DISQUS

Hi Whitney. Thanks for your thought provoking post. I read it early this AM and sent you a few twitters. Let me take a moment to expound on my thoughts (140 characters is definitely not enough for this one).

I just spent the last three days @BlogHer. It was a great experience. I am working on my review in the next day, so be sure to keep an eye out. As you know, I go to many tech conferences, and it was truly unique experience to be at one where the majority of attendees were women, not men. While there are a lot of mommy bloggers in attendance, the event itself spans multiple verticals. In fact, there was a great panel on women without children and how they navigate that identity in the business world and in the blogosphere. While that issues doesn't come up on InternetGeekGirl.com specifically, I can tell you that as a 37 single woman, it comes up in my personal and professional life BIG TIME. That's a perfect example of how BlogHer content uniquely spoke to me both as a woman and as a worker (which is a goal of the show imho).

I totally get that your comments are not directly at BlogHer. And my response is not meant to be a defense of the event (or any conference). [NOTE - i'm not affiliated with blogher in any way]. I would merely like to argue for the VALUE of identifying as a women blogger.

"Because no matter how you slice it, a qualifier is a limit."

Some people find qualifiers to also be the building blocks of community, and I don't find that limiting. Of course, all communities have their draw backs, but the benefits usually outweigh the costs. Otherwise, why be a member?

My first reaction to your post was sadness. I feel I have let down the younger generation. This conversation we are having (as nate pointed out) is the basics of identity politics. I was deeply involved in that world early in my career. We used to argue about the word feminist. Well, it's basically the same argument, in a different context.

BTW - I AM A FEMINIST and always will be!

All I can say Whitney is that as woman in business (albeit 13 years older than you), I have seen this issue from all sides. I had many male and female mentors in my life. I do not solely identify myself with any one community, nor does my gender drive my career. I have always done exactly what I've wanted to in life, and always will.

For me, the bottom line is that I have benefited much more than I have given to the "cause." So many women have walked before me in biz and fighting for social justice. I never want to forget those women and I always want to encourage the younger generation of women to keep up the good fight and stick together!

It is great that your mentors pushed you to be the best you can be. No qualifier. I can assure you that if it weren't for their female colleagues and the way in which they pushed the limits and forged new ground.. you'd have no where to use your fabulous skills.

Women still struggle for equality across the board. Sexism is rampant in the business world. By continuing to identify together and help each other, we can only hope that girls 13 years young than you will have even more opportunity.

Play with the big boys all you want. I do! I love it. But I also know that by embracing the experience of being a woman blogger and sharing knowledge, content and experience with that community, I will play more effectively, and be more likely to achieve success!


As for @dingman's comment about a BlogHim. We have that already my friend - it's every other tech conference.

so - hope this makes some sense. I'm sitting in a coffee shop in San Fran and rushing from one big boy meeting to the next. :)

I'm a woman blogger. I'm a woman in business and I damn good at what I do.. regardless of what you call me.

Thanks Whitney.

Best,
Stephanie

It will be magical for sure!! :) Thanks Shawn. we are all looking forward to a great Summit this summer!

Best of luck Sam in your new venture. Sounds awesome.

Excellent choice Shawn. Gary's energy and vision (as well as deep understanding of monetization strategies and online media) make him a perfect fit. Another successful recruit to this show! yeah!!

Look forward to seeing a banner for InternetGeekGirl (the original brand) on your site! hee!

Happy Birthday Wayne. hope it's a great day. enjoy and stop and smell the roses!!!

I'm with you. I enjoyed the straight talk Jason provided. I think that it is very difficult to argue with his simple premise: Consumers want and deserve value. Publishers and advertisers that are on the up and up should have no issues with that. My full review is here: http://www.internetgeekgirl.com

Cheers,
Stephanie

Good points Kellie. I will clarify to say that it's time that the networks took a more pro-active role. They react by terminating, but how are they leading? I for one deal with this almost every day. I know most of my colleagues do. I'm just saying there is a lack of leadership on behalf of the networks - which in my mind is also an opportunity for them. Differentiate, take a stand! I know many that would appreciate it!

Thanks,
Stephanie

Shawn - I agree completely that this is a NETWORK issue. The affiliate networks are failing on many fronts right now (some worse than others), but this is an age-old issue. I had two incidents in the last week where affiliates were acting inappropriately with regard to trademark bidding on PPC. Let me tell you - the networks can figure out who is white hat and who is black hat with one simple report. The fact is, they are not looking.

