Dallas Community

Jennifer Mobley

Member since: Jun 20, 2007
Last activity: 2 weeks ago

32 comments |12
  • I'm so sorry I can't make it. I had a pretty open day as of earlier this week, but clients call... Good luck with the event.

    Posted 2 weeks ago Marketing Masterminds hosted by Richard Whitaker
  • Sounds like a great idea. :) I'm going to try and make it.

    Posted May 20, 2009 Mid Week Breather hosted by Kathy A Corey
  • Are there specific criteria for these events? My shop is located on Alki, so I'd love to host a walk & talk maybe in the middle of the afternoon sometime, or late morning. Does there need to be a specific topic? I was thinking more of a general time for networking and physical inspiration, at least to start.

    Posted Mar 26, 2009 Join and Post Walking Events Here! a conversation started by Karrie Kohlhaas
  • Thought I was going to make it, but I have a concert to go to that I forgot my friend got tickets to. Have fun and I'll see ya when I get back from Europe. I leave a week from Tuesday! WHEE! :)

    Posted Oct 22, 2007 West Seattle Happy Hour hosted by Brian Allen
  • Feel free to extract whatever 20 words there are most meaningful. I'm apparently terrible at being concise. :O

    Posted Oct 13, 2007 What do you love about Biznik? (in 20 words or less) a conversation started by Dan McComb
  • Biznik offers me a legitimate networking community...emphasis on the word community. I feel I have this huge support group now, whereas prior to Biznik, I often felt alone in trying to build my business and in facing challenges that are unique to indies like us. I love that everyone here "gets" it and that we all truly want to help one another.

    Posted Oct 13, 2007 What do you love about Biznik? (in 20 words or less) a conversation started by Dan McComb
  • I'm afraid I won't make it, so I'm cancelling my RSVP for now. If I can come, I'll call you on the way. :)

    Posted Sep 29, 2007 Biznik Board Game Bonanza hosted by Nancy Hanauer
  • I was just reading Mikelann's post and I do think that members should have to pay at least something to participate in Biznik...at least after like an initial grace period (60 days trial maybe?). I am currently a non-paying Biznik member, but being on my 2nd month, I definitely see the value of the community and plan to sign up for a paid membership soon. However, I do find it a bit odd that no solicitations to upgrade my membership have come my way via email or something. It's frankly unclear to me what the different membership levels even offer, or why I should be encouraged to upgrade.

    I think that Biznik could do more to promote the paid memberships if making money is a priority. Also, it seems like having ongoing monthly payments from members as a revenue source is a lot easier to manage administratively than charging for every event. I'd rather pay a set monthly rate of $10-20 and go to as many free events as I want than have to worry about paying $5 online for every happy hour or lunch chat I RSVP for.

    If people are willing to pay $10 per month to watch unlimited movies, I can't see why they wouldn't pay $10 for unlimited networking opportunities. :)

    Posted Sep 28, 2007 Free Biznik Events vs. Small Fee-based Events - what do you prefer? a conversation started by Lara Feltin
  • Hillarious...I do this all the time out of pure boredom...and for fear that I might look too suicidal in any number of my pics. :P

    Posted Sep 28, 2007 I dare you a conversation started by Karrie Kohlhaas
  • Leif - I'm glad to hear your out of pocket expenses were covered, and I didn't think your plug for donations was annoying or awkward at all. I was happy to donate money at the end of the event because I felt I got a lot of value out of it, and I wanted to express that monetarily.

    Ultimately, I think Biznik, if it is truly about indie networking, should continue to offer a decent number of free events, because to me, networking is about connecting with others for potential future business, not creating instant clients out of people we may never have even met. However, I really liked Karrie's last post about having Free Social Events, then Low Cost Introductory Events and then graduating members into being able to promote their Mid To High cost seminars, training, etc., after the community has sort of endorsed that person's field expertise. I would be way more likely to sign up for a pay event where someone had already somewhat proven their presentation value.

    Posted Sep 28, 2007 Free Biznik Events vs. Small Fee-based Events - what do you prefer? a conversation started by Lara Feltin
  • Is it ok if I come a bit late? I do have a conflict that night. :( I can skate out of the other thing early though to be there at like 6:30 or 7.

