Like most who attended, I am catching my breath a little after a few days of SOBCon – the annual conference hosted by Liz Stauss and Terry Starbucker that brings together bloggers, entrepreneurs and like-minded corporate folks to discuss what it takes to be “Successful and Outstanding.”
I’m not sure I’m ready to post this yet, but if there’s one takeaway from SOBCon, it’s this: “Effing Launch It.” Don’t wait for perfection. Don’t expect everything to work the first time. Just get it done!
So instead of a recap, I thought I’d make some promises. Liz & Terry inspired this, but I know these promises are not really to them, but to me. 
1. I promise to find my niche. No, really.
After years of serving multiple industries in the vast arena that is “customer experience,” I really need to do this. Soon. So I will, and I’ll tell you about it here. (Mad props to Becky McCray and Sheila Scarborough.) I need 2 hands to count how many times Becky said this to me over the course of the weekend. (Point of order – Steve Woodruff’s been on my case about this for months! It just took this long to sink in.)
2. I promise to raise a barn.
Thanks to Liz’s inspiring opening and Chris Brogan‘s exceptional speech/discussion/rallying cry, I’m committed to raising a barn I’ve thought about doing for some time. What was stopping me? FEAR. Fear of failure AND fear of success. After SOBCon, I have no excuses. I know, thanks to Terry Starbucker, I’ll never walk alone again.
3. I promise to start small and dream big.
If there’s one thing that each and every person touched on, it’s this. We get in our own way much of the time and thanks to the echo chamber of the Internet sometimes think we are the bad guys for coming up with new ideas. Ted Murphy from IZEA said this really well. I’m paraphrasing here, but the idea is this: If everyone tells you you’re crazy, you’re probably on to something.
4. I promise to continue to surround myself with the right people.
I’m not exaggerating when I say the quality of people in the room at SOBCon made it the best conference I’ve attended in a long while. Being surrounded by that much brain power and integrity and emotional fortitude and humor and good will is powerful in a way that’s hard to articulate. I was humbled, truly, to be among that group.
5. I promise to visit The Netherlands.
Ok, so this one is really personal. But after spending 2 days with Erno Hannink and some time with Pieter van Osch, I really need to see how they grow ‘em up so smart, engaging and, um, directly honest there. It’s not often you go to a hometown conference and walk away with a new lifelong friend from across the ocean. But I did.
So, Liz & Terry, I hope you’re proud of yourselves. You’ll be hearing from me as I make good on these promises. And I hope you know how much you had to do with it.
P.S. There are lots of great write-ups and recaps popping up, so if you’re interested here are a few from different perspectives:
- Liz Strauss recaps her highlights in How To Raise a Barn in a Weekend. Simply put, she rocks.
- Steve Woodruff does a great job highlighting the amazing relationships and more in his recap: “I went to #SOBCon and all I got was…”
- Barry Moltz‘s recap: “The 20 Best Things Heard at SOBCon” is a great recap of what resonated with me, too.
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- jeanniecw: @bklein34 Yes but did you see the comments on the Ginsberg piece? Disheartening.
- jeanniecw: @luiserpa - any ideas? RT @adriandayton: Question: Does anybody have any examples of Brazilian companies using social media effectively?
- jeanniecw: Happy Friday. Too funny. RT @allanschoenberg RT @GirlPR: If you happen to need some awkward stock photos - here you go: http://bit.ly/70BYkV
- jeanniecw: RT @Starbucker Who will be @lizstrauss ' 50,000th follower? Liz is giving away a free ticket to #SOBCon CO to that lucky person. Cool!
11:44 AM on May 3rd, 2010
I am completely on board with all of these for myself, too!
12:01 PM on May 3rd, 2010
Great takeaways/promises Jeanie. Wonderful to reconnect again. My head is full of great things from SOBcon. I should have blocked out a day for decompression. Next year… It those recipes and I need to get in the kitchen and cook something (loved that Brogan comment). My mind keeps wanting to call it a revival (tho I’ve never been to one). Cheers!
