Tuesday’s with Exectec
7:30 PM @ D’Amore’s Pizza Connection on Westwood
1136 Westwood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90024
http://www.exectec.us/

Thursday Lunch
12PM @ Santa Monica/ 3rd

—————————-
MARCH EVENTS
—————————-

Wednesday, March 3rd
Digital LA’s Celebrity Websites Panel
5:00-8:00pm
Madame Tussauds Hollywood
6933 Hollywood Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA

To be discussed:
- How are celebrities using their website to build their brand and fanbase
- What assets work on celebrity sites: movie pics, vids, blogs, Twitter feed, promotional, etc.
- How to tie new movies, concert tour dates, etc, into content
- Social Media: How to tie into the celeb’s MySpace page, Facebook fan page, Twitter. Who manages it?
- How do celebs view online/social media. Who gets it, uses it, etc.

Panelists included:
- Jeff Pierce, 65 Media, concepted JimCarrey.com website, currently a finalist for this year’s SXSWi Film/Web award http://jimcarrey.com
- Anthony Malzone, Art Director for Prince, manager of Prince’s online presence, including his official website LotusFlow3r http://www.lotusflow3r.com
- Karen Woodward, content manager, writer, Booeep.com, works with Greg Grunberg, Sophia Bush, Lauren Holly, Disney kids, etc. on their official websites
- Tim Carr, manages social media presence for TV stars Jaimie Alexander (Thor, Kyle XY), Milo Ventimiglia (Heroes), Patrick Duffy (Bold and the Beautiful, Step by Step).
http://gdptalk-efbevent.eventbrite.com/

AGENDA
- 5-5:30: Check-in and networking
- 5:30-6:30 Panel and Q&A inside Madame Tussauds Hollywood - the Awards room will be closed off to the public just for us!
- 6:30-8p Explore the rest of the museum - bring ur camera - there are more than 100 wax figures, from Hugh Jackman and Spider-Man, to Simon Cowell and Ryan Seacrest, to J.Lo, Brangelina, MJ, George Clooney, Obama, James Dean, and dozens more! Modern and classic celebs, actors and singers. And for Awards Season, 40 Oscar® Winners wax figures are on display, the only collection of its kind in the world! Explore til the museum closes at 8p.

Advanced registration required.

——-

Wednesday, March 3rd
DealMaker Media Presents: How Not to Be Boring (for Startups)
6:00-9:00pm
Clearstone Venture Partners
1351 4th Street, 4th floor
Santa Monica, CA 9040

Don’t be boring, be remarkable. Seems easy, right? It’s not. Just think of how many Twitter and Facebook clones are clogging up the Intertubes.

Being remarkable means taking risks, facing nay-sayers, and doing something that’s never been done before - like Apple, Google and Virgin. What can we learn from those who dreamt big and turned figments of their imagination into businesses that have changed the world?

Join us to learn from the founders of ICON Aircraft for an inspiring conversation that will challenge you to go from ‘Good’ to Great and give you to tools and motivation to rise above the rest.

At this special event, we’re thinking out of the box, so you can too.
* Startup DNA: How do you build a truly remarkable company?
* Where does inspiration for “new” ideas come from?
* How do you promote a new idea to a market that might not yet be defined?
* Spreading the gospel: turning doubters into believers.
* How to surround yourself with a winning team

Strategy Series Tickets: $40 (Members) | $60 (Non-Members)
MIxer Tickets: $25 (Members) | $35 (Non-Members)

——-

Sunday, March 7th
Pre-SXSW Champagne Brunch
11:30am-1:00pm
5156 Lankershim Boulevard
North Hollywood, CA

Hey LA Tech Crowd, let’s eat! Oscar Day, Pre-SXSW Champagne Brunch at Eclectic Cafe. It has a great reputation for Sunday BrunchIf we get too big for this place, it will move to Castaway in Burbank.

——-

Sunday, March 7th
Digital LA - Oscars Viewing Party
4:30pm-1:00pm
The Parlor
1519 Wilshire Boulevard
Santa Monica, CA

Get ready for the big awards show of the year: it’s our second annual Oscars Viewing Party! We had so much fun dressing up and watching the show together last year, we’re looking forward to more of the fun this year. Especially cuz a third of the Best Picture noms are digital: Avatar, Up, and District 9!

- Cheer on digital noms like Avatar, Up, and District 9
- Play our winner prediction ballot game for your chance to win prizes like Arclight giftcards
- Dresss up: blazer for guys, cocktail dress for ladies
- Network like crazy during the commercial breaks

——-

Monday, March 8th
Digiday: MOBILE LA
8:00am-5:00pm (Cocktail party starts 5:30pm)
Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City
555 Universal Hollywood Drive
Universal City, CA

Discover the what the future holds for you and this game changing media platform at digiday:MOBILE in Los Angeles. During this high-level full day event - top Publishers, Agency Executives and Brand Marketers will come together to discuss and debate how to fully utilize the next critical mass medium: MOBILE. DIGIDAY gives media leaders a chance to converge and discuss high-level strategies and the future of Mobile Media and Marketing.

Speakers Include:
Jordan Rohan, Managing Director of Equity Research, Internet and Digital Media, Thomas Weisel Partners
Jennifer Byrne, Business Development, Verizon
Tameka Kee, Editorial Director, DIGIDAY
Carrie Coffee, Mobile Sales Specialist, Mobile Advertising, Microsoft
John Trimble, Chief Revenue Officer, Pandora
Mitch Paletz, Head of Premium Publisher Partnerships, Nokia Interactive

Agenda

Register

——-

Tuesday, March 9th
digiday: SOCIAL LA
8:00am-5:00pm (Cocktail party starts 5:30pm)
Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City
555 Universal Hollywood Drive
Universal City, CA

The New Media Reality: Everything is Social. Are You? During this high-level event, top Publishers, Agency Executives and Brand Marketers will come together to discuss how Social Media is everywhere and is changing everything. DIGIDAY gives media and marketing leaders a chance to converge and reveal high-level success strategies as well as offer insights on how the future of Social Media Marketing will play out for all.

the ticket includes all sessions, keynotes, meal functions, and a networking cocktail party.

Speakers Include:
Adam L. Penenberg, assistant director of NYU’s Business & Economic Program, and author of “Viral Loop”
Tom Gerace, CEO, Gather.com
Tameka Kee, editorial director, DIGIDAY
Doug Frisbie, National Social Media & Product Integration Manager, Toyota Motor Sales
Elisa Camahort Page, COO & Co-founder, BlogHer
Keith Lee, CEO, Booyah

The event will provide valuable insights and new perspectives from executives who run and control today’s biggest media companies, agencies, technology companies, and brands and how they use and profit from social media and marketing.

——-

Tuesday, March 9th
Media Leaders Uncensored
7:00-10:00pm
Rush Street
9546 Washington Boulevard
Culver City, CA 90232

Join fellow Media Leaders in your city for an event on March 9th to share ideas and enjoy meeting new friends a week before SXSW. There’s no keynote speaker or panel of experts, just socializing and mixing with key influencers that are changing the way the industry operates.

Bring your business cards to take part in a cutting edge junction of leaders in marketing, advertising, PR, and technology while discussing current events and new innovations.

Official RSVP
——-

Wednesday, March 10th
ThinkLA’s February Interactive Mixer
6:00-9:00pm
Rush Street
9546 Washington Blvd.
Culver City CA 90232

Member: $25
Non-member: $40

Advanced registration required.

——-

Thursday, March 11th
Los Angeles VC and Angel Event
Bingham McCutchen LLP
355 South Grand Avenue
Suite 4400 Los Angeles, CA

This event will focus on Early-Stage Venture Investing:

How to meet investors, pitch them, and what it really takes to get them to write you a check! We will be discussing trends in Early-Stage Investing, hot sectors, sectors that these Angels and VCs look at, things that are most important to them when they are considering an Investment, the best and worst things an entrepreneur can do to get their attention, additional advice for entrepreneurs, and, of course, the best ways to reach these and other Investors.

Moderator:
John Filippone, Partner, Bingham McCutchen

Speakers:
Andrew T. Sheehan, Managing Director, Sutter Hill Ventures
David Travers, Principal, Rustic Canyon Partners
Scott Lenet, Managing Director, DFJ Frontier
Brendon S. Kim, General Partner and Co-founder, Altos Ventures
Scott Sangster, President, Tech Coast Angels Los Angeles
Stephen Silver, CEO, MAVN Funding
Craig Gunther, Managing Director, Blade Ventures

Cost:
- Entrepreneur Raising Capital - Event: $75
- Entrepreneur Event + Pitching Workshop: $350
- Investor / Service provider: $85

Space is limited. Register here.

——-

Sunday, March 14th
The Los Angeles PHP Developers February Meetup
3:00pm
Panera Bread restaurant in Santa Monica
501 Wilshire Boulevard
Santa Monica, CA

Meets the second Sunday of every month at Panera Bread for a mashed up meetup with PHP, MySQL and Semantic Web members.

Exchange ideas and talk about code, architecture, innovation, and open source in general. Tell us how PHP based technology is changing the world. Anyone interested in PHP is welcome!

——-

Friday, March 12th – Tuesday, March 16th
SXSW Interactive
Austin, Texas

Need I say more?

And for the Interactive/Music crossovers:

Wednesday, March 17th – Sunday, March 21st
SXSW Music

——-

Monday, March 15th
LA Web Professionals Group - Search Engine Optimization
6:30-9:45pm
Moviola
1135 North Mansfield Avenue
Hollywood, CA

6:30-6:55 PM Doors Open, Networking
6:55-7:15 Dreamweaver/CSS Tips and Tricks! - by Foad Farid, instructor at Moviola
7:15-8:00 SEO from a web designers standpoint - Part 1
8:00-8:15 Break - Tweetup / Networking / Snacks will be provided
8:20-9:45 SEO from a web designers standpoint - Part 2
9:45 Q & A

Please RSVP

Speaker: Bernard May is President of National Positions, listed 112 on the Inc 500 list. National Positions is an Internet Marketing company headquartered in Agoura Hills, CA. The company has over 400 employees around the world and specializes in Search Engine Optimization, Pay Per Click Advertising and Conversion Optimization. Bernard has more than 20 years’ experience in Marketing and Advertising in the high tech industry. Before founding National Positions in early 2004, Bernard served as Vice President Marketing at First Advantage Corp (NASDAQ: FADV), where he led the marketing team. Prior to that, May worked at US Search.com as Vice President (NASDAQ: SRCH), where he was responsible for the Internet Marketing. Bernard also worked at Symantec Corp. (NASDAQ: SYMC) as Senior Product Manager where he managed the Gateway Norton Anti-Virus and Internet Security product lines.

