Dear Readers, Today is the two year 'auntieversary' of SavvyAuntie.com, the first online community for cool aunts, great aunts, godmothers and all women who love kids. So much has happened in the last two years since that fateful day. In fact, I don't hesitate to say my life has changed dramatically.
I truly found my passion with Savvy Auntie. Being an 'auntrepreneur' was always a dream of mine. Writing a book was also a dream, so when Debbie Stier of HarperCollins reached out to me and invited me to her office for lunch last November, I could hardly believe it. The result of that meeting is: The Savvy Auntie Guide to Life: The Ultimate Source for Cool Aunts, Great Aunts, Godmothers and All Women Who Love Kids. The manuscript is due at William Morrow, the imprint at HarperCollins publishing the book, at the end of this month! Look for it on amazon.com and every where books are sold on March 22nd!
I also never dreamed I'd be on TV as often as I have. Or write a piece in The New York Times or had the unbelievable amount of amazing press for Savvy Auntie. I designated a day for Aunts. I've gotten to meet and/or interview women and men I look up to. I've had photoshoots with acclaimed photographers and hairstylists. I've had the opportunity to work with incredible clients who sponsor this dream of mine. And I've learned so, so much.
I could not be here - in this moment - without you and all the Savvy Auntie members, fans, followers and friends. I am deeply humbled by the support and love you have shown me and Savvy Auntie. This magic carpet ride of mine has taken me places I never imagined I would visit. And we're still going strong.
"If a man knows the harbor he seeks, any wind is the right wind." - Seneca.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for being the wind on my sails.
XOXO
Auntie Melanie
Showing posts with label anniversary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label anniversary. Show all posts
Friday, July 9, 2010
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Happy Birthday, SavvyAuntie.com!
Dear Readers,
Wow... I can't believe it's a year to the day since I launched SavvyAuntie.com. It's been the most fabulous and most rewarding year of my life. I am humbled by the response and proud of the success. And I am so very happy that aunts and godmothers are getting the recognition they deserve. What an amazing tribute to them!
One of the most valuable things I have learned this past year is how good-natured and generous people are. From you, Dear Readers, to the media, bloggers, other sites and online communities, SavvyAuntie.com members, my advisers, my interns, my developer, my designers, my talent manager, my interim CFO, sales reps, photographers and videographers, my literary agents, the Savvy Auntie Experts, the Twitter Followers, the Facebook Fans, the PR people, and the sponsors who are all so wonderful to work with....
In fact, I'm writing this blog post on my new DELL Latitude E4300 Laptop and reading it on my 22" DELL monitor. Last year, @Kara_atDell was following me on Twitter and was very supportive of the launch of SavvyAuntie.com. She even interviewed me for the DELL Small Business Blog. Twice. Kara has been watching the launch and journey of SavvyAuntie.com because DELL is interested in women in small business and how DELL can help them.
DELL sent me this laptop and monitor (as well as some necessary accessories) to help me run my business more effectively. I won't be reviewing the products - I'm not a reviewer - but I am acknowledging that DELL is supportive of women in small business and we both hope to take this relationship further as my business grows. I'll also be giving feedback to Kara on how well this system works for me so that they can continue to improve their products for women in small business.
Kara and the team at DELL have done so much to help make this process easy and have been very generous with me. For example, they understood that one of my main concerns with a laptop is portability. I'm petite and every ounce more I schlepp around New York City is felt. So they offered me a 3.3lb laptop. They heard me. And I appreciate that.
When I asked Kara why she chose me for this project, here's what she had to say:
"As we’ve chatted about before, Dell continues to look for more ways to connect with customers online. Over the past several years Dell has become active in social media through customer outreach, blogging, Twitter, Facebook and participation with other communities – but are always looking for new ways to build meaningful relationships with customers and get their feedback about Dell products and services.
"There has been a lot of chatter in the blogosphere about ‘blogger relation’ programs…but there didn’t seem to be the perfect format for us. So, we decided to start small and reach out to bloggers we already knew to help us build a program.
"The first aspect of the program we are piloting is getting some of our latest systems into the hands of bloggers to provide us feedback on how they use it, what’s good about it and what doesn’t seem to work for them. This ‘review’ is not for just a week, because who really uses a system for just one week? We asked you to participate not just because you have a credible voice in the world of social media, but more importantly, a wonderful entrepreneurial spirit, much like many of our small and medium business customers. What better way to get feedback about the PCs we develop for SMBs than from a business owner who will use it every day to run their company and already shares business challenges and successes with peers?"
So thanks DELL. And thanks to all the sponsors who have supported SavvyAuntie.com this year in one way or another:
Hasbro/Playskool
Warner Brothers
Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Yoplait Kids
Turner/TNT
1-800-FLOWERS
Vivre
pingg
Sephora
and many more to come...
At 1PM ET on July 9, 2008, we went live. And one year later, at 1PM ET July 9, 2009, I say thank you for coming on this journey with me. It means more to me than you can ever imagine.
