Since it was my first conference as a official blogger and because I had so much extra time on the bus ride I decided to make this post so that you guys could see my experience both getting there and when I did finally get there. Maybe next year I will see you there (:
So lets get started!
So the first part of my trip was getting there of course. I ended up taking a Greyhound express bus that took a little over seven hours to arrive in San Francisco. The bus ride was not as awful as I thought it was going to be because the bus had a bathroom on board (thank god). It had electrical outlets so I could charge all of my devices (mostly my phone). And the bus has Wi-Fi! Which means I also got to blog while I was on the bus which was amazing in my opinion. Also because there was not much around to distract me for the first time I finally got ahead in my blogging (yay me! (: ).
So most of my bus ride was spent blogging but I also got a few hours of sleep (:
And while I was on the bus I booked a cab to take me from the bus station to the Merchants Exchange club where the event was being held (convenient!)
So since I could not afford a hotel when I finally got to the venue I walked around a bit looking for a Starbucks where I could wait and change my clothes. Unfortunately the Starbucks did not open until eight so I got some food from 7-ll and waited outside until they opened.
Once the Starbucks finally did open I ordered a tall Zebra hot chocolate and went into the bathroom to change my clothes. By this time it was 8:30 and time for me to go check into the event! (:
So when I got back to the venue there were already bloggers there to check in but the line was not too long and after about 30 minutes they started letting us in. Unfortunately when it was my turn to check in they could not find my name on the list or my name tag so Jessica (+Jezz Dallas) just wrote me one because she knew that I had bought my ticket because we had sent emails back and forth.
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| Me in front of backdrop at iFabbo! |
So then after that the panels started.
The first one was the PR panel with @bollare,
Then it was time for the social media panel with @kireilauriel, @google, @MakeupGeek, @TopTierMedia and @selftanqueen
This panel was all about how to use social media properly to promote your blog and how to get the most out of it. These lovely ladies also talked about how to get more fans using these platforms: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and Google+. These platforms are how people are going to know about your blog so it is important to know how to use them the right way.
For some reason I did not take any other pictures of the panels I probably got really into the whole conference so I forgot but I did make videos so that will be up on my youtube channel soon.
Anywho after the photography panel was the Fireside chat with @BECCA_COSMETICS. This is where it was revealed that we would be receiving Becca's One Perfecting Brush in our iFabbo goodie bag. We also got to learn more about how and why Becca Cosmetics got started and there was a demonstration on how to use the one perfecting brush (stay tuned for a review and tutorial (: ).
Up next was the legal panel (: featuring @VentureGainedIP, @LegallyVogue and @trymbl.
This the one that confused me the most. I am not good at legal stuff at all but the key points that I got out if it are do not use pictures that are not yours. As a blogger you are protected by the first amendment so you are not obligated to write positive reviews about products you did not feel positively about. I know there was a lot more but like I said I did not understand most of this panel even though the presenters were amazing! I will just have to go back and listen the recording again (:
Next panel was the Monetization panel which basically showed us the many ways that we could make money off of our blogs. This panel featured @VigLink, @luvocracy, @disqus, @beautyjunkies, @themadvideo and @toniakor.
This panel was really enlightening (like all of the others of course) because there was so much that I did not know about. Luvocracy for example was something I had never heard of but I am so in love with it now! (: I also did not know that there was a way to make money by using disqus on my blog but more importantly than that I can create my own community and create relationships with my readers. And really when you think about it the relationships with other people are what makes and breaks your blog.
The last panel was the future of fashion and beauty in the digital space which walked about where the future of fashion was going and how it is going to keep expanding through the use of the internet.
This panel featured @hsn, @glammedia, @shopstyle, @poshmarkapp and @boohoousa.
Poshmark was another one of those brands that I had never heard of before but now I am so in love with it. It is an app where you can sign up and sell the clothes out of your closet to other woman who are on the app. It is a really good way to get rid of some clothes that you do not wear anymore and a way to make a little extra money (:
Lastly was the keynote speaker Jacqueline Wales, @fearlessfactor.
This woman was so inspiring and I was so sad that her speech was not longer because she really inspired me to dream as big as I can because reality is made from dreams. You have to buy her book, The Fearless Factor, to get the full effect her words have but I am so blessed that I got to hear her speak because it truly was life changing!
Well guys after the speech it was time for the cocktail party and the after party and time for us to get our goodie bags! (: There was a bit of a mix up with mine but it all got straightened out with no harm done (:
The after party was at a nearby Four Season Hotel! So I took a cab with a few friends that I had met a the conference (: that was fun.
Then once I got to the hotel they served up some alcohol (that I did not drink) and some food (that I could not pronounce) and I had a really good time. (:
Unfortunately I had to leave a little earlier because my sister picked me up so we could hang out for a bit before I had to head back to the bus station to go home(:
All too soon it was time for me to get back on the bus to go back to LA -_-
Well guys that is pretty much it (: I just want to say again what an amazing time that I had and that I am so thankful that I was able to go to this amazing event and I hope that I have the opportunity to go again next year!
Another huge thank you to all of the sponsors of this event!
Becca Cosmetics, Boohoo.com, PRAI Beauty, Dermalogica, Lotus Premium Denim, Luvocracy, The Mad Video, Uber, Spreecast, NYX, Beautisol, VitaBath, DermOrganic, Makeup Geek, Coterie, Lily Brush, FSHN, New Beauty, Christie Formulations, Rain Cosmetics, Bon Bliss and the Four Seasons Hotel!
And none of this would have been possible if it had not been for the wonderful co-founders of iFabbo Sinead Norenius and Tonia Korakis!
Thank you so much again to everyone who participated in this event and who made it possible!
Be safe and I will see you in my next post guys (:
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