——-

Thursday, March 18th
South Bay Tech Group Happy Hour
5:30-7:30pm
Sashi 451
Manhattan Beach Boulevard
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

Casual monthly meetup of technology entrepreneurs who live and/or work in the South Bay. We have met for the last year at Shade across the street but are going to try out something new at Sashi in March. Free sake at Happy Hour starting a 5pm is something we should capitalize on.

——-

Thursday, March 18th
WITI (Women in Technology International) LA Spring Mixer
6:00-9:00pm
Wokcano
1413 5th Street
Santa Monica, CA

Pre-Registration fees are as follows:

* $25.00 for WITI members
* $40.00 for non-members

——-

Saturday, March 27th
Preserving Democracy: L.A. Media Summit 2010
7:00pm-10:00pm
Occidental College
1600 Campus Road
Los Angeles, CA 90041

* Does the media tell your story fairly, if at all?
* Are you happy with the coverage of issues you care about?
* Does mainstream media inform you or distract you?
* How do we use the media to bring about change?
* Do you want to make a difference?

CALL FOR PARTICIPATION:

If you are as concerned that our democracy is being usurped by today’s media, that communities are being harmed by the absence of local issues covered by mainstream media, and that diverse groups lack access to the media, now is the time to act!

$15 in advance

——-

I’m not sure where to start with this topic since I feel like it might offend many people who know me who have asked the very thing.  For close personal friends I can make an exception but there has to be a line drawn somewhere.

Several years ago I had upgraded myself to first class on a flight from LA to NYC, where I was living at the time. As the plane was boarding I was flipping through the current issue of Wired. Highlighted in the magazine was a book called “Ambitchous” (has since been changed.)  It was, ultimately, about how the female psyche can hold one back in business.  How we can under-value and under-appreciate what we contribute, and our desire to not push too hard or ask for too much because we don’t want to be “the Bitch.”  The author interviewed hundreds of women and is a career psychologist of sorts as well as having a strong background in business.

I felt a tap on my shoulder and it was my travel partner handing me a note. I opened it and it said: “Turn to page 76. That’s my book.”

It was the author, Debra Condren (@debracondren) of Ambitchous, seated directly across the aisle from me.  The author of the book I just dog-eared a magazine page for to remind myself to buy.

I immediately got up and went to her and engaged in conversation which continued some during the flight and finally in the baggage terminal at JFK.  She gave me a galley copy of the book, which I found a huge honor. I devoured it. There were so many eye-opening examples that simulated behaviors and ways of thinking that I’d found myself trapped in.  But one chapter hit me the most.

I like to call it Pay Me. I would cite it but I loaned the book out ages ago to other powerful females I know but my takeaway was this: Time is valuable and creative thought is even more so.  Don’t undervalue either. As women (and compassionate people everywhere) we like to help and can get trapped in giving our time and ideas away for free because we’re afraid to ask for compensation. Or, just don’t realize it’s within our right to do so.

When you are a creative individual who is a “popcorn machine,” as my mom says, that spits out ideas on a continual basis, doling out advice is no big thing.  It’s easy to have coffee with someone whose company I enjoy, most who will ultimately take my ideas and somehow help it benefit their business. Whatevs.

I used to do this a lot more than I do now because here’s the thing I finally came to terms with that helped me start standing my ground: My popcorn machine has value.

Creative ideas and connections are the real currency in this digital economy. We are bomarded with fragmented channels to communicate with, audiences to communicate to and many masters to serve on the business side.  Having someone who can view this entire eco-system, understand your market and then advise you on what is wisest for your company to build brand and business is an invaluable resource. But those advisors are typically under appreciated and under monetized.

I am asked on a weekly basis to meet with people for coffee, or lunch or cocktails.  Requests range from if I know someone for a position to resources for an interest to the need for creative advice and consult to helping to promote an event.  There are a lot of needs in LA (and beyond) and it shows this industry is raring to go and bursting with ambition. But, I can’t help everyone.

I do have my own work schedule and my “life balance” that I attempt and it leaves me little free time to “donate” to others.  I appreciate that I am seen as a resource for the community but some of the requests have shown me a repeated trend – people need ideas. A lot of them.

Strategic and creative counsel is one of the most under-monetized aspects of being in the communications and marketing business. Would you ask a lawyer to coffee to “pick his brain?” Do you think a profession as ruthless as they are known, and whose services are enlisted regularly and paid well for, would dole out a hour advice to you for $3.50? Unless he’s your dear friend, what’s in it for him?

I see this as an increasing problem in LA, and I’m sure in every city across the country. It’s especially rampant with start-ups. Let’s call it the “Pick Your Brain (PYB) syndrome.”

You meet a nice smart person at an event and you have coffee and then they start to PYB.  And take notes, because what you say makes sense.  You are pumping out advice and ideas.  And it ain’t no thing to you because you’re a popcorn machine, right? Pop, pop, pop.  And they soak it up and then, off they go, and you’re left holding an empty drink.

I got into a recent twitter back and forth with someone about the value of releasing ideas into the world.  Someone cited @jason to me, that you can give ideas but it doesn’t matter if they can’t execute (I’m paraphrasing,) but I wholly disagree.  When you present an idea to someone and they recognize it as good, they will take it with them and they will eventually make money off of that idea.  But you will not.

So this is what I started doing, especially for people that I do not know well: I tell them I am happy to meet, I am flattered they asked and that because my time is valuable I don’t do these PYB sessions for free.  Most the time I’ve said this, they’ve understood and honored it.  The ones that got a little ruffled, are the ones who will suck you dry and likely leave you paying for your own coffee. And theirs.

Run. Fast.

How often are you asked to have your brain picked? Got any words of advice or examples to share?

I’ve had a fair number of inquiries the past six weeks as to my next move after Rubicon, where I spent the past 2.5 years running communications and industry relations.

So here’s the answer: I don’t know yet.  Well not fully.

This is what I do know:

•    I am not starting a PR agency.
•    I am not becoming a PR consultant for multiple clients.
•    I am taking time for myself to think about what I want to do next that will really challenge me.
•    I want to have time to think and write about the convergence of PR, communications, marketing and branding, and what it means for business and the professionals trying to figure it out.
•    I want to be able to continue to apply my personal approach to building business where I work.
•    I want to continue to work with executives who want to better understand, and practice, New PR.
•    I want to work with a company that plays in the field of my geek love of branding, marketing and customer engagement.
•    I want to put some plans in to action for LA to help raise awareness about the interesting tech and ideas that’s coming out of the area.

And…well.  That’s about it. For now.  But, seems like enough to me.

For the immediate future, I’ve joined up with Mobile Roadie as the one project I’m spending consistent time on.  The rest of it is dedicated to myself and writing and whatever I feel like.  It’s lovely and I’m going to enjoy it while I can.

I picked Mobile Roadie for several reasons (many listed above) but especially for the following reasons:

•    They’re a very-small emerging LA start-up, I’ve known the CEO for a couple years and I like the team.
•    I love, love, love what they’re building. It is the future of brand engagement and their customer roster (half of which hasn’t been released yet) is, for lack of a better word, ridiculous.  It makes my marketing-minded brain go nuts with the possibilities.
•    They were happy to be flexible with my request to take a little time for myself and ease in to it.
•    They’re young and hungry, want to support they ways I want to help build their company, and are set on world domination. Which is a pre-requisite for me.

We’ll see what the future holds long-term but right now I am excited and happy.  I #LML (love my life) and am thankful for the opportunity to take a little time to re-set and re-define where I want to go from here.

Thanks to everyone for all the encouragement and support.  And, if you’re one of those start-ups who reached out looking for help, shoot me a DM/FB/Email, etc. and let me know what you’re looking for and I’ll put you on the roster for the tech/freelance event I’m cooking up.

Cheers!

Tuesday’s with Exectec
7:30 PM @ D’Amore’s Pizza Connection on Westwood
1136 Westwood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90024

Thursday Lunch
12PM @ Santa Monica/ 3rd

—————————-
FEBRUARY EVENTS
—————————-

Thursday, February 4th
GDP Talk (co-sponsored by TechZulu)
6:30-10:00pm
The Belamar Hotel
3501 North Sepulveda Blvd.
Manhattan Beach, CA

Speakers:

Scott Bell, Founder, Gross Domestic Product, Inc. — Everything Your Broker will Never Tell You

Greg Ferenstein, UC: Irvine Researcher, Fast Company Expert Blogger — American Education: “What is Litrarcy?”

Kurt Daradics Founder of CitySourced, Co-Producer Digital Family – The Future of Civic Communication

Adam Mefford, Co-Founder MindShare.LA — The iPod Generation Goes To Work!

Get tickets early or pay $15 to get in, all of which will go to charity, or $0 if you are a bit strapped for cash at the moment.  Each ticket will provide: Heavy tray-passed appetizers & Hosted Wine/Beer for 2 hours. Discounted cash bar for sprits.

——-

Thursday, February 4th
Meeting of the Minds (MOTM)
6:30-10:00pm
Chapter 8
29020 Agoura Rd
Agoura Hills, CA

This month MOTM is holding a dinner with professional trainer, Scott Leese. Scott coaches Olympians, Pro Athletes, & Top Executives how to achieve rapid transformation and peak performance. Scott is also a master practitioner of NLP and will show you ways you haven’t ever thought of to get to the next level in your personal and professional life.

They will be exploring questions like:

- What environments can you create to thrive?
- What are your daily behaviors that dictate success?
- What capabilities do you need to reach your goals?

*Participation is capped at 16 people.  Cost is $50 and includes dinner.

RSVP REQUIRED

——-

Friday, February 5th- Sunday, February 7th
Gov 2.0 Camp LA
5405 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90036

Gov 2.0 LA is the first west coast unconference on social media and government live.  The event will cover a multitude of themes such as: Language and gov 2.0, women in technology, road blocks and barrier breakers, state and local, the policy pickle and much more.

Show kicks off with an opening reception at the W Hotel Hollywood (6250 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, CA 90028) at 7pm, with the first full day starting Saturday the 6th at 9:00am.

