Internet Geek Girl

Erin Kotecki Vest  is a true renaissance women. As her bio states, she spent ten years as a broadcast journalist in Los Angeles, Orlando and Detroit winning six Golden Mic Awards with LA news institution KFWB. She now serves as Producer of Special Projects for  BlogHer.com where she hosts BlogHer Backtalk. She also tries to contribute to the Huffington Post, MOMocrats.com, and her own site Queen of Spain Blog as often as she can. You can find her on Twitter @queenofspain – she gives great tweets!! And please make sure to ask her about her interview with Barack Obama. BTW – if you can read all about why she calls herself the queen of spain, here.

To all that good stuff, I would add: Erin is hysterically funny, a community builder extraordinaire, smart as a whip and a non-stop contributor to the twittersphere. Plus she does all that while being an incredible (yet self-depreciating) mom and wife.  The love she has (and tweets about) for her family is inspiring.

Erin works for BlogHer, a community for women who blog. I spoke at BlogHer last year and I thoroughly enjoyed the chance to be at a conference with a majority female attendees (not common in the tech industry). Erin’s fantasy mobile application was generated by the BlogHer community and would add value to any event.  A community app for event attendess, this app would aggregate RSS feeds from blog posts, site content, hashtag searches, geo tracking of other event attendees, and even include a clean bathroom locator! Plus, for BlogHer they could include their prioprietary “Chatter” app which is similar to Twitter. By the way, she’s NOT wearing @armano ‘s cowboy hat – that’s hers!

It’s FollowFriday. And if you are not following @gapingvoid by now, you should be. Hugh Macleod is one of my favorite people in the whole world. He’s brilliant, kind and genuinely in love with Texas. I proudly carry my “Jersey girl” hugh card with me wherever I go. You can read lots about Hugh online and view all his great work for Microsoft, Stormhoek, his lithographs and 4×8 foot paintings (he just finished Desert Manhattan).  His newsletter, Crazy Deranged Fool is probably the best way to keep up with this prolific artist-cum-marketer.

When I met Hugh he had just landed in Silicon Valley from Scotland and was beginning the journey that would lead him to Alpine, Texas. I haven’t been there, but when I do go, the first place I will stop is Harry’s (seriously – check out Harry’s webpage, you will crack up).

Hugh’s fantasy application is representative of his passion and empathy – an app focused on enhancing his experience as an artist that can be used by artists everywhere to help them achieve their dreams.  Like the title of his new book implies, “Ignore Everybody, and 39 other keys to Creativity,” Hugh’s message helps others tap into their own brilliance and unleash it on the world. I know it’s true, because, he did that for me!

Here’s to Hugh.  Now go rank and comment on his fantasy app (especially if you are an artist).

By now, most of my fellow SXSW Interactive attendees have made it home and unpacked. Hopefully you have caught up on your lack of sleep and have warded off the SXSWsars (unfortunately I didn’t – can you hear my sniffles and scratchy voice?). If you’re like me, you’ve been digging through your email and reviewing the huge stack of business cards you collected in Austin. Processing all the information and inspiration takes time, especially for a show which overflows with both.

Unquestionably, SXSWi was a qualitative and quantitative success. There was a reported 25% increase in attendance year over year and the blog posts, tweets, and Facebook updates show nothing but love for this ritual “geek spring break.”

For me, the highlight of the trip was obviously the honor of co-hosting the TechSet Blogger Lounge with my co-founder @BrianSolis (and our event partners at Tokita Bethune, Inc.) The lounge and party were sponsored by Windows Mobile. The Windows Mobile team provided a great service to the community of bloggers, developers, marketers and influencers that set up shop in The Austin Suite. With great bandwidth and great company, the Windows Mobile lounge was THE PLACE to be every day (especially during our tweet ups from 4 – 6 pm – thank you AMD and Zappos). Plus, check out the videos that a bunch of well known geeks made in the lounge – Can you say Fantasy App? We were even lucky enough to have live entertainment one day from Paula Nelson (Austin native and Willie’s daughter). Big thanks to 1938media and John Rosenfelder (@earbender) for putting that together.

On the social front – I enjoyed going to Stubbs for the Diggnation event, The Salt Lick, Gueros, and of course, attending the many parties. “Best in show” include, Alltop, Facebook, Mashable and of course, The TechSet. The best pictures from the entire week come from Laughing Squid, Brian Solis and Wm. Marc Salsberry. Huge shout out to Joie de Vie salon and all the ladies from there that helped make me pretty every day (thanks Amanda, thanks Erin and the other Jerseygirl Steph).

For the last few years the Geeks have taken over the town before the music festival swings into full force. If you stay for part of the transition time, it’s funny to see the difference. My cab driver summed it up best – “the geeks are way more quiet and they are always playing on their phones.” He just doesn’t realize we’re making a ton of noise online and talking to our friends (who are sitting next to us in RL) on Twitter!

