City Creativity Brand Builder Workshop Speech Event
Disclaimer:
Everything below is a mix of what I observed and heard during the event. The goal isn’t to pinpoint "who exactly said what," but to share (usually) an outsider's view and overall perspective on these industries. I’m not here to act as a definitive firsthand source—readers should do their own research. I hope this inspires you to attend events, explore new industries, and hear what leaders are presenting. These notes combine my observations with thoughts on how things could run smoother and how ideas connect (IMO). I’m not an expert, you know? Just hanging out in the room with them. Enjoy!Topics: Branding, Design, Networking, Preparedness, Organizational Skills, Million Dollar Deals, Social Justice
‘Branding’ is one of those words that you think you know, but then you’re not quite too sure (unless you’re like me, and you’ve been to a lot of speeches and meetings about ‘branding’ hahah). For the record, I think it simply: Other people’s impression of your company. But this event was advertised to be one step further than just a workshop on branding. And part of the series and intaitive to get Seattle even more creative than ever, post-Covid. With that in mind, and a new venue to check out - I was interested to attend!!
Why attend? It seems smart to learn more about branding. As I’m building this website more - and have projects I want to build in the future, it doesn’t hurt to become a bit of a casual expert in ‘branding’. What can you do to really enhance your brand? I wanted to learn more, while also discovering more of the local offerings and workshops. There are so many technologies and talents in this city, so I’m always curious to see if anything exciting and unique is offered as creatives start to understand what’s possible. Also, we have a huge canvas to work with: the commercial real estate, empty across the city. What are we going to do with it?
Ratings: Venue (3/5), Food (3/5), Speaker Content (2/5), Networking (2/5), Likeliness to Return (4/5)… (more at the end)
Photo Collage and Commentary
Notes from Event, Further Evalutation
Arrival:
The venue was alright, but there was nowhere left to sit except for beds, towards the front. Literally. Beds. Cause it was a furniture shop.
So, I found a place towards the back where I could sit and do some work till it started. I wasn’t in the mood to have small talk and if something was worth talking about, or someone was worth talking to, they’d get my attention! If not, I wanted to take advantage of the time and do work before the speeches began.
The photographer was really aggressive taking lots of pictures of people. At one point I heard him flirt with a girl near me. They were talking about where they were from and he had a foreign sounding accent. So I figured wherever he’s from must have different feelings on personal space.
The photographer tried to take a picture right in my face, while I was working but I put my hand in front of my face. He said, oh, sorry, I didn’t see you cause the sunlight. Hahah. I didn’t believe him at all!! He’d seen me there for 10-15 minutes.
It’s okay, I just don’t like having these awkward pics of me taken so close in my face, like while I’m right there. Maybe from being an actress professional for a few years, but yeah. I am too self-aware for that, buddy hahaha.
It’s okay to not like it, especially if someone hasn’t even introduced themselves to you. If they dont feel confident/comfortable to introduce themselves to you, they shouldn’t go take a pic of you in your face.
I saw him talk to many people. So, talk to me first - if you feel awkward to talk to me, don’t take a pic of me angled from below, while i’m sitting down.. it was so strange.
Even after that, he was passive-aggressiev. I wearing a hat pulled down low, but I kept seeing him so insistent on taking lots of pics with me in it a lot, immediately after, lol. It’s so annoying about these days. It’s all for social media promotion, but just the images of people there.
I don’t like that about modern days.
I went to get a snack. The healthiest thing they had was nuts and salmon. I was happy that they had salmon as a snack. Nice perk of Seattle.
There was a fashionable guy, kinda classy looking and he asked me, “are you a creative?”
I said, “sometimes.” He said he could tell from my chain necklace. LOL. I got embarrassed and walked away ASAP.
I’m here learn, okay? Give me something to work with in conversation, or let’s carry on with our time.
They started a little late cause a guy was working like 20 minutes to get the slide bigger on the screen and eventually gave up. Most people didn’t seem to mind cause there was free alcohol. For me, I sorta minded, cause I love to learn and hear people speak about their expertise. So i was ready to get started.
I couldn’t tell if this guy was the presenter or the tech guy, cause he didn’t give off the vibe of either.
