At the time of writing this, I can't believe it's been nearly two months since the official debut of the Meridian Experience Weekend. Now, going into the planning for ME2023, I've been getting all kinds of inquiries from people looking forward to hopefully joining us in Bellevue next summer.

While I know that we'll be sitting down for a live at some point to have an interactive conversation all about Meridian, I wanted to have this serve as a searchable, "savable" one stop shop for anyone new to the Meridian Experience.

What is The Meridian Experience Weekend?

M.E.R.I.D.I.A.N stands for Manifesting Exceptional Relationships with Interior Design Influencers through Authentic Networking.

The Meridian Experience Weekend is a weekend of relationship building and learning for interior designers and home influencers. The 4-day itinerary was curated to equip home influencers with the resources to nurture their passions & pave their own lane as a designpreneur; while interior designers gain a fresh perspective on how to elevate their brand & transcend the traditional design narrative.

Words used by our 2022 guests to describe the weekend include “transformative” “inclusive” “energizing” and “magical”.

Each day features a series of workshops and panels featuring thought leaders in our industry, in addition to intimate co-working sessions to turn those knowledge bombs into immediate action. Woven throughout the weekend is also time for wellness, networking, and rest.

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Who is The Meridian Experience Weekend for?

Simply put, I created the Meridian Experience for me... for other multi hyphenated designpreneurs who've never felt seen within the traditional spaces of this industry, however, we're also too stubborn & too passionate to give up.

The first iteration of this event was in 2018 with The E-Design Experience, when I was a full time e-designer aka online interior designer. Having always been a tech savvy, content creating idea machine, there were very few spaces that catered to this new & exciting niche - as a designer you were expected to serve clients in person, using blogging & social as a vehicle for filling your pipeline, or you were just a blogger or content creator. The E-Design Experience curriculum included specifics catered to the digital landscape of interior design - Decoding The E-Design Business Model, Diversifying Your Offerings, Creating A Social Media Brand Strategy, Elevating Your Content With Sponsorships & Collaborations, and The Power of Positioning Yourself As An Influencer.

Coupled with being a woman of color & a self taught designer, I consistently felt other'd & unseen in most spaces. As the tides began to change in other industries, I noticed that the home industry continued to struggle with (1) sustainable diversity, equity, and inclusion; (2) keeping up with the influencer marketing ecosystem; and (3) speaking the language of the multi hyphenated home professional. Creating the Meridian Experience Weekend was a way to finally fill that void. What I needed didn't exist, so I created it.

Creators in this space that are the Meridian Experience archetype include Emily Henderson, Joy Cho, Justina Blakeney, Dabito, Jenny Komenda, Kate Arends, Carmeon Hamilton, Mandi Gubler, Orlando Soria, and Nate Burkus... just to name a few.

The Meridian Experience Weekend is for the interior designer wanting to transition into being a design influencer and/or gain clarity on content creation. It's also for the home decor, styling, and/or improvement content creators who's ready to level up as a creative entrepreneur. Lastly, it's for the interiors professional looking for an environment that speaks to their duality as both a creator & designer, while also feeling safe & inclusive at all levels.

What Makes The Meridian Experience Different From Other Conferences?

Before delving into this question, I should start by saying M.E. isn't just another conference - it's a meeting of the minds for feeding the mind & the spirit; however, for the purposes of keeping in line with industry jargon, let's simply say it's a retreat style conference.

What makes it different is that nothing like it exists... or existed. The catalyst for creating this event was to fill a very specific void - the intersection of interior design & influencer marketing - while also prioritizing diversity, wellness, and community. There will always be overlap with other industry events, and even events not specifically tailored to this industry; however when looking at the landscape of events available to home professionals, I found that I was always be forced to choose. Some events speak specifically to the more traditional interior designer - the service based designer, with a firm & clientele. Other events that were more tailored to content creators and influencers, would either be broadly serving all creative entrepreneurs or super niche to a specific segment within the home industry. Herein lies the dilemma of the multi hyphenate - what do we choose, how do we choose, and where do we really belong?

