Mom 2.0 Summit 2013
Sometimes as a Mom Blogger, you feel alone. Friends and family who are not Bloggers really have no idea how much work is entailed with running a business like this from home, while running your household as well. This is why, when you ask another Mommy Blogger, rather Influencer or Publisher, they’ll admit that a blog conference is equivalent to a “weekend vacation getaway”. I was given the honor of being sponsored by Clever Girls Collective to attend Mom 2.0 Summit 2013 at the Ritz Carlton in Laguna Niguel, California. “Holy crap” was the first thing that came to mind. I couldn’t believe that I was chosen. This was a HUGE honor for me, one that was worthy of going on my resume. So, I wanted to share my experience.
I have attended many trade shows and conferences across the nation in my last career however this would be my first large blog conference. I didn’t know exactly what to expect, but in my gut it would be greatness…and it was.
The opening guest and key note speaker was Lisa Ling. This was exciting for me because I have followed her career since she was on The View because she is a smart, young, beautiful, and successful Asian-American woman on TV. There weren’t a ton of Asian-American women role models at the time when I was a vulnerable high school and college student so this was a real treat.
Surrounded by blue skies, crashing waves, and local surfers, the atmosphere was exhilarating. This “conference” was more than just that… it was an experience. I was able to speak with large brands like Honda, Whirlpool, Lowes, Treetop, and many others. Did I mention you could get your hair and nails done by stylists from Dove and get your makeup done by Starbucks ReFreshers. The food provided by the Ritz Carlton was fabulous as well.
Even though I was there alone, everyone was so nice an open to talking to me. I met so many interesting and talented women. I ran into a blogger friend, Kara Noel from Elies Lids, whom I had met one time before and we spent a lot of the time together. It was fantastic getting to know her better and I look forward to our new found bloggy friendship. Here are the two of us messing around and in action.
There were so many amazing and inspiring speakers. Nia Vardalos from My Big Fat Greek Wedding spoke about her preparation or lack there-of for becoming a mom through adoption. Her personal story was both heartwarming and hilarious! Others that stood out for me were Katherine Wintsch on her presentation and poem about why moms refuse to be honest with marketers and Rachel Faucett from Handmade Charlotte where she turned 10 pounds of beeswax into her own crafty empire. The panels were great as well. I was able to hear some producers of the Today’s show give tips and tricks for video strategies.
I will never forget this Mom 2.0 Summit 2013. My only regret? I should have taken more pictures! Gah! A huge THANK YOU to Clever Girls Collective for making this happen for me!
