Knowing What You Need to Know: The Terry Gamer Story

One of the interesting things about this year's Blogher (hope you're not sick of hearing about it cause I have more to say and...Lena might, also), was the diversity. I spend a lot of time during conferences I attend looking around the room. I like to take in the sights, so to speak. To see who's there, and how the general group has situated itself (in a conference that is not woman-focused, I like to see how the genders divide themselves, and I'm usually rewarded with tables full of women, and tables full of men...with a sprinkling of the 'other' sex at each, but just a sprinkling, which is because folks sit with friends and friends are often of the same gender).

At Blogher, the women didn't seem to gravitate to tables with only women they 'knew'... they used the round table friendliness to sit where it pleased them. In fact, I think many of them were so busy Twittering or tapping on laptop keys, that they didn't pay as much attention to WHOM they were sitting with, as they did to WHERE they were sitting. They wanted to be in the best spot, to get the best view.

So, there were tables of women from all walks of life, and all ages -- Gen Ys and Gen Xs, mingled with some boomer women-- mingled with a few women of indeterminate ages (young or not so young, it was hard to tell). I got the feeling that all of them were there for the same reason - to commune with other business women, to learn something new that they could take back and implement in their businesses, and to have some fun. Blogging is, after all, fun. I know that I was lucky on day two to sit next to two young women from Typepad. (hey, Alysson and Sarah - SOOOooo good to meet you face-to-face!)

By and far, however, the most fascinating woman in the room -- to me -- was Terry Gamer, a baby boomer like myself, and the CEO of Women's Media Group. Terry introduced herself to me after I boldly asked one of the early presenters of that baby product I wrote about last week, why they weren't marketing to grandmas. Well, why aren't they? (you are, right? I mean... Grandmas are just the best...they have the money and the inclination...to spend it - on their grandkids and themselves; maybe a little on their kids, too.)

I didn't get as much of a chance to talk to Terry as I would have liked...maybe I'll connect with her via email, but I watched her throughout the conference and she was really into this "social media" stuff. She sat eagerly forward in her chair, drinking in each session. She had this perpetual look of excitement in her bright eyes, and her face glowed, always. I never saw her without a smile.

In fact, she was interviewed outside of the sessions by Elana Centor and she talked about women in business...a subject she is quite familiar with, having started more than one woman-owned business in her day. As I mentioned in a previous post, Terry also started the first women's newspaper in the country...back in those old Dick and Jane days. Now, she's talking about the joy of creating something new, at an age when some people think women should just slink away and...sit in the shadows. She calls it making something "large"...

Are you looking at your women customers or clients as a part of something larger than you are? This doesn't just mean going green or supporting non-profits, it means looking at your women customers as resources! That's what we are... we're fountains of historical context, of information in business and life, of memories stored throughout several lifetimes. And yes, we're eager to share them all...with anyone willing to listen.

The most important take away from Blogher Business 2008 was this: the business of blogging is the business of women. We're standing up for ourselves, collectively, and we'd like you - all of you who wish to market or sell to us - to recognize that the time to tap into our potential and our giving nature, is... right now.

To me, Terry is the quintessential role model... follow her lead.

Comments

[beauty and brains]

I admire those successful women. They serve as a role model for everybody. Women with beauty and brain are fantastic. They are so gifted of what they had.

[Bradi Nathan]

I just met Terry tonight for the first time-turns out she is a family friend. You nailed it. Terry sets the bar for a younger generation of female entrepreneurs. I spoke with Terry about my own business and the synergies were apparent. As the co-founder of a social networking site for moms, MyWorkButterfly.com empowers womem to become the Terry Gamers of the world. This family friend is here to stay.
Bradi Nathan
Co-Founder
MyWorkButterfly.com