But I was kinda like, “No way could this be the speaker” cause I’m sick of going to events where people don’t do tech rehearsal ahead of time. So iIkinda hoped maybe he was the tech guy and just struggling with someone else’s PPT or something.
SPEECH BEGINS:
Let’s impact Seattle economy through arts and tech
Stem in fashion, tech, we’re not saying no -
She was smart to tell them that they need to turn down the music. I hate when they don’t at events.
This girl has fantastic composure and class!! The host. I’ve seen her at many events and she’s just got great composure, especially tonight.
They want to help people connect with who they need to make creative things. They help get you what you need.
I like this, but I don’t want to build on the help of others. I want to build on my own, prove a point - see if i can fund it by myself hahaha, and then get others help with random projects. For example: i want to make a reality tv show, art around the city, traveling local grocery stores, bbbyq memorabilia shops, etc etc.
They’re still working through the rest of the program through the year. June is the next one,
I wonder if these are being paid for by the money from the new arts tax I went to the event for last year. Basically, a tax passed where 10M is being given to the arts of seattle, either annually or overall, over the next decade. So, I’ve always been curious about how that money is being spent. Post-party (cause the party itself was crazy/not even artistic!! But that was before I was blogging, so maybe I could write a memory blog sometime, but idk. Let’s just say, that event celebrating the new tax was confusing for lack of better words. And I was born, but not yesterday, okay? Hhahah.)
This furniture studio is founded by four friends. Canadian. Easy, long-lasting, martial can’t be messed up with food and wine. It’s all performance fabric. You can kick back, relax with your wine. If you have questions, come to us. Happy to have you all.
Wheel house is a chamber of commerce creative working with freelancers. There are lots of places to go. How do you do your craft better? We’re about how you run your business really well. How do you pay your taxdes? Sample social media? Business plan? Get someone to invest
This just seems like…. so unnecessary of a thing to keep investing money into, right? How much money goes into this? Does i. really work? I feel liek Ai will replace this and/or so many peopel do this all over the city. Seems redundant.
We want everyone to make a living through the things they love. Understand without a bunch of unique jargon.
This sounds like a business that will disappear with Ai. But they’re grant-funded!
They’re “all over Washington, helping from east Olympia to all over Washington
Then the Seattle creative guy -
She said the best part of this kinda event is to all see each other
This community can be opaque in any city.
The point of this is to make a phonebook
It started with design and I’m trying to grow it
We have 270 new businesses in just this northwest region. Bigger than Seattle
If you know a company or are part of one, we want to see more types of representations in kinds of companies. It’s free to participate. A labor of love.
I’m confused by that. I don’t want to be a part of this right now hahah. I feel like if you join things like this too small you get eaten up.
Work with 4 culture. You can get money support for your project. You can get sponsorship. If you’re not a nonprofit. But you can get a team, coaching, grants. A lot of people are looking for business sponsorship. You can go here, she’s on the board and passionate about it.
Again, I’d rather do this with a small project, not my entire company.
She introduced a guy as her partner, saying they’re really hands on for all the 2025 workshops. She wants to highlight herself as a graphic designer. Does a lot of visual indignities, brand dinettes. Graphic design is a lot of it.
Then I’m thinking, like, ohhhh, “She’s the presenter. LOL. She wants to feature herself ha. aha. That guy was the tech guy. Okay”
A lot of us forget that branding is so important. If it’s our own creative product or service… how much more branding goes outside of a logo and a quippy tagline. This is why we have Michael here from this company. H’es going to take you through all the important components of what branding is.
No, HE is the presenter. Okay….
The presenter starts off saying, “what’s going on everyone? Got some wine in you??”
Then he says last week it was raining and makes a joke about the weather in Seattle. Lol.
I’m like, dawg. Don’t get me started. I’m convinced half our weather. is being manufactured hahah. But, carry on. Yes. It rained here. Let’s begin the talk and not make these softball pitches to ‘warm up the crowd’.
Someone said NYC, LA, they have industries… we have a community. There are benefits and drawbacks for both. What I love about Seattle, I’ve lived in many, is the community aspect. You can not replicate that. You can replicate an industry, but community comes together thorough you all, through people. We have a beautiful community, great culture. Shoutout to those who do that. Shououtout to this place, physically hosting us.
