BlogHer Biz 2007 - I'm burnt out and fired up

For me, BlogHer Business 2007 was a defining moment of women helping women helping business - each other's and big business.

My brain is still unpacking. 

I took tons of notes, soaked in the presentations, crowd watched, listened for repeat issues, listened for what is (and isn't) being asked and paid attention to which companies "get" the BlogHer/blogger movement . In the next few days you'll be hearing about what makes a blog work harder and what makes bloggers work hard for you.

While ideas are simmering, here's a recap of the women I serendipitously  met.  First up, Staci Schiller of Wells Fargo and I chatted while waiting for day one to start. She writes the blog for the bank. Wells Fargo happens to be my bank and I had no idea the Stage Coach had a new set of wheels. It's comforting to me that they are being proactive in the social media world. Stacie runs the Education Financial Services section (student loans) and spends 50% of her time on WF blogs.  Thanks to Staci, Wells Fargo is one of those big companies who now "get" blogging . Who wudda thunk?

BlogHer for Business was an intimate group of 180 or so power bloggers or soon-to-be…  My table included the Marketing Diva Toby Bloomberg, Green blogger and "info provacateur" Amy Gahran, Simply Recipes' Elise Bauer,   biz blogger consultant Marianne Richmond plus an enlightened male, Cerado's Christopher Carfi.

It didn't matter which table you sat at, however, each one held women who were at the top of their blogging world. Many were Mommy Bloggers who were at one time dismissed and are now coveted. With readerships surpassing that of magazines, they can no longer be ignored - they represent the new era of social media. 

I re-met lipsticking's Yvonne Divita ( publisher of In Women We Trust) and tech marketer Susan Getgood. I felt at home with Minneapolis based and Funny Business, Elana Centor and former Minnesotan, Homestead, Remi  Adams. I ended the first day tipping cocktails with Hello World author, Sue Thomas, Washington Post.Newsweek Interactive CEO, Caroline  Little  and CHEN PR principal, Barbara Heffner.

The best part happened before the event started. I finally was able to meet Jory, Lisa, Elise and Kristin in person. Jory and Kristin have been my BlogHer contacts for  the Sustainable Living project with MTS a non-profit that promotes sustainability through consensus standards. The CEO of MTS, Mike Italiano came in from Washington DC to meet all of us. You'll be hearing more on that project in the next few days.

Blogher Biz 2007 was the perfect conference. I came away burnt out, fired up and ready to put what I learned into action.

Comments

[christopher carfi]

mary, was great to meet you as well!

[Marianne Richmond]

Mary,

So glad to meet you...I am definitely going to give OneNote a spin. Thanks for the demo!

Marianne

[Toby]

Mary - from Ca to NYC .. seems we're meeting coast-to-coast! Wonderful to catch up with you again and learn more about the great work you are doing.

[C.B. Whittemore]

Mary, I so enjoyed meeting you in person!

[Yvonne DiVita]

Mary, you looked cool, calm, and collected. I think you've found your calling. I know it's going to work out for you. So glad you could get to NY... this post is full of valuable info. I'll have to read it over and over.