So What? Right?

Well the week is so full of great things that you just have to know about them!  I’m one of those people who believes that you should always celebrate your birthday and that if you want to have a good party…throw one for yourself.  However, this year, three great folks are having terrific events during my birthday week.  And you know what?  They really have almost nothing to do with me and absolutely everything to do with you guys.  Both of the following events are so good that you won’t want to miss them!

2nd Annual Next Generation Work Flexibility Event

The 2nd Annual Next Generation Work Flexibility Event on November 3 consists of networking and a panel discusion.  The  event features a keynote address by Holly G. Green and a panel including industry leaders in the work flexibility.  See more details at Flex Work Connection’s website.  This is a Six Figure Moms Club sponsored event.   We also sponsored the inaugural event in Orange county last year.  Flex Work Connection has offered a special $25 rate for Six Figure Moms Club readers if you purchase via this post by clicking here.  You must purchase by Friday to take advantage of this terrific offer of $20 off the published rate! So hurry and buy your tickets! SEE YOU THERE!

Gary Vaynerchuck Wine Tasting and “Crush It!” Book Signing

Gary Vaynerchuk is one of my favorite icons in the social media industry.  He’s a personal branding expert with a passion like no one you’ve lively heard before.  He’s a social media strategist who not only represents the New York Giants but wants to buy them one day!  Every time I hear Gary speak, I can’t stop thinking about him because he’s just so inspiring and infectious!  Don’t miss this opportunity to meet him in person and hear him chat up his new book.

Excerpt from the Meetup.com:

Join @DowntownRob at the phenomenal Vin De Syrah Spirit & Wine Parlor (@SyrahWineParlor) for a Wine Tasting and Crush It! book signing on Wednesday November 4th!

** Everyone attending receives a copy of Gary’s just released book, Crush It! **

This is the wine event not to be missed as Gary’s first claim to fame was his internet TV series Wine Library.TV.  If you aren’t convinced yet, check out this post I wrote after the last time I heard Gary speak at Gravity Summit!  He’s truly on the mark and infectious!

Hope to see you all there so sign up today!

SAVE THE DATES:

NOVEMBER 19: Networking & Group Status Update

JANUARY 19: 4th Annual Making the Most of Your Personal Strategy New Year KickOff

Vision Boarding Event featuring fabulous catering by Dining Details!

FEBRUARY 22: Special Event Hosted by Birch Aquarium!

The industry has its own magazine, FeedFront, and the cover feature story is, “The Women of Affiliate Marketing”.  The conference has a mentor program.  Because I’m so new to this industry, I signed up for a mentor.  My mentor just happens to be, Lisa Picarille, editor of Revenue magazine and so far she’s been terrificly helpful and teaching me about the Affiliate Marketing conference.  I’m looking forward to meeting her face-to-face this weekend.  We introduced ourselves via phonecall earlier this week.

Lisa told me a handfull of stories of six figure moms who had left their corporate careers to pursue successful careers in affiliate marketing positions.  Many of these career changes were forced due to a family health situation but the end result seems to always be a happier mom with a more cohesive family unit.  I’m hoping to meet some of these women in person this weekend and to interview them so that I can share their stories with you.

Likely the most interesting thing that Lisa talked to me about is the personality of the Affiliate Marketers and this conference.  She said, “This weekend is not about explaining your business to people and striking deals.  It’s about hanging out, getting to know people and forming relationships.  People in this industry want to know you and they do business with people they like and feel a connection with.  Business deals will likely happen after the conference.”  How refreshing is that?  It is the classic Know, Like and Trust, but a whole room full of 3,000 that actually GET that is going to be amazing. 

Some of the big players in social media are already in Las Vegas for CES (Consumer Electronics Show) and will be staying around for Affiliate Summit.  I read yesterday that Chris Brogran, Warren Whitlock and Dave Taylor all attended Social Media Jungle.  Sorry to be repetitive, but Gary Vaynerchuk (@Garyvee) is the keynote speaker at Affiliate Summit and you know I can’t wait to hear him speak again!

What is Affiliate Marketing you ask?  Here’s a link to a great site with the Top 10 Affiliate Marketing programs which also has some interesting articles which tells you more about the Affiliate Marketing industry.  If you have a specific question about Affiliate Marketing this weekend, send me a message on Twitter @aaswartz or email me and I’ll do my best to find out!