    Posted Sep 27, 2007 Biznik Board Game Bonanza hosted by Nancy Hanauer
  • I REALLY like Karrie's idea.

    Posted Sep 22, 2007 Free Biznik Events vs. Small Fee-based Events - what do you prefer? a conversation started by Lara Feltin
  • From what I understand, the basic concept of Biznik is to provide genuine business networking opportunities for Indies, not act as a direct income resource for those choosing to host events. While I do understand some people may want to recover their actual out of pocket costs like paper, food, etc. for certain types of events, I don't particularly agree with the fee-based model where the obvious objective of the host is to make a profit off the event, or in essence turn the attendees into insta-clients. I have never attended a fee-based event, not because I wouldn't be willing to pay for a seminar that seemed of significant value, but because it is rarely obvious what dollar value an event should be worth based on just the description alone. Some of the events I've attended have ended up being a repeat of a lot of information I already knew, so in those cases, had I paid in advance, I'd have been disappointed. However, when I've been to free events where I've gotten a taste of what the host has to offer (even if it wasn't new info to me), it has made me much more inclined to a) give them my own future business, or b) refer others to them who might be in need of their services.

    Bottom line, networking is not the same thing as selling, or at least I don't see it as such. It's building relationships which we hope will foster our success in the bigger, long-term picture, whether directly and indirectly. Sharing my knowledge, services, space, energy and support with other people in the same situation as me is simply, in my mind, an investment into my business' future, and my own karmic standing. Karma is more useful than money after all. ;)

    Oh, and as far as no-shows. It is true that sometimes I RSVP to reserve a space for an event I really want to attend. However, since many of the events start at like 5 or 6pm, often I have last minute clients who have to take precedence and I'll end up having to cancel the morning of or the day before. I always (except when I absolutely cannot get to a computer - I do work on people, not on computers after all) cancel my RSVP, but it's impossible to know always what my schedule is going to look like until like the day before. Sadly, being a non-9 to 5er puts me a disadvantage for attending as many events as I would really like to. Them's the breaks though. Not complaining - I love my work, and therefore embrace the chaos of accommodating others.

    IMO, if we weren't in Seattle, there would be a LOT fewer no-shows to events. I'd be willing to bet money on it actually. It's the culture here...people just don't respect other people's time and energy that much. The only way to change that is to change the culture. Good luck on that front (insert sarcasm here). Having rankings of who no-shows the most is fine with me, if that's what it has to come to. I'd hope the day advance reminder email to ask everyone to cancel their RSVP's if they can't make it would suffice though.

    Posted Sep 22, 2007 Free Biznik Events vs. Small Fee-based Events - what do you prefer? a conversation started by Lara Feltin
  • Another hot Virgo! I think I'm up to like 16 close friends now who are Virgos...all having entered my life in the past 5 years. What must this mean for a fiery girl like me? :O

    Happy Birthday to you lovely woman. xoxo

    Posted Sep 21, 2007 Biznik Birthday Babes! a conversation started by Nancy Hanauer
  • I am curious what a virtual assistant is, and frankly, I've been needing an assistant lately, though a real one, not a virtual one...or so I think. ;)

    Posted Sep 19, 2007 New To Biznik a conversation started by Renee Cloud
  • My clients have taken over my schedule this evening, so I'm not going to be able to make it. I was really looking forward to coming. Hopefully someone can take my space.

    Posted Sep 18, 2007 (Quarter) Mile High (Networking) Club hosted by Kevin Selkowitz
  • Unfortunately, I will be about 20-30 minutes late for this event due to an earlier obligation. I look forward to meeting everyone though! :)

    Posted Sep 18, 2007 Bizsentials – Unavoidable Essentials for Bizniks #1 hosted by Howard Howell
  • Hey Jessica,

    Sorry I didn't make it today - I wanted too, but was on a roll trying to get my books in order so that when we meet in a few months, I'm all organized. ;)

    Hope it went well!

    Posted Sep 15, 2007 "Afternoon" Networking Happy Hour hosted by Jessica Hale
  • I think I can make it - I'm going to try, but don't hurt me if I fail.

    Posted Sep 10, 2007 Damn it Jim, I'm a ______ Not a Salesman! hosted by James "Shoes" Walker
  • I am intrigued.

    Posted Sep 06, 2007 Something Completely Different: hosted by Leif Hansen
32 comments |12