Today I’m going to try to make this interactive. I’m a strategist, so I live in PPT decks. It’s a little, I try o make sure we can have a dialogue and interact. They want me to walk around doing mood boards. I said I’m sorry I sit at hte computer all day and do this.
I was really happy to hear he wants to make it interactive (spoiler alert: he didn’t) but i’m alway interested to see people break barriers and present wild speeches that are interactive or really ‘work"‘ in a unique way.
Someone yells: take notes, y’all, take notes.
He introduces himself. Born and raised here, he’s Asian American. He went to university here locally. Grew up as a dancer, now retired, but got him into branding and events.
Then moved to the east coast, learned everything out there, how the preverbial sausage is made, but then I came back.
The “preverbial sausage”? Eew. LOL. I’m not into like “sausage” analogies cause pork freaks me out and its a bit sexual, especailly from guys who lead media industries and campaigns and have the sorta “trying to be a cool guy” attitude he’s trying to have up here. I’m like, dude. Don’t say “sausage” hahaha. Is that just me? Let’s just pick another analogy.
It was a lot more messy than that, he jokes about sausages.
Everyone laughs
10 years ago I found this, 2023 I became a film commissioner.
My company is an award willing agency, purpose driven, do a lot of lovely work -
He says there is a reel he’ll show that needs to be updated.
Omg dont admit these this!! Your "'last minute PPT for us” - your lazy old reel, lol. So disrespectful to the audience’s time.
He said it’ll give a sense of his personality
It has flashes of this and that, someone eating snacks, dancing, cooking, stocks, putting on a headset, looking into the sky int eh city, “broke”, shopping stuff, TikTok , gardening tips, water bottle commercial, instagram advertisements for bartenders, a backpack advertisement, drinks, smoothies, graphic design, work in Seattle. Downtown is you, zero carbs ,some artists protion, farming ,sick kids.
He’s showing off all the companies he’s worked with which are super famous and big corporations. He said “you have to” work with these companies in a regretful tone
You don’t!!!!!! I mean, you do in your early days when you’re young and naive. but not at this stage. Not if you’re giving a speech to budding entreprneurs. BE INSPIRING!!! INNOVATIVE!! Seattle.
He later said he’s making million dollar deals. NO - no one “needs” that much money, no!! Get enough and then switch over to full-fledge . He’s making excuses. I don’t think you have to choose to work with these companies. You may “really want to” but you don’t have to. Be honest.
Half of our work is social good driven. One of the big pivital moments is to combine our values at the agency. He says shoutout hto his partner.
He says agencies don’t take a point of view, tehy don’t get political.
What an excuse to act two ways at once, right? Idk. I think we just have a lot of excuses these days to justify behavior.
But when Black Lives Matter happened, he joined in and started supporting it through now.
Half the work and probono is for social good, social justice.
We do the pretty campaign that will pay us, but then we use that money to do the charity work
I don’t like this model. I’m all or nothing with my business. Right? I think we all need to be.
Or maybe not. Just seems like, your work won’t work and won’t be sustainable if you compromise nonstop.
He said you can all go google or ask ai how to make a brand. It will give you a great outline. An outline he started, but better.
He decided to make it interactive and a conversation.
Instead, give us a worksheet. That will have a lot of basics, a process outline to take home or work on right now.
For the most part, let’s go beyond the basics.
There’s going to be stuff, when you make decks all the time, my mom thinks I’m in construction.
He said he made his slides yesterday (so unprofessional. Again. There are like 50 people here at least and everyone paid to be here)
- strategy is the overall vision. It’s knowing what you want to do when you don’t know what to do
A lot of time we get caught up and paralyzed by these decisions cause we think we’re not inspired, we dont have good ideas. But you’re plenty talented, you know what you want
You may just not have a strategy or framework. So I try to build those things.
There are a lot of kinds of strategies
I see peopel in teh front row so distracted. One browsing social media
One just messing around online checking email
It’s about rejecting the binary of thinking (strategy) vs doing. Instead, creative strategy asked “what to think about” and “how to do” - — idk what he wrote
He said sometimes going to Ai can feel like shabby or cheating, but sometimes you just know what you want. So if you just want to go have fun, you need a strategy.
