians” by Luigi Barzini

And finally… Is there anything else you would like to share?

Donna Jackson: I was born of a father of French Huguenot extraction and a mother from Sussex England. I grew up In Africa, a very unconventional childhood, full of exploration, great teachers and books. I have always viewed the world as my oyster. I’d like to live and work in Argentina sometime and explore Patagonia.

Donna, it is great to know a bit more about you. And I’m really curious about the answers you will give us when I put you on the hot seat for the 10 Cross-Cultural Questions on Twitter portion of this interview.

Donna Jackson – Part 2 – The Twitter Interview

This is an interview series of the people I recommend you follow on Twitter for the cross-cultural and international business insights in their tweets.

More Twitter Interviews

• Rajeev Edmonds – @mintblogger
• Rossitza Ohridska-Olson – @culturalrealms
• Charmayne Paul – @psitutor
• Lucy Chatburn – @pocketcultures
• Doreen Iannuzzi – @DoreenatDMS
• Chris Cotter – @CotterHUE
• Jack Yan – @jackyan
• Silvia Cambié – @XCulture
• Bill Ward – @DR4WARD
• Thierry De Baillon – @t_de_baillon
• Seshu – @PicSeshu
• Neil Urquhart – @culturematters
• Klaus & Flavia Westerwelle – @transdomo
• Donagh Kiernan – @dkiernan
• Christian Hoeferle – @hoeferleconsult
• Caroline – @ohh_la_la
• Deborah Swallow – @DeborahSwallow
• Steve Roesler – @steveroesler
• Matthew Bennett – @matthewbennett

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