Ten years ago, I joined forces with Craig Jolley, Pete Shinbach, and Tudor Williams to form a consortium of communicators with special knowledge of online communication. We eventually expanded to include Dan Janal and Carol Kinsey Goman as counselors in NetGain. We met twice a year to plot strategy. We produced a very popular monthly email newsletter in which each of us delivered an article on the state of online communication. We organized IABC’s NextWave conference in 2000.

The idea was not for NetGain to become an agency. It was more like a stable of talent that could be configured into various formations to help companies figure out how to use online tools like intranets and the Net to for PR and other forms of organizational communication. We did do some work as a team. I pulled other NetGainers into a job I did for JM Huber, while Tudor got us together for an assignment with Vancouver Coastal Health.

We pulled the plug at the end of 2004. NetGain was never hired—not once—as an entity, and we didn’t need to invest time, money, and effort in order to work together through our own independent practices.

(If you’re curious, you can see how we presented ourselves here, thanks to archive.org.)

Today, I’m delighted to announce that I am joining a group that has similar aspirations but enters the market when the notion of engaging a virtual team is much more acceptable and common. The group, AdHocnium, is Chris Heuer‘s brainchild, and reminds me of NetGain in a lot of ways, not the least of which is the fact that each of the “creative catalysts” who make up AdHocnium will retain their own businesses.

Another similarity is the dynamic collection of people Chris has brought together. So far, AdHocnium includes my podcast co-host and colleague Neville Hobson, Tom Foremski, JD Lasica, BL Ochman, Ronna Porter, Brian Solis, Adrian Chan, Adriana Lukas, Alex DeCarvalho, Ayelet Noff and David Parmet. I already know most of these folks face-to-face; the rest (JD, Adriana, Alex and Ayelet) I can’t wait to meet.

I’ve already worked with Chris on one project (to help get Blood Centers of the Pacific rolling with a coordinated social media strategy) and Neville and I have worked together on a couple projects (not to mention our time with crayon). Who in the online PR world doesn’t follow Brian Solis’ work? BL’s was one of the first communication-focused blogs I ever read. I could go on, but I’ll let it go at this: I’m stoked about working with this group. As with NetGain, I expect the work I do with AdHocnium will be among the most fun, challenging, and fulfilling imaginable.

According to Chris’s introduction to AdHocnium,

We build teams for our client???s specific needs, bringing together some of the best and brightest people from all around the world. Our talented network includes leaders in their fields, primarily communications and technology, with invaluable insights on integrated marketing, public relations, branding, technology, social media and Web 2.0. Each has the ability to holistically analyze your company???s unique situation and provide you with a unique perspective for growing your business and transforming your organization…Together we are a sort of talent co-op, strengthening our reputations by association and learning from each other too.  We are making formal our informal and largely invisible trust network, differentiating ourselves from the wave of social media consultants who have become micro-celebrities and promise to help your brand do the same, but have no real business backgrounds or long term experience. By focusing on the end goal of innovation and transformation, we are not limited to social media solutions—we can think differently about business processes, branding, marketing campaigns, customer support, hiring, training, partnerships, sales and other aspects of operations.

Sounds great, Chris. I’m proud to be included.