If you missed the show or like me, were too busy to attend most of the panels, here’s a short list of some recommended recaps:

• BlogWorld Expo Radio Podcast with yours truly and Jim Turner!
• The very awesome Nicole Jordan on her blog, Kicking Sand. She captures the style and substance.
• Nothin’ but SocNet’s Zena Weist has a great list of other recaps in addition to her insightful musings. She doesn’t just chat about social media – she lives it.
• Omar Gallaga from the Austin Statesman has a bunch of good stuff (with a local spin) on Austin360, with individual panel/party/videos here. Omar also did an NPR segment last Monday which was very cool.
• Pamela Lund on Massively Networked reviewed some very cool panels, which included tidbits of advice from: Thor Muller (Get Satisfaction, Inc.), Patrick Moorhead (Razorfish), and Ben Rigby (Mobile Voter), Barrett Fox (COCO Studios) and Jeroen Lapre (distant-galaxy.com).
• Jeff Beckham’s SXSW Scorecard looks back at the 19 panels/talks he attended, and he ranked them.  Very good stuff.
• RJ Owen of O’Reilly’s InsideRIA had at a great take on parties and panels!
• The ever-good-spirited @technosailor shares his journey and musings. Love the shout out to the Blogger Lounge!

BTW – David Carr wrote a nice piece in the NYT today that tells the story of the founding of the entire festival and it’s impact on the town. Plus his insights about the THRIVING Austin Chronicle, which has fueled this multimedia event since its inception, are especially intriguing given a market where many newspapers are failing.

All I can say is….keep Austin Weird and Geeky!

I’ll leave you with a video from my friend Guy Kawasaki that he did from his Kirsty-Alltop Party. Ya gotta love Texas (especially once / year in Austin)!

The TechSet Blogger Lounge & Party

Well, it goes without saying that I’m going to start with the events we are planning. We cordially welcome you to join in on the TechSet Blogger Lounge and Party (sponsored by Windows Mobile).

Date: Starting on Friday, March 13th at 1 pm, the Blogger Lounge is located on the 3rd floor in the Austin Suite and the hours are as follows:
Friday, March 13
1:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Saturday March 14 – Tuesday, March 17
9:30 am – 6:00 pm

There are going to be amazing things going on here, including daily tweet ups from 4 – 6 pm! Tweetup sponsors include: LiveSearch, AMD and Zappos!

The party at the Belmont Lounge is Friday, March 14th from 8 – 10 pm. What can I say – it will be the party of the week. Be there or be square! And don’t forget to check out the ever so wonderful Gapingvoid, as he cartoons his way through one of the most sophisticated locales in Austin!

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Of course you should check out the SXSW website for all details on everything, and make sure you are using the My SXSW.com site too! The list of parties on their site is a must read. Plus, see below for a summary of “reminders” that will make your trip much easier.

Date: Saturday, March 14th

Can you Digg It? – 6.30 pm – 2 am

Revision3 & Digg present  the return of the biggest party at SXSWi – the second annual Bigg Digg Shindigg, Now with 100% More Diggnation! Come for an evening of revelry, music & mayhem at world famous Stubbs BBQ. We’re featuring a live Diggnation, great music from acclaimed band Republic Tigers, DJ Mancub (Space Cowboys) spinning tunes late into the night, and a special live performance of Scam School with host Brian Brushwood. As always, this is a free event to attend, and no SXSW badge is needed…just spread the word and we’ll see you there!

Date: Sunday, March 15th

These Boots are Made for Walking – NOON

Make your way to Allen’s Boots 1522 South Congress Ave….meet Richardatdell and David Armano for “AllHat…No Cattle” shopping for hats (special guest Mack Collier), boots, buckles and then a brunch…a great time of mixing and mingling.

Brian Solis Book Signing – 3.30 – 4 pm

Brian Solis will host a book signing at SXSW for his brand new book w/Deirdre Breakenridge, “Putting the Public Back in Public Relations: How Social Media is Reinventing the Aging Business of PR.” The book will be available for sale on site (or feel free to bring your copy). Located at the South by Bookstore

Date: Monday, March 16th

Microsoft BizSpark Accelerator at SXSW – Downtown Hilton, 10 – 5.30 PM

You know I love me some BizSpark! The newest addition to the SXSW Interactive schedule of activities is Microsoft BizSpark Accelerator at SXSW, which occurs on the sixth floor of the Downtown Austin Hilton. This event showcases some of the web’s most exciting new innovations, enabling the entrepreneurial visionaries behind these new products to demo their creations in front of a live audience of industry professionals and technology trend-settters.

Whrrl Me a Up – 8 – 10 pm

Whrrl is hosting the Official SXSW Film & Interactive party and bringing in some awesome entertainment! Don’t miss the world-premiere of Illeana Douglas with Sparhusen, and the hot new alt-rock band Parachute! Hosted bar and appetizers. RSVP here:

Mashable + Blurb SX Bash at 9.30 pm
Blurb starts things off at 8pm at Tap Room with food, drinks, and rockers Aranda. Mashable kicks it up a notch at 9:30pm in Six Lounge with drinks, DJ Marko, our friends from Powered, Blellow, Pepsi and don’t forget Paypal hosting the Social Media Smackdown for Charity. (will have a link for this once PR has gone out.)  RSVP here!

