Where do you take the leap of faith with your blog and start investing your money and time into being something great? Don’t get me wrong. I believe what we provide here, be it friendship, some funny quip, advertising for a blogger or business, is amazing. We all know that networking is half the battle and conferences can really help you take that next step.
I am fortunate enough to work with a really great large press company and just yesterday they offered me their press pass to attend the Mom2.0Summit in place of the person they had that cannot go.
Speakers include Maria Bailey, Guy Kawasaki, Lisa from BlogHer, Kirsty girls….do I need to go on?
Its in Houston.
Houston is 7 hours from me.
Which means, I leave now, get there tonight, and have to foot tonight, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday in hotel, plus about 3 tanks of gas and food. So although the $400 ticket is covered, best case scenario, not staying at the hotel the conference is at, I can probably do the trip for $500 out of pocket.
Then my mind swirls. Chris needs an MRI, Charlotte needs her teeth cleaned, our house insurance is changing, her school went up $7 a week and didn’t tell us and we just found out ($7 = $28 a month, it adds up).
I start to talk myself out of it. Is it that important? I’m going to BlogHer in July. What am I going to gain by going to this conference right now. Will it be relationships that will really benefit me the next 5 months? Will I make a return on the $500 I invest or no matter what, will this always just be a little old mom blog. I can be content with that. Its the unknowing that makes it hard.We all know that I have huge goals and some of those require huge connections. Bloggers Give is going great, but needs more fire, I want to continue to open up relationships to share with other bloggers out there and those that are on our forum, what will I learn that can benefit everyone if I go.
The car needs to be looked at, I need to go to the dentist, I still don’t have curtains on the dining room window, Paprika needs to be fixed.
Why must I be so damn logical and realistic all the freaking time.
~Trisha
Big (((HUGS))). I think as moms we will always think what we could spend that money on than actually do something for us that is fun and beneficial. I call it mommy guilt in my mind, but I think all moms just go through the same thing. Just sit down with hubby and list the pros and cons and see what comes out on top
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You better be going, I am counting on meeting you tonight
You better be going, I am counting on meeting you tonight.
I would say go. My opinion might be too late, but you should go. You will make a difference, I’m going to nominate you to Oprah, I think everyone should. That would help Bloggers Give.
I wonder what I would gain from a conference. My blog is just new, getting a few more people each day, but still not over 100. Wondering how long it takes. Only been doing this 4 months, so very new. Attending a conference with successful bloggers might make me feel more of a failure as a blogger. Some bloggers seem to have the golden touch or maybe they just talk a big game. I suspect the latter because I am a cynic…big time cynic.
Trisha—This why I like coming here. You are genuine. You don’t make guarantees on anything. Your spirit and stick-to-itiveness is refreshing. You seem to want to help bloggers big and small. I sent you an e-mail on some problem and you responded. I was shocked.
In contrast, I “friended” a big-time blogger on a mom shopping site as I was instructed by another big-time blogger for a requirement of site membership. Well, the 1st big-time blogger never friended me back. Why bother requiring friending if not friending back? Pointless.
Thanks, Trisha for MomDot!
I’m about two hours from Houston… wish I were closer so you could stay and cross that expense off.
For what it’s worth, I don’t think this has ever been “a little old mom blog.” I get a ton out of visiting here. I check in here probably ten times a day. Just don’t always have time to comment.
I know others get a bunch from what you have to say and the discussions it starts. And it’s just fun!
Did you go?!?
If someone offered me the pass and I was within reasonable driving range (I think it would be about 15 hours for me), I would totally go!
I know exactly what you mean. I want to go to BlogHer but we really do not have the money. On the other hand maybe if I go I will add something that will add a little more income to my blog. I cannot decide. I probably will not go this year – maybe next year. Maybe I will change my mind.
I wish I had a guestroom to offer you… You could sleep on my couch.
I wish that I could go, and totally think that you should take the opportunity and go for it! I have wondered, though, how much I would gain by going to a conference, and how my participation would change the way I blog. I’d love to hear stories from mom bloggers who have attended conferences in the past and seen a huge difference afterwards.
Go! Go! Go!
I hear ya. You should go, because the connections you make now will just snowball between now and BlogHer.
Maybe if you tell them you can’t go because of the expense, they might cover a little more. Ya never know.
This might be a good place to talk more about Bloggers Give. Maybe you could even talk to the head person and maybe they could give a little shout out.
As for the $500, I feel ya. Every dollar I spend on non-essential stuff I kind of clench my teeth. I would talk to Chris about it. My hubby would get upset if I did it, but thats just him… he’s anal. Let us know what the verdict is!
I do the same thing. Get all excited about something, then try to talk myself out of it. I wish I had advice….it’s too late to try for a sponsor to cover the bill, huh?