When BET offered me the position of Online Producer for 106 & Park I thought the gig would be exciting, but I hesitated leaving my cool job at About.com. I counter offered, asking for a tax bracket above my current salary, and made the jump when BET came close to the price.

My job qualifications didn't matter as much as the strong recommendation I received from BET.com's Executive Music Editor, Kim Osorio. She told the hiring manager that I would be perfect for the job, and I was on the fast track from there.

But how did that referral happen? I'd never met Kim O in person. We never worked together. We never partied together. We didn't have mutual close friends.

As a fan, I knew Kim as the former E.I.C. of The Source. And she knew me from my blog. That's why she liked me and my work.

At its peak, my blog attracted attention from music industry professionals because of the insidery topics I chose. And since I put my personality on full display in the blog, people went from following my words, to following my life.

Even today I still meet readers who talk to me like we're best friends even though its our first conversation. (If you ever experience this, it's a little more jarring than flattering).