As I wandered the hallways and spaces of the Financial Blogger Conference last week, I was struck by what I can only describe as the power of the network. As members of The Yakezie Blog Network, we have access to one of the most powerful elements of society. And, it’s custom built just for us!
There are several things that a network can do for us. The most obvious thing, to a member of The Yakezie, is the power inherent in numbers. The larger the group, the more collective power you have to bargain and negotiate.
Another of the benefits of the network is the benefit of allies. Like the samurai of old that our network is modeled after, we are each others allies. When one of us needs help, we only need sound the call and we’ll have as much help as we need. We all pitch in to make each person in the network stronger.
Those benefits alone are sufficient enough to warrant membership in a network, whether that network is The Yakezie or some other network. It wasn’t until I was in Chicago at FINCON that another benefit of the network struck me. Perhaps it isn’t even another benefit itself, but merely a deepening of the others. As I met many of the other members of my online network, and we became familiar with each other, the bonds that we had formed through our online interactions became stronger. We became friends.
Being a part of a network can be a powerful thing in, and of, itself. The relationships we build online can be strong in, and of, themselves. Heck, people get married all the time after dating online and only meeting once or twice. When you take the strength of those relationships and build on them through the camaraderie of something like FINCON, the network only gets stronger. Unfortunately, not everyone in our humble network was able to make it to Chicago, but I hope those of you that weren’t able will be able to make it next year. Already, just days after the conference, I feel the network is stronger. I can only imagine where it will be a year from now!
Note from Sam: Let’s try and make it a soft goal for all of us in the Yakezie to meet each other face to face by end of 2013. Whether we happen to be flying to NYC or the West Coast for business or what not, let’s send out a note in the forums, or a tweet and make an effort to get a drink. Even for just a 30 minute gathering, it’s so worth it. For those of you in Portland, San Diego, LA, Denver, and NYC, let’s connect!
I’m pretty sure this network is a huge reason for many of our successes! I know it is for mine! My brother has recently started a site on leadership and he’s having trouble, mainly because there’s no network for him to go to for help or support. I’m so glad I found The Yakezie!
Fore sure, it’s a huge part of my success, I think. If your brothers leadership site is a blog, maybe he want’s to consider adding it here as a lifestyle blog?
I hope to be at the conference next year! I agree that the Yakezie network is one of the influences in the success of my blog. Go Yakezie!
I hope you make it! It was a ton of fun.
I agree. I have been to conferences before where it is a bit strange to meet in real life the people behind the blogs I read because I know all about them through the blog, and they know nothing about me. I thought it would be a bit like that when I got to meet those in the Yakezie at the conference, but it wasn’t at all. I really enjoyed it and wish I could have met even more Yakzei members. The difference is that we all already have a relationship–a friendship–through Yakezie, so the relationship goes both ways unlike meeting someone whose blog you read but you have never interacted with. Seeing Yakezie members in person was just one way to further cement the relationships, as you say. Great post!
The dynamic at FINCON was really awesome. I never once felt like I was “the blogger that nobody wanted to talk to” despite my site’s relative size difference with some of them. And the Yakezie were all so super too!
Blogging is sort of a solo venture. You’re sort of on your own little island when it comes to that part of your life. But many bloggers take what they do and make it an important part of each others lives, so to then build that network takes it from a solo activity to a meaningful, shared activity where you can ‘look around’ and see those standing beside you, which makes it a lot easier and even more meaningful. Thanks for the well-put summary of why networking is so key.
I think that’s one of the big, unspoken benefits too. We do what we do online, with little, in person, social interaction in our field. Having an event like this that brings us together is pretty awesome.
If it weren’t for the relationships I’ve formed with other bloggers, I would have been out of this game a long time ago. One of my goals over the next year is to take these relationships to the next level and actually try to meet face to face. I missed FINCON this year, but would really love to go next year.
For sure, having a network is a great was to keep your interest piqued in blogging.
100% Agree with this, and it was great to meet you BB. I didnt know there was someone in a small state like mine! Melissa makes a good point – I thought it’d be a little odd meeting everyone and knowing about them, but it wasnt. It worked out fantastically.
Sam – you mentioned those of us in denver. I’m not there, but i’m close enough. So anyone going to denver, Give me a shout!