They are not even doing these often
He says we’re going to talk about people over things, colors. Strategies.
At the end of the day, this is about people
If you show a logo, you’ve done this work before, but tehy don’t like it. Remember this is subjective, its art
If you can connect with people you can connect with what they want
He makes a stab at politics right now and said thats an another speech.
alright.
He said brands connect people. Um, when I say “people” that also means you. Logos, SEO, word of mouth, events, mission/vision values. These are al esoteric existent things. These are all in your toolbox, but what works for you. Think what fits you.
- you’re going to go online and see someone in your field and think you shoudl be doing that but there’s a reason your’e not
Maybe you missed something, probably it’s not in your wheelhouse or your personality
He goes to take a pic and pose at the photographer. Then he says that kinda captures it.
Then he says, I know its hte intro, I’m sorry.
So what? He’s apologizing cause we’re still only at the intro? Cause he feels sorry we have to sit through the rest of his speech?
He says it’s about making a brand that truly resonates, one that captures you, your story. Okay…
So what is a brand, really?
A lot more than just a logo/slogan, a good brand captures a feeling and a story, maybe an experience.
Strong brands create an emotional connection. It also is a lot more than a process. Let’s be clear. Processes are tools
When we talk about brands, we think about iconic brands. This one is one of those. It almost feels they’re not a brand tehy just run our world (apple)
YOu’ve seen the slides about nike, seen their commercials, think they’re so amazing. Hear about mission, mission values, but you wonder what that means. There is word salad out there.
But when your brand doesn’t have a clear definition or vision or people’s perception of your brand isn’t in alignment with your intentions, that can help. You have to define, root, and ground your brand.
Apple apologized about its video (he said it was two years ago, but it says one year ago on the pic)
He says why and how did they get there, how did all with these peopel, they end up tone deaf, piss everyone off.
It illustrates what you can do to hurt your brand
Not only what you want your brand to be but also how people perceive it, you need to define it.
It’s hard to hear him sometimes.
An audience question: He said (idk what he said, something about SEO)
He said, I think thats a great question, SEO helps, if you search “Seattle creative agency” we’re there, I dint’ spend a lot of moeny on that. We also get a lot of referrals. Trying to roll back from that termanlolgy.
-but we’ve done really good work and treated people as well as we can
Thats how peopel see us, through that relationship.
Quite frankly, we’ve been blessed to not have to market ourselves that much besides doing things we believe in, speaking, tryin got connect with folks.
- I wonder why people like him. He didnt even prepare?? Admittedly
One guy said he needs to talk about being a strategist:
But then the speaker says they can chat about it later in private.
Seems the audience guy wanted him to bring it up now.
The announcer says “this next question is probably on your worksheet”
PROBABLY!? Lol. Omg. Insane. Did you make a worksheet and not even be sure it matches to your speech!?!?
What does your brand exist? (Besides making money)
Mine doesn’t. Geeze. He’s so superficial making jokes about drinking, obsessed with money. Not even taking time to take this speech seriously - when they only give these every few months for these series!?
What’s your mission?
What are your core values?
Describe your brand if it were a person.What makes your brand unique?
He loves to do the “what if” scenario with brands
He says, pretty self explanatory
We can ask questions about possibilties, instead of try to figure out which words attribute to our brand personality.
What if your brand could do something familiar, in a new way?
Tell a deeper story instead of trying to explain.
Approach with a comedic sense
It’s extremely hard to take good pics of the slides cause the video quality is low.
I might be biased, if you know a strategist, we talk about briefs a lot and I swear it has nothing to do with underwear.
why are we making this joke???? the sausage joke? briefs aren’t underware? dude. just teach us something hahah. that joke is better alongside content, I guess.
Do not skip this part, briefs, whatever you come up with.
Frankly, even if you pay $5 on fiver, they still need briefs
One page that has info organized, well thought out, explained.
An audience member says a friend made a brief of her, saying her friend made a brief about her and she didnt even know those things about herself. I think this girl is confusing the word “brief” with “profile” because the way she’s describing it. lol.