I for one am very sick of their failures!

Hey Dave. This is great. This is like an uber version of those cool digital picture frames. :)

That is so sweet Jake. Happy birthday to the little one. Lots to be grateful for. Have a wonderful holiday!!

All the best,
Stephanie

OH my gosh.. she's born!! welcome to the world little Mary Hudson Harrelson. You are a very lucky little girl!

All the best to you and yours!

Cheers,
Stephanie

Hi Shawn. Anything that makes life better for affiliates is great. However, I think it is worth exploring just how much of an impact this will have. It is my understanding that weekly payments won't occur unless merchants pay LinkShare weekly. I've yet to hear how that will occur. For some merchants, it's vital to have 14 - 30 days to review transactions, in order to back out cancellations and be sensitive to any fraudulent order. I'm curious to see how many merchants will do this. And, if anyone has any more info on this, I'd love to see it.

Best,
Stephanie

Cute sam. my mom's 70th BD was yesteray. She's computer-less. I've offered but she has no interest. My dad is pretty impressive to me though - he uses the internet to manage his life and business, and is wild about uploading pictures to share with the family. Good for your Mom - that is really cool!

Hello guys! What does it say that I'm responding to this at 10:30 pm EST? I have had a very productive day. :) First off, I'm not sure I have any truly innovative jewels here. I stick with the basics: daily, monthly and quarterly goal lists, perpetual optimizatinon of those lists, and ...well, something more touchy feely - I seem to know instinctively how to get tons of stuff done in short periods of time. It's part of my internal clock. Sometimes stress level gets high though. I will share a url for an interesting approach I heard about at web2.0 expo: http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/

Tim Ferriss spoke and made a few interesting suggestions. He only checks email twice a day (which would be so sad for me and which would take away a major component of my life). :) and - he outsources as much as he can in his life. That I'm working on.

As a single woman who owns her own home and her own business, I have to balance personal and professional requirements on my own. No partner to help with household management - so for me, admin staff and my cleaning lady really help out a lot. I realize I don't have kids (that would require a whole new staff). For me, productivity is achieved by working hard and staying positive throughout the process!

Thanks Sam - and have fun playing. I think I should try that. :)

Hilarious. thanks for sharin' Shawn! I like Jim's outfit change especially! Looking forward to attending your panel.

Best,
Stephanie

"Did he rename himself again? No. Instead of rebranding himself via his name, he had a baby and married a young attractive female."

The equivalent for us to to come up with new and innovative ways to utilize the Internet to change people's lives. Us being "affiliate marketers." I'm with Sam - innovation is the answer, not a new name.

FYI - Tom was born Thomas Cruise Mapother IV on July 3. Graduated the same high school as me ... Glen Ridge High School in Glen Ridge, NJ. (he was there a bit earlier than me though... graduated in 1980). I did meet him when I was in 8th grade and he came back for his sister's graduation. Got his autograph even. "Best Wishes Stephanie... Tom Cruise." He was right on the heels of Risky Biz... and Rebecca D. was with him. I thought it was GREAT. I knew he had star quality. :)

Sam, Jeff & Jeff: Great discussion here and in the Weekly Insight podcast. I have spent most of my time in Affiliate Marketing on the advertiser side of the fence (why is it a fence? Yes, I know it shouldn't be and I do my best to level it). Jeff Molander correctly points out that this conversation brings us back to the age old question of who owns the customer. It takes time for a merchant to build a direct relationship with the customer.. and of course, that is dependant on the merchant having a product that the customer wants again and again. Otherwise, that first transaction is more like a one-night stand (vs. a relationship). Now, having worked with merchants at all stages of development of their affiliate program (pre-launch to mature)...I am realizing that the affilaite marketing solution must adapt over time. There are acquisition focused affiliates and retention focused affiliates (right?). And, there are merchants that care more about acquisition and merchants that care more about long term customer relationship and cost management. Question is.. how do we match up the right merchants with the right affilaites. What happens when a mature merchant and a retention affiliate continue down the path and end up in a place.. well, where both parties are frustrated. I'd say - relationship therapy is needed. I think Jeff is onto something with a commission model that adapts to the change in the relationship. Also, mature merchants that are frustrated with affiliate marketing as a whole (which is unfair) should consider taking their programs private and managing those partnships differently. Your widget conversation merely highlights that we are going to be seeing more and more frustration and that we will need more therapy.