how to get the most out of a conference, or, advice for big omaha first-timers

Posted on 02. May, 2012 by Princess Lasertron.

With Gabe Kangas at the first Big Omaha

Big Omaha is an awesome tech/start-up/creative superconference to bring together forward-thinking entrepreneurs, developers, creative types created by Silicon Prarie News to inspire, support, and connect entrepreneurs who come from all around the country to attend. This year’s tickets all sold out in mere minutes (although you can still get on the waitlist!).

Omaha is an amazing place to live because we’re kind of within this huge wave of change in the way we work and live. On the economic side, our entrepreneurs are becoming more comfortable with risk, investors are noticing the start-ups coming out of the Midwest, and the tightly-knit, accessible community makes it easier to get more for your investment. On the cultural side, our music scene here is already well-known, but we’re also growing in bars and dance clubs, sports franchises, and fine arts attractions like ballet and opera. The close, supportive community has been really advantageous to our growth.

But enough of an Omaha commercial, I guess–I know that I’m mostly in the wedding industry and most of my readers are brides (and I know that most of them skip over posts like this), but I also know from my reader surveys that 30% of my readers are male and 65% of you LOVE the business posts. So knowing that, many of you reading now are probably entrepreneurs–creative, tech, or otherwise–and you’ve probably gone to a few conferences or at least thought about attending. On the #BigOmaha Twitter feed, I’ve seen a few people asking if anyone had any advice for first-time conference-goers. I tweeted a few tips and decided that I really wanted share them in a post.

1. Sit up front

If you want to pay attention and engage with the speakers, you can only sit up front. If you want to take bathroom breaks and have whispered side-conversations with a cool new person you’ve met, stand in the back. But don’t miss a chance to have an emotional connection to an awesome speaker–in the front row, they’re sure to remember you if you want to talk later.

2. Think of two questions for each speaker

You’ll most likely get a chance to ask them, either with a microphone after the talk, or at an after-party or chance hallway encounter. Pay attention to what your internal dialogue is doing as you listen and react to each talk. Was a detail left out that you’d like to understand more clearly? Do you have a question about how to apply the speaker’s lessons to your own experience? Think of a few questions you can ask because you will definitely get the opportunity.

3. Eat lunch last

So part of the reason you’re going to a conference in the first place is to meet people, right? One of the biggest opportunities to network is over the long lunch break. So if there’s a line to wait for a buffet-style lunch, wait until it dies down before you dig in. You’ll have time to eat, and you won’t waste any of it standing in a single-file line when you could be meeting some exciting people or joining a table of experts you’ve been wanting to meet.

4. Follow the Twitter feeds and hashtags in advance

Following the social media stream (for Big Omaha it’s #BigOmaha) for the conference you are attending in advance will make it easier to find and connect with the people you really want to meet. Follow some people, reply to some people, ask people some questions, answer some questions…then when you finally meet them in person you sort of have a foundation already and you’ve built some trust.

5. Put together something cool to leave with people

If you have a business card, that’s okay. I always try to do something a little more creative. I like this post and discussion on Robert Scoble’s blog about business card best practices. Flickr has more creative inspiration like the “Nice Package” and “Crafty Packages” groups.

6. Go to the parties

They’re fun, you’ll meet people, get your picture taken, and get free stuff. Parties are usually open to the public, so if you couldn’t snag a ticket, you can still drop in and absorb some of the energy and make some connections. And put your phone down while you’re having a cool conversation.

7. Be kind

You’re being recorded all the time–whether it’s literally by a photographer or videographer (which are everywhere), or just in the memories of everyone around you. Don’t be a jerk, remember to use your magic words, and share a thoughtful compliment when you can. You’re always broadcasting your brand, and people always remember the very good and very bad.

Finally, follow up with people you meet. Whether it’s informally through Twitter, or via e-mail–I’ve even snail-mailed people little packages before–just send the people you connected with a little shout to thank them for the friendship. Ask for help when you need it and be open to people who reach out to you.

I love going to Big Omaha because being an artist is not only creative, it has a lot to do with running a business. And as an entrepreneur, I’m excited to attend an event where I can meet other entrepreneurs and forward-thinkers who do work in creative industries. Big Omaha is my favorite conference because they do this so well, emphasizing business and technology and welcoming the artists, musicians, and designers, and writers–people who may normally be in the minority at conferences like this.