By the by, you’ve probably received reminder emails from SXSW, but just in case, make sure you note the following:

• REGISTRANTS – UPLOAD YOUR BADGE PHOTO NOW at my.sxsw.com.
• As soon as you get into town, go register FIRST. (bring a valid photo id and copy of your registration form).
• Check on your hotel and travel reservations.
• Make sure you are keeping your google calendar up to date with all these events and check it regularly. Things get CRAZY busy, but remember, go with the flow of it all and you will have a blast.
• Follow all relevant twitter accounts and sign up for mobile alerts by SXSW!
• Bring lots of casual outfits, but have a one or two dress up outfits for the biggest parties (see above).
• Ladies, have some comfortable walking shoes to use in between parties. There’s a lot of downtown walking.
• Don’t leave town without eating SaltLick BBQ and drinking lots of local beers! OH and going to Guero’s is a must!

By the way – there are too many amazing panels to mention here, but make sure you schedule a few of those as well, including David Armano, Deborah Schultz, Aubrey Sabala, and so many more.

See you in Austin next week!

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As I said on Twitter, I’m adding stuff that people send me:

• The MediaTemple Closing night party! They’ve just added Voxtrot to the lineup as well… If you don’t have a SXSW badge they will be giving away 200 tickets soon..stay posted
• 20×2 – Monday night, from 7 – 9:30: http://20×2.org/

It would have been better to get this blog post up on January 1st. What can I say, it’s been a very busy first 2 weeks of the New Year. Today, one of the most important days of our nation’s history, I am thinking about new beginnings and ushering in a new way of doing business. So the timing still feels right to share this.

I’m a fan of every New Year. This is the time of year when individuals and companies think about goals and establish plans for action. It’s a time of rebirth. It is the perfect time to clean the slate, appreciate how far you have come and imagine how far you will go. I don’t call these resolutions, I just know that if I put my desires out to the universe and I will achieve them.

The biggest change this year relates to one specific area of business I have added value in for a long time: The OPM business (Outsourced Program Management) for you non-affiliate folks. For the past almost 5 years I have led agencies focused on helping companies run their LinkShare, Commission Junction and ShareASale programs. OPMs are affiliate marketing experts with established contact bases that help merchants form affiliate partnerships, acquire new affiliates, optimize existing relationships, merchandise products through the sales channel, activate this virtual sales force and drive revenue.

It has been an amazing experience and I have worked with some many people and great companies, including: Acorn Online, Costume Super Center, Constant Contact, Gourmet Monthly Clubs, Avenue, and many more. In the last year, I launched Affiliate Karma, an affiliate marketing brand focused on providing this important service. In 2009, Affiliate Karma joins forces with Schaaf Consulting to deliver the most premier OPM service in the business. Scaling a service business is no easy task. My partnership with Schaaf allows me to continue to be a thought leader and force in the affiliate industry while also pursuing my interests in the area of publishing, social media and events. There is only so much time in a day. More details on this coming soon!

Stephanie Agresta Consulting LLC is undergoing a re-design. You’ll see a new look-and-feel for my sites, exciting plans for the TechSet brand, and a lot more content flowing from these pages. My work will continue to include strategic consultation in online marketing and social media; producing events and experiences that leverage my contact base and online audience; and online promotion of the products and people I support. I will also be adding more advertising units to my blogs (in a tasteful and disclosed way).

InternetGeekGirl will continue to be the blog brand that covers the people, places and products that I love. You’ll see more interviews with my colleagues, more podcasts, and a regular series called, “Ask Internet GeekGirl.” Affiliate-Karma.com will now serve as a resource to anyone interested in securing OPM services for their affiliate program. You can pick my brain for free and I’ll let you know the solution that I think is right for you.TechSet.tv which is still in the works, will let you know the parties, events and conferences you should be attending each week. StephanieAgresta.com will serve as the central hub for it all and thanks to the talented people at ContentRobot and WeFixWP you will see that site changing soon!

I often look to my friends and colleagues in the industry to guide my way.  People like: Chris Brogan, Tara Hunt, Hugh MacLeod,  Jeremiah Owyang, Brian Solis, Shawn Collins, Gary Vaynerchuk, CopyBlogger, Jeremy Shoemaker, Loren Feldman, Sarah Lacy are great examples of people delivering quality content on a regular basis, in multiple formats to an interested audience. Inspired by these folks, I will get more prolific.

But the secret sauce is the combination of all that we do. And I’m a do-er. As much as I love writing, I love doing. Stay tuned for big announcements about SXSW, web2expo and Blog World Expo. I hope to see you in a city soon.

It’s 2009, and change is finally here!