The Meridian Experience Weekend says you don't have to choose because I chose presenters & topics that speak the language of the multi hyphenate.

Now, as an entrepreneur, there are a lot of considerations to be made when selecting industry events to invest in. Navigating between the various event options can be daunting. Things to consider when deciding between different Meridian and other events are -

Business Model & Priorities

Someone who is exclusively an interior designer is going to have very different priorities than someone who in exclusively a content creator. Understanding who each event is designed to serve will be key to assessing if you're part of that target audience. Sometimes the answer is right in the name; and other times, you'll find it in their mission statement, social media bio, and/or about section.

The question to ask yourself during this evaluation is, "How does this event fit into my current business goals?" If you have to contort your business to fit the event, the you should probably cross it off your list. The event needs to fit your business, not the other way around.

Season of Business

Having clarity on your own mission statement will also be vital to determining which events are best for you, and with that, the season of business you're in. You may have a season of business where you need to prioritize your interior design services and another where brand collaborations are your focus. Hone in on your mission statement then identify the season you're in, which is hopefully in alignment with your aforementioned mission statement. Keep these top of mind when you're looking at event programming (not the line up...the exact programming sessions) and be honest with yourself when discerning if you need this now, later, or not at all.

Attendee Experience

This includes, but is not limited to the cost, location, duration, and value system of the hosts & sponsors. It can also include parts of the programming that aren't education based (i.e. dinners, receptions, parties, meet ups, etc). In addition to a professional ROI, is there any potential social and/or emotional ROI? While not a prerequisite, if you're limiting yourself to only one for the year, this is something I would prioritize. I remember skipping an event because the entire lineup was comprised of the same type of speaker... and that type of speaker didn't resonate with me. While the programming looking great, I knew this was not a place I would feel at home. An event may have all the markings of being valuable to your business, however, how will you feel while you're there...and after you leave? Will it be valuable to you, the person?

What Can I Expect From Meridian Attending For The First Time?

In addition to an intentionally curated learning curriculum, you can expect a community of like minded designpreneurs to learn, laugh, cry, and celebrate with you...because that's exactly what we did!

We learned valuable lessons on running an e-design business, pitching dream partnerships, and basically all the ways we've been leaving money on the table. We laughed with Dabito as he unapologetically told all of us to go take a nap. We cried with Mandi Gubler, Emily Henderson, and Carmeon Hamilton as they shared very intimate stories of journey to success. We celebrated Shavonda Gardner's House Beautiful cover as well as the announcement of David Quarles IV's feature in the summer issue that would be coming out at the time. And when I say WE, I mean the collective we - attendees & speakers learned, laughed, cried, and celebrated side by side as equals.

In case you're like me, and you just like lists, you can expect -

• an intimate & immersive 4-day retreat style learning experience

• pre weekend session materials & on site guided implementation

• revamped co working sessions for tailored action oriented results

• keynote panels delving deeper into the business of design & influence

• meaningful connections with like minded peers in an inclusive environment

If I Attended ME2022, Would It Be Worth It To Return to ME2023?

Immediately yes! One of the key tenets of Meridian is to create a robust curriculum that's also scalable... meaning it can expanded and/or upgraded... not more of the same year after year. The expectation for the 2023 curriculum is that 2022 attendees can build upon what they learned, in a way that also feels fresh to someone attending for the first time. For example, I hosted our Affiliate Marketing 101 session. Next year will not have a repeat of this, and instead, it would be more line a 102 course (if we're keeping in line with the college analogy). This could look like breaking down specific affiliate strategies, hosting a panel with an affiliate platform partner, and/or doing real time audits during co working sessions. No promises... just examples.

Returning to Meridian would also mean reconnecting with your 2022 weekendmates for continued peer mentoring, accountability, and celebration of one another's growth since we were all last together, in addition to reconnecting with your 2022 mentors.

