It’s hard to sum up everything the Yellow Conference embodied in a simple blog post. Some things just can’t be expressed through words and have to be experienced. But I (Joanna) will do my best here to lead you through the first day of Yellow Conference.
Yellow Conference 2014 was held at Smoky Hollow Studios in El Segundo, CA. The day started off with women from all over the country trickling in, greeted by our volunteer team and a lovely “YELLOW” made out of florals done by La Fleur Kitchen. Attendees were handed a goodie bag, clipboard with conference info, and then escorted onto the patio, where they could mingle with coffee & tea from Keurig.
Inside, the room was filled with yellow chairs and beautiful vintage furniture from Found Rentals along with greenery and various florals (including a floral chandelier!) from La Fleur Kitchen.
The walls in the venue were all chalkboard, and covered with artwork and custom hand lettering from Little Cat Design Co. The venue was also filled with the beautiful candles from Illume Candles (which smell so amazing!)
Sugarfina also supplied us with an amazingly tasty candy bar.
The conference started off with Lindsey Eryn Clark, the CEO + Co-founder of Coast To Coast Central™, who talked about dreaming. She gave us a great overview on living out your dream- how it can be difficult, not for the faint of heart, and how the greatest reward can often come out of our greatest struggles.
Next we had Sarah Dubbeldam, the Editor in Chief and Co-Creative Director of Darling Magazine. Sarah gave a great talk- it was the perfect mix of thinking big picture, about who we are and what moves us, paired with very practical advice on starting up a business you are passionate about. Her kind spirit and determined attitude really show how Darling has become what it is. (Darling also wrote a recap of Sarah’s talk on their site you can check out for more.)
After Sarah’s talk, the attendees were told to check under their chairs for a prize. The ladies from Vrai & Oro gave away one of their gorgeous rings to a special audience member.
Caitlin Crosby, Founder of The Giving Keys and singer/songwriter was the third speaker of the day. Caitlin told her story of how she started The Giving Keys and how the company employs those transitioning out of homelessness. She encouraged us to focus on changing the world one person at a time. She quoted Mother Teresa, “Do not wait for leaders, do it alone, person to person.”
We took a break for lunch, where there was a food truck on site, as well as Mentor Sessions happening at the venue. Attendees chose to head out on their own for lunch, or stick around and eat at the food truck.
After lunch, we came back together for an exercise in dreaming big. We thought of a “crazy awesome” idea, then took a good look at what is really holding us back, while thinking practically about how to solve those issues. Attendees got into groups and talked through their ideas, telling the others about their dreams and what’s stopping them. Together they collaborated on more ways to get past the things that are stopping them from doing what it is they want to do.
Milk Jar Cookies supplied us with their delicious cookies and a glass of milk for our afternoon break. Honestly, these are some of my favorite cookies I’ve ever had, so if you’re in LA, you’ll def need to stop by their shop!
Allie Marie Smith, the Founder and Director of Wonderfully Made was our next speaker. She spoke letting go of our “ideal self.” She talked about accepting ourselves for who we are now, that we are never going to “arrive” once we have that one thing we’ve been looking for. So use what you have now, where you are, despite your hardships.
Chronicle Books was kind enough to create 3 packages of books, stationary and other goodies from their company and give them to three ladies at the conference. We drew names out of a hat and 3 lucky girls left with a ton of goodies from Chronicle.
Last but definitely not least, we had Carlos Whittaker- who is an author, speaker, musician and blogger. Carlos reminded us that there is power in the everyday moments. These moments are what make up our lives and we as creatives can bring revival to the world by creating, receiving and rescuing everyday, ordinary moments. He showed us examples of how creatives can make moments that move people, that impact others. There is power in the small and the ordinary, and when we are able to take charge of these moments, we can design a life that we love.
After the conference we headed to the dinner after party for some tacos and drinks. We were able to relax, chat around the tables, and reflect on the day. A great way to end the night.
To get an even better idea of the conference, check out this beautiful video done by the ever so talented Elle Wildhagen.
The first day of the conference was filled with passion, joy and love flowing from these amazing attendees. These women are fighters, not fearless, but hopeful that they can overcome their fears. That they can push boundaries and change the world for the better. They are highly creative and loving. These women are what made the first day (and second, but we will get to that later!) of the conference so great.
Stay tuned for the recap of Day 2!
Photos by Joanne Pio & Brienne Michelle Photography