I’ve used all these products in the last 3 years to build a successful IT consulting business that I’ve run in my pajamas with my dog Bluey snuggled under my desk.

Welcome iPhone App from LogMeIN!

They released the Logmein Ignition iPhone app last year and I just had to try it. Now, mind you, it costs $30 which at the Apple iPhone store is expensive but it’s well worth it. I’ve used it in a pinch to help customers while I’m on the road or grab a quick password from Keepass.

Contest to Win Logmein for the iPhone

I have some free licenses to give away! Let me know what you currently use to access your computer when you’re away from your desk and I’ll select the 3 most “interesting” comments.

• Contest runs until Friday, January 29th at 11:59pm CST.
• 3 Licenses will be awarded

Using LogMeIn To Build My IT Consulting Business

I have helped to maintain my client’s networks using LogMeIn’s tools to check on servers and workstations, do schedule reboots and quickly connect to diagnose a problem.

As my new focus of public speaking and training takes me on the road more (this weekend I’m speaking at Wordcamp Atlanta and at the Boston Wordcamp end of January), I find the need to access computers while I’m out and about. The iPhone is the perfect swiss army knife, allowing me to stay in touch with email, my social network and most importantly, my clients. It only makes sense that remote support should be available…well, remotely!

This is a sponsorship post for LogMeIn. They sponsored me for Blogworld 2009 and I had a blast talking with other bloggers, giving out 500 hugs, listening and sharing the story of Logmein with fellow geeky bloggers.

I’m looking for a conference sponsor for the upcoming BlogHer Conference and I want to promote your company!

I will be attending BlogHer ’09 in Chicago at the end of the week.  BlogHer is a gathering of women who blog on all sorts of things and this is the 5th year!

Your Market Is Out There

photo credit: jdlasica

I know women who enjoy technology, gadgets and web 2.0 apps.  We don’t need everything to be pink.  We want to buy technology we enjoy using, fits our lifestyle and that make us feel (and look) smart!

Being a geek, I’m most happy in my element of solving problems and helping people.  I smile when people thank me and say, “Adria, when you explain it, things make so much more sense!”.  I put in time to learn new technology, talk with developers and work to stay active in the technology community.

I’ve always enjoyed wearing my Firefox t-shirt and having people comment on it because they recognize it as an awesome browser!

How I Will Pitch You At BlogHer

photo credit: journeyscoffee

I offer a unique opportunity.  For thousands of years, we’ve told stories around campfires.  The same holds true today where people end up buying things once they hear that personal story of how it adds value to someone’s life.

I will tell your story through one to one conversations with attendees

Forget “live blogging” and banner ads on sites.  I will make authentic and lasting connections with people that leave them thinking about your products long after they’ve have flown home.  Get your Google Analytics ready to track the hits from BlogHer!

Want to know more details of how I would position your t-shirts, screenshot software and business cards in conversations I have with other women bloggers at BlogHer?

Contact me and we’ll discuss it in detail.

I’m a good investment to promote your company because:

• I’m quite effective in persuading people to embrace new technology
• I attended WordCamp Chicago and Blogging While Brown in June 2009
• I explain things in terms that people understand and feel comfortable with
• People on Twitter thank me a lot for my help, suggestions and links
• I understand how technologies work together in a variety of businesses
• I understand hardware, desktop software, web apps and mobile devices
• I have 10 years of IT experience with several certifications
• I do a live, online, weekly technology show at AskAdria.com
• I have a sincere passion to help empower people through technology
• I’m learning how to sell things I believe in
• My “About” page is chocked full of information on my deeds to make the world a better place

Website Traffic Stats for Unique Visitors In The Last 6 Months To This Blog

(Google Analytics reports available upon request)

• July 4,257
• June 8,727
• May 1,677
• April 2,365
• March 8,689
• February 1,509

Recent Public Speaking Sample

Women Venture – St. Paul, MN
Panel “Women In Technology”
7/9/2009

ThinkGeek: Cool stuff for your desk and geeky t-shirts

Click here to view the embedded video.

Extra Credit
I own 4 shirts from ThinkGeek: Geek code, I’m Tweeting This, Slide to Unlock and No I will Not Fix Your Computer
Video: How To Use A Crossover Adapter [ThinkGeek]
Video: How To Use An Ethernet Loopback Adapter [ThinkGeek]
Video: Thinkgeek BlogHer T-Shirt Pitch

Techsmith: Effortless screen captures and video recordings

Click here to view the embedded video.