Check out the un-agenda here

Free to attend. Register here

If you can’t make it in person, plug into TechZulu’s live webcast

——-

Saturday, February 6th
Caltech Enterprise Forum: Digital Media Content and Distribution:
Growing Greenbacks in a Converging Ecosystem
9:00am-12:00pm
California Institute of Technology: Baxter Lecture Hall
Pasadena, California

The digital media ecosystem is growing rapidly with content distributors, mobile devices and social networks connecting users like never before. Navigating this shifting landscape has become increasingly more complex as content converges though myriad distribution channels, and legacy producers and distributors battle among themselves, and a legion of newcomers, to protect their turf. Amid the turmoil, opportunities for enhanced profitability are arising, but will the keys to success solely be found in content creation, or will new distribution models and innovative technologies ultimately determine the winners?

This event will examine the current state of digital content convergence and explore the future landscape for new distribution models with an informative keynote address, followed by a diverse panel of experts from various content channels.

Keynote Speakers:

Albert Cheng, Executive Vice President, Digital Media, Disney-ABC Television Group

Scott Barrow, Co-founder, Media Hog, Former VP of Operations, Napster

Panelists:

Krishnan Rajagopalan, Vice President, Digital Media Technologies,
Motion Picture Association of America, Inc.

Brian Deagon, Investor’s Business Daily

Joshua Wattles, Vick Law Group, Formerly General Counsel of Paramount

Steve Banfield, Consultant, Former GM and SVP, Sony Connect

Moderator: Joe Jasin, Managing Director

Cost $40 on-line registration fee $50 at-the-door.

——-

Tuesday, February 9th
DealMaker Media & Docstoc Present: February Mixer & Startups Uncensored
6:30-8:00pm
Santa Monica Public Library (Auditorium)
601 Santa Monica Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90401

This month’s Startups Uncensored will be on “Google Adsense for Websites”. It will be an open and frank town-hall conversation talking about how to best optimize and monetize your website with Google Adsense.

We are joined this month by two senior members of the Google Adsense team from Mountain View, California who have worked with hundreds of publishers to maximize the revenue they’re able to make with Google Adsense.

The event is free and is followed by a reception and mixer at the Docstoc Offices in Santa Monica by the 3rd Street Promenade.

This event is capped at 140 attendees. Confirmation will be required or your spot will be given up for our waiting list.

RSVP here

——-

Tuesday, February 9th
ThinkLA’s February Interactive Mixer
6:00-9:00pm
Rush Street
9546 Washington Blvd.
Culver City CA 90232

Member: $25
Non-member: $40

Advanced registration required.

——-

Wednesday, February 10th
Digital LA presents: The Actor Producer Panel
7:00-10:00pm
SAG
5757 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA

We’re teaming up with SAG’s New Media group for our panel on how actors can use online tools to create, develop, distribute and market their web stories
- Creation: Actors skill sets in creating, developing online content
- Development: Developing ur story idea for web compared to traditional media
- Distribution: Beyond just posting it on YouTube: Getting a distribution deal
- Marketing: How to use social media to develop and promote your web series and yourself

Our panelists include:
- Jodi Binstock - Producer Web Therapy starring Lisa Kudrow; (formerly at E! Networks, Disney ABC TV)
- Amber J. Lawson - Babelgum, Comedy Publisher
- Brandon Martinez - Abrams Artists Agency, New Media Agent
- Marc Hustvedt - Tubefilter, Editor-in-Chief; Ex.Pr. Streamy Awards, SAG  @MarcHustvedt @Tubefilter
- Moderator: Kevin Winston - Digital LA founder  @kevinwinston @DigitalLA

AGENDA
7-8p: Check in and networking
8-9:30: Panel, Q&A
9:30-10p Even More Networking

Advance registration required.

——-

Thursday, February 11th
LinkedOC Presents: Seth Godin
7:00-9:03pm
St Regis Hotel & Spa
1 Monarch Beach Resort
Dana Point, CA 92629

Join us on Thurs. Feb. 11 from 7:00-9:30 pm for an unprecedented night of networking, charitable support for Haiti and evening with Seth Godin–Best Selling author, A-List lecture circuit speaker and marketing guru.

Be prepared to hear game-changing insights about the new rules of marketing. Seth will deliver a 1-hour keynote…a very important and timely message: “How to be Indispensable” based on his new book, “Linchpin: Are You Indispensable.”

VIP tickets still available or be part of TechZulu’s contest to win a ticket.  Details here.

——-

Thursday, February 11th
TECH cocktail San Diego
6:30pm – 9:00pm
BASIC, 410 TENTH AVENUE
San Diego, CA 92101

We are excited to be bringing our first TECH cocktail event to San Diego looking to help amplify the local technology signal and have fun doing it! Join us for an evening of fun mingling with other technology enthusiasts, VCs, bloggers and entrepreneurs.

——-

Sunday, February 14th
The Los Angeles PHP Developers February Meetup
3:00pm
Panera Bread
501 Wilshire Boulevard
Santa Monica, CA

Meets the second Sunday of every month at Panera Bread for a mashed up meetup with PHP, MySQL and Semantic Web members.

Exchange ideas and talk about code, architecture, innovation, and open source in general. Talk about how PHP based technology is changing the world. Anyone interested in PHP is welcome!

Visit the official web site

——-

Thursday, February 18th
South Bay Tech Group Happy Hour
5:30pm - 7:30pm
1221 North Valley Drive
Manhattan Beach, CA

Free to attend.

——-

Thursday, February 18th
SoCal American Marketing Association Mixer
5:30pm–7:30pm
Formosa Café
7156 Santa Monica Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90046

$5 event registration (Donation to Homeless Shelter + Registration Fee)

——-

Friday, February 19th
Unofficial IAWTV / Streamy Awards Web Series Courtesy Screening
7:00pm-9:30pm
Cinespace Hollywood
6356 Hollywood Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA

Streamys – IAWTV Member Webseries Courtesy Screening – Join us for a special screening of web shows in a lovely environment where you can kick-back and just watch. Each featured show will offer a sampling of episodes for your consideration for the 2nd Annual Streamy Awards. This screening event is being held as a service to IAWTV Members, but is open to everyone. Space is limited.

—– FEATURED SHOWS: FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION —–

Safety Geeks: SVI - http://www.safetygeekssvi.com
GOLD, the Series - http://www.goldtheseries.com/streamys
Space Hospital - http://www.spacehospital.tv
Life with Kat & McKay - http://www.koldcast.tv/#/show:life_with_kat_mckay
Redemption: The Darkness Descending - http://www.thedarknessdescending.com

——-

Friday, February 19th - Sunday, February 21st
So Cal Linux Expo (SCALE)
Los Angeles Airport Westin
5400 West Century Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90045

The premier Open Source conference in the U.S., now in its 8th year, has content for everyone.   If you’re looking to learn, choose talks from a developer’s track, a beginner track, or one of the three general interest tracks. If you’re interested in chatting with the exhibitors, feel free to wander the Expo floor, with over 80 booths of open source folks eager to talk to you.

If you’re an educator and are interested in what Open Source software can do for you in the classroom, or as an administrator what it has to offer, plan to attend OSSIE, the Open Source Software In Education seminar on the Friday prior to SCALE.

If you are interested in the role women play in the Open Source software field, we invite you to attend WIOS, the Women In Open Source conference, also on the Friday prior to SCALE. If you’d like deeper content than you can get in a 45-minute seminar, check out SCALE University for in-depth training on selected topics.

Full access pass is $60.

——-

Tuesday, February 23rd
Social Media Club LA: Going Goo Goo over Google Analytics
7:00pm-9:30pm
Mahalo
902 Colorado Ave
Santa Monica, CA 90401

Speakers include:

$10 advance registration required.

——-

Tuesday, February 23rd
Social Media Club OC: Hottest Social Media Tools for 2010
7:00pm-10:00pm
122 N. Harbor Blvd, suite 110
Fullerton, CA 92832

We have seen an explosion of growth in the use of social media, the tools, the strategies and the people and companies involved in social media. We are going to review these new tools and discuss the value. Expect interaction — everybody gets 3 minutes to share their favorite new social media find for 2010.

——-

Wednesday, February 24th
Tech Coast Angels: Fast Pitch Competition
3:00pm-9:00pm
UCLA Anderson School of Management
110 Westwood Plaza
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1481

CEOs of twelve early stage companies, chosen from more than 100 applicants, will each have 90 seconds to pitch their company. The panel of judges, who will include Tech Coast Angels members, venture capitalists and other start up experts, will select the winners for Best Presentation, Best Fundability and Best Overall. Fast Pitch winners will be invited to present at a Tech Coast Angels screening session and will be considered for funding.

The keynote speaker for this year’s event will be Steve Streit, CEO of Green Dot. Green Dot, a TCA-funded company, is the leading provider of prepaid financial services in the United States and the owner and operator of the Green Dot Network, the largest cash reloading network in the United States.

The program includes two panels:
* Getting Funded In Today’s Market — angel and venture capital investors will discuss the current funding environment for start up companies
* 2010 Start Up Business Climate — CEOs of Tech Coast Angels portfolio companies will talk about the early stage business climate today versus the last few years

Registration is $95.

——-

Thursday, February 25th
Digital LA’s: Digital Drinks in the OC
7:00pm-10:00pm
Geisha House
2773 North Main Street
Santa Ana, CA

Come celebrate TechZulu’s 2nd birthday at the new Geisha House - Santa Ana.

$10 advanced registration required.

——-

Friday, February 26th
Media Club LA
7:00pm - 10:00pm
Aqua Beverly Hills
424 North Beverly Drive
Beverly Hills, CA

Come mingle with top industry professionals in Media and Technology. Attendees work at companies such as CAA, Disney, Dreamworks, Fox, ICM, MySpace, NBC, Paramount, Sony Pictures, Universal Studios, William Morris, YouTube, etc.

$10 RSVP required before 2/22. $15 after.

Thursday Lunch
12PM @ Santa Monica/ 3rd

—————————-
JANUARY CALENDAR
—————————

Tuesday, January 12th
LAVA Breakfast: CEOs Talk Startups
7:00 am – 9:00 am
Skirball Cultural Center
2701 N Sepulveda Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90049

Discussion on start up issues including i) team building and recruiting, ii) business plan issues, iii) developing a concise message, iv) building credibility (with customers, partners, employees and early investors), v) getting the business model to work properly, and vi) finally getting funded. What mistakes did you make during in the early days and what lessons would you pass on another entrepreneur?