In 3-4 years time, you should be the one leading a Meridian Experience Weekend session!

Why Is Attendance Limited To Only 100 People?

I believe in the power of connections made in intimate spaces. Maybe it's because I'm an introvert. Maybe it's because I'm an empath. No matter the reason, I've always found that some of the best conversations are had in smaller groups that allow for vulnerability, hospitality, and transparency. The goal was to sell 100 tickets to ensure everyone felt seen and safe, especially while still adjusting to living in a COVID-19 era. We were 70% to that goal for #ME2022, however, after experiencing the event with exactly 100 guests present - attendees & presenters - it affirmed the power of keeping the attendance limited. What we collectively shared... what made it powerful was the closeness & intimacy.

Don't believe me? Just ask Orlando Soria -

I went to Bellevue (near Seattle) for @meridianexperience and it was hands down the best design/social media conference I’ve ever attended. The conference was really transformative and amazing. Typically, design events can feel pretentious and status-obsessed. And don’t get me started on any event catered to influencers and themed around social media, which are typically as vapid and superficial as you might imagine. This conference, organized by the wonderful @albieknows, was small, capped at 100 attendees. So instead of it feeling like a place where you went to watch people talk at you from a stage, it felt like the kind of place where the whole room was having a discussion about what we do, about how our identities and our lives shape the type of information we share. In short, it was the most supportive space I’ve been in in a long time. I didn’t know I needed that, but sometimes it’s just nice to commiserate with people who do what you do - it helps you feel less alone in the highs and lows that come with any career.

- @mrorlandosoria

What's Everyone Else Saying About Their Time At The Meridian Experience Weekend?

While I'm sharing what other people who were there had to say, here are a few more...

It felt like a retreat and conference combined. The intention of building relationships and sharing information vs feeling pressured to buy a product/service was refreshing.

The ability to mingle and be vulnerable with the amazing speakers was a delightful element unlike any conference that I've attended previously.

The intimacy and the diversity was unlike any conferences I’ve attended. Also, the speakers were so candid and giving that I felt like I was overwhelmed — in a good way! — with information.

The sessions provided education to empower and motivate. The speakers and mentors followed up with real time advice individually. There’s no price that can be put on that.

As a speaker, it was great to have the opportunity to be a student amongst various level peers and to leave feeling that I had received as much as I’d given.

The Meridian Conference felt like a reunion where like-minded professionals gathered to network, mingle, connect and learn from experts in the industry.

I am still receiving messages from guests on how their time at Meridian has completely transformed them, from people revamping their back end strategies to better monetize their influence to others sharing testimonies of new opportunities thanks to the connections the event yielded. These are the words & testimonies of your peers... our community.

Now that our 2023 list is open, I am excited to be thinking about next year in a real and tangible way, while also still taking in all of the bits & morsels of what this year represented. Because, to be clear, this wasn't just the launch of a new event. The Meridian Experience 2022 represented a shift in our industry - a jolt - towards creating events that are more intentional in their messaging, more inclusive in their targeting, and more robust in their offering. We're at the forefront of something exciting happening to the home industry. Whether you're an interior designer, home decor & styling influencer, home improvement educator, a hybrid of sorts, or somewhere in between the lines, what we're seeing is the natural evolution of what it means to be a creative entrepreneur in this digitally driven era.

When I talk about The Meridian Experience archetype, what you'll find they all have in common is that they've successfully leveraged their unique voice & exceptional design IQ well beyond just doing or being one thing. We're no longer having to choose - not if we don't want to - and we're seeing some of our favs build empires that include licensing deals, published books, television shows, national brand campaigns, brick & mortar shops, and so much more!

I set out to instigate change - real change - in this industry by doing something other industries have already begun to do and that many in our industry have only talked about doing - creating an inclusive and elevated event for education, celebration, and community.

If this the trajectory you envision for your business, The Meridian Experience Weekend is the blueprint.