3 Takeaways From Blogalicious 2014 #BeGreatB6

Blogalicious 2014

It’s been almost a week since I’ve returned from Blogalicious and I’m finally getting my recap up! My introverted self just needed a few days to decompress (and fulfill some deadlines!) before I could process everything that I saw and learned last week. Plus I’m planning a birthday party for Jaxson, who turns 5 next week. Whew!

This has been the best Blogalicious I’ve ever attended. That’s tremendous, considering that I’m a One Percenter–meaning I’ve attended all 6 of the conferences. I feel like I say that every year, but it’s truly the best blogging conference I’ve ever attended. While the sessions are amazing and eye-opening, it’s the community that draws me back. I feel like I’m with family when I’m at Blogalicious.

3 Takeaways from Blogalicious

Me presenting my Wells Fargo Perfect Pitch! Photo credit: Leticia Barr

Me presenting my Wells Fargo Perfect Pitch! Photo credit: Leticia Barr

 

1. With the support of my community, I always have a net when I leap. Believe me when I say it took a village in order for me to survive Wells Fargo Perfect Pitch contest. I almost didn’t enter, but several friends pushed me encouraged me to enter. They even listened to me as I tried to work out Bawdy Bookworms into a viable business idea. Once I learned I was a finalist, I received more encouragement and offers from friends to help in anyway they could. The majority of my work is done alone at my desk so seeing friends face-to-face reminds me that I have an amazing circle of friends in the Blogalicious community. I couldn’t have won the Perfect Pitch without all of you! (You know who you are!)

2. Think big. On Saturday, speaker Marshawn Evans encouraged us to “Stop being a liability to yourself. Stop thinking small.” I’ve been encouraged to think big and dream big since my direct sales days. My practical side has a rough time thinking HUGE. This is one of my continual challenges. However, hearing Marshawn Evans talk about how thinking small can actually hurt our dreams and vision hit home. Bringing to Bawdy Bookworms into fruition is my big vision for 2015.

Thien-Kim and Divina at Blogalicious 2014

 3. Failing does not mean success is unreachable. Our first keynote speaker was Derreck Kayongo, who founded The Global Soap Project. His organization recycles hotel soaps into life saving bars of soap for people around the world. Derreck is charismatic, funny, and passionate. He gave many nuggets of wisdom, but this one hit it home for me:

As an Asian overachiever, failing was never an option in my family. Bringing home a B+ on my report card was considered failing. I know that my perfectionist tendencies can keep me from moving forward. I’m glad to have my biggest supporter, my husband, by my side to remind that I’m achieving more than I think and that it’s ok to fail sometimes.

Shoutout: A big shoutout to Leticia Barr of Tech Savvy Mama and Danica Kombol of BeEverywhere for helping me prepare for my live pitch. Leticia helped me work out how to tie all the elements together to make them more cohesive. Danica actually listened to me as I practiced my pitch. She helped me focus on key words and concepts to draw in the judges (and audience).

I realized that I didn’t take very many photos during the conference, except for my San Antonio photowalk. I guess I was too busy learning and having fun!

 

3 Comments

  1. hbksloss November 14, 2014
    • ThienKimL November 18, 2014
  2. @justicefergie November 15, 2014