Last year at the Oklahoma Entrepreneurship Conference, we had two people tweeting: me and @stargardener. When we announced the hashtag we were using for the event, we got the oddest reactions. We had a tweetup, with just the two of us, and it was great. And the brand-new-at-the-time @OKCCoCo was there.
This year, there were 20 or so tweeters, and we had a tweetup with 17 people. Of course, @stargardener and I were back. The @OKCCoCo crew live-streamed video of many sessions. Conference organizer, the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, picked an official hashtag: #OKEship, and tweeted a few photos. We had someone live tweeting from the audience in all the break out sessions. Heck, I live tweeted from the stage in one panel.
What changed? Convergence: more geeky entrepreneurs, more entrepreneurial geeks.
Plus, the conference this year emphasized social media. @chrisbrogan keynoted, and he drew in many of his local fans. Several local social media stars also spoke, including @malenalott, @deedradeterman, @blogging4jobs, and even me. I know I left some of you out who spoke! Remind me, and I’ll fix it. (@Stargardener just reminded me that I left out @skygrrrl1272, who came over from Arkansas to speak.)
Where do we go from here? Who knows; but it will be exciting.
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“Convergence: more geeky entrepreneurs, more entrepreneurial geeks.” That would make a really good book title. Hint, hint.
How many people attended the meeting?
I agree, Dazey! It would be a terrific book title! ;-) Entrepreneurs are naturally geeky because they embrace change and all things new! We learned that last year when we held mini how-to-twitter sessions, didn’t we, Becky!
My take-away from this conference was to brainstorm “home bases and outposts” and “bridges not icebergs” {from @chrisbrogan’s keynote}. An affirmation of a path I was already skipping on.
Don’t forget @skygrrrl1272! Although not an Oklahoman her work benefits our state; she was also a speaker/contributor. {She is also a geeky entrepreneur as well as an entrepreneurial geek!}
Dazey, there were about 150 there, I think. I haven’t heard the official number. (oh, no! not another book I need to write!)
Stargardener, that is exactly right: our impromptu Twitter sessions last year were a terrific example of convergence. I’ll go back and add @Skygirrrl1272 in the article, too. Thanks!