Then they talk about how it’s a blueprint and a mirror and it helps you understand yourself better.
Thats the nature with a lot of things
When you journal, you start to untangle things in your mind. It’s just a business or branding version of that.
What would you include in a brief?
Anything you want. The answers to questions you arrive at. The worksheet, its pretty much the start of a brief and you can organize that info into something.
But they’ll be like, I need more than this. This doesn’t make sense.
She said, do you send this to the client, do this in meeting, take a stab?
If you work with a client and help them brand
Working briefs start as questionnaires and then we do questions live and I collaborate with them. Sometimes tehy never see our brief. We make our own for our team.
Intake things from clients if you’re a normal business person.
He said, we’re halfway through the presentation, okay.
What!? Like, “bear with me, only half more to go” like we’re in a boring class or sometihgn? What’s after? hahhaa.
People, customers, users, audience, community, clickers.
He makes jokes about some tv shows but I don’t get it.
I botcotted netflix years ago. lol. Cocky Kelly non-netflixer flexing.
Who are your customers? Demographis, psychographics?
Demographics
Psychographics
Personas
What problems do they need solved?
Pain points?
Desires
You can make up people, get really nerdy. This is super fun stuff
I always think its kinda a softball when people make fun of themselves for liking nerdy things and being self-depricating about liking nerdy things. Its like a flex brag but hidden in being like, “its nerdy” - i feel like “nerdy” is “cooler” these days and we all know it. 10 years ago that was a brave thing to say. But now it’s sorta just bragging but pretending you’re not.
But you may not have time for all of that at hte end of the day (unless you’re a strategist like me) - but I hear that’s the number one most important rule.
He keeps saying no one has time for anything, so let him do it, cause he loves this nerdy stuff. I don’t like that whole, ‘you don’t have time for it, so trust me with everything’ situation. Like financial advisors encouraging you not to learn about finance.
He says the most important thing is really understanding your brand’s relationship to people. So let’s make sure you’re first getting your proximity to them, what they mean to you, and how you go about getting them better.
He said to consider reading a book that is nerdy and we can nerd out about it.
The sun is hitting this, so he said he can’t read it anymore, he says he can’t read the slides.
The host says why doesn’t he move to the other side of the screen but he says he needs to read the words off hte screen so he apologized and then lets the sun hit him in the eyes.
Sorry, sorry… he said”company creates the brand, teh brand advertises to peopel, then the customer sustained the company…. But the new model is similar with one key difference, the company focuses on its audience first and creating customers. Those customers create the brand . Think influencers.”
That customer built brand sustains the company. That’s a small minute switch.
IT’s not like the 1940’s golden age and subliminally pound people to choose Marlboro over camel, it’s now about finding the people who need to find you the most. It’s a lot of clutter anyhow do you build that brand.
Brands aren’t endorsed to compete. Once you give it away, remember to respond to the way people are thinking of you, as well.
I see so many businesses owners fighting against their own customers. That’s just what’s not happening. Maybe you make beds as a company. But you say you want cat content but everyone is taking pictures of their dogs on beds.
He says, Sorry, that didn’t make any sense, but simply saying respond. don’t just be trendy.
Talk to people, you can do focus groups. You can study them.
You can buy personas. For marketing so you can like scrape data.
The most successful peopel in business are people who have patience, time, interest to listen to people. Being really good listeners. The amount you learn from peopel who are down the street or in your industry, potential customers.
This stuff can get stuff in your head, so theoretical, you forget this is just about people
If you can, spend time sitting down with people and engage people with this process
Find trusted friends, partners, run stuff by them and get feedback.
- SO many people have failed cause are you showing this to anyone?
Are you talking to real people who use this for anything? No you did or ignored it.
Same with you, lol, giving a speech
He says, we’re almost at the end. Any thoughts ?
He said the sun is right in his eyes, he needs to read it cause he didn’t memorize it.
So insane. She must be really upset with her choice in presenters.
You are going to get to know your people, then put it all in t brief. Very much hopefully. Turn all of that into something .
We’ve built a platform
Big question, if you can see this, what’s your approach? (His font is small)
- name, tagline, visual identity, bone, story
He said this should be interactive but its not at all.