Moderators

* Greg Martin, General Partner, Redpoint Ventures
* Dana Settle, Partner, Greycroft Partners

Current Confirmed Panelists
* Wil Schroter, Founder and CEO, Go BIG Media and GotCast.com
* Marc Diana, Founder, CEO, LeadPoint, Inc.
* Keith Richman, CEO, Break.com
* Matthew Dusig, CEO, Co-founder, United Sample, Inc.

Guests:     $60 (onsite $85)
LAVA Annual Members:     No Charge
LAVA Associate Members:     $35 (onsite $50)
Students (with valid ID):     $35 (onsite $50)

Register

——-

Thursday, January 14th
SMCLA Presents: Dating & Relationships “The Game Has Changed”
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
12th + Highland (Manhattan Beach)
304 12th St.
Manhattan Beach, CA

Social Media Club of Los Angeles invites you to “Dating & Relationshipos: The Game Has Changed” at 12th & Highland in Manhattan Beach  to mix, mingle and discuss how Social Media has changed the rules of dating. Panelists include:

Liz H. Kelly (@lizhkelly) is a Relationship Expert, Great Love Reporter and Author of Smart Man Hunting who puts a new spin on relationships with love lessons from Hollywood Movies and Happy Hearts in her Great Life, Great Love series (Http://www.greatlifegreatlove.com). In her second life, Liz is a PR and Social Media Marketing Consultant, Sunrise Road Media (http://www.sunriseroadmedia.com), who used to work for MySpace running their biggest advertising campaigns. You can follow her updates and dating tips on Twitter @lizhkelly

Linda Sherman (@lindasherman) is a Social Media Marketing Consultant with a solid background in corporate marketing and finance. She set up Coors Japan and was responsible for creating and executing a unique and successful marketing and sales strategy for ZIMA that is still sustained as a premium brand there today. Linda managed 500+ employees as CEO of Club Med Japan. Linda’s current clients include http://SingularCity.com where she is acting Community Manager. Linda’s company is http://couragegroup.com. Her blog is http://ItsDifferent4Girls.com.

Julie Spira (@juliespira)
Julie Spira is known world-wide as The Cyber-Dating Expert™ and is the author of “The Perils of Cyber-Dating: Confessions of a Hopeful Romantic Looking for Love Online.” She is the host of “Ask the Cyber-Dating Expert Radio Show” and has been featured on FOX News, BBC, Men’s Health, KTLA, and the Los Angeles Business Journal for her expertise in online dating. Julie is the LA Dating Advice Columnist on Examiner.com and a contributor to The Huffington Post. She currently holds the position of Executive VP/Director of Social Media for Brandloft - a marketing and branding firm. Visit her at http://CyberDatingExpert.com and http://SocialMediaMore.com

Evan Marc Katz (@evanmarckatz)
Author of “Why You’re Still Single: Things Your Friends Would Tell You If You Promised Not To Get Mad” and “I Can’t Believe I’m Buying this Book: A Commonsense Guide to Successful Internet Dating,” Evan Marc Katz has established himself as America’s leading dating expert. From online dating, to dating coaching, to relationship coaching, Evan has helped thousands of singles since 2004 gain power and control over their love lives. Since then, he has been featured in the New York Times, The Wall St. Journal, and Cosmopolitan, and appeared on CNN, The Today Show, The Early Show, The Tyra Banks Show, and The Rachael Ray Show.

Analis Flox (@avflox)
A.V. Flox is the editor of Sex and the 405, a sex news site, as well as a sex and relationships columnist for BlogHer, the leading women’s network on the web. A geek at heart, she got her start on the web in the 90s, and has been using it to her advantage in dating since. She has written several articles about using technology to connect with potential matches and swears by Twitter (How To Get Laid With Twitter for lalawag, How To Get Noticed By A Chick On Twitter for Manolith), but she’s also aware of how the web is changing our interactions (Online or Alienated? for BlogHer) and that constant connection and lifestreaming can also lead to complications in established relationships (The Disconnect In The Age of Ambient Awareness, and Go F*cking Blog About It on her blog). Digital has collided into analog–for better or worse. Let’s play.

——-

Thursday, January 14th
Schmoozd Social Media Mixer
6:00 pm – 9:30 pm
Hyatt Regency Century Plaza
The X bar
2025 Avenue of the Stars
Century City, CA

$20 registration required

The first-ever Schmoozd event, a new Social Media Mixer event in Los Angeles.

Win a week’s trial at BLANKSPACES, LA’s #1 Coworking office space by coming and hanging with founder Jerome Chang, who has taken his talents as an award-winning architect and created an inspiring workspace office environment for creative professionals. Jerome will be sharing his business tips and how he got his innovative company off the ground.

——-

Thursday, January 14th
ThinkLA’s Thirsty Thursday
6:30 pm – 9:30 pm
Bigfoot West (not the Los Feliz location)
10939 Venice Blvd.
Los Angeles CA 90034

It is a new organization which ties our local media, marketing, entertainment, and advertising communities together to promote Los Angeles as a world center for creativity and innovation.

——-

Friday, January 15th
Digital LA - Digital Drinks @ Wonderland
6:00 pm-10:30 pm
Wonderland
1835 Cahuenga Blvd
Los Angeles, Ca

——-

Saturday, January 16th – Sunday, January 17th
BarCamp San Diego 6
10:00am-7:00pm
Intuit (San Diego, Santa Fe Campus)
7535 Torrey Santa Fe Rd
San Diego, CA

RSVP here

——-

Tuesday, January 19th
Docstoc January Mixer & Startups Uncensored
6:30pm-8:00pm
Santa Monica Public Library (Auditorium)
601 Santa Monica Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90401

This month’s Startups Uncensored will be on the “Building an Online Brand.” It will be an open and frank town-hall style conversation about what it takes to build and grow an online brand that’s meant to last.

This month hear from Sean Moriarty, the former CEO of TicketMaster. During his time at Ticketmaster, Moriarty led the company through its multiple acquisitions and strategic investments. This event is capped at 140 attendees. Confirmation will be required or your spot will be given up for our waiting list.

——-

Wednesday, January 20th
iPhone Developer Happy
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Copa D’Oro
217 Broadway
Santa Monica, CA 90401

The next happy hour will be co-hosted by Los Angeles software entrepreneurs Ryan and Evan Rifkin from .app/ads.

——-

Thursday, January 21st
Mindshare
7:00 pm – 1:00 am
Downtown Independent Theater
251 S Main St
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Tickets are $30.
——-

Sunday, January 24th
UCLA Anderson’s Women in High Tech Brunch
11:00am – 1:00pm
UCLA Anderson School of Management

The brunch will feature networking, a roundtable discussion and dining, and a panel presentation. The event is geared towards female MBA candidates who are interested in pursuing a career in the High Tech Industry.  The women attending the event will have interests in various functions within the High Tech Industry.

The event is co-hosted by the Women’s Business Connection and the High Tech Business Association. Each year the event creates a casual and intimate forum that enables women in the industry to share their personal experiences and meet potential applicants.

——-

Monday, January 25th
SXSW Interactive in Los Angeles
The Griffin
7:00pm- 9:00pm
3000 Los Feliz Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90039

Join SXSW Interactive in Los Angeles with a free-to-attend networking mixer! Come out and meet SXSW Interactive organizers and other like-minded members of L.A.’s tech community. Come enjoy free drinks, music and the chance to win a FREE SXSW INTERACTIVE registration!

RSVP here

——-

Tuesday, January 26th
Media Leaders
7:00pm –10:00pm
The Other Room
2664 Lacy St
Venice, CA

Media Leaders is going national.  On January 26th, Media Leaders will be hosting seven simultaneous events across the U.S. (LA, SF, NYC, Austin, Boston, Chicago and Raleigh, NC.)  Check out the people behind each city here.

$12 Registration required for LA event.

——-

Wednesday, January 27th – Thursday, January 28th
Twiistup 7
Skirball Cultural Center
2701 N Sepulveda Blvd,
Los Angeles, CA 90049

Twiistup’s back with a bigger line up than ever. Twiistup includes a full one and a half day program with top notch speakers including Peter Guber Chairman and CEO of Mandalay Entertainment (former CEO/Chairman of Sony Pictures), Paul Graham of Y-Combinator, Om Malik of GigaOm, Lisa Stone CEO of BlogHer, Robert Scoble, Eric Ries of The Lean Startup, Alex Quilici co-founder of Quack.com (sold to AOL), Rick Heitzmann of FirstMark Capital and many more to be confirmed shortly.

Twiistup opens Wed. Jan 27th with Wildcard Demos at UCLA’s Korn Hall and an opening night reception. Thurs. Jan 28th features presentations from the 10 Showoffs, plus  speakers and the Casino Royale theme party that night from 7:30pm - midnight.

See who’s coming and register here.

——-

Sunday, January 31st
Delicious Digital Brunch
Noon
Palm Thai Restaurant
5900 Hollywood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA US

Inspired by the Pho brunches put together to discuss the future of music, Delicious Digital invites digital thinkers, executives, investors, technologists, artists and yarnspinners to contemplate the future of storytelling.

RSVP by January 28tth at 5PM– if you MUST cancel, please contact the organizer (text or email) as she has to cover all RSVPs that bail.

——-

UPCOMING:

Thursday, February 11th
TECH cocktail San Diego
6:30pm – 9:00pm
BASIC, 410 TENTH AVENUE
San Diego, CA 92101

We are excited to be bringing our first TECH cocktail event to San Diego looking to help amplify the local technology signal and have fun doing it!

Join us for an evening of fun mingling with other technology enthusiasts, VCs, bloggers and entrepreneurs brought to you by TurboTax an Intuit product.

——-

Friday, February 19th - Sunday, February 21st
So Cal Linux Expo (SCALE)
Los Angeles Airport Westin
5400 West Century Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90045

The premier Open Source conference in the U.S., now in its 8th year, has content for everyone.   If you’re looking to learn, choose talks from a developer’s track, a beginner track, or one of the three general interest tracks. If you’re interested in chatting with the exhibitors, feel free to wander the Expo floor, with over 80 booths of open source folks eager to talk to you.

Full access pass is $60.

