It has been a week or so since getting back from Affiliate Summit East but a busy week it has been.

I came away very excited with tons of new ideas I am pumped to get going on. I think I need about 20 programmers to help me realize my visions, and wish I could implement them all right away!

I was surrounded by so many smart people who have done so much! It feels good to meet other entrepreneurs who took their ideas and turned them into their lifeblood.

Unlike other types of businesses, I like how you are greeted with hugs and treated like an old friend, not an adversary or competitor. Many of us so called competitors are more than happy to help each other out.

Missy Ward and Shawn Collins put on a great show, without them it wouldn’t be what it is. They put their hearts into the event, they genuinely care about the industry and take pride in bringing us all together to further the industry.

As someone who works from home, it is important to me to get together with others in my industry to share stories, ideas and feel the comraderie that many get in an office setting. I love working from home but it can get boring and lonely. The Buy.at Party and the Shareasale Party were great fun with great people.

The Performance Marketing Association put on a great event for it’s members. I would happily house sit for Peter Bourdes any day.

I came across a few companies that I had never heard of and need to check them out further. The great thing I found is going through my wish list, a lot of the things I want already exist, I just need to connect with the right people. Affiliate Summit is great for connecting!

I can’t wait until January and Affiliate Summit West 2012, until then I have plenty of work to do implementing all my ideas from Affiliate Summit East!

In a few days, I will be leaving for Affiliates Summit East in NYC. Shawn and Missy always put on a great show and I think this is going to be one of the most productive ones for me.

I am getting in on Friday early so I can spend at least one day relaxing and gathering my thoughts. I am taking my husband to see “Spiderman Turn off the Dark” on Broadway. He is a huge Spidey fan and has probably all of the Spiderman comics in existence.

Saturday morning I am attending the Full Day SEO Training Course with Rae Hoffman-Dolan. I am really excited, SEO has changed so much since I first started this business 12 years ago. I love Rae’s straight shooting no bullshit ways and look forward to learning a lot.

Sunday is the Meet Market and a panel I am looking forward to, including my own:

Taking Advantage of Seasonality in Affiliate Marketing

Session 2a
Location: Gramercy Suite
Time: 12:30pm-1:30pm

Learn how affiliate managers and affiliates can work together to maximize earnings during seasons and also extend sales throughout the year. Includes holidays, sports, bridal, graduation, and more.

Todd Farmer, CEO, PerformStreet Media (Twitter @toddfarmer) (Moderator)
Kristen M. Grace, Affiliate Marketing Manager, BuyCostumes.com | Celebrate Express (Twitter @kristengrace)
Tricia Meyer, Owner, Sunshine Rewards (Twitter @sunshinetricia)

The Future of Coupons in Affiliate Marketing
Session 4a
Location: Gramercy Suite
Time: 3:30pm-4:30pm

With the introduction of mobile & local deals to affiliate marketing, coupon affiliates must evolve. Experts will discuss the future of affiliate coupons & what trends benefit coupon affiliates.

Trisha Lyn Fawver, Client Services Manager, For Me To Coupon (Twitter @TrishaLyn) (Moderator)
Connie Arnold, Head Bird, FlamingoWorld.com LLC (Twitter @conniearnold)
Carolyn Kmet, Director of Affiliate Marketing, Groupon (Twitter @catango)
Carrie Rocha, Owner, Pocket Your Dollars (Twitter @carrierocha)
Kim Rowley, Owner, Key Internet Marketing, Inc. (Twitter @kimarketing)

The rest of the days are filled with other various sessions, meetings, brainstorming, and of course parties!

I feel like the last year or so my brain has gone stagnant, I need to refresh, come up with new ideas, and create something awesome! If anyone wants to get together at Summit just to pick brains let me know!

I will check in here during Summit to update on what I am doing, who I am talking with, and maybe pick some of your brains too!

Everyone who knows Brian Littleton knows of his fashion saavy and how he can make a sweater vest look stylin. Recently I bid on and won one of Brian Littleton’s of Shareasale’s sweater vests that was up for auction to benefit fundraising efforts for the Avon Breast Cancer Walk in Chicago.
My daughter Hillary was excited to model the official Brian Littleton sweater vest!

Several months ago Hillary created a one of a kind sweater vest for Brian, so she was honored to model this one.

Lisa Picarille came up with the great idea of a sisterhood of the travelling sweater vest, so who better to share it with first than her. Be on the lookout Lisa!

From an email recieved a few minutes ago:

“As you may know from previous experience, XXXXXX works each month to a set budget. While in the past, if they surpass that budget, we have been forced to remove partners. This is never ideal and we want to prevent this from happening as much as possible. As of right now, we are on track to surpass our February budget. To prevent this, we are asking you to take a 1% commission cut through the rest of the month.

We ask that you opt into the lower-commission offer immediately, or we will have to remove you from the program. This is only a short-term adjustment, so we thank you, in advance, for your cooperation and understanding.”

So do they want us to make sales or not? If we make too many then they might go over budget and we will be removed. To make sure they don’t go over budget they want us to send the same amount of shoppers but get paid less?

I don’t understand companies that lump affiliate marketing into their advertising budgets. There should be no budget as they don’t pay out more unless more sales are made.