Last week I was excited to take part in my first ever blogging conference. I had heard of blog conferences before like Alt Summit and BlogHer but didn’t really even consider going to them because lets face it, I’d only been blogging for a short time (including my first foray into blogging.) I definitely don’t consider myself a blogger per se, simply a writer that has a blog. But when I stumbled upon the Lucky FABB page I applied on a whim, not thinking I’d actually get an invite. Lucky for me (pun intended) I did!
Though I was excited about the conference aspect and of course networking and meeting new people, I was so nervous to attend a fashion & beauty conference. While I do enjoy both fashion and beauty, I was anxious about being surrounded by bloggers who I imagined to be way more stylish and cool than me. When I pulled into the hotel parking lot my fears were multiplied when I saw how ridiculously stylish everyone’s outfits were. It was literally like walking into a room of all the adorable outfits you see on Pinterest, in magazines or of course on blogs. Talk about intimidating!
It was surreal to see all these people, in the flesh. It was also daunting to think that there are THIS many of us, and actually there are millions more out there doing the same thing — blogging. But I pushed those thoughts out of my head and forged ahead. It turns out, it was AMAZING to meet and talk with people who were pursuing blogging. Each person I met was different, some were hoping to turn it into a full-time career (or already have) some were veterans (blogging for more than 5 years, or in other words an eternity in blog land) and even some whose interests were along with mine — writers who decided to blog to have a creative outlet and exposure to their writing.
The first day of the conference was full of panel discussions and keynote speakers: Kelly Osbourne and Drew Barrymore. Though I enjoyed Kelly and Drew’s conversations (they are both so sweet and seem so down-to-earth) I enjoyed the panel discussions much more. The panels were comprised of industry veterans — from professional bloggers to executives to agents and more. These were people who really knew their stuff inside and out. I had no idea how rich the world of blogging, branding and digital media is and all the business aspects that go into creating a popular brand or blog. I was stoked to see Emily of Cupcakes and Cashmere and totally geeked out. It felt like seeing a celebrity, which I guess she sort of is right?! But she seemed so humble and gave good tips about how she earned her A-list blogger status.
Day two was even better because this is when we got to really soak in all that wonderful blog knowledge. The breakout sessions were packed with useful information (how to grow your blog traffic, how to pitch and monetize among other topics.) I was taking notes like crazy, so low-tech I felt like I was the only one without an iPad lol. There was just so much to take in. I will have to write in more detail about everything I learned because there was a lot but all in all I can say it was a great experience. I do wish I read this great post about how to network at a blog conference before I went, but there’s always next year!
Yes I was nervous. Yes I didn’t feel very “cool” or “fashionable” but my friend reminded me that we’re all there for the same reason so I shouldn’t be nervous. And when I complained that I was anxious about approaching people, she told me the most genius way to do it, simply say “hey, I love your outfit, where’s it from?” (insert head slap for not realizing obvious intro to conversation here.) And ya know what, it totally worked! Of course, I can’t wrap up this post without talking about the beyond amazing swag bag we received courtesy of the generous folks at Lucky at the end of the conference. This was reason enough to attend! (I kid, I kid..sort of.) This thing is legit, packed to the brim with super cool stuff I’d never buy for myself, all wrapped in a cute Le Sportsac duffel.
So there you have it, my humble thoughts on Lucky Fashion & Beauty Conference (FABB) 2013. My goal for attending the conference was really to network, meet people and of course learn more about the world of blogging and how I can utilize it to further my writing career. Though obviously all this won’t come overnight, I got a good grasp of the tools I need to succeed. But the most important lesson I learned was simple: to remember that the essence of having a blog is because you enjoy it, and if you’re passionate about what you’re doing you will eventually find your own success.
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