Everyone I’ve talked with shakes their head in sadness over media’s current demise. Some of my favorite tech journalists have been laid off and several I know personally are surveying non-reporting options: business school; marcom or “PR” jobs; total change of industry; not worrying about it until half the severance is gone…

Their system is broken in similar ways to the PR industry, especially agencies.  Most have management that wasn’t thinking ahead and are now behind on having digital strategies; overhead is killing both – it’s expensive to have offices and full-time employees with thin margins. What could the future hold for more virtual-based agencies?;  The talent pool is stretched too thin (covering too many clients, or too many industries) that deep knowledge is often hard to gain, which hinders depth of execution.

But I digress.  Over lunch yesterday with a recently laid off business journo we were talking about the state of things. He said he’d received a call from one of those ginormous Silicon Valley staples which-shall-not-be-named regarding coming to work with their PR team.  He wondered if I thought he’d like it.  I asked him what he thought he’d be doing.

“I don’t know. I imagine fielding media requests?”

“Don’t do it,” I said. “Unless you’re going to be able to keep writing, and not be a press release monkey, don’t do it.”

“Or they should write press releases if it means it will change the way they are written and perceived, and actually turn into something useful,” opined my pal, Julie Crabill.

He’s too talented and his passion is journalism. If he’s not reporting I’d hope he’s at least able to do something to keep those business writing skills sharp. I’m keeping my fingers crossed an awesome reporting job lands in his lap but until then this new pool of talented writers is a huge opportunity for the PR industry, especially in-house pro’s.

If I was able, I’d snap him up in a heart beat. Part of the reason my company is well known in its industry is because communication is built into our DNA. We’re always communicating in some way with customers, partners, prospects, the broader industry, the media, and the financial community. And what we do is very technical so sometimes it requires a lot of personal touch efforts like with customer events, customer executive retreats, speaking and event attendance, road shows, media tours, private dinners, cocktail parties, large events, tradeshow booths, etc.  All in all it results in a heck of a lot of communication in multiple formats.

As I see it, the marketing department has typically dictated the majority of material creation for external use: One sheets, presentations, case studies, product-related materials but people like my journalist friend are perfect additions to any PR or Communications department at a company (which is hopefully tightly integrated into the marketing department, if there is one.) I’m starting to see a very definitive split between the needs for a staff writer for marketing (i.e. more product-oriented marketing) and for PR/communication purposes.

In my role, I have a lot of freedom to express the company’s voice in any number of ways, and this is where a staff writer for my purposes comes in handy.  Sure he could write web copy and product user guides for the “marketing team,” or he could write: contributed articles; insightful thought-leadership reports and posts; interview customers, partners and industry influencers for use in any number of places; management of newsletters that go to our key constituents; or overseeing our blog content. I could go on.  All retain integrity of business writing, an eye toward the big picture and communicating information and insights to broad audiences.

PR and communications professionals, or whatever we’re calling ourselves these days (Marcom seems closest for me) need to start utilizing this talent in our planning. Take stock of what you need to execute against sales goals; recognize sales challenges; identify customer concerns and map to where your company wants to be in 12 months, and you should come up with a chunk of activities that would give these good journos some work while strengthening your company’s recognition in its marketplace.

—————————-
RECURRING WEEKLY:
—————————-

Tuesday’s with Exectec
7:30 PM @ D’Amore’s Pizza Connection on Westwood
1136 Westwood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90024

ThursdayLunch
12PM @ Santa Monica/ 3rd
Santa Monica Promenade

———-

Wednesday, December 2nd
Digital Family Reunion ‘09
6:00pm-11:00pm
Wokcano Restaurant
1413 Fifth Street
Santa Monica, CA

DFR ‘08 attracted 800 attendees, bringing together the early adopters and legacy participants of the Internet 1.0 days with the next generation of Internet 2.0 professionals into one event. As a multi-generational event, DFR ‘09 will provide us with an exciting opportunity to celebrate our social and professionals relationships, spark new ones and possibly inspire new directions for us in 2010.

Tickets are $50 but enter DFR30# for a discount.

———-
Thursday, December 3rd
Digital LA - Burgers & Cocktails s4ve.as Launch Party @ Umami Hollywood
6:00-8:00pm
850 S La Brea Ave
Los Angeles, CA

———-

Thursday, December 3rd
Social Media Club Orange County: Government 2.0 - Public Involvement
7:00-8:30pm
OCTA Headquarters
600 S. Main St.
Orange, CA

Join the Social Media Club Orange County for a panel discussion with a special guest from Washington, D.C.

Dr. Mark Drapeau, the nation’s leading Government 2.0 strategist, will share effective programs and other efforts for the public to be engaged with its government.

RSVP to Kristin Johnson at kjohnson@octa.net

———-

Thursday, December 3rd – Friday, December 4th
Affiliate Convention Conference LA
Hyatt Regency Century Plaza
2025 Avenue of the Stars
Los Angeles, CA 90067

Affiliate Convention bases its conference and tradeshow series on the idea that actionable information, business building and networking opportunities should be freely available to everyone in the affiliate marketing industry, especially to working affiliate marketers. Sporting a growing line-up of thought leaders in the affiliate and search engine marketing sectors, Affiliate Convention LA is a unique opportunity to meet and share ideas with the brightest business people in the affiliate marketing industry. Affiliate Convention is the only event in the affiliate marketing industry which gives affiliate marketers free access to the movers and shakers in the sector.

Agenda
Register

———-

Tuesday, December 8th
Media Leaders Toys For Tots Fundraiser & Networking Event
6:30-8:30pm
Shade Hotel Zinc Lounge
1221 N Valley Dr
Manhattan Beach, CA

———-

Wednesday, December 9th
Jobnob & Docstoc Happy Hour
Starts at 4:30pm
Air Conditioned Supper Club
625 Lincoln Blvd.
Venice, CA 90291

Company Pitches: 20 companies will have 1 minute to present their projects.

Come “Jobnob” with cool new start ups and talented job seekers at this informal networking happy hour where you can find startup jobs. Be flexible on commitment and compensation- bootstrapped startups may be offering *alternative compensation: reduced rates, equity, internships, part time, etc.

Register

———-

Wednesday, December 9th – Friday December 11th
Interactive Local Media 2009 (ILM:09)
9:00am-5:30pm
Hyatt Regency Century Plaza
Los Angeles, California

ILM:09 focuses on the rapid innovation in local online, search and mobile – the Web’s “last frontier.” BIA/ Kelsey projects that these areas will generate hundreds of millions of dollars in new revenue.

The 2 ½-day program features keynotes and sessions with the industry’s most important and innovative executives, research from BIA/Kelsey’s Interactive Local Media advisory service, and two SuperForums focused on Mobile Local Media and Out-of-Home advertising.

Agenda

———-

Thursday, December 10th
Dealmaker Media LA Strategy Series: Investor Outlook 2010
6:00-9:00pm
Manatt, Phelps & Phillips
11355 W. Olympic Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90064

2009 put startup valuations on a diet, bootstrapping and revenue models were back in the spotlight; and Angel investors made a comeback.

Despite the fears and outcries from some, startup funding didn’t quite freeze into the nuclear winter many thought it would… To many founders’ relief, startups were still getting funded.

In this Strategy Series, hear from VCs and Angel as we discuss what 2010’s startup financing forecast:

Speakers:

Aydin Senkut, Founder and President of Felicis Ventures.
Aydin ha’s been an active angel investor since 2005 in promising start-ups including Justin.tv, Mint, Powerset (Nasdaq:MSFT), Posterous, Rich Relevance, SGN, and Tapulous.

Mark Suster, Partner, GRP Partners
Mark is a 2x entrepreneur who has gone to the Dark Side of VC. Mark focuses on early-stage technology companies – usually looking at Series A investments. Read his blog.

William Quigley, Managing Partner, Clearstone Venture Partners
William is focused on emerging companies offering managed services in the enterprise and consumer sectors.
Panelists:

Seats are limited. Startup founders get priority access to tickets. Apply to attend.

———-

Thursday, December 10th
digiday:APPS
9:00am-5:00pm
The Renaissance Hotel, Hollywood, CA
1755 North Highland Avenue
Hollywood, California 90028

digiday:APPS is designed to serve today’s ultra busy and high-level digial media and marketing executives; Presidents, CEOs, CMOs, EVPs, and Directors. The event will provide insights and new perspectives from executives who run and control today’s biggest media companies, agencies, technology companies, and brands and how they use Apps to connect and engage consumers, build brands, and deliver content.

Attendees Include: Hyundai Motor America, CBS Films, Mindshare, MGM Studios, Saatchi & Saatchi, Nature Made Vitamins, Fandango,  20th Century Fox Pandora,  imc²,  Saatchi & Saatchi, McCann WorldGroup,  Apollo Group,  TV Guide.com, Pizza Hut, The Weather Channel Interactive, Microsoft,  Moderati, KSL Media, Lionsgate, Interactive Media Solutions, Ignited.

Who Should Attend?
* Brand Marketers
* Digital Agency Executives - Planning, Buying, Research and Account
* Digital Publishing and Content Executives
* App Developers
* Mobile Marketing Executives
* Social Media Executives
* Mobile Carriers
* Technology and Service Providers
* Media and Press

Registration is $595

———-

Thursday, December 10th
Freelancer Frolic 2009
7:00pm - midnight
HMS Bounty
3357 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90010

Groups participating include:
empowerLA
The Los Angeles Small Business Owners Group
The Los Angeles Freelance Meetup
Biznik LA
Blankspaces
MarKyr Media

You don’t need to be a member of any of these groups to attend. Parking: On the corner at the Brown Derby Plaza on the corner of Wilshire and Alexandria - $5.00 with no validation, $2.00 with validation from the restaurant. Also, parking on the street AFTER 7pm is good all around the area

———-

Monday, December 14th
#140conf LA Meetup
5:00-7:30pm
Yahoo! Offices (Burbank)
3333 Empire Avenue
Building 4
Burbank, CA 91504

5:00 - Registration / Networking
5:30 - Welcome from @ericgreenspan
5:35 - Jeff Pulver, Welcome to the State of NOW

Speakers include:
@marlooz: - Love 2.0 and the “tweetfunding” of my laptop.
@adventuregirl - Topic TBA
“Sunset Strip Tweet Crawl” - speaker(s) TBA

7:30 - Wrap up / Networking

———-

Monday, December 14th
Digital LA Music Cocktails @ Cafe Was
7:00-10:00pm
Cafe Was
1521 N Vine St
Los Angeles, CA

Special Guests will give short updates on digital music projects they’re working on including:

- Matt MacNaughton, CultureJam CEO - working on Twitter music promotions with artists like Alicia Keys, Pearl Jam, Rihanna, Diddy, Paramore and many more @culturejam

To be added to the list, email info@digitalla.net with a description of your project.

