Thank You & A Sad Goodbye

While I was vacationing in Hawaii over a week ago I received the sad announcement email from the SVMOMS GROUP  that they are closing. What? That’s not possible. My first reaction was to go on the site and see if it was joke. But it wasn’t. The Silicon Valley Moms Group run and operate 13 regional mom blogs with over 450 writers/bloggers and this big and powerful giant of a collaborative blog company decided to fold and all the writers were given a go to copy all our contributed posts. It was unfathomable!

Just 2 months ago I helped organize the Chicago leg of a regional SVmoms Brand/Blogger Event Tour held at Hard Rock Hotel. Overall it was a hit. SVmoms Founder Jill Asher and I even spoke about the possibility of doing more work with SVmoms and SVmoms Partner Linsey Krolik was excited about the future events they have in mind. I also just met Samantha Fein, the newly named CEO of the company. So you can imagine that if someone told me a month ago that SVmoms is closing, I would’ve laughed!

My history with SVmoms has been lengthy. I was also involved with the planning on their last 2 Summer Tours, 2008 took place in San Francisco and Summer 2009 here in Chicago. They were frustrating and exhausting but more importantly, they were rewarding and working with SVmoms Group Leaders Jill, Beth, and Linsey has always been fun.

SVmoms has been an important part of my blogging career. I’ve been with them since they launched ChicagoMomsBlog.com in 2007. I remember it clearly when I first spoke to Jill. My daughter was barely 2 months old then and I was tired. I had a 7 yo, 4 yo, and a newborn, so all that my brain can produce was mush. I was excited to be asked to join a new and upcoming trailblazing site for moms in Chicago but at the same time I wasn't sure if I’d be good enough. But I jumped on in and I’m glad I did. I found the most fabulous group of blogging friends and a lot of whom I really admire like the first Chicago Mom Bloggers Sara Fisher, Stephanie Precourt, Amy Mueller, Jessica Ashley, Danielle Wiley. Although I think I may be the only one left sticking around, I still read their personal blogs and it is always a pleasure when I see them at events.

The First Chicago Mom Bloggers - taken August 2007
L-R Amy Mueller, Stephanie Precourt, ME, Sara Fisher, Daniellw Wiley, and Jessica Ashley
Besides gaining new blogger friends, joining SVmoms - ChicagoMomsBlog.com built my confidence in writing again. I also gained insights on how to build an online community. I got more daring and launched MomViews.net and then finally Chicagonista and extended to NYmetropolista and more upcoming sites.

And even with SVmoms announcement of closing, they have yet again opened more doors for me. Following their announcement I decided to build blogging communities within my sites and so the first one will be launching this mid July. I am launching TheChicagoMoms.com with Vanessa Druckman and Kim Moldofsky and I'm really excited. Next are the other city blogs in SF, NY, DC, and LA. We hope to continue the kind of quality site that SVmoms has built and more.


Thank you Jill, Beth, Linsey and Tekla for SVmoms! Thank you for all the hard work you've done to lead an inspiring group of writers and bloggers. Thank you for entrusting me with important SVmoms projects. But most of all THANK YOU for the many doors you've opened for me . I am proud to call all of you my friends!

------ Linsey has announced that she will be launching a book club site and I couldn't be more excited! Jill is expecting her third child and going on a new venture later on, and Beth will keep on doing her fabulous tech site and projects.

Comments

Karen Putz said…
Like you, I was incredibly shocked and saddened at the news. I'm thrilled to see that the Chicago Moms will have another venue to write in!
Kim Moldofsky said…
I'm so excited about the new blog and even more excited that we have already attracted a full roster of very talented writers. I'm also tickled to have my first comment. :-)

BTW, I was also one of the original CMBers, along with Alma Klein. I'm thankful for the many wonderful opportunities that came my way because of my involvement in the group. And I look forward to v2.0.
April said…
That the new Chicago moms blog is already in existence is so great for you all! It gives me hope for us LA moms to be able to pull it off.
I'm also going to be a part of Linsey's new book club, and I look forward to being able to continue these discussions with the larger SV Moms family!
Nancy Loo said…
I look forward to contributing to TheChicagoMoms.com. LOVE the logo!