I've been doing various events work this year, for some interesing and leading names in the web space.
As some of you may know, I helped found Chinwag as a commercial venture, which then went on to launch Chinwag Live series. We also did Big Summer 07 last year, which was a free party for over 2,000 people. Just 5 of us organised the whole thing, in 6 weeks. And I still have some hair left! ;-)
Then, earlier this year I was working with Mike Butcher at TechCrunchUK to help him kickstart some events in the UK and Europe. He's now jetting off all over the place meeting people and creating meet ups off the back of other events, as well as organising some really exciting ones of his own, such as the recent (very successful) Pitch! event.
Now I'm working at the Guardian, and looking into events as part of my research for my current role. Guardian events in the past have been on large scale, with a full events team organising events such as the Guardian brand at Glastonbury.
All these different types of event has got me thinking, what would be the best event you would want to go to? If you could combine all the aspects of events you've been to over the last few years, and come up with some almighty geek/tech/online/networking fest, what would it be like?
Mine would be something along the lines of, in priority order: Incredible speakers discussing their visions (not pimping their warez!), affordable pricing (I guess sub £100), good accessible venue in an interesting city, an exciting delegate list - perhaps one that's been thought out with tickets tactically released to ensure a wide range and spread of people, cool freebies/swag from sponsors, and great networking - be that at the venue or the pub down the road.
So come on, spill, what would your ideal conference/event look like? And while you're at it - I'd love to know what was your favourite event or conference you've been to this year, from a geek meet up in a pub right through to something like Le Web. It's whichever one left you with a "that was so cool I want to do it again next week!" feeling. The very first FOWA was mine.
As some of you may know, I helped found Chinwag as a commercial venture, which then went on to launch Chinwag Live series. We also did Big Summer 07 last year, which was a free party for over 2,000 people. Just 5 of us organised the whole thing, in 6 weeks. And I still have some hair left! ;-)
Then, earlier this year I was working with Mike Butcher at TechCrunchUK to help him kickstart some events in the UK and Europe. He's now jetting off all over the place meeting people and creating meet ups off the back of other events, as well as organising some really exciting ones of his own, such as the recent (very successful) Pitch! event.
Now I'm working at the Guardian, and looking into events as part of my research for my current role. Guardian events in the past have been on large scale, with a full events team organising events such as the Guardian brand at Glastonbury.
All these different types of event has got me thinking, what would be the best event you would want to go to? If you could combine all the aspects of events you've been to over the last few years, and come up with some almighty geek/tech/online/networking fest, what would it be like?
Mine would be something along the lines of, in priority order: Incredible speakers discussing their visions (not pimping their warez!), affordable pricing (I guess sub £100), good accessible venue in an interesting city, an exciting delegate list - perhaps one that's been thought out with tickets tactically released to ensure a wide range and spread of people, cool freebies/swag from sponsors, and great networking - be that at the venue or the pub down the road.
So come on, spill, what would your ideal conference/event look like? And while you're at it - I'd love to know what was your favourite event or conference you've been to this year, from a geek meet up in a pub right through to something like Le Web. It's whichever one left you with a "that was so cool I want to do it again next week!" feeling. The very first FOWA was mine.
I just received an email this morning from Mike Atherton leading me to this page - Sunderland Universities weblog homework.
I'm listed as a blog that should be read and discused?! I am both honoured and amused in equal measure. Thanks to Tony Nicholson for taking my blogs on, and giving this comment:
Cool, huh?! :)
Thanks Tony!
It's an apt reminder that everything you do and say online is likely to be studied and scrutinised at some stage. It's also reminded me that it's important to bring a mix of not just what you want to write, but what's interesting to the table.
Have a read of the post, and the findings of the other students too, it's very insightful.
I'm listed as a blog that should be read and discused?! I am both honoured and amused in equal measure. Thanks to Tony Nicholson for taking my blogs on, and giving this comment:
I went on Thayer Driver's blog (thayer18.livejournal.com) and found the mix of professional and personal quite interesting. At first I was quite sceptical if it would work or not, but as I read on the interesting mix proved a good interaction for her social networking friends. The first ever social networking Mexican Wave hade 15 comments in the last five minutes and her other blogs enabled her to promote the chinwag work that she does. It is important to create a good relationship with fellow proffessionals so I think if I ever get a professional working blog going I will do the same mix... but perhaps not as extreme!
Cool, huh?! :)
Thanks Tony!
It's an apt reminder that everything you do and say online is likely to be studied and scrutinised at some stage. It's also reminded me that it's important to bring a mix of not just what you want to write, but what's interesting to the table.
Have a read of the post, and the findings of the other students too, it's very insightful.
Ok, so this is a bit of an odd post to do, but what the hey. I talk about Twitter and social media far too much, so for a change let's go Swimming in the Sea Of Me as my very good friend Sam Michel likes to call it.
Dan Hon tagged me in his post Eight Random Things About Me. I only just found out about this from a tardy Google Alert but it seems fun so why the heck not :)
I tag:
Wow, I really need to start knowing more women who do personal blogs!!
