Music City Center, Nashville, Tennessee1

Introducing: KEEN Digital Summit!

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SVV flew to meet me in Dublin last week on our anniversary and sail with me for the rest of the Enrichment Voyage but not before attending Nashville’s biggest party of the year. For those of you who have passed through Music City recently, you may have noticed quite a lot of construction going on around Korean Veterans Boulevard. Well, the dust has finally settled, and the $635 million Nashville Music City Center is now open for business.

Music City Center, Nashville, Tennessee1SVV was joined by my business partner Stef, her husband and several of our media friends for the celebration, which included musical acts galore and even a private concert put on by our local girl, Sheryl Crow.

Music City Center, Nashville, Tennessee1This convention center is an absolute behemoth at 1.2 million square feet, and it’s attached to the 800-room Omni Nashville that’s opening this fall and the Country Music Hall of Fame. So basically, it’s poised to be the coolest block in Nashville by the year’s end!

Music City Center, Nashville, Tennessee1If you’ve been to Nashville before, you know we have been desperately needing this. The old convention center isn’t exactly a technological marvel, and we can’t keep hotel rooms empty, the city is so in demand. The addition of the MCC means that six new hotels are moving into the area between now and next year.

Music City Center, Nashville, Tennessee1More facts about this architectural marvel: It’s shaped like a guitar from above. It has a 175,000 square-foot green roof, designed to mimic the rolling hills of Tennessee. The total land area of the site is 16 acres, and it’s being considered for LEED Silver certification.

Music City Center, Nashville, Tennessee1But why do YOU care about this? Well, not only is it awesome, but it plays a role in the whole “secret business” I’ve been keeping from you for the past year…

For 12 months now, I have put every ounce of energy and creative thought into Stef’s and my newest endeavor: KEEN Digital Summit (which stands for Keeping Entrepreneurs Engaged and Networking).

KEEN Digital Summit

The When: Oct. 24-27, 2013
The Where: The brand-spanking-new Omni Nashville, attached to the equally brand-spankin’-new Music City Center
The Who: Tech innovators, online entrepreneurs, brands who have a keen (sorry, had to) interest in technology, travel, photography, family, and food and spirits. Bloggers, Tweeters, Pinners, small businesses—basically, anyone operating in the online space will benefit from KEEN.
The Why: Because the two of us and our team of awesome influencers were sick and tired of the same ol’ conference. I mean, how many people can tell us in how many ways “how to pick a platform,” “how to grow your audience,” “how you CAN’T make money online.” Well, that’s stupid. Because there are a lot of people who have turned their presences into online empires. And we want to leverage our own connections to help you be one of them.

There were times, it looked like it all might fall apart. We were screwed over by a major firm out of Chicago and were forced to take legal action (no cheap endeavor when you’re a startup that’s owned and operated by two long-time freelance journalists paying for everything out of their not-so-deep bank accounts). But we persevered. We never gave up. We put together a kick-ass team of entrepreneurs and innovators.

And we talked the Omni Nashville into letting us be their grand opening act. We can’t wait; this hotel is seriously killer. Check out the 3D rendering of what it’s going to look like.

Music City Center, Nashville, Tennessee1So come out and learn—and OK, and party/mingle/socialize/jibe—with us come October.

Registration went on sale last week and is at an “introductory price” (i.e. discounted) through June 15. Because this is a first year event, it’s going to be more exclusive: We’re capping attendees at 700. (So get your ticket soon!)

Why Nashville?

Uh, because it rocks. (Duh.) And it’s becoming a tech hub more and more every day. And we have some fantastic people in the South doing amazing things. And because it’s within 500 miles of something like 75 percent of the country’s population—meaning that most of you can reach us pretty easily by car. Or plane. Because, you know, we have airports and fancy stuff like that. And you can finally attend a top-tier conference without a) heading to a coast or b) visiting a city that will break your bank while there. Huzzah! Win-win for all!

Music City Center, Nashville, Tennessee1What’s in it for you?

Lots of stuff. Networking opportunities. The ability to hear about the latest technologies in your field from some very impressive speakers. A state-of-the-art expo. Cool parties, rife with chance schmoozing. A career camp where you can meet and greet with potential employers or partners. The chance to be a part of something new and innovative and exciting. (And so I can show off my hometown to you, too, while we’re at it!)

Music City Center, Nashville, Tennessee1I mean, don’t you want to stay in this hotel room with this view?

Every few weeks, we will be adding content, speakers and partners to the site, so check back often!

And did I mention you should sign up and come play with me in Nashville? Because, after the Music City Center opening, it’s going to be the event of the year.

Nashville, Tennessee

COMMENTS
  • May 29, 2013

    WooHoo! Many congrats and can’t wait to see all your hard work pay off!

  • May 29, 2013

    So Awesome! All your work paying off. Not sure I can get there as I’ll just be finishing up work but have put the date on my calendar just in case. Besides, I’ve never been to Nashville.

    • May 30, 2013

      I will cross my fingers that you can make it! =)

  • May 30, 2013

    We just went to Nashville (our old homestead) and saw that HUGE convention center. I thought it looked like a piano from the front. It’s an AMAZING building. How exciting to have the kickoff event there! Good luck!

    • May 30, 2013

      You are right: The Country Music Hall of Fame (next door) is shaped like a piano! Isn’t the whole area a huge change from the barren wasteland it once was??

  • May 30, 2013

    So excited for you! Heading off now to share with all my local peeps … Cincy is only a 4.5 hour drive 🙂

    • May 30, 2013

      You are so sweet! I always forget how close we really are and I DO want to come up to Cincy soon to intro Mayhem and Jake, my other favorite Ohio four year old 😉

  • May 30, 2013

    I’m sooooo pumped! Looks like it’s going to bigger and better than anything else out there =) You go, girls!

    • May 30, 2013

      And I’m sooooo pumped you’re coming!

  • May 30, 2013

    It’s going to be an awesome event!

    • June 24, 2013

      Hope you’ll be able to make it down again!

  • June 2, 2013

    Hooray! Congrats! Sounds like this is going to be a phenomenal event. If it works out with our work schedules, we may have to come down for it!

    • June 24, 2013

      I really hope you’ll be able to make it! Would be great to hang out again!

  • June 8, 2013
    JeJe

    Can’t wait!

  • June 8, 2013
    Sweeney

    You go girl!

  • June 10, 2013

    How freaking awesome, congrats!!!!!!

  • June 24, 2013

    Hi Kristin,
    Just learned about your cool KEEN Summit via Twitter. Looks like I am late to the party. I have never been to Nashville and this looks like one fine event! I hope I am able to join in the fun. What a trip.

    • June 24, 2013

      No, not late–we have JUST begun our marketing plan! We’ll be rolling out Phase II of the website on July 1 with a *lot* of exciting new speakers, so definitely bookmark us =)

  • September 15, 2013

    All the very best. Just rock ittttt.

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