The way Alt works is they offer several different panels at the same time, and you pick which one to go to. People pick panels for different reasons. They make pick to attend a certain panel because it relates to their business, or they may pick another one because it's offering something new that they'd love to learn about. I chose a healthy mix.
The first panel I attended was Site Design: Dos and Don'ts. (The other panels at that time slot were Successful Collaborations and The Business of Blogging-- both of which I would to have attended.) The panel was made up of Alyssa Yuhas, Arianne Foulks, Christine Castro Hughes & Laurie Southwick. I picked this panel to attend because I'm shoulder-deep in my biz site design right now. It was reassuring to know I was moving in the right direction. Here are a few takeaways:
-Make your site easy to understand
-Stick to only a few fonts to convey the right mood.
-Be intentional, clear and deliberate
-Use color to express yourself, but choose carefully and wisely
-White space is your friend. It gives your site room to breathe. (And doesn't have to be white!)
-Off-the-shelf themes can make web design easy, but make it your own.
-Live by the rules!
-If you're feeling overwhelmed, hire it out!
The next panel I attended was Work/Life Balance. I think we all could benefit from this topic! The other two panels during this session were Building Relationships with Ad Networks & Sponsors and Best Tools for Managing Your Online Life. I would have loved to sit in on the tools panel, but I don't deal with ads and sponsors much. My panel was made up of Brooke Reynolds, Chrysula Winegar, Kathryn Storke Grady and Sarah Jane. Here are few takeaways:
-What does work/life balance mean to you? It's different for everyone and constantly changes.
-Focus: Stay on one page at a time. In life and on the internet!
-Boundaries: Set what those are for you.
-Truth: It's okay to say no when you're honest with yourself.
-Luxuries: Celebrate the details in life that are outside the internet world.
-Addiction: Break up with the "go, go, go"
-Attitude: Lighten up!
-Communicate: Expectations, calendars, dreams. With your friends, your significant other. Anyone.
-You Time: Essential maintenance and renewal. Make time for yourself.
The third panel I attended on Thursday was From Blog to Book. The other two during this session were Runway + Streetstyle: Fashion Blogging 101 and What Small Sites Can Learn from Big Online Communities. Honestly, I picked this panel because of the fabulous ladies who were on it. It was made up of Amy Butler, Grace Bonney, Julia Rothman, Kate Woodrow and Lia Ronnen. This was a very interesting session. Obviously, I'm far from working out a book deal, but it was kind of cool to hear how it all plays out. These are the topics that were discussed:
-The pitch
-Picking an agent and publisher
-Advances and contracts
-The creation
-Getting the word out
The last panel of the day for me was The Ins & Outs of Interior Design Blogging. The other two panels during this session were Kickstarting Your Next Project and Blogging Ethics & Etiquette. I would have loved to have attended all three. All of these panels had awesome presenters, so I was torn right up until I walked in the room. This panel consisted of Emily Henderson, Jenny Komenda, Kirsten Grove, and Morgan Satterfield. This panel was so much fun to listen to. Morgan had me rolling. She was hil-ar-ious. This panel was all about how to get your interior designs out there, tips and tricks to make them better and keeping your style front and center. It was a great way to end the day.
I apologize for the lack of pics. The post refused to save when I added them in.
{Stay tuned for recaps on panels from Friday, keynote speakers, my tweets throughout the conference, glorious chandeliers and ... the parties!}
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