Around 8:30p, there will be live music performances from the pianist, guitarist, and singers for the night.

$15 ADVANCE REGISTRATION via Paypal to get on the Guest List by Dec 14 at 5p.

———-

Tuesday, December 15th
SocialRadius’ Highly Social Holiday Party
1434 6th St.
Santa Monica, CA 90401

Take one thumb off that blackberry, iPhone or Tweetdeck and hoist a glass of wine as SocialRadius celebrates the end of the first social media decade with a festive soiree at its Santa Monica offices, just south of the Santa Monica Public Library, walking distance to the Third Street Promenade. hashtag it #HighlySocial.

———-

Tuesday, December 15th
Hollywood Web Television Meetup: Going Pro: Seducing the Studios
7:00-11:55pm
5364 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angles, CA 90036

Web television powerhouse Big Fantastic first caught the eye of former Disney Chairman Michael Eisner’s web production studio Vuguru with their debut independent series Sam Has 7 Friends, the first daily scripted dramatic web series. Together Big Fantastic and Vuguru created Prom Queen, which drew over 20 Million views during its initial run, and has since spawned two sequels and a Japanese remake.

Last year Sorority Forever received multiple Streamy Awards nominations, and Big Fantastic has grown to become household names in web tv, producing and directing series for studios like Warner Bros., McG’s Wonderland Sound and Vision, 60 Frames, and Generate. They just recently completed their latest series, Prom Queen: The Homecoming, scheduled for release after the new year.

In Summer 2008 Mark Gantt and Jesse Warren shot and released a short, sexy and slick trailer for a high-concept indie action web series that hadn’t yet been produced. Hollywood took notice, and after getting signed by International Creative Management they landed a 13-episode deal with Sony Pictures Television to produce The Bannen Way for Crackle.com, debuting early 2010.

Find out from these creators just what it takes to go pro and what it’s like directing, producing and starring in a studio-backed web series. With exclusive, never-before-seen footage of The Bannen Way!

Panelists:
• Eric Berger - Senior Vice President of Digital Networks at Sony Pictures Television
• Mark Gantt - Executive Producer, Writer, and Star of Sony Crackle’s The Bannen Way
• Jesse Warren - Executive Producer, Writer, and Director of Sony Crackle’s The Bannen Way
• Chris McCaleb - Partner, Big Fantastic (Prom Queen, Sorority Forever)
• Ryan Wise - Partner, Big Fantastic (Prom Queen, Sorority Forever)

———-

Wednesday, December 16th
Digital LA - Holiday Party @ Green Door
7:00-10:00pm
1429 Ivar Ave
Los Angeles, CA

$10 advance registration required.

———-

Tuesday’s with Exectec
7:30 PM @ D’Amore’s Pizza Connection on Westwood
1136 Westwood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90024

ThursdayLunch
12PM @ Santa Monica/ 3rd
Santa Monica Promenade

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER EVENTS
—————————-

Thursday, November 19th
Media Club LA
6:30-9:30pm
The Standard Hollywood (Purple Lounge)
8300 W Sunset,
Los Angeles, CA 90069

Advance RSVP required.  $10 entrance fee.

———-

Thursday, November 19th
South Bay Tech Group - Technical Recruiting Happy Hour
5:30-7:30pm
Shade Hotel
1221 N Valley Dr
Manhattan Beach, CA

Many companies in the South Bay Tech Group are having a hard time finding technical talent. Finding talent isn’t always easy and can be expensive if you are using a recruiter. Jeff Cohn, the organizer is encouraging everyone who attends to bring or invite at least one programmer / engineer who is looking for work. This is not for sales and marketing focus this month.

———-

Friday, November 20th
Digital LA - Digital Drinks @ Janes House
7:00-10:00pm
Janes House
6541 Hollywood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA

For our pre-Thanksgiving Digital Drinks, we’re headed ‘home’ — home to Janes House! After last month’s Halloween party at MyHouse, we’re continuing our Cozy House Party tour at new Hollywood “House” hot spot, Janes House.

CANNED FOOD DRIVE: Party for good: Bring a can of food, bring a friend comped in our Thanksgiving canned food drive. Just show your can at the door, and one friend gets in with you!

Advance registration required

———-

Friday, November 20th- Sunday, November 22nd
Startup Weekend LA
5405 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90036

Startup Weekend recruits a highly motivated group of developers, business managers, startup enthusiasts, marketing gurus, graphic artists and more to a 54 hour event that builds communities, companies and projects.

———-

Wednesday, November 25th
New Media Vault
7:00-11:00pm
The Crocker Club
453 S Spring St.
Los Angeles, 90013

New Media Vault is the only new media networking event in Downtown Los Angeles. This monthly event draws over 300 people from all levels of the new media world: with top industry leaders in attendance, your company will have the chance to get face time with financiers, talent, celebrities, producers, directors, designers, agents, managers, lawyers, and industry award winners. The New Media Vault draws the attention of working professionals in a comfortable, low-key and casual environment and is housed at The Crocker Club, a brand new spot on the corner of 5th and Spring, that offers a variety of spirits and beers, along with a post-modern vibe, inside the old bank vault of The Crocker Family Tower.

———-

Tuesday, December 1st
Digital LA - Princess & the Frog - Screening & Experience @ Disney Lot – SOLD OUT
1:00-4:30pm
Walt Disney Studios Lot
Sound Stage 3
Burbank, CA

We’re getting a Digital LA crew together to see Disney’s Princess and the Frog, screening and experience at the Walt Disney Studios lot in Burbank. It’s 3.5 hours of fun! See the movie, meet princesses, play games, all on the Disney Studios lot!

First, we’ll see the Princess and the Frog movie on the Walt Disney Studios lot, more than a week before its Dec 11 release. This animated musical comedy features a beautiful princess Tiana, a Frog prince who wants to be human again, and a kiss that leads them both on adventures through the Louisiana bayous. With music by Oscar-winning composer Randy Newman (Toy Story).

After the movie, we’ll head over to Sound Stage 3 for the Ultimate Disney Experience, where u can:
- Meet all the Disney Princesses, plus Tiana
- Swing on ropes, climb trees, in the ultimate Bayou adventure
- See original props and costumes from the Disney archives
- Learn to draw from a real Disney animator

———-

Wednesday, December 2nd
Digital Family Reunion ‘09
6:00pm-11:00pm
Wokcano Restaurant
1413 Fifth Street
Santa Monica, CA

DFR ‘08 attracted 800 attendees, bringing together the early adopters and legacy participants of the Internet 1.0 days with the next generation of Internet 2.0 professionals into one event. As a multi-generational event, DFR ‘09 will provide us with an exciting opportunity to celebrate our social and professionals relationships, spark new ones and possibly inspire new directions for us in 2010.

Tickets are $50.

———-

Thursday, December 3rd – Friday, December 4th
Affiliate Convention Conference LA
Hyatt Regency Century Plaza
2025 Avenue of the Stars
Los Angeles, California 90067,

Affiliate Convention bases its conference and tradeshow series on the idea that actionable information, business building and networking opportunities should be freely available to everyone in the affiliate marketing industry, especially to working affiliate marketers. Sporting a growing line-up of thought leaders in the affiliate and search engine marketing sectors, Affiliate Convention LA is a unique opportunity to meet and share ideas with the brightest business people in the affiliate marketing industry. Affiliate Convention is the only event in the affiliate marketing industry which gives affiliate marketers free access to the movers and shakers in the sector.

Agenda
Register
Pre-party the night of Wednesday the 2nd

———-

Tuesday, December 8th
Media Leaders Toys For Tots Fundraiser & Networking Event
6:30-8:30pm
Shade Hotel Zinc Lounge
1221 N Valley Dr
Manhattan Beach, CA

———-

Wednesday, December 9th
Jobnob & Docstoc Happy Hour
4:30-7:00pm
Air Conditioned Supper Club
625 Lincoln Blvd.
Venice, CA 90291

Come “Jobnob” with cool new start ups and talented job seekers at this informal networking happy hour where you can find startup jobs. Be flexible on commitment and compensation- bootstrapped startups may be offering *alternative compensation: reduced rates, equity, internships, part time, etc.

———-

Thursday, December 10th
Dealmaker Media LA Strategy Series: Investor Outlook 2010
6:00-9:00pm
Manatt, Phelps & Phillips
11355 W. Olympic Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90064

2009 put startup valuations on a diet, bootstrapping and revenue models were back in the spotlight; and Angel investors made a comeback.

Despite the fears and outcries from some, startup funding didn’t quite freeze into the nuclear winter many thought it would… To many founders’ relief, startups were still getting funded.

In this Strategy Series, hear from VCs and Angel as we discuss what 2010’s startup financing forecast:

Aydin Senkut, Founder and President of Felicis Ventures.
Aydin ha’s been an active angel investor since 2005 in promising start-ups including Justin.tv, Mint, Powerset (Nasdaq:MSFT), Posterous, Rich Relevance, SGN, and Tapulous.

Mark Suster, Partner, GRP Partners
Mark is a 2x entrepreneur who has gone to the Dark Side of VC. Mark focuses on early-stage technology companies – usually looking at Series A investments. Read his blog.

William Quigley, Managing Partner, Clearstone Venture Partners
William is focused on emerging companies offering managed services in the enterprise and consumer sectors.

Panelists:
Seats are limited. Startup founders get priority access to tickets. Apply to attend.

The latter track is likely where I will be spending the majority of my time.

There are several questions I am in search of opinions. Among them:

• Why is there an abundance of social media experts/divisions flooding PR agencies vs PR professionals being re-trained to understand how to use social media as part of their tool set?

• Why isn’t social media being absorbed into PR if PR pro’s recognize it as a function of PR?  And why isn’t that message being passed along to clients who are paying separate line items for those new social media divisions?

• What do these professionals think needs to be done to fundamentally change the way PR is perceived and practiced?

• With is the NEW definition of what PR is now that it’s taken on more of an integrated marketing function?