So that’s it.
I hope I see you at Big Omaha! I’ll be there with a posse–Sarah Lorsung-Tvrdik, my business partner, Shannon, my assistant, and my husband David who recently started a video game design company is coming too. I’m definitely dragging them all up to the front row with me. I hope you say hi when you see me, and I look forward to making lots of new friends!

xx
meg

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white horsies jump: mama and alice go to the international horse jumping event

Posted on 25. Apr, 2012 by Princess Lasertron.

I was asked about a month ago if I’d like four VIP passes to The International, an exciting world-class horse jumping show here in Omaha. I’d never been to a horse event before, so I accepted with glee–and it was SO fun!

So here’s what I learned about horse jumping:

• It’s judged on speed, and number of faults.
• If you knock down one bar, it’s a four-point fault. If your horse refuses to jump, that’s four. And if they refuse twice, you’re disqualified

The same jockey and horse won both nights, and on the second night, his wife, who also rides, came in second! They kissed while they were on their horses doing the ribbon parade thing–it was so cute. Then when all the horses have their ribbons, they gallop around the outside ring.

One of the best parts was the opening ceremonies of each night–a Native American tribe played a song to honor the veterans in the audience, and–I gotta say I liked this best–a troupe of trick-riding cowgirls FLEW around the arena doing horse acrobatics. Their white horses had pink manes and tails and GLITTER on their hides, and the girls stood on top of the horses, flipped around the saddles, and hung to the ground by one leg while the horses raced at top speed around the ring. The icing on the cake was the soundtrack to the routine–Space Jam by Quad City DJs? Lose Yourself by Eminem? And a little Down With the Sickness–yes, they played Disturbed. YES. Sarah, Alice and I were the freaks rocking out in the bleachers.

It was my first time at a horse show of any kind and we had so much fun. Alice loved it–she won’t stop talking about “white horsies jump HIGH!” “White horsies jump!!”

We enjoyed the Mercedes-Benz and Borsheims VIP cocktail parties (Mama and Aunt Sarah enjoyed them very much), and Alice loved the music–a little band on the first night, and harps on the second. One of the jockey’s dogs–a little pug–got loose and ran up on the stage while the harpists were playing. Two staff members were chasing him all over! Pug hero!

Thank you again to The International, Britten at Bailey Lauerman, and Borsheims for making it possible for me to attend–and thanks to my besties Alice and Sarah for making it so much fun.

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Introducing Lovestruck: Omaha’s first alternative wedding event!

Posted on 24. Apr, 2012 by Princess Lasertron.

What if those polyester draped tables were taken away and brides and their grooms could connect with vendors who really went above and beyond to make their weddings perfect? What if couples could feel the stationery, experiment with the decorations hands-on, and touch the dresses to visualize it all as part of their big day? What if they could eat the food, taste the champagne, dance to the music, and experience a host of creative new ideas to celebrate with their loved ones? What if you could leave a bridal fair feeling inspired, energized, and confident that you can plan your perfect wedding without sacrificing style or your budget?

Lovestruck is Omaha’s first wedding show created for the modern couple, to provide inspiration for the wedding of their dreams. I’m so excited to announce that the inaugural Lovestruck event in September 2012 will bring magic, simple beauty, and explosive creativity to brides in the Midwest.

About a year ago, event planner and childhood friend of mine Candace Kalasky of Lovestruck Social Events approached me about helping her organize and plan a nontraditional wedding fair to bring some new creative ideas to brides and grooms here in our region. We asked Lesley Pick of Inclosed Studio to join us, and we’ve been just rolling through the planning process for the biggest and most exciting wedding fair the Midwest has ever seen!

Enjoy some of these beautiful pictures from our photoshoot in February with The Mullers (and that behind-the-scenes video up top!). I have to give credit to all the wonderful businesses that helped us put the shoot together!

