WeCapella: Be Inspired

Like many others in the blogosphere, I started blogging without expectations or goals.  I just wanted to create a diary for my son after he was born almost five years ago, so that he could look back on his childhood and see what kind of crazy things he put his mother through {I kid, I kid!}.  Little did I know, I would connect with a network of amazing women – entrepreneurs, business owners and, of course, bloggers! – and eventually SwankMama would be named one of the top Vancouver mom blogs via VancouverMom.


I owe a lot of SwankMama’s success to a single person – Christine Pilkington.  If it wasn’t for her and her amazing business, Vancouver Mom {which has now expanded to Crisp Media and City Mom Now}, SwankMama would not be where it is today.  This is why I’m absolutely honoured to be named one of WeCapella’s ambassadors for 2014.

What is WeCapella?  It’s a night of inspiring voices and content producers sharing their knowledge and personal success in creating meaningful and innovative content. The speaker line-up includes:


Manda Aufochs Gillespie

Manda Aufochs Gillespie is The Green Mama. In her 20 years in the field she has “greened” one of North America’s only urban ecovillages, one of Chicago’s largest daycares, a multi-million dollar residential project, a Guatemalan orphanage, and has been dubbed the “green guru” by the media, appearing on HBO, ABC, and CBC.  She engages directly with hundreds of parents through classes, consulting, and through writing.  She is the author of the first green parenting book for Canadians, Green Mama:  Giving your child a healthy start and a greener future, and publishes the popular www.thegreenmama.com.


Jaeny Baik

Jaeny Baik transforms women entrepreneurs from “zero to hero” on video. For a decade she dug up stories for the CBC as a reporter and TV host. Her first show won a Gracie Allen Award from New York, and after hosting “Living Vancouver” viewership shot up by almost 50%.  Now Jaeny coaches on-camera performance, directs YouTube videos, and crafts stories with authentic *’PUNCH!*  She’s trained clients around the world, including Doha, Qatar via Video Skype.

Prem Gill

Prem Gill is Director of Original Programming & Production at TELUS, where she drives the development for Telus Optik Local community programming.  She has worked in media and entertainment for almost 20 years and is a passionate ambassador for local content creation.  She also loves to community garden.


Heather Hawthorn Doyle

Heather Hawthorn Doyle is a multiple award-winning television producer and director (Gemini, NHK Japan Prize, $50,000 Shaw Rocket Prize, Leo Award, Silver Chris) who, in the past eight years, has developed and successfully showrun six new series and four specials for North American broadcasters, including HGTV, Animal Planet, OWN, W Network, OLN, BIO channel, Comedy, CITY, and CBC.  Now with business partner Brian Adler, and their newly formed television and digital media production company Mom and Dad Productions, HHD is committed to bringing her passionate and highly visual storytelling to businesses and the digital space.


Marc Smith

Marc Smith blogs at 30 Day Adventures, which takes him to new locales and activities every day for 30 days, including working with the Marine Mammal team at the Vancouver Aquarium, to sipping wine and learning the history behind several of Langley’s vineyards - and most recently Hawaii. Marc’s desire to connect with people and his community is evident.  To get involved in an adventure or series, visit www.30dayadventures.ca or follow on Twitter at @TheMarcSmith.


Linda Solomon Wood

Linda Solomon Wood is founder, publisher, and editor-in-chief of The Vancouver Observer. Winner of the 2012 Canadian Journalism Foundation Excellence in Journalism Award, and the 2010 Canadian Online Publishing Award for "Best Online-Only Articles," The Vancouver Observer's West Coast-centric reporting has global reach and impact, person by person, reflective of the brave new landscape of inter-connectedness.


Additional speakers to be announced.

If you’re thinking of starting a blog, or already have one that you want to take to the next level, WeCapella is the perfect event for you!  Join us this Tuesday night at the Scotiabank Dance Centre for an evening of engaging speakers, and a chance to reconnect or connect with fellow bloggers:

Where: Scotiabank Dance Centre
              677 Davie Street, Vancouver (at Seymour)

When: Tuesday, May 6, 2014
            6:30 – 9:00pm

Audience: 100+ online publishers, bloggers and digital content creators

Sponsors:

JellyBeen | Chatters | CanAccord | Hiyu | VancouverMom.ca

Event tickets are available here.

Looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow!