Here's how it all went down.
A little over two months ago, I received an email from Stacey Boyd, CEO of the popular preschool site The Savvy Source, asking me if I wanted to get together to chat. Our interactions had been previously limited to email mainly having to do with her guest posting about education on MOMocrats. (Something I still hope she will do.)
You know when you meet someone and just know they are someone you want to be around and soak in their knowledge, passion, positivity, and energy? That is Stacey. The woman is a dynamo. And so smart.
Since The Savvy Source is based out of San Francisco we picked a half way point and met for coffee. She told me of her background, her passion for education and entrepreneurship, of how she started The Savvy Source because of her own frustrating search for a preschool for her daughter. (Been there!) Then she told me of her plans for the site and her vision of how she hoped it would grow. I was beyond impressed.
I've been blogging professionally for a while now. I've done work for at least five different parenting sites. I've written for some, helped build some, hired bloggers for some. I watched them come and go with new sites always at the ready to take their place. What Stacey was describing was something different.
The Savvy Source started as a nationwide preschool and camps/activities site. It has a "nationally focused" blog—Being Savvy—written by two stellar editors Amy Rees and Eliza Clark who chock that blog full of thoughtful and engaging ideas for activities and excursions linked to monthly themes.
Over coffee, Stacey explained her plans for making the Savvy Source more "local," plans that included Being Savvy blogs in cities across the United States (and beyond). But, she said, the key is that the writing has to be top notch. She wanted the best writers with strongest voices and a true dedication to enriching the lives of preschoolers. Then she asked if I wanted to be a part of that.
I immediately said yes. Cuz I'm no fool. A CEO that understood that writing is everything? Yes. I wanted to be a part of that.
"Could I hire 30 bloggers in a little over a month?" she asked.
(GULP!)
I told her that I thought I could, and as soon as I got home, I embarked on my task. I put the call out across the blogosphere: best bloggers wanted! I emailed, I Twittered, I read blogs and left mysterious comments. I didn't stop until 29 bloggers were hired. (I missed the 30 mark—more on that in a bit.)
Did I find the best, most engaging, most creative, most enthusiastic writers in the blogosphere? You be the judge. I'd like to introduce the Being Savvy City Editors who've been pounding away at their keyboards bringing you the very best of their cities since early June:
(H/T to Silicon Valley City Editor Shawn Burns for creating this initial list.)
Kim Mordecai (Sacramento) (coming soon!)
Casey of Moosh in Indy (Indianapolis)
Colleen (Delaney Diaries) (San Antonio)
Aimee of Greeblemonkey (Denver)
Rita Arens of Surrender Dorothy (Kansas City)
Jenny Ciampa (San Diego) (San Diego)
Amy Davis (The Lovely Mrs. Davis) (Atlanta)
Heather Gibbs Flett(Rookie Moms) (Oakland/Berkeley)
Whitney Moss (Rookie Moms) (Oakland/Berkeley)
Kim Prince (San Fernando Valley)
Amelia Sprout (Minneapolis/St. Paul)
Katie Mother Bumper (Toronto) (coming soon!)
...and more cities coming soon!
Those people up there? Are made of one million awesomes. Working with them is a real—and I mean that—pleasure. Our backchannel conversations make my day. Everyone is working so hard (understatement) and even through the inevitable "start up hiccups" they maintain a helpful, understanding, and joyous spirit. (Thanks, y'all.)
The Being Savvy City Editors are bring you NEW posts Monday through Friday (five posts a week) about educational and enriching things to do in their cities. They're not just going to tell you about library story times, they are going to tell you which library has the best librarian who engages kids with songs and puppets. They'll tell you about seemingly non-kid-friendly restaurants that are great places to take kids. They'll tell you how to create a garden with kids and where to take your princess for an urban excursion. They are dedicated to bringing you the unique and unusual and it's all geared towards your 2- to 6-year-old. Planning a trip? Check out the Being Savvy guides for your city. Bringing kids to BlogHer? Mike Adamick is your ambassador to our fair city. Taking kids to the Democratic National Convention? Aimee's got you covered.
You might be wondering, are we still hiring? The answer is YES! Our first priority is finding excellent writers in New York City (Manhattan, Brooklyn) and Dallas. Please email me if you are in those cities and are interested in applying (or if you know of someone). Beyond those two metro areas, leave a comment with where you are and a link to your blog so I can check you out!
I'm really excited about the direction The Savvy Source is taking...and this is only the beginning. This is step one in a series of changes for the site. Great things lie ahead.
Please let me know your thoughts. Your feedback means so much to me.
*****
Now for the real fun! I've love your help to spread the word about these great blogs. I'm giving away a prize package worth over $200 which includes:
- The Sex and the City The Movie (The Book)
- A copy of I Like You by Amy Sedaris
- Norton Internet Security 2008
- A DefCon CL Laptop Lock
- A SpotGlo Seatbelt Light
- 2 or 3 games for the Nintendo DS
- an autographed (heh) copy of Sleep Is for the Week (the anothology I'm in) when it ships
- and assorted other freebies like lotions and stuff that PR people send me.
All you have to do is link to this post in your blog and leave a comment below with the link to your post. (Or you can blog the list of Being Savvy bloggers in a post.) That's it. I'll pick a winner over the weekend and announce it on Monday June 30.
