The events during August were sort of surreal, and in a way I don’t even want to write it all. I want to be humble, yet I want to celebrate all of my work-related successes. I want to be down to earth, yet I want to acknowledge what has happened. I have never before reached for the stars, but some of the events that happened the past month made me think, what the heck, why not?
I am ready to take this blogging business seriously, while still keeping my job as a Community Director at Collective Bias. I think the past month I proved myself that I can do it all, with the help of an amazing community I am lucky to have. And by “doing it all” I mean: to inspire and help even more people to reach their personal and professional goals both via my job and via my own company.
Here are two days of my professional blogger life in August 2010, but this is just the beginning – wait ’til you hear what I did the rest of the month.
Disclosure: And since the FTC requires a disclosure and I want you to know too – yes, I have a working relationship with most of the brands mentioned in this post, I was paid to attend some of the events and I did receive products from some of the brands mentioned here. I am employed by Collective Bias, and I am part of Hanes Comfort Crew social media program.
August 3, Las Vegas, Nevada.
Vegas Kids Speaking Engagement
I spoke at the Vegas Kids trade show during the design, home & gift industries trade shows at
Las Vegas Market. My topic focused on how businesses in the children’s furniture industry can gain competitive advantage by using social media. It was also thrilling walking around the show, and for a moment I missed those days I was a retailer and a buyer and the world of making the choices were in my hands. I also enjoyed seeing new designers and artists like
Marie Christophe.
While in Vegas, I stayed at
The Palazzo, which I have now declared my favorite hotel (so far) in Las Vegas. The highlights of the trip were having dinner with my husband’s aunt and then spending an afternoon with my blogger friend who can be found behind all these amazing blogs:
Cupy Cakey,
The Deal Fanatic and
Lenz Love.
August 5, New York City, New York.
Today Show, Kodak Bus Tour, Hanes Event, Colgate HQ Visit, Nikon Party
BlogHer conference invaded the city, and Today Show blasted the message from bloggers to the entire nation. Liz of Cool Mom Picks and Ree, the famous Pioneer Woman were the guests, and in addition about 25 other bloggers were invited to the set,
including me. I was happy to celebrate blogging and to see so many friends, like Colleen of
Classy Mommy, Melissa the
Consumer Queen, Monica of
Mommy Brain Reports,
Mommy Niri, Christine of
Boston Mamas, Audrey of
Mom Generations and Elizabeth the
Party Planning Professor. I was honored to meet Ree Drummond, she lives life to the fullest, and has made her happiness a way for her to make a living as well. She is one of the most inspiring women online, if not The Most Inspiring.
The busy day continued with a
Kodak Bus Tour – two double-decker buses full of bloggers snapping photos with spanking new Kodak EasyShare M580 Digital Cameras we all got. Good times! From the Kodak bus tour I toured a few friends cross the city to get to the Hanes party, where we got
organizing tips from Extreme Makeover: Home Edition’s Michael Malone.
You may find it hard to believe but the day that had started before 6 wasn’t even close to over yet – next in the agenda was
Colgate Headquarters visit, where our Collective Bias bloggers learned about the
Invisible Nasties and the importance of getting a new toothbrush every three months.
From there I went to Nikon party at Bryant Park Grille, and was happy to spend some time with
Chic Erika. The night was far from over – I saw my Collective Bias colleagues and community members afterwards, and do wish the photos of me dancing hadn’t leaked out to the Facebook pages. But I have come to a conclusion that if someone sees me dancing and having a good time, it’s OK. After all, living life to the fullest is what I do.
