If you've read my recent post on the importance of investing in conferences, you will see that there are so many exciting conferences coming up. I'm now in the process of handpicking three to four conferences that I need to attend so that I can increase my network and learn new things.
The first live conference that I went to was a blogging conference called Blogger Bootcamp. I had such a great time at the conference, but honestly I was so unprepared. When you go to conferences, you have invested a lot of money and time in it, so being prepared can help you get the most out of your experience.
Besides making sure that your hair, nails, face, and eyebrows are on fleek, and that you have a nice outfit, there are so many things that you should take care of before the big day.
Here are a few things that you need to do before you attend your next conference.
1. Make a hit list
Prior to the conference, make a list of at least six people that you should connect with. These people can either be panelists or people that will be attendees like yourself. You can find panelist information by going to the conference website or social media. The list of people that are attending the conference will not be public, but with social media, you can use the power of hashtags to find out who is coming. For example, when I went to Blogger Bootcamp, I used the conference hashtag on Instagram and Twitter and was able to see who was coming. Then I did a little Instagram and Twitter stalking - don't judge me, we all do it - and I was able to get some background information on the people that were going.
In addition to writing down at least six people to connect with, I write a quick blurb on who they are, why we should connect, and a conversation starter idea just in case my mind goes blank when I see them. No one enjoys boring conversation starters about the weather.
2. Work on your elevator pitch
We all know the importance of the elevator pitch, but sometimes we forget that you need to mold your elevator pitch so that it is fitting with the event or moment. For example, if you are at a women's conference, it may be important to craft your elevator pitch in a way that speaks about you, discusses what makes you valuable, and what it is about you that others can benefit from (as it relates to the purpose of the conference that you are attending).
Here is an example pitch: Hi, my name is Brittani, and I am a manager and journalist that loves to empower and lead women through educational and inspiring content.
Keep in mind, your elevator pitch should be short, to the point, and should not be boring or sound rehearsed. You don't want to sound like you are reading from a teleprompter!
3. Get business cards
This may sound obvious, but trust me it is not! At my last conference (and even at networking events that I have been to), I have met so many people that do not own personal business cards. Even worse, I met some people that have business cards, but it is their card for their 9-5 job. You should never take along your job's business card unless you are at the conference on behalf of your job. If you take your job's business card to a conference, keep in mind it is your company's email and phone number that is on the card. If you give someone your company's business card, but then you leave your company within the next year, the person who you gave the card to won't be able to connect with you anymore.
Always, and I mean always, invest in personal business cards. Even if you are not an entrepreneur with a booming business, you can still have personal business cards. On your business card, keep it simple and sleek and include your full name, phone number, email, what you do, and your social media handles. Too many times, I have been handed some of the most ratchet business cards from people that doesn't include an email or phone number. Yes, you read that right. There are so many people that fail to include the most important, basic information! Don't make that mistake. You should make it easy for people to find you and connect with you.
You can get really inexpensive business cards from Office Depot/Office Max, Vista Print, and Moo. Check them out, they are all pretty inexpensive and make quality cards. While you are at it, don't forget your business card holder!
4. Connect with panelists and attendees
You've made your hit list for the conference, but make sure you follow them on social media as well. Use the time before the conference to do a little networking, and it will also make conversations go even smoother once you see them in person.
If you have read any of my articles, you know that I am in love with LinkedIn. If you don't have one, get one now and update it with your job experiences, skills, and portfolio work. Prior to the conference, scour over your LinkedIn and make sure that it is fully updated - you should also do the same for your other social media accounts. For example, if you plan on giving someone links to your Twitter and Instagram page, go on there and make sure the message that you are delivering is the message that you want others to get from you.
If you have your own website and blog, update it as well with recent information. If you are a blogger, add new, refreshing content and maybe curate content that will be relatable to the conference. Also, on your website, make sure your social media and contact information is up-to-date.
6. Make a hit list for the conference schedule
Conferences that are really big and popular tend to have several different panels and events for people to attend. Look at the conference schedule closely and mark off events that you have to attend. Make sure you pay close attention to the location where the event or panel will take place and the times. You don't want to over schedule yourself or poorly plan and end up missing really important events.
7. Read industry news and know what's going on
If you are planning on going to a conference in a specific industry, search for recent news pertaining to that industry. At the conference, you will want to successfully and intelligently engage in all types of conversations. You can find industry news by reading publications, looking online, or listening to, and watching podcasts.
8. Prepare your tech kit
Going to a conference, you want to make sure you have your technology emergency kit. This includes your laptop or tablet, charger, and portable charger for your cell phone. In addition, make sure you include a durable bag to put all of that in as well. I even recommend bringing a pen and a journal (just in case your computer crashes).
9. Plan ahead with perfect shoes
Going to conferences, you want to look your best. Most importantly, you want to wear something that makes YOU comfortable. I am a believer in being cute, but comfortable. Everyone cannot wear high heels, and that is okay - there are so many cute flats available. You do not want to be caught at a conference walking like a three-year-old in heels. Find shoes that you know you will be comfortable walking and standing in for hours.