Photography: The Mullers
Prop Styling: Lovestru.ck Social Events
Videography: Circuit Tree Studios | Wedding Memories of Omaha
Stationery: Inclosed
Attire: Princess Lasertron | Rhylan Lang | Ready or Knot | Inez Gill
Wardrobe Styling: Fash Flood
Beauty: BUNGALOW/8 | Parlour 1887
Flowers: Flor Couture | Shamrock and Thistle Floral Design Studio
Desserts: Butterfly Bakery | Whisked Away
Rentals: Nostalgia Vintage Event Rentals
Models: Sarah Lorsung Tvrdik | Dani DuBay | Taylor Tracy

I’ll be sharing more news about the planning process and event details on my blog here as they roll out, but be sure to keep visting the Lovestruck website and follow us on Twitter for news and announcements. And for heaven’s sake, get your tickets!! (They’re only $35!)

xo
meg

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ask a furniture designer: a conversation with peter cales

Posted on 06. Apr, 2012 by Princess Lasertron.

Peter Cales is a designer, woodworker, and friend I have known socially for a few years, but we recently became closer friends and I’ve really enjoyed learning about his craft and his process, which he shares in generous detail on his blog at Measure Cut Cut. A few weeks ago, he delivered my newest purchase–a commissioned “black and birch” striped table for CAMP Coworking. We were in need of a new conference table, and I wanted something well-designed and bold, with some feminine je ne sais quoi. He sourced reclaimed wood from the Witherspoon Mansion and hand-cut each leg with the perfect amount of detail and curve.

I interviewed Peter about his inspiration, what he’s learned, where he’s going, and his process when working with custom clients. Try working with a local independent furniture designer in your area–it’s such a cool way to go handmade.

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Q: What right now are you really excited about and inspired by, and how is it influencing your current projects?
Peter: I’m really inspired by the Kent Bellows Studio right now – especially the building and the sort of “living” sets Kent made for his paintings and drawings. I’ve been interested in exploring textures and opaque tones in the work I’ve been doing lately. I just scheduled my first solo show to take place at KBS next September. I’ve had the opportunity to work with the kids there on a weekly basis for much of the last year and I just feel a unique energy every time I walk into the space. The building – and my mentoring experience, the kids, the staff, the history – it’s all influencing the work I’m doing and pushing me to take chances and try new things with my work.

Q: Are you ever stuck on ideas? What do you do when you feel like you want to create something, but you don’t know where to begin?
Peter: I get stuck sometimes in the design process, but usually I know I only have a small window of time to effectively work with a client, so I try to push through those kinds of things. Typically, I’ll just start drawing shapes and individual elements until things start to click. I like to make things for people who are interested in the design or fabrication process, so I usually end up trying to incorporate details that directly relate to their story or life. Those tend to be pretty inspiring in terms of working through road blocks in the design process.

I’m notoriously guilty of starting projects without really knowing how they’re going to reach fruition. Usually I’ll get a mental image of a completed piece. And if I know it’s something I really feel strongly about and want to make, I’ll just work until the real things matches the picture in my mind. I’ve made some of my more interesting chairs, and developed some of my signature pieces by doing this – particularly my star tables and signature wooden hot air balloons. Sometimes I end up wasting material because I’ll get so far into something and realize the piece just isn’t working. But generally I like the freedom of doing things really intuitively.

Q: What do you love about where you live?
A: I love living in Omaha because of the opportunity here. I mean, I’m able to work and support myself (most of the time, anyway) by making stuff. Who wouldn’t want to do that? I don’t think I could do what I’m doing in many other places. Access is a big thing in my world. I’m talking access to a network of clients and supportive people, resources, affordable housing and workspace. Omaha seems unique in the sense that if you want to do something here in the arts world, you can just do it. You don’t have to jump through hoops or know the right people. You can just do stuff and have a chance to be successful. There are definitely some drawbacks, too. I think there are some cultural ceilings here and there certainly aren’t the markets here that exist on the coasts. But the opportunities far outweigh the limitations right now for me.

Q: What advice do you have for someone who wants to support a designer like you but has never ordered custom commissioned work before?
A: I have a sense that most people are nervous about inquiring about custom work. They either think it’s going to be really expensive or that I’m going to be weird or something. But custom work is sort of my bread and butter, and I’m used to working with people who have modest budgets. Most of my clients tend to be younger professionals who have a little money to spend and want something unique that they can’t get at Ikea or Nebraska Furniture Mart.

