Alt Summit 2016: Where it All Began

Do you ever feel like you have so many ideas that your head may explode? That's me on a usual day, but last fall it really got to a feverish pitch. I knew I really wanted (needed?) to start a blog, as a creative outlet and a place to refine my ideas on branding, design, & life...but where to start?? I felt totally stuck. But as I pored into my favorite lifestyle blogs, I kept on seeing mentions about the Alt Summit conference, a gathering of bloggers and creative entrepreneurs from around the world who seemed to have a pretty good idea of how it's done. I knew not a single soul attending, but on a hunch, I registered and bought a ticket to Salt Lake City.

What did I find? Nirvana. Hundreds of smart, energetic, accomplished women (Mariam Naficy of Minted, Yana Puaca of Nomad Luxuries, author/speaker Samantha Ettus & too many others to name) packed into a ballroom, HELPING one another, actively listening to each other's business goals and offering hands-on tips and suggestions in the most non-judgy way I've ever seen. Lectures galore followed - with the highlight for me being a tutorial led by Pinterest's Head of Creative & Brand Strategy, Kevin Knight, who had amazing insights - as well as a private, seated dinner that night hosted by one of my favorite brands, Chairish.

Through Alt, I got the perspective to completely re-do my consulting website (LeePrince.com) and focus my business exclusively on lifestyle brands. Also through Alt, I came to learn of Upwork, an online marketplace of incredibly talented freelancers. And through Upwork, I met the ever stylish & efficient Christiane, who helped me kickstart this blog project once and for all.

Thank you, Alt, and all the amazing women I met there who are truly walking the walking of bringing their dreams and business goals to life every single day. And so it begins!