All Posts Tagged With: "SOBCon"

A Thousand (At Least) Birthday Wishes for Liz Strauss

July 3rd, 2008 • Starbucker • 1 comment • Click to view Related Articles
Filed Under: Featured Articles • Fellow Half-Fullers

Today the blogosphere celebrates the birthday of one of its most distinguished residents, Ms. Liz Strauss.

She is a great friend, business partner, and mentor, and her selflessness, kindness, and passion for her craft has inspired me from the very first time I read her blog over two years ago.

Liz sees the blogosphere as much more than a platform to jot down our assorted musings and hope people read them - it’s a place to forge and nurture relationships, both business and personal. It’s also a place where love, common courtesy, and integrity abound.

Fostering these online relationships to go beyond a blog page was the basis for our founding of SOBCon, which has been a labor of love from the get-go. To have had a chance to work with Liz on something like this has been a real honor and pleasure, and I really lookforward to seeing where the “Spirit of SOBCon” takes us.

Lastly, Liz is someone who never hesitates to share her learnings with others. She recently put out an e-book that I recommend highly to anyone who wants to improve their blogging and writing skills.

So many, many Happy Birthday wishes to you Liz - thanks, and much love always.

“We’ve Got the Dreamers Disease”: Reflections on SOBCon08

May 5th, 2008 • Starbucker • 32 comments • Click to view Related Articles
Filed Under: SOBCon • The Essence of Me

It happened on the plane over to Chicago.

The excitement, the anticipation, and the nervousness over what was about to come.

SOBCon08. Showtime!

Like last year, I had fears that people wouldn’t come, the facility would be bad, the food would stink, and I would make a fool of myself at the podium.

Liz Strauss had put SO much work into this (if you all only knew) - I couldn’t let her down. She has always been the kind of partner you just never wanted to let down, because of what she gave - and gave, and gave.

The good news was, I knew how to quell those bad thoughts. Yep, the trusty iPod. iPod always knows what is good for me - it has a 6th sense (thank you Steve Jobs).

I clamped on my headphones, put iPod on shuffle, and let ‘er rip.

It did not disappoint me. Right out of the box it played “You Get What You Give” by the New Radicals, which just happens to be one of my favorite songs of all time.

Why? Because of a beat and melody you just can’t shake, and lyrics that hit me in the heart, right from the very first line:

“Wake up kids. We’ve got the dreamers disease”

I love that line. It’s a call to action. It was calling me to action. Forget about all that fear stuff - we are going to make everyone’s SOBCon08 dream come true!

My feelings immediately became lighter - now buoyant in the anticipation of what was to come. Then I heard the chorus:

But when the night is falling
And you cannot find the light
If you feel your dream is dying
Hold tight
You’ve got the music in you
Don’t let go
You’ve got the music in you
One dance left
This world is gonna pull through
Don’t give up
You’ve got a reason to live
Can’t forget you only get what you give

My eyes were welling up with tears - happy ones. I was about to spend three days with people like me, people with the same “dreamers disease” - and a bunch of givers to boot.

Then I realized that if Liz and I gave the best conference we could put on, what we’d get would be incalculable and indescribable.

I came to Chicago on a wonderful high, spurred on by a musical marker.

And then the smiling, and warmth, and giving, and learning began, from the very minute I picked up Chris Garrett from the airport on Thursday.

It went on for 72 hours straight - as many

hugs, smiles, photos

thank yous, laughs, Twitters,

“ah-has“, “wows“,

“you rocks!”, “I didn’t know thats“,

“why is there so many men with facial hairs“,

debates about the best music decade (I voted the 70’s),

interesting attempts at karaoke by the MC (”Sexy Back”, of all things) and by Starbucker and Brogan on the streets of Chicago (a rockin’ “Bohemian Rhapsody”),

“the food is pretty darn goods“,

“the speakers were awesomes“,

“I love yous”

and finally, tears (and hugs again)

as one could ever experience in that short of a time.

We even created (or should I say Melissa created and we endorsed) a new word - “vulnerablogity”

We put ourselves way, way out there - we gave ourselves up to the moments. Which was because, as Chris Cree said on Sunday, “we all have value - each of us has something to offer”.

And there were thousands of things offered, all moments to savor. I can’t even begin to list all of them.

By Sunday morning, the word “trust” was mentioned again and again - our hearts were clearly showing. There was no “strutting” going on (thanks for that word Tammy).

We didn’t want it to end. I didn’t want it to end. But it had to.

There was really no doubt about the words I wanted to use to close the conference (before Liz brought the house down). I had to bring this full circle.

I read the chorus of “You Get What You Give”.

Yes, we had the Dreamers Disease. We got what we gave, alright - and then some.

It all tells me, and all of us, that we must continue to dream, and dream big, and not let them go. Be fearless, and open, and giving - all the time. Nothing is beyond our grasp. After all, who would have thought a small little Open Comment idea would turn into this?

And oh yea, I should keep blogging too. :-)

To those who attended, or twitted, or watched the video feed, or submitted slides, or gave us positive vibes because they couldn’t go, I sincerely thank you all. You have enriched my life in ways I never thought possible.

Here’s the list of attendees

Incredible. Now it’s time to plan SOBCon09. You’re coming, aren’t you?

And here are all my pictures on Flickr.

SOBCon08 Has a Date: May 2-4, 2008

January 7th, 2008 • Starbucker • 1 comment • Click to view Related Articles
Filed Under: SOBCon

SOBCon08

Happy Monday everyone!

I just wanted to pass along the latest news on our (now) annual convocation of relationship and business bloggers, SOBCon.

The 2008 edition of SOBCon will be held on May 2, 3, and 4, in Chicago. The exact location will be announced soon.

This year’s theme is “Biz School for Bloggers“. As noted by founder Liz Strauss, “We’re bringing back what you valued last year, and we’re adding more depth, more coverage, more opportunities“.

And it’s going to be one heck of a lot of fun! Last year was nothing short of amazing, and we’re excited about the chance to do it again.

Check out the great summary of the 2007 event that Lorelle Van Fossen put together, and characterized as a “love-feast“.

Yep, learning, friendship, AND love. How can you miss this?

Please visit the updated SOBCon website for details about the program, and the fantastic lineup of presenters.

Seats are going to be limited to 250, so if you are interested please go to our contact page and ask to be put on the registration notification priority list, so when registration opens you can secure your seat well before they sell out.

As I noted the other day, I’m honored to be the MC of the event once again, and really, really look forward to meeting all of you in Chicago.

Check out the site, and stay tuned for more details. Thanks!