I always like to do something special in January every year.  I feel it’s so important that we take a pause and really devote some focused attention to our personal goals and intentions for the coming year.  It’s critical to keep our eye on where we want to go, especially for working mothers.  If you want any chance at work life balance, you have to put yourself in the driver’s seat and do some serious planning.

For our January events, I like the environment to be really nice so that you hard working mothers can relax and feel comfortable to enjoy yourselves and let your creative minds flow.  I want great food, great wine (a given, right? besides-what would Gary Vaynerchuk say if we had no wine and no sniffy-sniff?), great ambiance, great company (you provide that part and inspiring reading for a little advance prep to get you into the right mindset.

So, I started looking for the advance reading and I googled vision boards.  The first thing that came up was Joyce Schwarz’s The Vision Board Book.  I clicked through and remembered that Joyce and I had met last year at Blog World Expo.  I read her website, was amazed to see  that just like Matt Lauer and I, she also went to Ohio University, and then I called her.  Next thing I knew, an hour had gone by and Joyce and I had just finished a fabulous conversation about vision boards.

Look for another post about Joyce later this month.  She’s given us access to 20 free pages of her book and donated a free copy of the book that I’ll give away on January 22.

If you’re in the San Diego area, I hope you’ll join us for a fun evening devoted to YOU and your 2009 intentions.  You can sign up under the events tab.

If you don’t live in San Diego, I encourage you to have your own vision board party.  I’ve been creating vision boards with my grad school girlfriends for over seven years.  It always makes for a great day together as we catch up and plan our futures.  Or, if you don’t have time for a party, make it an event for yourself alone or with your husband or partner.  It really is a fun way to get focused on where you want to go.

Lastly, I’ll leave you with some homework: Christine Kanes’ great article on How to Make a Vision Board.  Enjoy!

I don’t watch much TV but yesterday I wanted to record Gary Vaynerchuk making his debut appearance on the Today show.  I love Gary.  I’ve been hooked since I first heard him speak last September.  I didn’t know who he was but once I heard him speak, I was addicted.  After his talk ended, I asked for his advice about a Six Figure Moms Club membership site.  I wanted the site to be free versus paid and he agreed.  I had been coached by many that it had to be a paid membership site.  That just didn’t feel right to me.  I wanted the site to be availabe to everyone and I thought charging a fee would inhibit people from joining.  Gary agreed.  (The membership site launches in early January.  I’m so excited and I hope you’ll check it out and join!)

Gary is amazingly motivating when you hear him speak.  He’s CRAZY when he talks but so real that I can’t help but feel connected to him.  He does live Ustream shows from his office which are great too.  They are often impromptu.  He’ll announce them and within 5 minutes, 600 people have shown up to watch.  Gary has made a name for himself for being authentic, truthful and doing what he loves.  His family owns a wine company but Gary himself produces an internet wine show at www.winelibrary.tv.  He also speaks, offers corporate coaching and is known as a social media and personal branding expert.

Additionally, Gary talks about something near to my heart, people who want to change their careers and follow their passions. Gary preaches that if you are unhappy in your current job, there’s nobody to blame but yourself.  I’ve heard him talk about how a person can still work their day job, spend a few hours with their family and then spend the hours of 9pm to 2am working on a plan to reengineer their lives and careers.  He says you have nobody to blame but yourself if you are unhappy.  It’s a hardnosed approach but he’s right.  Some of you may know that I’ve written a book, QUITTING IS EVERYTHING!  It’s sitting nicely here on my shelf waiting for its publishing partner.  It’s a series of interviews with six figure earners who left their corporate jobs for more fulfilling passionate work and a how to guide about career transition and working in a job you love.  I hope to publish my book someday.  In the meantime, try to catch Gary talking about career change but be warned, you will be motivated to change.

Also, I’m sure Gary will have his Today show segment up on his site in a few days if you’re interested in seeing his spot.  He recommends some fabulous champagnes and proseccos for under $20.  In Gary’s signature language, make sure to give them all a good “sniffy-sniff”.  “American’s just don’t smell their alcohols enough” and that makes Gary very sad ;-(.

So, what do I have in common with Matt? Well, likey a couple of things related to travel in Italy but the main thing is….Today Show Co-Host, Matt Lauer, attended Ohio University, my alma mater.  He just has to be a good guy   Afterall, it is known as being ranked consistently in the top 20 of all party school lists!  (And they do have a top ranked journalism school too!)

Have a great day everyone and CONGRATULATIONS @GARYVEE!