12:05 PM on May 3rd, 2010
Great transparency here. Though I didn’t attend the event, I was watching via uStream and #sobcon. I hope that you can take the momentum you have from SOBCON and use it.
What immediate action are you taking to build your barn, find your niche, define your dream and actions toward executing against it?
4:01 PM on May 3rd, 2010
really, really wishing I’d gotten to talk to you. #2 resonates with me, ala @hankwasiak’s ABT. awesome goals, there.
4:06 PM on May 3rd, 2010
Ben – Now, you can consider me a friend. All part of the SOBCon family, right? I gave Hank’s teen book to my niece last night – it felt great. Thanks for your comments and support. -Jeannie
4:08 PM on May 3rd, 2010
Cody, Thanks for stopping by and for recognizing the transparency. I appreciate it. Good question about the immediate action – I have a plan today. Part of it is examining my client list (past and present) to determine if there’s already a pattern I’m missing. I’ll be keeping all posted here. Thanks again and hope you can attend SOBCon next year. It’s worth it! – JCW
4:08 PM on May 3rd, 2010
Dave – I love your description of a revival. I think it’s apt, although I’ve never been to one, either! Keep cooking. – Jeannie
4:08 PM on May 3rd, 2010
Good, Lisa! Let’s go get ‘em. – JCW
10:29 PM on May 3rd, 2010
Thanks for the callout out! You have great advice!
3:52 AM on May 4th, 2010
Hey friend, we had a great time it was an unforgettable experience on multiple levels. Working on my notes and transforming these into actions. No wait into assets.
We will meet again. At the latest at the next #sobcon
Erno
8:29 AM on May 4th, 2010
Neat take aways. Powerful insights. I followed the stream and felt this “yep. need to be amidst those types of thinkers.” hope you’ll come back here in 3mos and share how you’re following through…maybe by then you’ll be in the Netherlands.
Best to you.
9:48 AM on May 4th, 2010
Jeannie, it was my pleasure to spend some time with you, Erno and Pieter. What a brain trust! I look forward to hearing more as you move through the process. (and it is a process)
And I admire your use of Point of Order in a blog post.
9:50 AM on May 4th, 2010
Thanks, Tresha. I do plan on keeping everyone updated as I check things off this list!
9:51 AM on May 4th, 2010
Thanks, Becky. I know who to call if I decide I need a good kick in the you-know-what.
8:51 AM on May 12th, 2010
[...] Jeannie Walters wrote about her five SOBCon promises to Liz Strauss and Terry Starbucker, beginning with the theme of the weekend: I’m not sure I’m ready to post this yet, but if there’s one takeaway from SOBCon, it’s this: Effing Launch It.” Don’t wait for perfection. Don’t expect everything to work the first time. Just get it done! [...]
6:04 AM on June 24th, 2010
[...] attending SOBCon you will have an overwhelming desire to DO SOMETHING. Just like Jeanne Walters said after Chicago 2010: “If there’s one takeaway from SOBCon, it’s this: “Effing Launch It.” Don’t wait [...]
6:40 AM on May 3rd, 2010
Great Post from @jeanniecw! My 5 Promises to @lizstrauss and @starbucker, thanks to #SOBCon: http://bit.ly/d2w5qj
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
6:41 AM on May 3rd, 2010
i need to do as well! RT @jeanniecw: My 5 Promises to @lizstrauss and @starbucker, thanks to #SOBCon: http://bit.ly/d2w5qj
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
6:52 AM on May 3rd, 2010
@jeanniecw! My 5 Promises to @lizstrauss and @starbucker, thanks to #SOBCon: http://bit.ly/d2w5qj /That’s deciding!
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
7:24 AM on May 3rd, 2010
Post-SOBCon 2010: My Promises to Liz Strauss & Terry Starbucker: http://bit.ly/cC3ccq via @addthis
This comment was originally posted on Twitter