EDIT: Also, rules are meant to be broken right? I tag two more people:
Dan Hon tagged me in his post Eight Random Things About Me. I only just found out about this from a tardy Google Alert but it seems fun so why the heck not :)
- I speak really bad but passable French and Greek, along with a few words of Japanese, Arabic and South African.
- I actually meant to be an artist (oils and fabric, if you're interested), but decided that the Internet thing would probably take off and make me more money.
- I can play the guitar, clarinet, piano, all the recorder family and get a note out of a sax and a flute. All pretty badly.
- I have cooked properly since I was about 14, it is still my most enjoyable and fulfilling hobby.
- I had long blonde hair all my life until I cut it off and dyed it brown in November 2005.
- I left home a week after my 16th birthday to start a new life on my own, in a different country from my family.
- I have no academic qualifications after my GCSEs.
- Until 2 weeks ago, I had never owned a single product or service by Apple.
I tag:
Wow, I really need to start knowing more women who do personal blogs!!
EDIT: Also, rules are meant to be broken right? I tag two more people:
Okay, so I feel bad. I promised results by today, and it isn't going to happen. There are two reasons for this in my defense, m'lud.
<hangs head in shame and shuffles off />
- I have a family visit tomorrow until Friday. Not just any family visit, but my: sister, her son, her husband and my Mum. This is a lot of family to visit, considering it's the first time I've ever entertained family in London. Eek. Send me good luck vibes. I'm slightly scared about how completely square and nerdy I am going to appear to my 8 year old nephew. He's probably already on web 5.9 and played all the games I own on the hardest levels. I think family is a fairly decent excuse as to not getting my homework done on time - I mean, it's not like my cat ate it, or anything. Did you, Spitz?
- I met a very interesting chap today, mister Richard Nevins from Tipped. He's doing some really interesting research into microbragging. He also gave me a dissertation on Twitter that I would rather like to use parts of for the Twitter survey report - add a bit of meat to its bones, perhaps. Richard has also said he'll be happy to get involved in the next Twitter survey - and he's super academic and brainy, so it will be way better than the finger in the air job I did.
<hangs head in shame and shuffles off />
As Mike Butcher announced today on TechCrunch UK - I've got another new consultancy gig! I'm very proud to be working with TechCrunch and partners to bring some really exciting technically focussed events to the UK and also across Europe.
Mike says:
So there you go! What he said ;-)
Please do drop me a line if you're interested to hear more about what we're going to be doing, and if you have any ideas or would like to be involved.
Mike says:
Plenty of people have been wondering when we’d start running some TechCrunch events on this side of the pond. But attempting to run a full-time news blog and run events at the same time is a recipe for chaos. So I’m delighted to say that TechCrunch UK & Ireland is going to be working with Thayer Driver as our Events & Sponsorship Consultant. One of the first things we’ll be working on together is a decent-sized TechCrunch event for the Summer, while looking at other opportunities in the meantime to bring our community of readers together. Thayer will be exploring commercial opportunities for TechCrunch events both in the UK, Ireland and, potentially, other European centres. She can be reached on thayer.driver[AT]gmail.com (LinkedIn page) and here is a little more information about her. Oh, and, unlike most events people I know, she can also build objects in Second Life.
So there you go! What he said ;-)
Please do drop me a line if you're interested to hear more about what we're going to be doing, and if you have any ideas or would like to be involved.
I've been consulting since last October, but haven't got round to calling myself anything other than Thayer Driver. Although this is very to the point, isn't really very fun or good for forms. Or when pitching to clients etc, "Hi, I'm Thayer" receptionist: "What company please?" me: "Um, Thayer Driver inc?" You get the picture.
So I put it to the Twitter community today, and had some good responses. My favourites so far are MediaDriver (sadly already gone) and DigitalDriver (also already gone). It may be worth pointing out here that Driver isn't actually my name either, I'm divorced and never got round to changing my name back. My real name is actually Thayer Chappell :) So trading under my divorced name would be a bit odd.
Funniest name so far Major Thayers (a parody of Major Players if you haven't heard of them).
Here's some stuff that might help someone come up with a good name:
Click here to see the Twitter community's answers :o)
So I put it to the Twitter community today, and had some good responses. My favourites so far are MediaDriver (sadly already gone) and DigitalDriver (also already gone). It may be worth pointing out here that Driver isn't actually my name either, I'm divorced and never got round to changing my name back. My real name is actually Thayer Chappell :) So trading under my divorced name would be a bit odd.
Funniest name so far Major Thayers (a parody of Major Players if you haven't heard of them).
Here's some stuff that might help someone come up with a good name:
- my blog is Tall. Eats a Lot. Talks too much - so, TEAL, TTM, etc maybe?
- Thayer is an anagram of hearty and earthy (haha! how true)
- I consult in digital, web, communities, emerging tech, recruitment and gaming (videogames, not gambling)
Click here to see the Twitter community's answers :o)
My Lifestreams
Syndicate
