Bloganista Mini-Con

Meet the Bloganistas!

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The theme for this year’s Bloganista Mini-Con presented by Laura Vincent Printing & Design, set for August 1, 2015 at Vestavia Hills Library, is BLOG LIKE A BOSS!

Here are the conference speakers and panelists who are going to help you do just that:

Eunice Elliott

TV and radio personality Eunice Elliott will be our special guest at the conference and MC for the morning half of the event.

Eunice joined Alabama’s 13 in August 2013 as the traffic reporter. A native of Bessemer, Eunice is a proud graduate of The University of Alabama, where she earned a Journalism/Theatre degree in 1997. She has enjoyed working in sports/entertainment over the years including stints at ESPN in Connecticut, The Tennessee Titans, The FedEx Orange Bowl Committee and helmed her own public relations firm for many years representing professional athletes. Eunice performs weekly as a stand-up comedian at the Stardome Comedy Club, and also enjoys acting, radio broadcasting and writing/producing new television shows. Follow Eunice on Facebook and Twitter to see where she’s performing next!

jeniese

Jeniese Hosey will be our afternoon keynote speaker.

Jeniese Hosey is a 30-something woman from Birmingham, Alabama who loves all things fashion! In 2010 she started her blog The Jenesaisquoi, to show women that style has no relevance to size or age.  Jeniese has appeared in Ebony.com, Essence.com, Plus Model Magazine, Centric TV.com and DARE Magazine. Her blog has been showcased by several of her favorite fellow plus-size bloggers. She is a monthly contributor to the Plus Model Magazine Blog and she has collaborated with several of her favorite brands. By day Jeniese works as a PR/Marketing professional.  Along with fashion Jeniese loves football, traveling and food. She received her BA in Public Relations from The University of Alabama and an MBA in Marketing from Capella University.

During her afternoon keynote address Jeniese will discuss how she landed the many opportunities she’s enjoyed to work with brands and big names and will also reveal how she deals with the not-so-glamorous side of fashion blogging. 

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Chanda Temple will be our morning keynote speaker and during the Morning Mingle will be on hand to critique your business card.

Chanda worked as a journalist for nearly 20 years before switching gears to public relations in 2012. For the past three years Temple has crafted numerous public relations campaigns that the public and media noticed. Her latest success was coauthoring the Birmingham’s Best Bites cookbook. The self-published paperback book sold out three times in late 2014 and earned an international gold medal award in 2015. Also in 2015, her public relations campaign for the book, and the Birmingham food festival it was connected to, won a first place state award in public relations. Follow her blog at chandatemplewrites.com.

During her morning keynote address, Chanda will offer tips on how bloggers can build a personal brand and get that brand noticed by media and more. 

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Our afternoon panel discussion MAGAZINE DREAMS will offer tips on how you and your blog can be featured in your favorite magazine, how you can write for your favorite magazine and how you can start a magazine of your own. Our panelists are Maacah Davis of belladonna magazine, Annie DeVries of Hoffman Media and Kaneshia Sims of Red PaSH Magazine.

Maacah

Maacah Davis is the founding editor and creator of belladonna magazine, which she started to provide an outlet for some of Birmingham’s fashion and art-minded creatives. A former biology major at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, she is currently taking a gap year to figure out her future. In the meantime, in addition to being the creative director of Birmingham’s first fashion magazine, her work as a stylist has been published in B-Metro’s recurring feature segment, Birmingfamous. She has directed photoshoots for independent local makeup brand Fancy is Flawless, and she is excited to be at the helm of her first ad campaign with local cosmetics company, Hayah Beauty. As someone who has called Birmingham home for ten years now, she revels in making her twenties all about further exploring and presenting her, and her teams’, creative capacities.

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Annie DeVries is the online editor at Hoffman Media, where she oversees web and social media content for the company’s eight magazines. After freelance writing and styling for several years, she began working as the assistant editor of fresh style magazine, and then became Southern Lady‘s associate editor before starting her current position. Working in magazine publishing was a somewhat unexpected career path. Annie holds a PhD in history from Rutgers University, and previously taught at Birmingham Southern College and the University of Alabama. The research, problem-solving, and writing skills she gained during graduate school and while teaching have proved invaluable in her work as an editor.

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Kaneshia Sims has a deep passion for Birmingham, all of its small businesses and local charities. Using her background in public relations and mass communications, Kaneshia took her passion and turned it into a business.  Kaneshia now serves as editor of  Red PaSH Magazine and head public relations coordinator of Southern PaSH.