• Is the term Public Relations even still relevant to describe those practitioners who are practicing the art of PR from the point of view of driving business metrics, not press hits and re-tweets?

• If the broader industry at large does not recognize the value that PR can bring, why would launching a campaign to separate PR from Publicity really infuse trust and integrity back into the profession?

• Why are we so focused on PR’ing our need for better PR of PR that we’re not focused instead on spotlighting and attacking the problems and fixing them at the root?

Our industry is broken.

And I’m not the only one that feels that way and senses the impending doom facing the “PR” industry as it becomes replaced with more evolved practices with new names like Integrated Communications.  As anyone who has read this blog knows, I have been wrestling with calling what I do as PR because the title just doesn’t cut it. And the diminished respect left for the industry by the broader business community only pushes me further away.

Every time I engage in these discussions with “PR” professionals that I think “get it” they repeatedly tell me that they don’t like to use the term PR but they don’t have a word to replace it.  Which, to me, gets to the real root of the problem.  We don’t know what PR is anymore.  There is still no new definition. Which is why I’m so fascinated by PRSA’s upcoming campaign aimed at raising the visibility of PR’s Value.

This approach to me seems to match the outdated way of thinking about PR.  How is conducting a PR campaign to “raise visibility” going to change what’s really wrong?  Are CEO’s going to encounter it and suddenly think- you’re right! I get it now!?  Or will changing the practice of PR industry-wide and having it properly represented by informed and educated professionals be the way to raise visibility into the increased value PR can bring?  I believe the term is leading by example and that’s something no campaign can replace.

(btw- You’d think that a communications conference that wants to promote blogging and internet chatter about the conference would have ample free wi-fi. Not so much.  Good thing I have a Boingo account.)

—————————-
RECURRING WEEKLY:
—————————-

Tuesday’s with Exectec
7:30 PM @ D’Amore’s Pizza Connection on Westwood
1136 Westwood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90024

ThursdayLunch
12PM @ Santa Monica/ 3rd
Santa Monica Promenade

OCTOBER EVENTS
—————————-

Tuesday, October 13th
MOTM Orange County
7:00-10:00pm
The Center Club
650 Town Center Dr
Costa Mesa, CA 92626

Paul Mobley will be interviewing our own Kurt Daradics! Come find out what it was like to take finals at TechCrunch 50 this year, winning the hearts and minds of the crowd, press, and judges with CitySourced, a mobile app that is set to change communities across the country.

—————————-

Wednesday, October 14th
Digital LA - Action Sports Entertainment Panel
8:00-midnight
The Parlor
1519 Wilshire Blvd
Santa Monica, CA

Digital LA and the SoCal Action Sports Network are teaming up to present:
“Entertainment + Sports: Marketing & Developing Content with Athletes, Video Games, TV, and Movies to reach ages 16-25″

To be discussed:
- What’s the hook for creating content that will attract young males 16-25?
- Do you need to attach an athlete or sports celebrity to your property?
- How do you promote your brand online? Niches sites, reach, offline events, etc.?
- How to use social networking to get fans to spread the word virally
- What are keys to distribution to help you reach the elusive young male audience.

Scheduled speakers include:
- Jason Mayhem Miller, MMA pro athlete, active social media user and Star of MTV’s Bully Beatdown, http://TwitPWR.com/tEU Recently spoke at 140tc Twitter conference. @MayhemMiller

- Tracy Williams, Activision, Global Director of Marketing. Activision makes Guitar Hero, Tony Hawk Ride, and dozens of other top-selling titles http://activision.com

- Gene Pao, FUEL TV, VP of New Media and International Development. The FUEL TV cable station screens the best of action sports and music via videos, webcasts, photos, blogs, news and more. http://fuel.tv @FUELTV

- KP Anderson, E! Soup, executive producer and head writer for cable TV’s “Soup” franchise, which includes “The Soup” on E!, “Sports Soup” and “Web Soup.” @ikpanderson

AGENDA
7-8: Check-in and Networking
8-9:30 Panel, Q&A

$15 ADVANCE REGISTRATION REQUIRED via Paypal ($20 at the door)

—————————-

Thursday, October 15-17th
BlogWorld & New Media Expo
Vegas Baby!
Las Vegas Convention Center (South Hall)
3150 Paradise Road
Las Vegas, NV

The 3rd Annual BlogWorld & New Media Expo will be held at the Las Vegas Convention Center October 15 - 17.

The first and only industry-wide tradeshow, conference, and media event dedicated to promoting the dynamic industry of new media. From blogs to podcasts to Internet Radio and TV, to microblogging to social networking.

The conference features more than 60 seminars, panel discussions and keynotes from iconic personalities on the leading-edge of online media technology and internet-savvy business.

BlogWorld appeals to new media content creators of all types from hobbyist to professional and to entrepreneurs and corporate executives seeking to understand and navigate the blogosphere.
Join us for our next online/entertainment panel, focusing on Webisodes. We’ll discuss
- Original Series: the creation, funding, pitching, packaging, and marketing of original web series
- Branded Entertainment: developing webisodes series for specific advertisers, including working with shifting timelines, budget/talent, brand integration and marketing and distribution.

———-

Thursday, October 15th
South Bay Tech Group
5:30-7:30pm
Shade Hotel Bar
1221 N Valley Drive
Manhattan Beach, CA

South Bay Tech Group meets on the 3rd Thursday of every month at Shade in Manhattan Beach to network with fellow South Bay residents and technology entreprenuers who live and/or work in Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, El Segundo area.

———-

Thursday, October 15th
A Masquerade Mindshare
8:00pm-1:00am
Lot 613
613 Imperial St.
Los Angeles, CA

Mark Milian / Technology Writer, Los Angeles Times
How Google Wave Could Change The Way We Work

Justine Limpus Parish / Fashion Illustrator, Art Director, Designer, Educator and Published Author
My Life in Fashion & Costume…in 10 Minutes

Brett Levine / President, LiveSpark, Inc.
New Technology as the Medium

Max Baptist / Founder & CEO, D-Dub Software
Entrepreneurship with as Much Balls as Talent

Open bar (8pm-10:30pm), music and a number of installations on display from the great brains from Mindshare Labs!

———-

Thursday, October 15th
ThinkLA’s Thirsty Thursday
6:30-9:30pm
Beechwood
822 West Washington Blvd.
Venice CA 90292

LA’s answer to the Ad Club…Meet up with thinkLA for a free-to-attend networking mixer organized by AdZoo!

———-

Monday-Thursday, October 19th-22nd
DigitalHollywood Fall
Loews Hotel
Santa Monica, California

Includes Variety Entertainment Technology Summit on the 19th from 9:00 am-5:00 pm.

Also includes EPPS Online’s one-day PR and communications conference focusing on the convergence of: Technology, Image, Communication and Control. Learn new strategies, tactics and technologies that are transforming the PR and communications communities. EPPS Members: $100 until Sept.30; $150 after Non-EPPS members: $150 until Sept. 30; $200 after.

Conference Dates:
Monday, October 19th - Pre-Event Sessions and Workshops
Tuesday, October 20th - All Day Sessions and Exhibits
Wednesday, October 21st - All Day Sessions and Exhibits
Thursday, October 22nd - All Day Sessions

———-

Monday, October 19th
Tubefilter’s Hollywood Web Television Meetup
7:00pm - 11:55pm
Busby’s East
5364 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA

With nearly 3,500 of web television’s top creators, producers, studio executives, agents, managers, technologists, and distributors on its roster, Tubefilter’s Hollywood Web Television Meetup brings together the most dynamic group of professionals in the online entertainment industry. Each month’s event features presentations from influential web television creators, talent, and industry executives who are leading the charge in shaping the future of our industry.

What’s up this month? We’re Going LIVE!

With the proliferation of live content online, thanks to networks like UStream, Justin.tv, Stickam, and Livestream, it’s no wonder so many web television creators are producing high-quality live content. Live broadcasts are an event in themselves, providing a level of interactivity, buzz, and community building that you just don’t get from on-demand programming.

Going LIVE!, is an in-depth look into the creation, production, and distribution of live web television programming online. We’ll be treated to first hand accounts from the creators and talent behind some of the biggest and best live productions online.

This month we’re breaking up the format with a limited-seating panel starting promptly at 7:30 pm, followed by our infamous networking mixer, which starts at 8:45 pm. Plus, stay tuned for a very exciting announcement from the Tubefilter Team.

Panelists:
Hailey Bright (Co-Host, Coin-Op TV Live)
Brian Gramo (Founder theStream.tv)
Tyler Crowley (Executive Producer, Mahalo Daily)
Bismarck Lepe (Founder, Ooyala)
Drew Baldwin (Drew Baldwin, Producer, The Streamy Awards)

Evening Program:
7:00pm - Doors Open (pre-seating)
7:30pm - Panel (limited seating, Panel Ticket required)
8:45pm - Networking Mixer

Tickets to the panel are $15/ $9 for the mixer.

———-

Tuesday, October 20th
Digital LA - Horror & Entertainment Panel @ Magic Castle
7:00-11:30pm
The Magic Castle
7001 Franklin Ave
Los Angeles, CA

Scheduled Speakers include:
- KW Low, DreadCentral.com, Founder, http://dreadcentral.com @DreadCentral
- Sean Redlitz, FEARnet, Editor-In-Chief, http://fearnet.com @FEARnet
- Drew Daywalt, Director, MWG’s horror web series, Camera Obscura
- moderator: Kevin Winston, Digital LA

Agenda:
- 7-8p: Check in and Networking at the Magic Castle main bar
- 8-9p: Panel and Q&A at the Inner Circle ballroom
- After 9pm: Explore the Magic Castle on your own - if u dare! There are 3 magic show rooms thruout the castle with repeating showtimes for u to explore: The Palace of Mystery, the Parlour of Prestidigitation, and the Close-Up Gallery.

Dress accordingly by the Magic Castle dress code: jacket and tie for guys, cocktail dress for ladies.

