So the head-cold is starting to subside, largely due to the workload of today (it helps to keep busy). With the brain ticking and in event-planning mode I should introduce you to the next PodCamp to take place in Kilkenny just one month from now.

I’ve mentioned before that I like to get involved in community-type events and having had a helping hand in organising the first Irish PodCamp last year and CreativeCamp earlier this year, I opted to help out with the organising of the next event, due to take place in Kilkenny, Ireland, on September 27th at the fantastic 4* Hotel Kilkenny.

While the first PodCamp, last year, had a firm focus on podcasting and new media, this year has evolved into a much wider social media scene with a lot of focus on social media technologies and their use in promoting your services, business, connecting with people, sharing your ideas, growing your community.

This is a free unconference - we have very nice sponsors who are helping us (hopefully) cover the cost of the day, which runs to several thousand Euro. But in keeping with the unconference ethos, nature, or whatever you may call it, I’m delighted we get to offer the event for free.

With the cost barrier removed, you’re presented with an affordable opportunity to connect with new people, share experiences and demo your services - all it will cost you is time.

With a month to go, we’ve got speakers lined up with topics as varied as video conversation, turning your hobby into your business, using social networks to build new audiences and much more.

Not only that, but with over 70 attendees registered already, we’ve got people coming in from the UK, the US and all around Ireland. If you’re interested in joining us on the day (and believe me, I’d love to meet you on the day, talk podcasting or music or freelancing in general!) then drop over to the PodCamp website to register.

If you’re working for yourself and looking to connect with other artists, storytellers, web designers, web developers, software engineers and other industry specialists then do consider attending! What have you got to lose?

Popularity: 5% [?]

Earlier in the year, I blogged a bit about Going Solo, as a wonderful opportunity for creative freelancers to get together in the fantastic surrounds of Lausanne in Switzerland.

Now, it seems the conference is about to hit the UK with Leeds and September 12th of this year being the location and time set for the event.

Organised by Stephanie Booth once again, Going Solo is

a one-day educational conference for freelancers and small business owners of the internet industry and beyond. It will cover topics such as setting rates, negotiating contracts, finding clients, balancing work and life, being productive without getting all stressed out.

Registration for the conference in Leeds is open at present and with the early-bird deadline for registrations having passed, the cost of the conference to you is £220. This is still a good price considering if you wait until the 10 days before the event, you’re entering into late-bird territory with the cost of the conference rising to the £300 mark. If you’re really leaving it late, you’ll be able to register on the day at a cost of £350. So at a saving of £130, it really does pay to register early!

Balancing work and life, tax, negotiation, marketing, networking, business realties and more are all set for discussion across the course of the day.

Check out the full lowdown at Going-Solo.net.

Popularity: 9% [?]

An email from Ilise Benun wings its way to me this morning with a reminder that the early-bird deadline for the Creative Freelancer Conference (which I’ve mentioned before) at the end of August, is tomorrow.

If you’re considering going to the conference which runs in Chicago from August 27-29, you can save $60 off the price of your ticket if you order by tomorrow!

See my previous post here.

Popularity: 17% [?]

I don’t subscribe to too many mailing lists (I prefer my content delivered via RSS) but one mailing list I do subscribe to is that of Marketing Mentor’s Ilise Benun who informs me that the first ever Creative Freelancer Conference is to be held at the Hyatt Regency in Chicago this coming August 27-29. They’re also blogging about it here.

If you’re in the Chicago area, living in the States or up for a trip, this could be a conference to keep an eye on. I wonder did they see any of the coverage of Going Solo in Switzerland earlier this summer.

The conference itself is aimed at freelance designers, photographers, writers or anyone in the creative arts sector currently making a living or looking to make a living through freelance work and over the course of the Wednesday (27th) to Friday (29th) you’ll be treated to sessions on the likes of

• Secrets of a Successful Solopreneur
• How to Get Clients to Fall in Love With You (And Be Loyal Forever)
• How to Talk to Your Clients about Fees
• A Quick and Dirty Look at Proposals and Contracts
• How to Find the Time to Build Your Freelance Business
• Reaping the Rewards of Creative Independence

and more besides.

The conference is open for registration at present for the cost of US$435 (about €279), not bad considering it’s a three day event. Speakers over the sessions include Ilise Benun, Joan Gladstone, Lloyd Dangle and Dyana Valentine. There’s plenty of time for networking, breakfast roundtables, one-on-one sessions and critiques and it looks to be shaping up to be a pretty good event for freelancers in general.

I’ll be following the blog though I’d be hoping there would be some Twitter / Jaiku coverage live from Chicago over the three day period. Check CreativeFreelancerConference.com for all the details.

Popularity: 28% [?]

Going Solo takes place in Lausanne, Switzerland, this May 16th and registration is now open for the event. Going Solo is a one-day educational conference for freelancers and small business owners from all over Europe.

While the main event takes place from 8am on the 16th (Friday), there is also a BarCamp taking place on 17th (Saturday) as well as a Seesmic users meetup.

Some of the sessions confirmed at present include

• Marketing and taking care of one’s social capital
• The Joys of Tax and Finance (How not to mess up)
• Tools and Methods to Save Your Life
• Solo in a Networked World
• When Passion Becomes Profession (Balancing Work and Life)

You can also find details of some of the speakers here.

Although located in Switzerland, the entire event will be delivered through English and will be hosted in the hotel Albatros-Navigation. Online registration is open at the moment but will close within a week of the 16th. Tickets are priced at 600CHF (roughly €375, £275 or $545). Walk-in prices on the day are 700CHF.

Visit Going Solo for more details.

Popularity: 28% [?]