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Bloganista defined

Our morning panel discussion BLOG LIKE A BOSS will cover best blogging practices, how to grow your blog’s audience, and how to build your blog into a business. Our panelists are Heather Brown of My Life Well Loved, Jennifer Dome King of Stellar Fashion and Fitness and yours truly!

View More: http://jettwalkerphotography.pass.us/my-life-well-loved-may

Heather Brown has been blogging for 6 years and has worked in social media since graduating from Samford University. She married her college sweetheart and they are expecting their first baby this month! Heather built her initial blog’s social media following to over 27,000 members, helped grow her employer’s Facebook page to over 150,000 followers, and currently has over 50,000 social media/newsletter subscribers to her current blog, MyLifeWellLoved.com. Heather’s passion is helping others grow their blog, brand, and social media as well as empowering women to be their best in healthy living, southern style, recipes, faith, beauty and finding balance.

Jennifer Dome3

Jennifer Dome King is the assistant editor of Bassmaster Magazine and also works as a freelance writer and copy editor. She blogs about fashion, health and fitness and body positivity at StellarFashionandFitness.com where she hopes to encourage women to lead a stellar life. Originally from New Jersey, she has adopted Birmingham has her new home for the past 8 years and loves exploring it with her husband of one year, Jermaine.

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Javacia Harris Bowser is the founder and CEO of See Jane Write LLC, a membership organization and website designed to empower and enrich women who write and blog. Before returning to her hometown of Birmingham, Alabama in 2009 to teach at the Alabama School of Fine Arts, Javacia worked as a features reporter in Louisville, Kentucky. Today she continues her journalism career as a freelance writer for a number of media outlets including USA Today, Birmingham magazine and WBHM90.3 FM, Birmingham’s NPR affiliate. Javacia also writes a monthly column for B-Metro magazine on women’s issues. Javacia holds a master’s degree in journalism from UC Berkeley and is a proud graduate of the University of Alabama. Follow her blogs at WriteousBabe.com and Javacia.com.

 

Get your tickets to this year’s Bloganista Mini-Con at bloganista2015.eventbrite.com now! Ticket sales end July 30 and no tickets will be sold the day of the event. 

 

The Bloganista Mixer presented by Collage Designer Consignment

Disclosure: This post is brought to you by Collage Designer Consignment, sponsor of this year’s Bloganista Mixer, but all opinions are my own.

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If you feel as if you just can’t wait until the See Jane Write Bloganista Mini-Con presented by Laura Vincent Printing & Design to meet other Birmingham-area bloggers, then I have good news: you don’t have to!

Join us for the Bloganista Mixer presented by Collage Designer Consignment. Mingle with local bloggers while noshing on delicious hors d’oeuvres. Chat with some of this year’s conference speakers. And, of course, while you’re at Collage you can shop for your conference outfit!

Collage is celebrating its 23rd birthday this month, so you can get 23% off summer apparel and if you spend more than $75 you’ll receive a free gift!

July Anniversary Sale 2015 copy

Collage Designer Consignment was a vendor at last year’s Bloganista Mini-Con and I am so proud to partner with Collage again for this year’s Bloganista Mixer. In fact, I think there’s a lot we bloggers can learn from Collage owner Tracy True Dismukes.

Tracy_Black 2009

Tracy teaches us to be selective. Collage is known for being exceptionally selective in the items accepted to sell on consignment. Clients include news anchors, government officials, pageant winners, actresses, professionals and soccer moms who all know they can find anything from boutique brands to high-end designer labels, from GAP to Gucci, with all the benefits of a cozy and friendly full-service boutique – all at prices less than wholesale.

Likewise, we must be selective when blogging. We can’t post simply to post and we shouldn’t accept posts from guest bloggers who aren’t in line with the voice and vision for our blogs. We must give our readers high-quality content with a relatable and friendly tone. That’s what makes for good customer service in the blogosphere!

Tracy’s strategies have worked. Collage has been voted Best Consignment Shop and Best Women’s Boutique in Birmingham Magazine and the Birmingham News and was awarded Retailer of the Year by the Alabama Retail Association.  Collage has been featured nationally on FOX Business, Entrepreneur Magazine, Southern Living and in the national publication of AARP Bulletin. Tracy has appeared numerous times on NBC13, CBS42, FOX6 and ABC 33/40 as well as CBS Atlanta and has been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, Philadelphia Enquirer, Entrepreneur.com, Birmingham Business Journal and Birmingham News.

