Whether you use Twitter to get new ideas, learn, expand your network, promote your cause or laugh on a daily basis, you’ll want to check out this compilation of inspiring men and women (plus a few companies) every entrepreneur should follow.
Many are based on recommendations given to us by the people we’ve interviewed on IdeaMensch. Some are names you’ll recognize–and some aren’t. But everyone on this list is has something unique, insightful and/or sarcastic to say. We think they might even be cool enough to convert self-proclaimed “handle squatters” to hyperactive tweeters.
If you know someone who should be included but isn’t, let us know in the comment section below. We plan to publish a “part-two” follow-up.
In no particular order:
- Noah Brier (@heyitsnoah): Co-founder of Percolate. As IdeaMensch interviewee Ana Andjelic says, “He is the most wonderful, curious, humble and innovative person I know.”
- Pete Cashmore (@mashable): Founder/CEO of Mashable, the largest independent news source dedicated to covering digital culture, social media and technology.
- IdeaMensch (@ideamensch): *Cough*
- Tina Roth Eisenberg (@swissmiss): Swiss designer gone NYC and creator of @teuxdeux, @creativemorning, @studiomates and @tattly.
- Amber Case (@caseorganic): Cyborg Anthropologist, technologist, TED Speaker and co-founder of Geoloqi.com.
- Typing Kitty (@TypingKitty): For entrepreneurs, like Mario and Mark Moll, who have cats.
- James Cooper (@koopstakov): Chief Creative Innovation Officer JWT NY and Co-Founder of Thompson Punke, the world’s only badass ping pong clothing brand.
- Seth Godin (@ThisIsSethsBlog): Founder of Squidoo.com, author and blogger.
- Edial Dekker (@edial): CEO & Founder of Gidsy, a marketplace for authentic experiences.
- Sarah Lacy (@sarahcuda): Reporter/author in the Silicon Valley (tweeter of tech stuff and baby pictures).
- Jason Fried (@jasonfried): Founder of 37signals and co-author of REWORK.
- Chris Guillebeau (@chrisguillebeau): Author of The $100 Startup (100startup.com) and The Art of Non-Conformity blog. He’s visiting every country in the world.
- GOOD (@good): A collaboration of individuals, businesses, and nonprofits pushing the world forward.
- Maria Popova (@brainpicker): Interestingness hunter-gatherer obsessed with combinatorial creativity. Editor of @brainpickings and @explorer.
- Design Milk / Jaime Derringer (@designmilk): A website dedicated to modern design.
- Werner Vogels (@Werner): CTO at Amazon.com.
- Laura Fitton (@pistachio): Inbound Marketing Evangelist at HubSpot. Starter of #beonfire, @HubSpotPlatform, and Twitter for @Dummies.
- Jonathan Harris (@jjhnumber27): Founder of Cowbird, a small community of storytellers, sharing heartfelt, personal stories.
- Gary Vaynerchuck (@garyvee): New York Times bestselling author, American businessman, and creator of Winelibrary.com, Wine Library TV, Daily Grape and VaynerMedia.
- Jay Rosen (@jayrosen_nyu): Teaches journalism at NYU, directs the Studio 20 program there, critiques the press and studies new media.
- Katie Jacobs Stanton (@KatieS): Mom of three, Twitter globetrotter and cupcake connoisseur.
- Craig Newmark (@craignewmark): Founder of Craigslist.
- Fareed Zakaria (@FareedZakaria): Editor at TIME Magazine and host of CNN’s GPS.
- Josh Nesbit (@joshnesbit): CEO of Medic Mobile, a nonprofit company using low-cost, mobile technology to create health systems that save more lives.
- 99% (@the99percent): Highlights insights, interviews and tips on making ideas happen.
- Jeff Booth (@JeffBooth): Founder and CEO of BuildDirect.com.
- Lori Deschene (@lori_deschene): Founder of tinybuddha.com.
- Hugh MacLeod (@gapingvoid): Cartoonist, bestselling author and co-founder of Social Object Factory.
- Scott Belsky (@scottbelsky): Leading @Behance in the noble pursuit to organize the creative world.
- Peter J. Bogaards (@BogieZero): Content curator all things user experience.
- DesignTAXI (@designtaxi): The Global Creative Network.
- The Ad Contrarian (@AdContrarian): Just a guy with a guitar and a dream…oh, and a hernia scar and an ad agency.
- Ben Parr (@benparr): Co-Founder of @ThePeepProject and Columnist at CNET.
- Kellie O’Brien (@MumPR): Journalist, PR consultant, mummy blogger and social media expert.
- Rick Turoczy (@turoczy): Editor at @siliconflorist and co-founder of @PIEpdx.
- Kevin MacDonell (@kevinmacdonell): Author of CoolData, a blog about data mining and predictive modeling for university advancement.
- Matthew Inman (@Oatmeal): Truth, beauty, and unkempt chest hair.
- David Garland (@TheRiseToTheTop): Having uncensored, uncut, unconventional conversations with badass entrepreneurs on The Rise To The Top.
- Ryan Carson (@ryancarson): Founder and CEO of @treehouse, father, entrepreneur and lover of movies.
- Theresa Weston (@TheresaWeston): Because as Carrie Anne Gonzalez explains, “She’s hilarious.”
- Charlie Capen (@HowToBeADad): Running commentary and visual diagrams on the idiosyncrasies of fatherhood, parenting missteps and Charlie’s own adjustment to having children.
- HOW Design (@howbrand): A practical mix of essential business information, up-to-date technology tips, the creative whys and hows behind noteworthy projects.
- PSFK (@psfk): A go-to source for new ideas and inspiration.
- Goodreads (@goodreads): The largest site for readers and book recommendations.
- Cool Hunting (@coolhunting): A daily update on ideas and products in the intersection of art, design, culture and technology.
- Dave McClure (@davemcclure): Founding Partner and Sith Lord at 500 Startups.
- Harvard Biz Review (@HarvardBiz): The latest Harvard Business Review blog posts, management tips of the day, daily stats and more.
- Ali Brown (@AliBrown): Entrepreneur, mentor and philanthropist working with women around the world, helping them start and grow businesses to live their best lives.
- Don Tapscott (@dtapscott): Author, speaker and advisor on media, technology and innovation.
- Andy Borowitz (@BorowitzReport): “There is a fine line between social networking and wasting your fucking life.”
image credit – http://www.flickr.com/photos/luc/1824234195/
Mario Schulzke is the Founder of ideamensch, which he started a decade ago to learn from entrepreneurs and give them a platform for their ideas.