I try to approach this kind of work in a really personal way. I want my clients to feel comfortable with me, but I also want to feel comfortable with them. After all, my work – kind of a part of me, really – is going to be in their home forever. And they’re likely going to incorporate the piece into their day to day lives. So I really work hard to seek out clients who will appreciate the experience of working closely with me. I want to know peoples’ stories – what they’re like, what they’re interested in and how our aesthetics match up – before we even start talking about what kind of piece they’re interested in. But I invest a lot of time in the custom/commission process because it’s important and valuable to me. After all, this is how I’ve chosen to spend the majority of my time, so I want to really enjoy my work experience and feel fulfilled by it. Custom work is time consuming and definitely not as cost-effective as more streamlined things. I could make more money making simple cabinets or repetitive designs, but it’s more worthwhile to me to consistently enjoy my work than it is to make a little more money doing something I don’t enjoy.

Q: Is there anything that you haven’t done or learned that you’d like to try?
A: There are so many things I haven’t learned. I want to be a better craftsman. I think I have an unfounded reputation as some sort of great craftsman. I’m probably better than most people who don’t make furniture and art for a living, but I have a long way to go before I earn any sort of great title. I think everyone should continuously work toward perfecting their craft or whatever they’re passionate about doing. I also want to ride in a hot air balloon. I have a pretty terrible fear of heights, so even flying on an airplane kind of freaks me out usually, but someday I will take a balloon ride. I also want to be a guest on Fresh Air with Terri Gross someday. I want to go back to Southeast Asia too. There are loads of things I want to do. But mostly I just want to make something amazing and leave a significant legacy. That’s what it’s all about for me.

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One cool thing Peter is working on right now is a side project called Tiny Wooden Box, a limited-edition line of just that–small handcrafted wooden boxes–priced at $50 each. I think they’re adorable and you’ll have use for them for a long time. I visualize a man buying one to hold an engagement ring for his wife, his wife using it to store her favorite earrings and rings, and maybe using one to store locks of hair from a baby’s first haircut or teeth for the tooth fairy. What don’t you need a tiny wooden box for?!

Check out Peter Cales’s commissioned and gallery work on his website, Measure Cut Cut, and pick up a tiny wooden box for your treasures too.

xo
meg

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luxury vintage paradise: my tour of borsheims in omaha

Posted on 03. Apr, 2012 by Princess Lasertron.

One of Omaha’s most beloved institutions is Borsheims Fine Jewelry. Opened over 100 years ago downtown, it is now a Berkshire Hathaway company offering over 62,500 square feet of fine jewelry, watches, and gifts. It’s a exciting to visit, with glittering floors and windows and uniformed security guards, and each section of the store–contemporary pieces, beautiful china and flatware, and of course the engagement rings–offers new inspiration and beauty to behold. Borsheims famously hosts the reception for Berkshire Hathaway’s annual shareholders meetings, which attracts tens of thousands of visitors each year. Warren Buffett even sells behind the counter during the event, and Bill Gates is a regular as well. It’s fun for our city.

I recently met Adrienne Fay, the Director of Marketing at Borsheims, at an Omaha Fashion Week rack check, and she invited me to visit the store for a tour of their corporate offices. As we were walking around the sales floor, she let me pore over the extensive and rare selection of vintage estate jewelry, and even try on a diamond tiara from the 1700s!

(I asked if any of it was haunted, and they weren’t sure.)

One thing I learned about SUPER vintage jewelry like this is that it often converts–for example, a tiara with small hinges on the sides that converts it into a round brooch. Or a removable ring set into a pendant. These old society ladies had some clever options for accessorizing for sure!

I also had some fun touring their corporate offices and meeting the team that cleans and adjusts all the jewelry and packages the beautiful gift boxes! I also met a few blog readers working there, so hi.

When I was little, I got a Pablo Picasso tea set for Christmas one year from Borsheims. When I noticed the signature silver package with the burgundy ribbon under the tree with my name on it, I was so excited.

If you live in Omaha, or ever come to visit, Borsheims is a great place to walk through for inspiration, and you’re crazy if you don’t find tons of stuff you want to take home with you. You all know about their famous bridal gift registry–their selection of dishes and gifts are beautiful and extensive. But ask a salesperson to show you the estate jewelry too–I’ll never forget the feeling of holding a 500-year-old diamond brooch in my hands.

Love this vintage ad from them too:

Just a fun tour and a fun thing about my city.
xo
meg

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