How I Found The Southern C and What TSC Summit Means to Me

*click each image to see original post from TSC Summit 2018*

What I have learned through blogging is that dream opportunities don’t just fall into your lap, sometimes you have to seek them out. While sometimes, yes, stars do align and collaborations and partnerships come effortlessly and feel way too good to be true, a lot of times there is more work or research that leads up to them. Being a naturally curious person, I love the researching phase of partnerships and collaborations- learning and discovering so many things I may have never known about otherwise.

A couple years ago, towards the beginning of my blogging journey, I was really curious about travel partnerships. I dreamed of the day I may be able to visit and explore places while creating content to support and share some of my favorite destinations with y’all. One of the places that I dreamed of one day partnering with was Sea Island. I had no clue if they worked with bloggers, so one night at midnight (night owl here 🙋🏻) my curiosity took to google and searched “fashion blogger sea island.” While my question about whether Sea Island worked with bloggers went unanswered, I discovered a conference that would soon begin to shape and direct the path of my career.

I was 21, a junior in college (finishing my degree online- read more about my nontraditional college path here), and had been blogging/ taking influencer things more seriously for a little over a year. I was so eager to learn and explore the possibilities, opportunities, and relationships that could come from these incredible online platforms. One of the ways I was learning and discovering more about the world of blogging and influencer marketing was through James Nord’s weekly video series “A Drink With James". Over the past couple of years of blogging, James has taught me so so much and been somewhat of a mentor to me without even knowing it. Anyone who ever comes to me with questions about blogging or how to start/grow a blog, I usually direct them to these videos and James’s wisdom.

Back to the night of my google search: one of the first listings that came up when I searched “fashion blogger sea island” on google was The Southern C Summit. I clicked on the link and was immediately intrigued by The Southern C’s website and all the details of their annual conference for creators and entrepreneurs. I scrolled through the lineup of speakers and James Nord’s name (!!) as well as a few others immediately jumped out at me… and I was SOLD. I screenshotted the conference info, sent it to my sister Katherine, and told her to clear her calendar for the weekend in February! Not only did the conference sound so exciting but the fact that it was taking place at one of the most gorgeous resorts I have ever visited was a major bonus. I was so excited to get to learn from so many accomplished and inspiring entrepreneurs, creators, designers, and editors from across the country.

Up until this point, the idea of pursuing blogging as a career after graduating from college seemed more like a far off dream but after attending TSC Summit, I realized this dream could become a reality. TSC Summit was my first time to attend a conference or have the chance to meet many other bloggers in person. Getting to meet and spend time with other bloggers and creatives that had built incredible brands and businesses through their online platforms showed me that these dreams of mine really were possible- with a lot of hard work and passion.

TSC Summit was my first time to really put myself out there, introduce my blog to others, and share my story. The feedback, input, and advice I received from others meant the absolute world to me. I returned home from my first TSC Summit with an incredible amount of excitement and the confidence to continue pursuing this path of blogging with the hopes of turning it into a career one day.

What is so special about this conference is the people, the encouragement, the energy, and the atmosphere. Not only are the speakers and mentors talented, intelligent, wise, and accomplished, but they are so caring and passionate about helping others chase their dreams and do big things with their brands and businesses. It is one of the most uplifting and encouraging atmospheres, and I truly get fired up each time I think about. The community that Cheri Leavy and Whitney Long, the founders of The Southern C, have cultivated is so incredible, so uplifting, and so special.

One other thing I have to mention about The Southern C is the power of collaborating and the incredible partnerships that have come from the conference. The friendships I’ve made and partnerships that have formed over the past two years of attending TSC Summit are by far the most meaningful and supportive relationships that I truly could not be more grateful for. A few collaborations that have come from TSC Summit- Draper James, Dear Keaton, Harvest Jewels, MB Greene, and The Southern C City Guide.

Each year I have returned home from the Summit with more creative energy and more passion for pursuing this path than ever before. I feel more educated and equipped to continue chasing my fashion dreams. Without The Southern C Summit, I really don’t know if I would be where I am or doing what I am doing today. The Southern C means the world to me.

Now sitting here just counting down the days until February and my 3rd TSC Summit at Sea Island. I would absolutely love to see you there and for you to be a part of this conference too! If you are a blogger, entrepreneur, artist, designer, or creator of any sort, I think this conference is perfect for you. Tickets are on sale here! FYI- room blocks expire December 20, 2018.

See my posts from the 2017 TSC Summit here and here and from the 2018 TSC Summit here and here!

get your ticket here

Thank you to The Southern C for partnering with me for this post.