A fter my husband threw some vegetables in a pot for another Paleo dinner-a-la-tata (daddy) and kids whined to go the park, I looked at him pleading to get out for an hour to attend the Thrival Seminar on Social Media.
Having been granted a reprieve dressed in my floor-length mommy garb and my deteriorating handbag, I set out for a networking event a-la-Thrill-Mill, who BTW is hosting a weekend concert event with MOBY! Am I that old that I get goo-goo over an old musical stable from my college playlist.. yes I am! If only I could backpack my kids onto me and bounce around swaying to the harmony telling myself it’s a good thing I am keeping young with my young. My two-year-old will not Ergo with me anymore, nope he is headed on his own path. Late as always Lazar, the said two-year-old, had to be driven around solo until he decided it was time to get out of the car for the park.
Once at Thrill Mill headquarters in the heart of the East Liberty circle, I was gleeful that I missed networking for the talk to begin, because.. well.. I have no business cards and no running list of my social media ranking to brag about.
Here is what I learned… a whole lot of cool stuff is going down five minutes from my house and mommies are invited!
I learned about Romeo Delivers, a start-up that is developing “Solution software that pair products with mobile devices” that allow you to customize sticky notes with fill-in the blanks. Their test market began with men that need help finding gifts and romantic ideas, which sounds great in my world. They generate revenue from subscriptions that begin at $15/month. Note to self: find out how much I spend on cards at Cards Unlimited in Shadyside.
Founder of Covey, Sarah Aerni with her very new son
Also of note, Vanessa Jameson and Jessica Ghilani of Covey App spoke about how they met as new moms needing to network and basically find mommy-friends. In my case, I had mommy-friends before I had babies and then I like to credit myself of having convinced everyone else that babies were all the rage and everyone had to have one. However, there app helps cultivate networks of moms who are in need of advice, play groups, or someone to have a break from mommy-dom. Their app will launch at the end of the month – “Helping moms branch out on the fly.”
Golly Gee, I want an app! And if you cry this in a room of entrepreneurs, they will answer. I was amazed at how many opportunities there are for ideas that are still developing ways to make money while providing an important outlet and service to the community. I was uplifted from my Paleo soup world to chat with these women in my snot stained skirt.
Nadine Champsi is a doctor who left the stethoscope to be a mommy blogger and is reporting for Next Pittsburgh. Later, after bedtime stories and the wailing of “I am still hungry because daddy only fed us squash” I got to peruse Nadine’s stories and I was duly impressed by her September creative events story. I wrote one about apple picking a few years ago for the PG and hers left mine for apple sauce. Check it out.
I am still trying to figure out how I can strap my two, four, and six-year olds onto my person and hang out with the young people at a musical festival. If only I could wear them as the ultimate hippy outfit and nothing else. Wait, was that gross?! Kate Moss could probably pull it off.
Interested in more future tech and social media stuff!!! Here is what I heard is going down..beside the music
Sept 12 Friday - Open Shop: The Entrepreneur Showcase The Leadership Lab @ Google Headquarters
Sept 13 Saturday -The Pitch Presented by PNC Hosted by AlphaLab Gear @ Thrill Mill headquarters
Sept 14 Sunday - PIT Talks: The Innovation Mind Mesh
