BlogHer 2018: Women Inspiring Women
by Krista Montelpare on August 23, 2018
“Women inspiring women” is the mission of the BlogHer Creators Summit and its founders. The word inspiring really doesn’t even really cover what I walked away with after attending the 2018 summit in New York City.
Sitting in a room with over 2000 women (along with a few good men) reminded me of my “why” for attending this summit. Connecting with like minded content creators from diverse backgrounds was empowering. It gave me a deeper knowledge of self and of the people and brands that are doing great things in what can be a challenging political environment. Here is my top 5 listing of people/brands that inspired me at BlogHer 2018.
- BeforeYou.com: After speaking one-on-one with Ellen Foord from BeforeYou.com I could tell she was beyond passionate about her storytelling app. BeforeYou.com is an “iOS app designed to easily capture and share family stories in text, photo, audio, and video”. Ellen showed me some of the features of the app, which includes recording special messages from family members both near and far. It even has a prompt-enabled feature that helps parents and kids create and collect stories when they are feeling stuck.
- Humanscale: We content creators spend a lot of time sitting at our desks. Humanscale is an innovative design and manufacturing company that focuses on the health and comfort of its users. After sitting and speaking with Jasmine from Humanscale I learned that not only are they a global company, they are on a mission to use less of the Earth’s materials and recycle when possible. My favourite swag came from these folks in the form of a reusable straw and gorgeous glass water bottle.
- Happily Ever Borrowed: Speaking of sustainable, Happily Ever Borrowed is a “premiere online e-boutique that rents designer bridal accessories for a fraction of the retail price”. Their mantra is that your ‘big day’ does not need to have a big price tag or mean that you spend money on something you only wear once. Happily Ever Borrowed helps you save for the real life stuff that a marriage has to manage.
- Hot Hot Cold: During a pitch session at BlogHer, Sarah, the Hot Hot Cold app developer, spoke about the potential of what her app can provide. Hot Hot Cold is an app that helps you locate your friends at large festivals or at other off the grid events. Sarah is also partnering with brands that can integrate their services at each festival to give app users unique VIP experiences. Keep an eye on this one, folks.
- Crisis Text Line: Now let’s get serious for a moment. BlogHer does not try to make everything seem pretty, even if everyone at this event looked stunning. In fact, it highlights the issues and brings in voices and brands that confront them head-on. Such is the case with Crisis Text Line. This not-for-profit organization provides free crisis intervention via SMS message. The organization’s services are available 24 hours a day, every day, throughout the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. They are always looking for volunteers, so I encourage you to reach out to help or if you need help yourself.
While this is just a tiny taste of two big days of networking, learning, and, of course, fun, it was also a chance to understand the importance of coming together to lift each other up. It did not matter that I was a white woman from Canada, I was a person first. Supporting one another is what will inevitably make both our countries stronger.