My first BlackBerry Live conference, and I’m definitely inspired. I’m in the enviable position of having recently joined in the company of a brand with a groundbreaking product platform, a disruptive marketing organization, a stellar social media team, and a global top 10 social fan base — ~32MM followers and fans that are not only rooting for our success in a volatile category, but have armed themselves as ambassadors for our cause.

Say no more than a recent tweet by world champion cyclist Mark Cavendish “Got an hour to relax, so playing around with my BlackBerry Z10. This phone is a monster! I love it! And no, this ISN’T a commercial tweet.”

Got an hour to relax, so playing around with my BlackBerry Z10. This phone is a monster! I love it! And no, this ISN’T a commercial tweet.

— Mark Cavendish (@MarkCavendish) May 9, 2013

But there’s an even more specific reason it’s so thrilling to be here at this point in time. Humility and Ambition. BlackBerry has a mega-challenge ahead of it driving adoption of BlackBerry 10, but the organization is humble enough to recognize what we’re doing wrong, curious enough to learn what we don’t know, and ambitious enough to make it right.

Ambition is at the core of the BlackBerry brand. And it’s who BlackBerry customers are — multi-taskers, fast-moving and ambitious. We’re balancing family, friends and professional lives, we’re ‘up to stuff’ in our day-to-day lives, work or play, we’re always on-the-go. More than just a tag line, ‘Keep Moving’ is a promise to support our customers in achieving their ambitions. Be it a personal ambition of climbing Kilimanjaro, spending more time with your kids, or a career goal to build the most social brand ever (yep, that’s mine), our role as the social team is to provide you with what you need to achieve your ambitions. Social Media is integral to what we do at BlackBerry, because while we’re mobile from the ground up, our device is social at its core too — connecting you to the people and information you need to keep moving. Our social marketing needs to reflect that ethos, to behave in the same way our product does, and it’s our commitment to bring you the social connections, experiences, content and even insights you need, to get where you’re going.

More than lip service, we made some announcements that support just this focus at BlackBerry Live this week. Alicia Keys announced the BlackBerry Scholars Program, a four-year scholarship fund to support young women in achieving their ambitions to make a mark on the world, while encouraging women to embrace careers in technology. Our newly announced Keep Moving Projects turns the celebrity endorsement model on its head. Rather than paying artists or celebrities to say what we want them to say about our brand, we’re asking artists to approach us with projects they want to do, and we’re asking them how we can support them in achieving their goals and ambitions. We know we’re going to get more authentic content and experiences this way, people who want to work with us and engage with our product for the right reasons.

Stay tuned for mobile social developments in this space. So glad to be here, and working for you and together with you, be sure to let us know what you’re up to in your lives, and what we can do to keep you moving. We’d love to learn more.

When the opportunity presented itself to interview Yale Breslin, master multi-tasker, contributor to Life + Times and devoted #TeamBlackBerry member, I was psyched. I consider Life + Times a one-stop-online resource for fashion, music, art, culture and more, so I couldn’t wait to hear how his BlackBerry® Bold™ 9900 smartphone helps Yale contribute to the website (among his many other endeavors!).

Without further ado, meet #TeamBlackBerry VIP, Yale Breslin!

Can you give us an insider’s look at your work with Life + Times?
I keep a pulse on contemporary culture – everything from hotels, fashion and travel to events, architecture, you name it – and I look to advance those cultural movements to anyone visiting the website.

So, how long have you been a member of #TeamBlackBerry?
It was five years ago, right when I graduated from university. I was in the market for a new phone and wanted a device that would keep me connected. A BlackBerry® smartphone was my first choice. I was just starting my career – it was my first step into the business world –so I needed a smartphone that could keep up with my work life! For me, the choice regarding a smartphone is all about speed. It’s a question of productivity, and my BlackBerry Bold 9900 smartphone literally helps me get things done faster. It’s honestly become a way of life.

What’s your favorite feature of BlackBerry smartphones?
One of the main functions I use on my BlackBerry smartphone is BlackBerry® Messenger (BBM™). Every single person in my family is on a BlackBerry smartphone and most of them are in Canada, so BBM is the best way to stay in touch. Aside from BBM, I really do feel like anyone who needs to jam out emails on the fly, from just about anywhere, needs to have a BlackBerry smartphone.

Now that you’ve had some time together, what do you love about your BlackBerry Bold 9900 smartphone?
It could not have come at a better time! My previous BlackBerry smartphone was on its last legs after years of traveling with me. I love the sleek design and touch screen capabilities. The camera is awesome – I was just at a fashion show and the camera zoomed so close that when I revisited the picture, I had exactly what I needed to write my article. You would have thought I was right in front of the model. Aside from work, I love taking pictures and I know I’ll get great shots with the camera on my BlackBerry Bold 9900 smartphone.

But I think my favorite feature of my BlackBerry Bold 9900 smartphone has to be the voice recorder due to how much it benefits my work. I record the dialogue, plug the BlackBerry Bold 9900 smartphone into my computer and I’m set! I can listen to interviews anytime to pull quotes or transcribe notes. Aside from BBM and email, I think voice recording is the best feature of the BlackBerry Bold 9900 smartphone.

How does the BlackBerry Bold 9900 smartphone help you keep up with your lifestyle?
The technology and sleek, sophisticated design speak to the lifestyle that I work to achieve. This phone is high design. I’m most pleased with the speed because my BlackBerry Bold 9900 smartphone helps me get things done faster, which is essential for my busy job. The Internet browser speeds, improved battery life and apps are also invaluable. It’s a way for me to respond on the fly and communicate more effectively from anywhere in the world.

What ring tone are you rocking?
Honestly, I’m in meetings too often to turn on the ringer! I always have my BlackBerry smartphone on vibrate.

Before we let you go, any closing thoughts to share with other #TeamBlackBerry members about your new BlackBerry Bold 9900 smartphone?
I’m able to complete tasks faster than ever and with better precision, which has helped me prioritize my work and become more efficient. My BlackBerry Bold 9900 smartphone has made life easier.

Do you own a BlackBerry® 7 OS smartphone? We want to hear from you! Let us know in the comments what your favorite features are, and don’t forget to check out one of our newest features: BBM™ Music!