Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Too Popped to Pot

I attended an event at the Pasadena Convention Center last Sunday--a seminar called POP! Your Book, Brand, Business and Career.

On the lower level, the Los Angeles Pottery Show was happening. We had this great view coming and going from the conference room, as we crossed over the lower level on bridges set with tables and chairs.

All that colorful pottery was tempting. I thought I might check it out after the seminar was over.

Once inside the packed room I forgot about pots. The POP! seminar was absorbing before it even started, because the speakers came early to network with participants.

I was there to learn, not to blog, so I didn't take photos. I listened, scribbled notes, laughed and scribbled more notes. The organizer, business writer Karen E. Klein, did a nice write-up of the event and posted shots of speakers Sam Horn and Lilli Cloud on her blog, Financially inKleined.

The two brilliant branding/marketing experts kept us riveted for three hours. You can see by their websites that they're tops in their field. We were lucky to have them together.

When we came out, the pottery show was closing down.

Ah, well. I got what I came for. I didn't need pots. I needed to pop!

19 comments:

Shell Sherree said...

Potting can wait, Petrea. Just disant {according to my wv...}

Virginia said...

I needed that seminar. Somebody's got to stop the cash flow around here. It's all flowing OUT and nothing in flowing IN!
V

Katie said...

What an interesting sounding seminar! I'll definitely check out their websites. Great photo too (sponsored by the letter E?). I like the two women near the top left (one in a white hat) who look deep in discussion over a piece of pottery. And the guys in the bottom right booth which is obviously not selling pottery (are those some postcards I spy?).

Petrea Burchard said...

Thanks, Shell. I have much to disant today, a very long list.

Arshad, shall I delete your comment? It's polite, but it looks a lot like spam. What do you think, folks? Others add a link to their blog at the end of their comment, why can't Arshad? He's not being sneaky. I think I'll leave him in since he's being forthright.

Virginia, if you've got cash to spend, I say spend it. Your local businesses need you. Paris needs you.

Post cards about pottery, Katie? Why not?

Margaret said...

I was lucky enough to attend this seminar. It was just great, and here's a shout of to business writer Karen Klein, who is just so brilliant. I enjoy her LA Times column so much.

FA said...

Hi Petrea. I just have to get here more often. So many great posts - it's hard to catch up.

You say that you were there "to learn, not to blog". I had to laugh because I find myself saying things like that all the time...but end up taking out my camera anyway.

You are very kind about your comment/question to Arshad. Yes, it looks like spam, but at least he made a nice comment.

Karen said...

Thanks for the kind words, Petrea and Margaret, and for the link Petrea.

Really, really glad you enjoyed it. I haven't ever organized a public event like that before and at one point I was kind of kicking myself for doing it (in a "no good deed goes unpunished" sort of way).

But I'm encouraged about how it worked out and emboldened to do more "risky" (for me) things like this in future. :-)

Anonymous said...

In my next life I want to be called Lilli Cloud...
such a lovely feeling.

Pascal Jim said...

The photograph reveals a person standing in the upper portion, someone with a white something atop her head, looks like a lampshade, or a pot, probably a hat..Found it amusing..

Chuck Pefley said...

@Jim, that looks like a woman wearing a stylish white hat.

Petrea, this event doesn't look like it was overrun with customers. Was this the end of the day?

Petrea Burchard said...

Margaret: ditto.

FA, thank you. And I do that, too! Don't think I wasn't tempted.

Karen, I know there's a fine line between PR and blogging, but next time I'd like to figure out a way to publicize the event here on the blog, before the fact, that would be interesting for PDP readers.

Anonymous: I know! And it's her real name.

Pascal Jim, I will not call her a pot-head. I will not.

Chuck, as I discovered at the end of the seminar, the weekend-long event was winding down. The bigger crowds came on Saturday and on Sunday morning, I believe.

Amy said...

It sounds like a fascinating seminar. I wonder if it's something that's held semi-regularly...

And good for you for resisting the pottery. There's no way I would have made it out of there without at least three mugs.

Bellis said...

Have you considered writing a book about pottery? There must be money in it.

Ms M said...

Love the photo with all the bright pottery, and the people browsing, making deals.
The seminar sounds excellent.

Petrea Burchard said...

This was the first time this seminar was held, Amy. But you can click on the links to either of these speakers and hire them. Sam does phone consultations and Lilli is local, so you can take her workshops right here in SoCal.

Bellis, I know diddly about pottery. But I did spy some books about it on the lower floor.

Ms. M., I hope the show was as successful as the seminar was.

Dina said...

But blogging is learning and learning is blogging, no?
But yeah, it's hard to be serious about note taking and to be thinking about photos at the same time.

Petrea, your blog is always popping.

Petrea Burchard said...

Thanks, Dina. Yes, blogging is an incredible learning experience.

Lori Lynn said...

Sounds like time well spent.

Those pots are calling my name though...
LL

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