———-

Tuesday, October 20th
Social Media Club LA – Games Go Social
7:00-9:00pm
the Rubicon Project
1925 S Bundy Dr.
Los Angeles, CA 90025

Ian Swanson, Co-founder and CEO of Sometrics
http://sometrics.com

———-

Wednesday, October 21st
Digital LA - Digital Drinks @ MyHouse
7:00-10:00pm
MyHouse
7080 Hollywood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA

Both Yelp and CitySearch fans give My House 4.5 stars! CitySearch loves that “this sprawling 10,000-square-foot pad is bringing the idea of the “house party” to the club-seeking masses. Disguised as a state-of-the-art home,
- the kitchen doubles as the main bar (yes, that’s a stainless steel refrigerator the bartender’s pulling from),
- the enormous living room is a sunken lounge (which becomes an after-hours dance floor) and
- the second floor bedroom is the unofficial VIP area (king size bed with black leather headboard, faux mink duvet and skull table lamps included).
- There’s also the outdoor patio with fireplaces, cabana-like booths and even a Jacuzzi for those adventurous–or drunk–enough to splash things up.”

$10 REGISTRATION in ADVANCE via Paypal REQUIRED ($20 day of)

———-

Wednesday, October 21st
Tech Supper Club: Social Media for Hollywood,  Media and Brands
4:00-9:00pm
Transmersive
1813 Centinela
Santa Monica, CA 90404
(in media park near Olympic and Bundy)

Workshop 4:00-5:30:   Using Twitter for Consumer Marketing Campaigns and Business Lead Generation
Presenter: Steve Weed, Principal, Landau Design

Steve Weed will teach you the exact strategies they use to attract ideal clients via. Learn how to put this tool to work growing your business in only a  few minutes per day. This workshop is for both those that are new to Twitter and those that have been using Twitter. You will learn tips, tricks, and tools to enhance your Twitter experience and efficiency with a focus on entertainment and consumer marketing.

Networking Dinner: 6:00-7:30 and open bar

Presenting Speakers 7:30-9:00:
* Van Vandegrift, Executive Producer, matrixx
* Damon Berger, Director of Digital Marketing, 20th Century Fox

Van will show examples and share insights on how social media is being used by Sony PIctures Entertainment for the marketing and promotion of its upcoming feature film Planet 51. He will include strategies for developing brand partnerships such as their partnership with Dippin’ Dots and Sega; and developing integrated marketing campaigns.

Damon will discuss trends and strategies for movie marketing using broadband, social media, and mobile platforms; and how marketing campaigns can lead to a blockbuster hit.

Get tickets
$70.00    Networking dinner, workshop, panel program
$60.00   Networking dinner, program
$30.00    Program only, excludes dinner
$25.00   Workshop before program

———-

Wednesday, October 21st
PowerPoint Karaoke, Bloblive and Corporate Espionage Night
7:00-10:00pm
V Lounge
2020 Wilshire Blvd
Santa Monica, CA 90403

Bloblive, Scrum Club & the LA Geek Dinner will be hosting a very special evening of idea sharing and Powerpoint Karaoke with hosts Heathervescent, founder of the LA Geek Dinner and Erick Brownstein, MC of Bloblive. Winning prize packages will go to the best ideas and best PPT karaoke performances. $5 donation requested.

———-

Wednesday, October 21st
The Quality of Life Forum
7:00pm – 8:15pm
Santa Monica Public Library
601 Santa Monica Blvd
Santa Monica, CA

The format of the event is akin to the approach used in programs like “Inside the Actor’s Studio” and “Charlie Rose.”  The conversations between the moderator Kit Cooper and featured guests are relaxed and easygoing without the air of anyone claiming to be experts.  The talks focus on what are the perspectives and practices of the interviewee that contribute to his/her quality of life.  The session will include Q&A with the audience

Guest for the 21st is Mark Thornton, author of Meditation in a New York Minute, executive coach, expert on how meditation can create competitive advantage for leaders and individuals, former COO of JP Morgan London.  Consults with leading organizations like McKinsey and Harvard Law School on how to improve performance through deployment of meditation practices.

Attendance is free but space is limited to 125. Email: QOLF_Registration@qualityoflifeproject.org

———-

Thursday, October 22nd
Digital LA in the OC: Digital Drinks
7:00-9:00pm
Sutra Lounge
1870 Harbor Blvd
Costa Mesa, CA

$12 ADVANCE REGISTRATION REQUIRED

———-

Monday, October 26th
The Perfect Pitch
The Ritz-Carlton
4375 Admiralty Way
Marina del Rey, CA 90292
Hundreds of influential entrepreneurs and investors will converge for a day of learning and dealmaking. Powerful speakers and panelists will show you what it takes to build a successful startup in 2009.

Morning Keynote by the one and only Sir Richard Branson and impressive line up of speakers/panels.

Speakers

Register

———-

Tuesday, October 27th
Social Media Club Orange Country Mixer
6:30pm - 9:30pm
Blue Beet Cafe
107 21st Pl
Newport Beach, CA

———-

Tuesday, October 27th
Girls in Tech presents Social Fashion Beauty Summit
7:00-11:00pm
LIVE! On Sunset
West Hollywood, CA

We will be featuring a panel with some of the most influential people in the Internet, Fashion, and Beauty industries, followed by a cocktail party. A portion of ticket sales is going to Dress For Success, a non-profit that promotes the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support and the career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life.

———-

Tuesday, October 27th – Wednesday, October 28th
140 Characters Conference (#140conf)
The Kodak Theater
6801 Hollywood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90028-6136.

Schedule

At the #140conf events, we look at twitter as a platform and as a language we speak. Over time it will neither be the only platform nor the only language. #140conf is not an event about  microblogging or the place where people share twitter “tips and techniques” but rather where we explore the effects of the emerging real-time Internet on Business.

The original scope of #140conf was to explore “the effects of twitter on: Celebrity, “The Media”, Advertising and (maybe) Politics.” Over time the scope expanded to include Sports, Music, The Arts, Sciences and more. Given the location of #140conf:LA, this event will have a special focus on the use of twitter in the Entertainment Industry.

The schedule for the upcoming event will be unique and fast paced. Individual talks are set to: 10 minutes; “Featured talks” 15 and 20 minutes and the various panel discussions are set for 15 and 20 minutes.

———-

Wednesday, October 28th
Media Mixer LA
5:00pm - 9:30pm
H Wood
1738 N. Orange Dr
Los Angeles, CA

Mashable and Demand Media are joining forces to host Media Mixer LA, the official after party of the 140Conf LA (http://lax.140conf.com/) , on Wednesday October 28th at the H.Wood. Join the Mashable and Demand Media teams along with the 140Conf LA attendees, the local Los Angeles tech and social media scene and guests of our media partner, New Media Vault for an evening of networking. The event is free, but RSVP needed.

———-

Wednesday, October 28th
LA3D PANEL + BOWLING MAYHEM
8:00-10:00pm
Lucky Strike
6801 Hollywood Blvd
Ste. 143
Los Angeles, CA 90028

Los Angeles 3D was created with the intent of generating a space for the top 3D artists in the Los Angeles area.

Join the LA3D crew on a night of Bowling, Food, Beer and panelists.

———-

Thursday, October 29th
eMarketing In Real Estate - The Deal Forum
9:00am - 5:00pm
Santa Ana Elks Lodge
212 South Elk Lane
Santa Ana, CA

Real estate professionals, investors, entrepreneurs, and others are welcome to an excellent day of learning, networking and deal making opportunities.

The Deal Forum will feature a unique Real Estate Marketplace moderated by the Orange Coast Exchangors chapter of the National Council of Exchangors. Attendees should bring property flyers. The Deal Forum keynote will given by Pierre Zarokian, President of Submit Express.com. The presentation will focus on online real estate marketing, social media, and search engine optimization.

Expected speakers from the Media include:

Tina Borgatta,
Editor of the OC Metro Magazine.

Jon Lansner,
Columnist and Blogger at the OC Register.

Linda Pliagas,
Publisher of the Realty 411 Magazine.

Other expected speakers include:

Rick Calvert,
Founder of the Blog World Expo.

John Claycomb,
President of Quick Ad Flyers.

Jim Harlan,
President, Realty Investment Association of CA (RIAOC).

Michael Sawari,
CEO, National Real Estate Investment Club (NREI Club).

$50 - Early Bird
$70 - At Door (cash only, no checks or credit cards on the day of the event).

———-

Thursday, October 29th
OMMA Mobile
8:00am - 5:00pm
Hyatt Regency Century Plaza
2025 Avenue of the Stars
Los Angeles, California, USA 90067

OMMA Mobile comes to the west coast with speakers and panelists who will explore how mobile platforms are helping brands reorient and re-think direct relationships with consumers. We will look at how mobile advertising and peer-to-peer mobile communications are already changing the way L.A’s hometown entertainment industry relates to audiences…and how audiences relate to entertainment. And we go to the bottom of the purchase funnel to see how the cell phone is already influencing the consumer in that last yard to the cash register. Finally, amidst all of these changes, are interactive ad agencies and the interactive ad network infrastructures of the Web really what we need to drive this unique new opportunity?

———-

Thursday, October 29th
Startups Uncensored & October Mixer
6:00-8:00pm
Santa Monica Library
601 Santa Monica Blvd
Santa Monica, CA

This month’s Startups Uncensored will be on the “Characteristics of Successful Entrepreneurs.” It will be an open and frank town-hall conversation about what it takes to build a successful business and how to distinguish yourself as an entrepreneur.

We are joined this month by Jason Calacanis, CEO of Mahalo, co-founder of Weblogs Inc. and publisher of the Sillcon Alley Reporter. Jason is one of the best-known Internet CEOs and hosts the popular show “This Week in Startups.” You can also follow Jason on twitter @Jason.

The event is free and is followed by a reception and mixer at the Docstoc Offices in Santa Monica by the 3rd Street Promenade.

———-

Friday, October 30th
OMMA Video
8:00am - 5:00pm
Hyatt Regency Century Plaza
2025 Avenue of the Stars
Los Angeles, California, USA 90067

Here is what you should expect to gain from attending OMMA Video:

* Hear from the top names in the online advertising industry as they share the secrets of connecting with consumers using online video
* Gain valuable knowledge and insights into emerging video markets and trends
* Discover today’s best practices for online marketing and advertising using video
* Network with VIPs, brand marketers and agency executives
* Raise your skills and awareness in highly-specialized sessions on delivery, research, content creation, management, emerging platforms, and so much more
* Plus access to our Mini Trade Show. Tour the trade show floor to learn about the latest innovations from companies you know and trust while networking with experts in your industy. A Full Conference Pass also includes an invitation to the cocktail party sponsored by Vibrant Media, following the last session.

———-