In the last two months, I have touched down in 5 great Canadian cities to facilitate BlissDom Canada’s first-ever cross-country tweet-up tour.
What’s a “Tweet-Up” you ask?! —— It’s a real-world social gathering for people who know each other through online channels, to have an opportunity to meet in person, network, and have fun.
When Jennifer and I took over BlissDom Canada earlier this year (yup, it’s true. BDC is 100% licensed and organized by a great Canadian team this year), we decided to do things a little bit differently. It was the perfect time to change things!
We wanted to visit people where they were at, ask them what they wanted at their conference, thank those who have been HUGE BlissDom advocates and part of our personal cheerleading squad, and meet those who had not yet been introduced to all things BLISS.
Calgary, Ottawa, Montreal, Vancouver, and South Surrey filled our days in May and June.
Tonight Jenn is in Winnipeg and soon Toronto’s tweet-up will take place. We’d love to add Halifax to that schedule as well, it wouldn’t be a coast-to-coast tour without dipping our toes into the Atlantic! And as much as we’d like to have been able to hop over to Edmonton and visit those in Saskatchewan… between the time away from our families and the finances, it takes…. doing this on our own… it just wasn’t possible this year.
With each location, our love for this community grew! With each hug, smile, laugh and business card traded, our hearts were filled to the brim! To listen to people tell of their favourite BlissDom memories, their chrysalis moments in blogging, their desire to take their business to the next level, their passion for social media, and their passion for this community…. seriously, I need a bigger head to hold the smile that all this brought on.
We feel so blessed! We may have started with the thought that we were bringing BlissDom across Canada but it’s ending off with the knowledge that YOU brought Bliss to us!
BlissDom Canada takes place at the Delta Meadowvale in Mississauga, Ontario October 3-5, 2013. Early bird tickets are only on sale until July 31st. I’m sure there are a few people who we met along the way who’d tell you, THIS IS THE PLACE TO BE THIS FALL! 🙂
Special thanks to the National on 10th, Delta Ottawa City Centre, Jack
Astor’s Dorval, Delta Vancouver Suites, The Roadhouse Grille, and for
tonight’s tweet-up at the Lobby on York. Julie V, Jen, Merry, Becky, Sherrie-Mae, Fariha, Joanne from Delta Vancouver, Julie N, Nicole, Susan & Janice, Lise, and Susie. And forever grateful for my new friendship with the amazing Amber.
I registered day one. I was not going to miss this for anything. So excited!
Last year was my first time at Bliss. To say it was an incredible experience doesn't really feel like it does it justice. The conference completely changed my blog and the way I look at it. In turn (at the risk of sounding cheesy) it started to change my life. I learned a lot about the balance of writing for myself, while still having a business. I made amazing connections and real friends that I still talk to on a regular basis. Most importantly, I had fun. I had so much fun with people who share my passion and who I had so much in common with. I learned so much in just a short period of time and really can not wait for 2013.
I cannot wait! I've been at BlissDom Canada since 2011 and even when I was speaking at another conference last year, I made sure that I had a pass for Bliss so that I could connect with amazing people and enjoy all the wonderful things the conference has to offer. I was waiting at the computer to buy my ticket this year; wouldn't miss it for the world!
I fell in love with Blissdom when I attended for the first time in 2010 -the inaugural year! I was there in 2011 and was incredibly disappointed when I had to cancel at the last minute in 2012 due to pregnancy complications. I wouldn't miss it for the world this year! For those on the fence about attending this year, you need to come!! You'll meet incredible people, learn incredible things, and have loads of fun in the process 🙂
(Ha ha, so I posted this on FB first, oops!)
This will be my third year too! Okay, well lets get out of the way that you can't beat meeting Jordan Knight, which is what happened two years ago, and that whole evening will remain etched in my brain (and YouTube) forever for a number of reasons. In fact that's the same night that I first met Shash (but I didn't know the glee girl was Shash until MUCH later! I'm so bad with facial comparison from our online icons, its kinda embarrassing. So no gushing from me and saying "OMG I follow you on Twitter!" that night, hahaha) I met some amazing women at Blissdom that year whom I'm now lucky to call friends, some are now some of my closest, and I look forward to seeing them again every year (even though we talk everyday online, its still so much MORE to be able to have a coffee with these gals.)
And there's all those learning experiences as well. I learned certain things about Taxes and blogging last year that I would never have considered, and writing tricks, and how to effectively use SEO (this I learned the first year, at a point in time where I really didn't care about SEO. Yeah, I know!)
If you can make it to Bliss, go for it! If you're afraid that 'I won't know anyone.' Well, we're here to talk to you now so you do know people, and trust me, you may walk in "alone", but you're gonna walk away with incredible support from fellow bloggers at the end of this year's conference.
You guys are doing an amazing job! I have never attended Blissdom before but already feel like a complete member of the Bliss family 🙂
I am so excited! The first year I hemmed and hawed, and finally bought my ticket in August. That was such a great decision! Whatever else may be going on I can't imagine missing Blissdom Canada. The friendships I've forged, faces (and hugs) I've put to Twitter handles, all that I've learned – so worth it!
And also, Blissdom Canada is just such a welcoming community. You can feel the love and acceptance!
Worth going. always worth going. Strictly on a money out vs. money in standpoint, each year I've gone I have made more money, directly related to contacts and experiences at Blissdom Canada, then I have spent on the conference. So as a business decision, it makes sense. Then add in the sessions, which inspire and teach. Plus, you sure know how to throw a party. Among other "fun" moments, the 2011 opening night shindig on the red carpet at CBC will stand out in my memory for always. And on a personal level, so awesome to see in person many of the people I interact with online. Getting excited just thinking about it. How many sleeps?