Tracy teaches us to give back. In the past Collage has partnered with My Sister’s Closet of the YWCA and to give prom gowns to teen girls who otherwise wouldn’t have been able to afford one. And she’s worked with WellHouse Ministries to host events to bring greater awareness of human trafficking to the Birmingham area.

We should all consider how we can use our blogs to spread awareness for the causes we believe in.

I hope to see you Thursday at the Bloganista Mixer presented by Collage Designer Consignment. This is a free event but registration is required. Register at bloganistamixer2015.eventbrite.com.

Every Bloganista Needs a Game Changer

On July 19, See Jane Write hosted its first mini-conference.  Seventy five people showed up for our  Bloganista Mini-Con. I count it as a major success and not simply because of a packed house.

I believe the Bloganista Mini-Con was a success because so many people left the event feeling inspired.

I was so inspired by #bloganista that I am, as of RIGHT NOW, starting my new blog on @Squarespace! #sjwbhm @seejanewritebhm More to come!
— Mandy Shunnarah (@fixedbaroque) July 20, 2014

Tweets like the one above made my day. And days after the conference I ran into other attendees who told me they left the conference so motivated that they’ve been on Cloud 9 ever since.
And I left the conference feeling just as inspired as they did.

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We Love Our Sponsors

Next week’s Bloganista Mini-Conference wouldn’t be possible without the support of several sponsors, who will be contributing food, drinks, and awesome door prizes to the event.

 
With a focus on families and businesses, Hamer Law Group is a Birmingham-based law firm seeking to provide candid advice, creative solutions, aggressive representation and results to clients across Alabama. Hamer Law Group is committed to helping small businesses, including See Jane Write LLC. Hamer Law Group sponsored last month’s Bloganista Mixer, which served as a preview party for the Bloganista Mini-Conference. If you had a blast at that event, you definitely don’t want to miss this month’s conference. 
 
 
Sol’s Sandwich Shop & Deli, located in downtown Birmingham just off 20th Street North, is all about fresh and local. All of their burgers, hoagies, wraps and sandwiches are made to order with great ingredients and generous portions. At the Bloganista Mini-Con, Sol’s will be providing breakfast snacks for the Morning Mingle.
 
 
 
Church Street Coffee & Books is located in Crestline Village in Birmingham, Alabama. Church Street sells books, coffee, pastries and tea and hosts book clubs and a number of other community events. The staff at Church Street also publishes a book blog called PostScript. Church Street will provide coffee for the Morning Mingle.
 
 
 
 
Urban Cookhouse  is a vibrant, bustling restaurant that consistently serves excellent tasting food with exceptional customer service. The folks at UC use the freshest ingredients available with an emphasis on supporting the local farmer. In fact, they not only buy local produce for use in their kitchen, they also sponsor and manage the Homewood and Summit Farmer’s Markets. Conference attendees who register by July 10 will receive an Urban Cookhouse gift card. 
 
 
 
 
For more than 20 years, Collage Designer Consignment has outfitted some of the best dressed women in Alabama.  With locations ‘On the Curve’ in Downtown Homewood and at the Vestavia City Center, Collage has been voted ‘Best Women’s Boutique’ by readers of Birmingham Magazine and ‘Best Consignment Shop’ by many publications and ‘Best of Birmingham’ year after year. A representative from Collage will be present at the Bloganista Mini-Con selling clothing and accessories so the fashionistas who attend can do some shopping while they’re learning more about blogging. Collage is also giving away a jewelry set to one lucky winner. 

 
 
Public Radio WBHM 90.3 FM, a listener-supported service of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, is “Your NPR News Station” and home to the Alabama Radio Reading Service for the blind and print-impaired. WBHM programming and award-winning regional journalism also can be heard in North Central Alabama on WSGN 91.5 FM through a partnership with Gadsden State Community College. Listen and give online at wbhm.org and follow the station on Twitter @WBHM and on Facebook. WBHM is our media sponsor for the Bloganista Mini-Conference. Be sure to tune in to hear announcements about the conference. Also, at the conference you could win a WBHM lunch bag filled with goodies like a WBHM French press travel mug, a Radio Lab t-shirt and an Eric Essix CD. 
 
