I’m home from Mom 2.0’s annual Summit. This conference took place in Orlando this year, so I drove up to attend for the very first time. Luckily I was able to score a spot speaking on a panel as well! #Bonus.
As a first-time attendee, I wasn’t sure what to expect. My bloggy boo, Kendra, has been telling me for years that I need to attend, and she was right. This was one of the best conference experiences I’ve ever had, and I’ve been going to one to two a year since 2012.
Hotel:
The Ritz Carlton in Orlando is beautiful and the perfect place to host a conference of this size. It didn’t feel overwhelming, or cramped. The room was well appointed, the bed cozy, and I loved the marble entry and bathroom. You can check out my full room tour livestream, or just look at my mini one from instagram here:
Sessions:
I only attended 2.5 sessions. One on group collaborations which was insanely useful and actionable and I’m not just saying that because I love every single person on the panel. (Kita, Mimi, Lashawn, Bernetta and MJ). I also attended a panel featuring brands discussing partnerships. I was able to get a few tactical takeaways, but I thought the session was on a slightly different topic lol. I went to a half-a-session on getting noticed by traditional media, it was presented well, but I didnt need the type of info given. Oh, PS: The session I participated in along with Nellie, Quiana and Jen was a freakin’ hit. They’re writing songs about us, gave us medals, threw us a parade…alladat.
People:
Oh gosh. The people. I am all hugged out. I saw so many people in the flesh that I only see in tiny boxes on my laptop screen. Some folks I didn’t want to let go of. I am glad I split a room with my buddy Kendra, and so happy I got to see my regulars from the interwebs. Most grateful that I met so many wonderful new and inspiring women! I need to expand my circle and intentionally deepen some of my looser connections.
Parties:
Well, I left early so I missed the biggest event of all, the Iris Awards! The photos proved I made a pretty bad choice to leave early. Not making that mistake next year in Pasadena. The other two parties I attended were great. The brand integration was not obtrusive or annoying at all. #crucial. And the vibe and flow of the events lent very well to natural networking and chatting. I’m that person that will go up to someone looking sad and alone and chat em up, bring them to a group, and leave them there. So, I did a bit of that, and am happy to report that I saw the people who I chat-captured (that’s what we’ll call it) still happily chatting later on. It was a very welcoming group.
Sponsor Brands:
I am happy with the brands that were there. Were they all a good fit for me right now? Nope. But they were really there to connect with us, open to listening, as well as sharing. I loved the Dove installation, and all the work they’re doing with the #realbeauty campaign. The Amazon, Facebook and Best Buy suites were fun and informative. Prudential impacted me more than expected, and I’m stepping up my financial fitness and preparation because of it. I loved meeting the reps from Olive Garden, Fresh Wave, Eagle Brand, Toca Boca, Green Giant, CDC, Lentils, Treehouse App and just connecting, even if it won’t lead to a partnership. Kia was dope, we shot a promo video for them, that was the coolest ever:
Takeaways:
I have several takeaways but I won’t list them all here. I have little to do items listed that I picked up at Mom 2 like niche-ing down my content here further, actually getting quality photos done, adding a video to my about page, cleaning up my pages, building my list aggressively with a opt-in people actually want lol, adding case studies to my media kit, finding a good group to partner with for group pitches, etc.
My main takeaway from Mom 2 was that I need to stop trying to do all the things in my business. Letting go of the reigns and hiring more help on an ongoing basis is crucial or I will continue to stand still in business, just treading water instead of moving forward. I’ll have you know, I have since contracted with two VAs and hired a couple of people for specific project work as well! Wiiiiiinnn!!
Overall:
Mom 2.0 Summit was a refresh I didn’t know I needed. I got back to work in January or February after losing my brother Gar, not because I was ready, but out of necessity. #bills. It was hard and strained but the mortgage doesn’t care about my feelings. Attending Mom 2.0 Summit, fellowshipping with these amazing women, and getting back to me as a business in a lot of ways was exactly what I needed at just the right time. I’m ready to move forward. I look forward to next year!
Will I see you there?
Awesome recap! So glad we got to reunite on a panel.
I had no idea this was your first Mom 2.0 – you worked that conference like a Pro! I can’t wait to go to one. It looked amazing and I had a blast living through your shares 🙂 You Rock!
You know my steez! #i’mnotshy I cant wait to see you in a couple days! You rock harder!
Where did you go to look for a VA? I definitely need one.