I am so excited that I am counting down to the 2012 Type A Parent Conference, only one week to go!!! I feel like a kid in a FAO Schwartz store with my mum’s AMEX! (Now that I am very sure you have captured the depth of my emotions) This will be my second conference ever….ever, ever, ever! I tagged along to my first conference with my sister Jen of  Jael Custom Designs, which was the NC Mom Bloggers Conference in Ocean Isle, NC. There I met an amazing group of women who I have kept in contact with and see from time to time. The best thing about these conferences is the fostering of relationships that I otherwise may not have encountered. I can be a bit of an introvert. Sharing, motivating, and just the connections that can be built is awesome and helps me come out of my shell! So in the spirit of being a NEWBIE this is my official to do list for the Type A Parent Conference.

All the preliminary stuff has been completed tickets, hotel reservations, tom tom route and shopping outlet re-routes….blah blah blah

1. Must bring iPhone, iPad, all charging wires & Clear mobile hot-spot just in case !
2. Must have BUSINESS CARDS to pass out at the Type A Parent Conference…..this was my downfall at many events. Don’t limit yourself into thinking that you are just a blog or small by any means! There are an endless amount of opportunities and individuals who would love to network with you.
3. BRAND building t-shirts. So it may be out of style…but the non conformist in me loves to wear twitter shirts. I want you to see me, check me out, and hopefully follow me on twitter if you like what I have to say.
4. Organize your schedule, know the times and the break out sessions that you need to attend. I hear that this is one of the most popular conferences so I have to make sure I get in all that I need to without suffering from shiny object syndrome. Now I want to attend everything but can’t be in two places at one time. With that said…my next to do is
5. Buddy up! Find a buddy, friend, pal, roomie, another newbie that may be in a session you want to attend but can’t…and plan to exchange info!
6. Determine your note taking method….ol’ paper & pencil, Evernote, mind mapping…whatever rocks your socks but be consistent and organized about it. Notes all over the place is no bueno.
7. Say hello to everyone…..get outside your comfort zone to meet and greet….network and build those connections!
8. Don’t worry about names, who uses their government anymore my name is @theBRANDtheorem !!!
9. Set a GOAL this should actually be NUMBER 1 on my list. What do you want to get out of attending this conference? It may be a loaded question but it’s the most important one. Who goes to a conference for the hors d’oeuvres?

So these are the things I will be doing, I can’t wait to go and if you’re attending I hope to meet you !