 
 
Inspire Fitness is a locally-owned fitness studio that offers Spinning, yoga, and strength conditioning classes as well at personal training. The coaches at Inspire Fitness are passionate about helping their clients meet their personal fitness goals and give them personalized attention to help them do so.  At the Bloganista Mini-Conference, one lucky attendee will win a free functional strength screening ($60 value), plus a 3-class package ($30 value) from Inspire Fitness. 
 
 
In the area of skincare for the face and body, Sisley‘s expertise is well known.  Sisley Paris, available in Birmingham at Saks Fifth Avenue, offers a complete line of products to meet the needs of different skin types and various issues including makeup removal, hydration, anti-aging, sun protection and hair care. One lucky conference attendee will win a Sisley Paris spa experience. 
 
 
 
 

Meet the Bloganistas


The mini-conference will be held 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 19 at the Homewood Public Library, 1721 Oxmoor Road. You can find a complete conference schedule and order tickets at thebloganistaconference.eventbrite.com. 

Now get to know our speakers and panelists. 



Alexis E. Barton is a style blogger and digital influencer whose commentary and fashion advice appears weekly on the popular blog SameChicDifferentDay.com, which she launched in September 2011. Her personal style tips have been featured in The Birmingham News, Skirt.com, Life and Style PR and on WBHJ 95.7 JAMZ. Alexis has appeared on ABC 33/30’s Talk of Alabama and on CBS 42’s Wake Up Alabama. She has worked with the Council of Fashion Designers of America, H&M, Girls Inc., Macy’s, Belk, and a number of other non-profits, businesses and brands to help make the world a more stylish place. Alexis has been named a 2013 Role Model by the Girls Scouts of North-Central Alabama and this year was named a Birmingham Trailblazer by The Birmingham Times. 


Heather Brown is the lifestyle blogger and social media and blogging consultant behind MyLifeWellLoved.com. She is a Birmingham native, has been married for 5 years and has been blogging for 4 years. She would love for you to connect with her on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter or Instagram @MyLifeWellLoved.





Megan LaRussa Chenoweth is the fashion stylist, image consultant and personal shopper behind Southern Femme, which is both a blog and a style consulting service. A Birmingham native, Megan moved to New York City to work for a famed trend forecaster and pursue a Master’s degree from Parsons School of Design. But the South wooed her back with its slower pace and picturesque landscape. Megan created Southern Femme because of her desire to educate her favorite women in the world, Southern ladies, on both high fashion and their everyday wardrobe. Megan has styled and produced fashion shoots for several magazines including Birmingham magazine, Alabama magazine, and Seventeen. 



Vanessa Culpepper of the blog BuddingFashionista.com is ready to step out in style no matter the time of day or occasion. As a producer of a morning news program, she doesn’t let her overnight shift keep her from putting a stylish spin on work-appropriate looks. She carries the same attitude toward her weekend wardrobe when she is off the clock and running around with two kids in tow! Vanessa does all this while stretching her budget to the max! She doesn’t claim to be the hottest fashionista around…she is just budding.


Williesha Morris has been hustling gigs of the freelance variety since she graduated from the University of South Carolina with a journalism degree in 2001. Since 2012 she has been pursuing the dual title of administrative consultant/virtual assistant and writer. Having this title allows her to never get bored, along with helping small business owners and entrepreneurs get more done and show freelancers how to truly live a “free” freelance life. You can find her on Twitter – @willieshamorris. She created her blog MyFreelanceLife.com in 2013 and also blogs at nerdythirtysomething.wordpress.com. 


Tanya Sylvan of the blog All In Stride is a Jersey girl living in Birmingham who loves to run far and eat lots. Her real life and blog life collided recently when a long-time blog reader offered her a job doing marketing and public relations for an outdoor publications company. Now she can say that she really does eat, sleep, and breathe all things outdoors! You can find her blogging about running, recipes, and random life events at tanyasylvan.com.


Carla Jean Whitley is a writer, editor and teacher based in Birmingham, Alabama, where she is managing editor of Birmingham magazine. Her first book, Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, is set for publication by The History Press on July 22. Carla Jean founded the music blog Birmingham Box Set, and has also written for BookPage, Paste, The Birmingham News, Sky and a variety of other magazines and newspapers. Carla Jean volunteers with literacy organizations and teaches journalism at the University of Alabama and Samford University. Her favorite yoga pose is bakasana and her favorite cats are orange. Connect with her at carlajeanwhitley.com.