Moo.com: Elegant and unique business cards

Click here to view the embedded video.

People Buy Things I Talk About

photo credit: thevoyager

Time and again, I’ve shared products and services with people.  I passionately explain the benefits (save time, save money, more professional) and people signup, buy and subscribe.

I’m quite passionate about:

• Gmail
• Timebridge
• Twitter
• Clicky web analytics
• Skype
• WordPress
• Open Source
• Harvest
• Western Digital hard drives
• Firefox
• OpenDNS
• Google
• Zendesk
• Flickr
• ThinkGeek t-shirts for women
• Content Management Systems (CMS)
• Dell computers
• Mozy online backups
• Keepass
• Drop.io
• 37Signals Highrise CRM
• Google Apps for your domain
• Lifehacker
• Apple iPhone
• and much more!

Who Are These People?

photo credit: thus

In an average month, I connect with a variety of people who are decision makers, influential people on the internet and regular folks looking to learn more about technology.  I am honest, patient and helpful with all because I keep in mind how much I would have appreciated help and guidance when I was still learning about technology.

• Business Owners
• Developers
• Company Founders
• DIY Folks figuring out technology
• Bloggers
• IT Folks
• Friends

Why I Picked You

All three companies provide products that help women authentically express their inner geek.  One of the most important ways to “show your geek” is to walk the walk.  I will be selecting one sponsor for the entire event so I can focus on delivering your message in strong and consistant way.
I’ve selected you 3 because:

• I enjoy your products
• Have detailed information share about my experience
• Understand the value you provide
• Can go into vivid detail about why I enjoy using your products
• Know that you’re the best in your markets
• Enjoy answering technical questions BlogHer attendees will have about your products

How To Sponsor Me

Pick Up The Phone
Call 612-246-4568 or drop me a line and we’ll discuss in detail how I plan to deliver your message.

Promote Your Sponsorship
A coupon code would be a great way to encourage attendees to followup as well as track the effectiveness of my efforts!

Prepare Your Schwag
Do you have good stuff for me to hand out? Let’s brainstorm on what items will get folks excited!

photo credit: Liz Henry

Why This Is Important To Me

Being a female in technology, I sometimes need to remind people that I’m just as capable as a guy.  I learned this from my hero, Valerie Aurora who is an outspoken Linux developer at Red Hat.  She taught me to stand up and speak up for myself in my career.

More About Blog Her

photo credit: happykatie

Excerpt from website:

Founded in February 2005 as a labor of love by three bloggers, BlogHer’s mission is to create opportunities for women who blog to pursue exposure, education, community and economic empowerment. Today BlogHer provides the number-one community for and guide to blogs by women, reaching more than ten million women each month via annual conferences, a Web hub, and an publishing syndicate of more than 2,700 qualified, contextually targeted blog affiliates.

Chocolate Covered Cherries Arrive Special Delivery!

While doing research for a SXSW panel submission (more down below on that), I saw a character buying a box of chocolate covered cherries.  She looked to be enjoying them, A LOT!  This got me thinking about how long it had been since I’d tasted the sweet, creamy, delicate texture of cherries wrapped in a cream center and encased in rich milk chocolate.  So I tweeted it!

This started a dicussion online about how good chocolate covered cherries were and I linked up to some on Amazon for @kimberlyoh and @missashe who both expressed their love of chocolate covered cherries.


And then I took a big step and told Twitter what I wanted!  I had been hiding my Amazon wishlist after a few folks had bought me things…feeling sorta embarrassed I guess.  I decided success did not walk with modesty so I added back my wishlist to my blog as a page and put it on my About page too!

Thank You @wr3n For The Chocolate Covered Cherries!

I’d like to give a special shout out to @wr3n for picking up some delicious, mouth watering chocolate covered cherries from my Amazon Wishlist!  They arrived special delivery to my door, packing in ice! How awesome is that?

Research for SXSW Leads to Inspiration

Last week, I was watching a string of “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” shows on Netflix for inspiration.  I submitted a panel topic for the 2010 SXSW conference on how Sci-Fi has shaped our interent experience and what better way to pitch this then by going old school!  Hitchcock’s series started in 1955 and I found it funny how he would make jokes about the sponsors.  As the show moved on, he mentioned the sponsors less so that has inspired me to do an upcoming series of pitches to some of my favorite companies on the web like Timebridge, Zendesk, Eventbrite, Harvest, Techsmith, Mozy and Moo on how I can connect with them to promote their awesome products.