#diychat: The coolest monthly Twitter chat for entrepreneurs everywhere

3 Jan

Who:

#diychat is designed to connect and engage creative entrepreneurs around the world.

In addition to a rotating cast of expert hosts, you’ll hear from the members of the DIYTogether Beta Group, a tribe of creative entrepreneurs, filmmakers, designers, writers, friendly fashionistas and business developers. The DIY Business Association is working strategically with this group while developing diytogether.biz, which goes beta in first-quarter 2012.

What:

A one-hour Internet conversation about entrepreneurial topics ranging from collaboration to fundraising to startup advice to networking.

When:

First Thursdays of the month, from 8–9 p.m. EST.

(That’s 7 p.m. Central/6 p.m. Mountain/5 p.m. Pacific). Visit worldtimezone.com if your time zone isn’t listed here.

Where:

Online, from your personal computer

Why:

#diychat is a free way to connect with one of the most welcoming entrepreneurial communities on the planet. And it only takes up one hour per month of your time.

How:

We recommend using Tweetchat.com. Read our tips: “How to participate in a Twitter chat.”

#diychat Schedule

Thursday, March 1, 8–9 p.m. EST

Thinking Big: Where Do Awesome Creative Ideas Come From, and How Do You Actualize Them?

Guest Hosts:

Susan Gregg Koger

Chief Creative Officer of ModCloth, the online retailer selling independent designer fashion and decor with a highly engaged following of millions of female shoppers. Gregg Koger started ModCloth when she was just 17, taking her love of thrifting to start an online business. ModCloth was operated out of dorm rooms and basements for four years, and after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University in 2006, Gregg Koger and husband/co-founder Eric Koger decided to expand by selling vintage-inspired clothing from talented indie designers around the world. @SusanGKoger Read more about Susan Gregg Koger here.

&
Andrew Wagner

Director of Krrb, a fun, friendly and safe place to connect with your neighbors for local and in-person commerce. A member of the DIY Business Association board of advisers, Wagner produces the “What You Make of It” column for The New York Times. Wagner is the former Editor-in-Chief of ReadyMade. Before that, he worked as editor-in-chief of American Craft magazine and before that as the executive editor and founding managing editor of Dwell magazine. Read more about Andrew Wagner here.

&

Donald DeSantis

Developer and UX designer at TechStars company, Giant Thinkwell. In his free time, he works with Startup Weekend organizers around the world to help make their events successful. @donalddesantis

Thursday, April 5, 8–9 p.m. EST

Startup Success Stories

Hosts: TBA

Thursday, May 3, 8–9 p.m. EST

You Can’t Do It Alone: Finding Collaborators, Business Partners and DIYTogether Groups

Hosts: TBA

Thursday, June 7, 8–9 p.m. EST

Year of the Artist as Entrepreneur: 6-Month Progress Report

Guest Host:

Michael Wolf

Vice President and periodic analyst and blogger at influential tech media company GigaOM. He also runs BSTSLLR.com, a publisher of mystery anthologies and host the Elitzr podcast about the future of the book. Wolf wrote the influential “Why 2012 will be year of the artist-entrepreneur.” @michaelwolf

Best of #diychat (Archive)

Thursday, February 2, 8–9 p.m. EST

What are your Next Attainable Action Steps for Accomplishing your #BHAG2012?

Guest Hosts:

Josh Kaufman

Independent business professor, education activist, founder of PersonalMBA.com, curator of a list of the best business booksand author of The Personal MBA: Master the Art of Business, an international bestseller in the business training category. @joshkaufman @personalmba

Hillary Rettig

Productivity coach, author of The 7 Secrets of the Prolific: The Definitive Guide to Overcoming Procrastination, Perfectionism, and Writer’s Block, and The Lifelong Activist: How to Change the World Without Losing Your Way. @hillaryrettig