He just keep apologizing for this speech
Story is the most important, if you can see it
And his story is that he’s unprepared!!! ahhh. gottem. but for real. what is this speech?
He said he’s not interested in the logo. What’s the story, you can get really nerd.
He shows a graph and says “fi you an even see it” but you can’t
- universal insight, portfolio truth, brand promise
He says no discouragement there, but sometimes you don’t have time for that.
She asks if we can send this to people
He said half of this PPT may have “NDA on it” he has to check cause he made it really quickly. OMG. 🤣
He said don’t make it all constant and reductive. Make sure its exploratory.
This is insane. It’s so rude to us. It’s like we’re in middle school or something.
Mood board a few different vibes. One of ten we showed to them.
One part of their personality Sometimes you can’t have it all in one place.
Make an exploratory process for yourself. Make sure some of this you enjoy.
A really well designed system, it’s incredibly powerful and useful.
what about your system for PPTs? and speech prep?
He jokes over and over again about how his ppt is so bad and you can’t see it cause of the color choices
(he made his PPT totally white and yellow and black and other colors… but the main colors are white and yellow)
He said they won awards for this!!!!!!!!!! FOR THEIR WORK. lol.
He said all the explorations it took to get here . The research, ideas, finding consensis. The most imprint wasn’that this logo got everyone excited. It hits all the pieces, the colors - no… just having the convesations till we all aligned. Till we all aligned on a vision together. Back to the people.
Lol and then earlier he said he doesn’t care about logos but then he gushes about this one logo for numerous minutes.
We can go through the psychology of iconography, the ripple efects of spacing between txts, and at the end of the day someone can just say “meh” and as a designer you get upset.
Hey, this is perfect scientific sound based on my research, but I dont’ like it, or my mom doesn’t like it. But this is imprint, subjective, art. It really is.
- The most valuable thing has been finding consensus. What feels good to everyone in the room? Makes everyone excited and can rally behind it.
What tells your story perfectly, captures things. Edited - invigorated. Her’es a million dollars. Pardon me, sometimes.
Meaning people are paying this guy A MILLION DOLLARS FOR HIS HELP!?
It’s about the acknowledgment of the subjectivity.
That comes down to con engagement. A lot of this, you show them something beauftul, but if you’re giving weed vibes, that can change perception of that work. Okay, sorry.
Now he admits he made a mistake and put up the wrong slide
Okay, really quick, a note on top, a question usually remains, what do you do after— theree’ a lot you ca do after:
Website social media stray, campaigns, offline stuff, marketing, WoM,
All of this goes into the big sausage of business and marketing
Don’t trip, don’t have an anxiety trip
He said at hte end of the day don’t fumble, find a vision, stick to it, do the things that make sense to you.
Okay, whts your vision for this speech? What makes sense to you?
If you see ways to match your personality thats good for you.
If you’re introverted you don’t have to be an influencer.
You can create distance. Don’t feel pressure to do all the things. You only have so much time and capacity.
He says: If you’re not a small business, holler at me if you have a bigger business.
Dude! No!!! Lol. Hands off my business hahaha. Not for 1M, not for $1. 😂
Recap of all that:
No need to do everything, not everything I for you
Focus on your people
Meet them where they’re at.
Telll your stoy
Try things out
Have fun
He said okay, idk, cool, let’s create, yes.
Lite applause, he bows, bows.
Some questions from the audience.
- the people who brand themselves as the brand, what woudl be your thoughts on someone who is their brand and represents it on thsmeveslves and their talent
- don’t be a narcassist, not personal branding is its own thing. Whether you’re an artist. The tricky thing is Brandin ga company, there’s not one stop shop, they’re technically a boss somewhere. With a one person brand, the person is emotional and rational. They can make decisions that don’t align with the brand version. Then you have moments where ether person is this and their brand doesn’t represent who they are
My concern is “are you able to keep close to what your band is and who you are, are you creating distance”
If you taste this to the business. The coffee shop has a lot of tea, that’s confusing
- we don’t want to change the band, just call it a coffee shop, it’ll create a massive fallout.
How do you make sure you’re being true.
