So – you’ve booked your ticket to Influence or you’re about to (hopefully before the prices raise this coming Saturday!) and now you’re wondering, “what kind of wisdom am I going to hear? What am I actually going to learn?” Well, we’re excited to tell you!

You may have already heard that all of our main sessions will be split into two different types of speakers/messages. During every session there will be a life session – a message that would encourage and benefit all women right where they are: in their families, their friendships, their churches, their cities. Simultaneously, we’ll have a STRATEGY session at the same time – where you can go to get wisdom, tips, advice from some of the top business-minded bloggers and business owners out there. They’ll give you advice about building your brand, what’s next in blogging, and using social media to benefit your business or endeavor.

Our hope is that you’ll chose a mixture of both types of sessions because we know you’ll benefit from both, wherever you are!
Today we’re going to share with you some of our life sessions and we’ll share the strategy sessions tomorrow. 

Sarah Matheny – food blogger & author ((How to Reach without the Preach))
Sarah’s “success” as a food blogger and best-selling cookbook author left her feeling unfulfilled. She toyed with the idea of letting it all go, her blog, her writing career, her thousands of readers, until she saw she could use her voice and her story to glorify God. Sarah will talk about how she strikes a careful balance on her blog between satisfying her readers who come for the food, yet still trying to reaching for hearts that can be won for Him.

Jami Nato – blogger & funny gal ((Influenced to Influence))
What would it look like for you to be influenced radically by the Gospel, so much so you are free to live and thrive in who God made you to be? I will be sharing with you my experiences on how God transformed my life and rocked my world through a broken marriage and a desperate situation. I will also tell jokes. Courtesy laughs required.

Emily Freeman – blogger & author ((His poiema))  You have something we desperately need. You are writers, mothers, friends, and artists who feel brave but then get scared, feel honest but then hide. Are you willing to share your influence and believe you have been set wildly free? God calls you his poiema, the kind that moves, the kind that breathes, the kind who has hands and opens them up to make art, love, a hot meal. So let’s pick up the pen, the pan, the brush. Let’s open our eyes, our hands, our hearts. Let’s see the fear then laugh in his face because somebody has to. Why not let it be us? Let’s carry on together.

Anne Bogel – blogger ((intentional adulthood))
I’ll be talking about the journey of the 20- and 30something years. When I graduated college, got married, and entered adulthood–all at the age of 21–I thought I was the only one who didn’t have my life all figured out. I wanted a roadmap, and was frustrated that I couldn’t come up with one. I just turned 34, and I’ve found out I’m not alone. I’ll be sharing with Influence attendees what women wish they’d known about the 20s and 30s: what to expect from these years (the good, the bad, and the ugly), how to approach this season with intention, and practical tips for navigating young adulthood. We’ll touch on topics like love and dating, friends and family, mentors and career paths, and our journeys of faith.

Jessi Connolly – blogger/conference cohost ((let’s get it right the first time))
What if our generation didn’t look back with any massive regrets? I mean, we can’t do it ALL and we can’t do it PERFECTLY, but what if we, by God’s grace, utilized our community and wisdom from Him to squeeze every last ounce of God’s glory from the present circumstances that He’s handed us? Let’s come together and talk and pray and ask Him to define a generation of women that wants what He wants and is willing to bet their lives to make much of Him.

Exciting, huh?
Come back tomorrow and hear our strategy session topics!