Wow... I can't believe it's a year to the day since I launched SavvyAuntie.com. It's been the most fabulous and most rewarding year of my life. I am humbled by the response and proud of the success. And I am so very happy that aunts and godmothers are getting the recognition they deserve. What an amazing tribute to them!
One of the most valuable things I have learned this past year is how good-natured and generous people are. From you, Dear Readers, to the media, bloggers, other sites and online communities, SavvyAuntie.com members, my advisers, my interns, my developer, my designers, my talent manager, my interim CFO, sales reps, photographers and videographers, my literary agents, the Savvy Auntie Experts, the Twitter Followers, the Facebook Fans, the PR people, and the sponsors who are all so wonderful to work with....
In fact, I'm writing this blog post on my new DELL Latitude E4300 Laptop and reading it on my 22" DELL monitor. Last year, @Kara_atDell was following me on Twitter and was very supportive of the launch of SavvyAuntie.com. She even interviewed me for the DELL Small Business Blog. Twice. Kara has been watching the launch and journey of SavvyAuntie.com because DELL is interested in women in small business and how DELL can help them.
DELL sent me this laptop and monitor (as well as some necessary accessories) to help me run my business more effectively. I won't be reviewing the products - I'm not a reviewer - but I am acknowledging that DELL is supportive of women in small business and we both hope to take this relationship further as my business grows. I'll also be giving feedback to Kara on how well this system works for me so that they can continue to improve their products for women in small business.
Kara and the team at DELL have done so much to help make this process easy and have been very generous with me. For example, they understood that one of my main concerns with a laptop is portability. I'm petite and every ounce more I schlepp around New York City is felt. So they offered me a 3.3lb laptop. They heard me. And I appreciate that.
When I asked Kara why she chose me for this project, here's what she had to say:
"As we’ve chatted about before, Dell continues to look for more ways to connect with customers online. Over the past several years Dell has become active in social media through customer outreach, blogging, Twitter, Facebook and participation with other communities – but are always looking for new ways to build meaningful relationships with customers and get their feedback about Dell products and services.
"There has been a lot of chatter in the blogosphere about ‘blogger relation’ programs…but there didn’t seem to be the perfect format for us. So, we decided to start small and reach out to bloggers we already knew to help us build a program.
"The first aspect of the program we are piloting is getting some of our latest systems into the hands of bloggers to provide us feedback on how they use it, what’s good about it and what doesn’t seem to work for them. This ‘review’ is not for just a week, because who really uses a system for just one week? We asked you to participate not just because you have a credible voice in the world of social media, but more importantly, a wonderful entrepreneurial spirit, much like many of our small and medium business customers. What better way to get feedback about the PCs we develop for SMBs than from a business owner who will use it every day to run their company and already shares business challenges and successes with peers?"
So thanks DELL. And thanks to all the sponsors who have supported SavvyAuntie.com this year in one way or another:
Hasbro/Playskool
Warner Brothers
Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Yoplait Kids
Turner/TNT
1-800-FLOWERS
Vivre
pingg
Sephora
and many more to come...
At 1PM ET on July 9, 2008, we went live. And one year later, at 1PM ET July 9, 2009, I say thank you for coming on this journey with me. It means more to me than you can ever imagine.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
I am Savvy Auntie.
Dear Readers,
One year ago today, I woke up an entrepreneur.
Today, I woke up with a list of things to do before I launch that is the size of New Jersey.
The year has been full of ups. Very few downs. And lots of hope, gratitude and wonder.
It's not that I haven't been working like crazy. Ask my friends, they'll tell you. I've spent nights and weekends at my desk. Plus, I am also consulting to pay the rent. I do find time for the important things, like spending dad's big birthday with him. Or dating. Or seeing friends walk down the aisle and celebrating their special birthdays. And of course, I find time to spend with my nephew and nieces because nothing could be more inspiring to me. However, mostly, it's been a lot of work. A lot of hard decisions. A lot of challenging things to learn. And a lot of wondering how I would get through it all.
And I couldn't be happier.
I love my job. I love that Aunties write in to thank me for doing this. I love that some of the biggest brands in the world are considering sponsoring the site. I love that I have over two dozen Experts writing for Savvy Auntie - and thanking ME for the opportunity! I love that I have met hundreds (hundreds!) of people through Twitter and Facebook who are so incredibly supportive that I am overwhelmed. I love that my own Auntie is more proud of me than I could imagine. I love that every day a new wonderful surprise pops up without fail. I love that this blog has become a helpful tool to scores of entrepreneurs (or entrepreneurs-to-be) who are inspired by it. I love that when I walk into a room, people walk up to me and say: "You're Savvy Auntie!"
I love that I started this business. I am proud. I am honored.
One year ago today, I woke up an entrepreneur. Today, I woke up the Auntrepreneur behind Savvy Auntie. Today, I woke up "me." What's not to love about that?
XOXO,
Auntie Melanie
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