I’m really hoping that FINCON12 is in Denver. It’s on the list of cities that I’d like to visit, and that would make it nice and easy to scratch it off the list.
Good post, BB. It was nice to meet you at the conference – pizza party, actually. It really speaks to the power of network in that nothing was really too suprising about the people who I met. After visiting everyone’s blogs and getting to know them a bit through Yakezie, it wasn’t like we were srangers meeting. Overall, there was a lot of energy at the conference, and I think for many of us it’s not just because we were pumped about the content, but also because we were among a number of people we’ve interacted with before. I imagine next year’s FINCON can only get better.
It was nice to meet you too, Squirrelers! My only hope is that FINCON12 doesn’t end up being so big that it takes away from some of the nicer things we saw this year.
The power of networking, our networking, has made us all a success already.
I would love to meet you all face to face at some point. Hopefully you will drop me an email anytime you are in Michigan!
Would love to meet you too. I think Sam is right, we really should make efforts to meet as many Yakezie as we can over the next few years.
I love this post, so agree with your vision. If anyone is in Sa Diego, we should get together! I was thinking some sort of event like bowling or a BBQ at someone’s house. Because I missed FINCON, I would love to meet some of you guys!
I’ll ping you next time I’m in SD. We’ll have a little shindig or drinks for sure.
Do that, Sam. Suba works down here during the week so we can have a nice little group meeting.
Definitely. I was thinking even just meeting at a coffee shop or bar some evening. If we did something a little farther north, like Del Mar, we could possibly entice some of the South Orange County folks as well.
I know there’s several Yakezie in that area, perhaps it’s time for a socal Yakezie meetup. Unfortunately, up here in the northland, the BBQ season is about over. Don’t think it even made it to 65 today…
It reminded me of a family reunion. Even though you only know some of your extended family slightly, they are still family. The only problem with Fincon, was by the time the sessions were over, I was exhausted. So not enough time for chatting. I was dead on my feet!
But you kids don’t understand that yet….
Looking forward to next time.
I thought Doctors are used to being on their feet for 16 hours a day?!
I think I spend the first 2-3 days back recovering from the conference. Would have liked to have hung out with you and your wife while I was there, just never seemed to work out. Next year!
Nicely put BB. It was great meeting you on the Love Drop bus (I know, that sounds really weird). This is an awesome network. Anyone just needs to look at the life in the forum to feel the energy.
Anyone coming to Hampton Roads look me up, please.
Sam, I’ll be in the Bay area late March. Let’s meet-up.
It was great to meet you too, Hunter. I’ve got to admit, the accent threw me at first. Wasn’t expecting it from someone I knew lived in the states!
I want to meet everyone. So far, no one I have met in person disappointed :) And sharing a cab with you on the way in was a great way to start out the week end :)
It was great to meet you Barb. The cab ride was a great way to start the great conversations a bit early!
The power of our network was apparent also by comments from non-Yakezie. I didn’t hear anything negative, just curiosity. We have their attention!
That’s good. I think there’s a lot that come from the conference for readers as well as for those that attended. Suba’s article from today is a good example of that, I think.
I think it was Forest that coined the term “Yakezie Effect”. It’s real and it’s powerful! I still think we should get some t-shirts made. :)
Awesome post. The energy and momentum from FINCON11
seems to be infecting everyone! A lot of us kind of have a clue where others are at, but perhaps we can add a field in the Yakezie forums, kind of like Twitter to show our location? That may trigger more meetup opportunities.
I’m so glad to hear FinCon was such a huge success. I didn’t make it out but was there in spirit. It was fun to see some of the pics that came out too. :)
I have to also agree in saying that this network has been a huge part of my success as well. If it wasn’t for all of you I wouldn’t still be blogging. Thanks everyone.
Besides the help and advice that is freely given, it’s evident that this community derives strength from the rewards of shared endeavors. Well written, BB.
I totally agree; meeting people face-to-face is incredibly powerful and important. I created and solidified so many friendships at FINCON. I’d love to meet more Yakezie bloggers — I invite everyone to email me when you’re in Atlanta!!
It was great meeting so many people and you could see how powerful the network was. Imagine if everyone went there and really didn’t know each other? I think half the success of FINCON was everyone wanting to finally meet!
That said, I need to do a better job next year. I missed out meeting and talking to so many people here!
Nice post, BB. This is a powerful network, both online and offline.
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