5 Things I Loved (and 5 Things I Would Do Differently) About Get Money Get Paid
The first weekend in November, I had the pleasure of attending Ladies Get Paid’s Get Money Get Paid conference at the Brooklyn Expo Center. Full disclosure, huge conferences are not my strongest suit. I prefer smaller, more intimate gatherings that foster deep connection. However, I’m an extrovert, I recently launched my own business, and the Brooklyn Expo Center is only a few blocks from my apartment, so I bought my ticket and got ready to talk $$$.
As a freelance creative, here are five things I loved and five things I would do differently at the pinkest professional conference in New York.
THINGS I LOVED:
photo by alexander mils
1. 1000 women unabashedly talking about money
No pussy footing around it, this conference is about money. We were there to strategize how to make more of it, how to invest it wisely, and to embrace our love of it. That framework alone allowed for an empowering atmosphere.
2. Putting diversity on the main stage
My favorite panel of the day was called “Diversity is Not A Buzz Word.” Mini Timmaraju, Amy Nelson, Daisy Auger-Domínguez, and Dr. Akilah Cadet engaged in a frank, honest, and inspiring conversation about what it really means to work for diversity and inclusion in the workplace. They held each other accountable, built each other up, and thoughtfully answered questions from the audience.
3. Reframing emotions as superpowers
One of the best panels I attended was called “High Stakes.” It brought together Liza Landsman, Alexandra Machinist, Arielle Patrick, Tanisha James, and Nathalie Molina Niño to talk about navigating intense situations. When asked about how to handle emotions when the stakes are high, every woman on the panel acknowledged that emotions are superpowers. It was incredibly refreshing to hear things like “how something makes you feel is valid,” and “emotion is your superpower, channel it wisely,” from Alexandra Machinist and Tanisha James, respectively.
4. Incredible volunteers
Everyone I interacted with that was part of the Ladies Get Paid team, and especially the volunteers, were helpful, kind, and energetic. Even when things were running behind schedule and some of the rooms were over capacity and people had to be turned away, everyone handled the chaos with grace and good humor.
photo by erol ahmed
5. It’s a space where periods are not taboo
A highlight of the day was when Ladies Get Paid founder Claire Wasserman stood on stage and took in our thousand faces smiling up at her and got a little teary. “I’m on my period,” she said with a laugh, “and can everyone just raise your hand if you’re also on your period.” Hundreds of hands went up. Even though I wasn’t on my period, I felt a kinship in the acknowledgement of this physical reality affecting how we would experience this day. And I’m on my period as I write this, and raising my hand in spirit days afterward.
THINGS I WOULD DO DIFFERENTLY:
1. You need interactive activities to help people connect
calligraphed poem by Satinder Bawa + Lisa Ann Markuson
I attended the conference alone and I found it incredibly difficult to meet people. Sure, there was a “networking break” built into the day, but unless I just walked up to someone I didn’t know and started a conversation I spent a lot of time alone. This is an easy solve, you just need a few curated spaces and times that facilitate connection. What about having themes areas during the networking break where people could gather and connect based on shared interest? Might we suggest an Ars Poetica custom experience for next year? *nudge nudge*
2. Fewer speakers, more time and substance
This was particularly true on the mainstage. 30 minutes is not enough for 3-4 panelists and a moderator to really dig into a topic. I would have preferred to have either fewer speakers on each panel, or made the mainstage panels a bit longer.
3. Stage B
I’m not sure if it was just my luck, but every time I wanted to attend a workshop on Stage B I couldn’t get in. I tried three times, they were at capacity each time. I’m not sure there’s an easy fix for this one, and there were always interesting things happening on the mainstage to default to, but I’d often missed the start of the mainstage panel by the time I got turned away from Stage B. And I’m still bummed I missed “Negotiate Your Worth” with Sage Quiamno.
4. Redefine Workshop
The conference had four types of events: panels, talks, workshops, and firesides. I attended three “workshops” throughout the day. There was nothing interactive about any of them. As someone who facilitates workshops, this left me a bit perplexed. For instance, I got a great deal of useful information from Ashley Johnson, CFO of Wealthfront, regarding equity compensation, but all I did was take notes and hurriedly snap photos of her slides. If it’s a panel or a talk, just call it that! I’d still attend and not walk away disappointed that I didn’t actively participate.
5. Deliver on the expectations of your descriptions, even on the smaller stages
I attended a panel called “Be Your Own Boss,” for which the description read, “Get the low-down on how to start a business, attract clients, and weather the ups and downs (financially and emotionally), when it comes to working for yourself.” I walked away with almost no actionable advice from this panel. One panelist said of finding clients, “they kind of just came to me.” This is not super helpful. It is a huge undertaking to put on a conference of this size with as small of a team as Ladies Get Paid has, and I understand that every panel might not knock it out of the park, but as someone new to being their own boss, I wish this panel had delivered.
All in all, I think Ladies Get Paid is growing an amazing community and can clearly put on a kick-ass event. Unsure whether I’ll be attending next year, but I’m glad to have had the opportunity to stand in a room with 1,000 other women who are all prioritizing getting paid and knowing their worth.
Note from the Editor:
If you’d like to keep up with Clare’s work, check out her new book project here.
And, there is still time to book Clare and our other fabulous poets for your holiday and New Year parties.