He said if you’re down to share examples of your sustains we can hash it out
- one guy says he’s been looking for a brand strategist.
He does community building. He wants to build a movement around social justice work at this time. He wants to try to create a campaign, but he doesnt’ know what a campaign… he doesn’t know how things function as a campaign.
Now the host is sitting on the bed while talkign to the audience.
He said a campaign can have its own brand identity and vision, own engagement with a goal at the end. Lots that goes into it.
Think of what you’re trying to accomplish and if y’rue really trying to do movement organizing, where are those peopel at? How do you mobilize around those disconnected people across the USA for example that don’t know each other.
Here is just a lot of alcohol and this speech.
He’s leaning on the back of the bed now, casually hanging out on it.
I just feel like the way he presented is how I was taught not to present
He said, “we are not our jobs”
- I am haha. Kinda.
2023 focused a lot of art in a (idk this audience member is so hard to hear). Yeah I can not understand her at all.
This girl is speaking forever and no one knows what is she saying or talkigjn about.
She’s talking for like at least 2 minutes, and I literally can’t understand her. The guy up front just keeps saying mhmm. Yeah. But he has a smirk, too. So he’s letting her talk and be the butt of the joke??
Then the host can tell she’s talking forever, this audience girl talking, so she walks up to start to wrapup the talk, but he finally replies to her
And then “I mean, one of it is talking to people, coming to events, engaging with them. Maybe having it on a website so you dont have to tell all the parts. They’re not all connected. We’re all complex, have a website that connected things’
- then she says something about how the world is weird and digital and they ignore her online.
Now she’s talking still and he’s just hanging out on the back of the bed, even more lounged- in the front of everyone?
He said, do what works for you, if you want to stay IRL I love that - you know what I mean.
Then they say, “just do you, that’s the best advice ever”
Just wanted to thank you and free up the room so you guys can find each other and have conversations.
-The host suggests: Let’s send out the slides and com it out. Tap in with this strategic genius. We’ve got another hour.
Worksheets take them home. But they don’t have enough - its accessible on instagram
Then they say shoutout to the photographer. He said he’s going around and taking picuters of your faces. If you want one, get one here. She said, linkedin opportunity.
She said thanks for sharing your brain with the humans.
That’s it - I’ll go home.
Overall Event Review, Elaborated:
Venue (3/5): Good location like, on a map + for transportation, but strange to be at a furniture store that didn’t have many chairs/tables. Mostly beds. The audio wasn’t good and the visuals were impaired from this setup. Plus, you feel weird sitting on a bed, a bit, in public while trying to take notes or sit with strangers. It’s just a little uncomfortable. I’d like another setting for learning about building my business.
Food (3/5): Very predictable charcutterie board, so, plentiful - but not good for a dinner time event. I was 100% hungry for dinner and by mistake bought two tickets to this event, so I kinda wanted more food since I paid double. I was happy to see salmon there (and surprised that each time I returned to the table there was still pletny (cause there wasn’t even much to begin with). I guess I was one of the only salmon-eaters at that event. Wild!)
Speaker Content (2/5): Kinda surreal how supposedly successful this guy is, he was the only speaker, and he was so insanely unprepared. Ontop of that, it felt like a “Branding 101” lecture, which didn’t seem to be what was advertised. I want next-level lectures when I leave my house, every time!
Networking (2/5): It was easy to talk to no one and there wasn’t much effort made for people to chat. No worries! I got work done.
Likeliness to Return (4/5): I want to like these series and I think there’s great value to putting time and effort into understanding the creative culture and economy of Seattle. However, I still am not finding much value from these series on the surface level. Under the surface, I’m seeing examples of the value in having a prepared speech. Etc. Learning from this all. And I want to be insanely creative in Seattle, as I continue to find my footing… so this is my groove, just learning the dance - and then adding some new songs/instruments, you know?
Until next time, I wish you the motivation and success to search for opportunities around your area. Search and explore: Who is out there giving talks? There are new things happening all of the time.
Find relatable or interesting topics you like and check them out! Maybe even something hosted at a cool venue, if there’s no other reason to go. Let’s see what you can learn and discover not too far from home. 😊
