Collective at Create + Cultivate in Dallas!

Last weekend the Collective team dashed off to Dallas for a few nights to attend the Create + Cultivate blogger conference. If you follow us on Twitter, you saw all the tweets and retweets! We sponsored part of the conference, moderated a blogger panel, and even hosted a blogger bar where you guys came up to us to ask us questions or even sign up if you didn’t already have an account. We also had our “bar” fully stocked with the most adorable branded water bottles, pastel-hued macarons, and a DIY hot chocolate bar- there were many Instagram moments with that setup and throughout the entire conference.

This was the biggest Create + Cultivate conference yet with brands represented and bloggers present. Bloggers heard hour-long panels on how to break through and make an impact in this oversaturated market, some on how to be constantly inspired, and many others including how to be authentic and define your personal brand. In between panels, bloggers had the chance to network with their peers and visit all the brand booths to chat with the different retailers and pick up goodies along the way.

Some of our favorite things we picked up were the tidbits of wisdom that the speakers imparted to us, and by speakers we mean bloggers who have become so influential in this space, like Julia from Gal Meets Glam, Mary from Happily Grey, and Lauryn from The Skinny Confidential, to name a few.

• “You are you and nobody can copy you!” —Gal Meets Glam
• How do you break through in this oversaturated market? “Find your voice, talk on your blog like you do in real life!” —The Skinny Confidential
• “If you don’t know your audience and you”re pushing product, you won’t sell.” — Lunchpails and Lipstick
• What advice would you give the bloggers? “Have patience, have determination, and believe in yourself.” — Cupcakes and Cashmere
• “An Instagram without any hashtags is a missed opportunity . . . 35 are the max you should use” — Matt Crump

This conference is such a gem for new bloggers or bloggers who want a refresh and some inspiration. It’s a great networking tool and something I would highly recommend to attend as a blogger at least once.

Did you attend? I’d love to hear in the comments!

xo,

Carlina