If you've been wondering where I've been…

I’ve been super busy planning the WIN-ACFW local conference. It ended yesterday and today I’m beat!!

Last year we had one speaker, one room, and about 40 people. This year, I wanted to go bigger. Two speakers. Rene Gutteridge and Brandt Dodson…awesome, awesome, awesome. Plus we had an agent, Jeff Dunn, a publicist, Jeane Wynn, pastor/writer Ed Gungor and about 50 people. The official numbers aren’t back yet, but I do know that 8 people showed up at the door! Woo Hoo! How exciting that was…but we also panicked and ordered more food, which we actually didn’t end up needing because the wonderful WIN members kept us well supplied with snacks.

All the feedback about the conference was good. Everyone had a great time and offered some really great suggestions for next year. Even my own WIN members raved and wondered how I pulled it off. Not sure how I did. I just attacked the details one at a time and even added some things the very last week. I have to admit, planning this year was tough. I got some much needed help, but not as much as I wanted or needed, and yet, I’m thinking bigger next year. Next year? A part of me wants to jump right in with the planning (which I did this morning) and a part of me wants to run far, far away.

I can’t ignore the flashing red sign. The one with the four letter word everyone cringes at…WORK! Conference planning is a lot of work. Someone pointed out to me that I started planning this conference a year ago! That means I need to start planning now for next year!

So here I sit contemplating next year and my mind just wants to go for it. Bigger is better, right? But why do I want to go there? Partly because of the questionnaires and my desire to please everyone. Partly because there’s something inside me driving me to do more, go bigger, in lots of areas of my life. Maybe that’s what keeps me pressing on with my writing.

I’m realistic about next year’s conference and know it’s not going to meet everyone’s needs no matter what I plan. And I’m not going to go bigger without more help, that’s for sure. So I’m praying for some members to really step up. In the meantime, I’m getting more organized. Making a conference checklist and trying to amend some things that I overlooked this year.

I have speakers in mind. Several. But it all depends on budget and availability and help! I’m very good at delegating. Just need more people to delegate to! So we’ll see. I’m sure it will happen. I just don’t want to kill myself trying to make it so!

How do you get people to step up and join you in a process like this? It definitely takes a village to build a good conference!