Click here to catch a list of conferences that are worth attending this year.
Featured image by Getty Images
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Skylar sees things differently. At the time, she was shooting content on her iPhone. Temi came into the picture with a new perspective, an understanding of tech, and, eventually, a camera. “He doesn't give himself enough credit,” Skylar says. “He wasn't just my tripod. He wasn't just standing behind the camera and going ‘click.’ He was giving advice. He was giving me insight to how I could look at things from a different perspective. And I was like, 'Oh, he’s an artist.' I think it was maybe a heartbeat of that kind of energy of like, ‘Baby, can you take this picture?’ And it turned so quickly into, we're partners. We can work together in a way where we're advancing each other's creative thinking.”
The pair often says they’re two sides of the same coin. Skylar is an Aquarius. She attended art school, paints, and loves poetry. She’s more than happy to let the couple’s management firm and agency, Kensington Grey, handle their admin work. And, she loves to sleep in. Temi, on the other hand, wakes up early. He’s a Virgo. He loves a to-do list and regularly checks in on the couple’s brand partnerships spreadsheet to make sure everything is on track.
Because his storytelling was steeped in his love of technology, he didn’t always think of himself as a creative person. “Where I [am] the dreamer who wants to pluck things out of the sky and spend all day with my head in the clouds, Temi [is] so good at grounding me and helping me figure out how to make things make sense on paper. We just work together in such a complimentary way,” Skylar says.
It’s been more than six years since Brooklyn-based couple Temi and Skylar started dating, and nearly four since they cemented their working relationship. On TikTok and Instagram, the couple’s travel, fashion, and home content regularly rack up hundreds of thousands of views. They’ve worked with brands such as Coach, Aesop, Away, and Liquid IV, bringing their vibrant perspectives to every campaign they execute. Still, nearly two years since both Temi and Skylar committed to full-time content creation and creative directing, the couple says their romantic connection remains their priority.
“We told each other we would much rather go back to full-time jobs and preserve our relationship than to be full-time freelancers, barely getting a night's rest [and] barely kissing each other because we're so busy shooting,” Skylar says.
Working from home can make it hard to separate work from personal life for any entrepreneur. It can be even more challenging when your business partner is also your lover. Temi and Skylar had already used couples therapy as a tool to help them effectively communicate with one another. When they ran into challenges while working together, their therapist helped them set physical boundaries to help combat the issues.
"We told each other we would much rather go back to full-time jobs and preserve our relationship than to be full-time freelancers, barely getting a night's rest [and] barely kissing each other because we're so busy shooting."
“It actually took us doing very specific physical things to create boundaries between work and play in our relationship,” Skylar says. “So, for instance, we will only have conversations about work when we're out of bed or we're at the table or in the office. Initially, when we started, we had to light a candle to say that, 'Okay, this is a space where we're connecting, we’re not talking about work.' We needed really hard boundaries at the top. And then it became a little bit more organic.”
The boundaries have been crucial to implement, especially because the couple began working together so naturally. When the pair first met, Skylar was NY-based a social strategist for BuzzFeed and was using content creation to drive business to her lingerie company. She was shooting her own content. Temi was working for Microsoft in D.C. He’d recently traded in his DJing equipment for a camera. “I've always loved taking pictures,” he says. “Even when I was a kid, my African mother would wake me up at 3:00 a.m. [during a] party, and be like, 'Come take the family picture.'”
Growing up, Temi says he watched his parents support each other and be the true definition of partners. He knew he wanted the same for his own relationship. But, the couple also wanted to make sure they were being financially responsible. The pair didn’t quit their traditional jobs until they’d saved up two years' worth of their cost of living. And, Temi received his Master of Business Administration from New York University with the knowledge that it could either help him advance in his corporate career or be applicable to his business with Skylar.
Temi and SkylarCj Hart @hartbreakToday, they say their working relationship is more of a “quiet dance.” They still implement some of the boundaries they learned in therapy, but they also lean into their natural strengths and deep love for one another. When we speak, Temi has planned a date for the couple to see Princess Mononoke in 4K IMAX and added it to their Notion so they can factor it into their busy schedules. “I fully plan to date for the rest of my life,” he says.
Skylar says the couple doesn’t just wait for date nights to check in with one another, though. This often happens in the mornings, after Temi has made her peppermint tea and poured himself a cup of coffee. When they ask each other how they slept, she says, it’s not just a “nicety.” It’s a genuine question meant to foster connection.
“A lot of it happens during the day in the midst of work. We'll stop and we'll hug. Or we’ll slow dance in the kitchen,” she says. “Sometimes it's hard to set a whole date night when you have 7,000 things going on. So, we must grasp these moments and check in when we can. And I think it's become so organic to us that I actually didn't even realize how often we do it. But all day long, we're like, 'Are you good? I felt like your energy shifted,' because we're best friends, we just know. We just feel it happen.”
What’s better than being in love? Building wealth while doing it. Watch Making Cents here for real stories of couples who make money moves together.
Featured image by Cj Hart @hartbreak