My Week in Dallas

I had an incredible work week in Dallas this past week, staying at the Kimpton Hotel Palomar and spoiled by the staff and Group Sales Manager, Sam Tucker.

As I arrived Sunday night, on the MLK Weekend holiday, the Oak Lawn and Cedar Springs area was crazy with hot guys everywhere.  TMC was packed, as was S4 with a line wrapped around the corner.  I had no idea the boys in Dallas could party so hard!!!!

As the work week began, at the Palomar it was very easy to meet with my friends and clients, and on top of all that, there was an incredible gym just 3 blocks away (and a Taco Bell on the way back!)

We had our IGLTA board meeting later on that week, where we were wined and dined by both the Philadelphia folks and the Ft. Lauderdale team out here meeting with us for our future convention locations.  Jeff Guaracino, Josh Neal, Niki Grossman and Joshua Winston spoiled us rotten.

We then wrapped up the weekend with an IGLTA reception at the Lumen Hotel, another Kimpton property, along with all of our friends from the North Texas Gay & Lesbian Chamber.  The photos from that night can be seen here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattskal/sets/72157612904270901/

The Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Chamber - LAGLCC.org

I've had the fortune of being nominated and elected to the board of directors of our local Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (http://www.laglcc.org/. There's a great new team on board, including Randy Malmud, the new Chamber President, Anthony Vulin, the new Chamber Vice President, James Holchin the new Treasurer and Amanda Williams the new Secretary. In addition, Doran Farnum of Frontiers News Magazine is also a new member of the board as well. JD DiSalvatore has also recently come on as a new board members, and other board members include Jason Miller, Financial Advisor with Prudential Securities,Maureen Steinberg, Realtor with Keller Williams, Julie Falen, Real Estate Solutions Entrepr

eneur/Owner, Big Fiddle Properties, Peggi Garvey, Frontiers Magazine, Kirkland Tibbels, Founder/President Funny Boy Films and Dawn Ackerman, Co-CEO OutSmart Office Solutions and Immediate Past President, LAGLCC.

For more information on this organization, including an update on all of the ways the LAGLCC can help you grow your business with education, networking and more, please check out and join us at http://www.laglcc.org/.

Also, be sure to attend our upcoming First Thursday Mixer, the premier GLBT business networking social event, at OBar, 8279 Santa Monica Blvd. in West Hollywood, Thursday, February 5th from 6:30 to 9:00 pm. $5.00 cover charge only, and the drink prices are fantastic!
To RSVP, Click Here.

:: Southern California GLBT Business Online Resources ::

LAGLCC.org Social Networking Site
Be sure to check this site out... it allows all of us in the Southern California GLBT Business Community to network amongst each other using some of the latest social networking and Web 2.0 tools available today.

Also, find the LAGLCC Online At:

Recent Interview by Equal4All's World

Be sure to check out my recent interview I did with J Federico of Equal4All's World.

Matthew Skallerud, President of Pink Banana Media, began his career in the GLBT marketplace in the mid-90s – a time where not many companies catered to the GLBT community and their needs to go forth and flourish in this country. Matthew wanted to be a trailblazer – a true trend-setter. And that’s just what he transformed himself into after many a trial and error. Equal4all is proud to introduce Mr. Skallerud in the raw…

http://equal4all.wordpress.com/2009/01/11/the-man-behind-pink-banana-media-–-matthew-skallerud/

January 2009 Gay Business Report

In This Issue
New Marketing Tools for 2009
How to get more targeted visitors to your site

In the last edition, Matt Skallerud wrote a great article, "Making Sense of Social Media." He compared social media to talk radio and old-fashioned telephone party lines. "A tiny percent call - but everybody is listening." This article is going to teach you how to best market to all of those "listeners...."

LGBT Marketing Forum: European Tourism and Hospitality Leaders to Gather in London
Timely Discussion of Gay and Lesbian Growth Opportunities During Economic Downturn

Unprecedented economic challenges facing the global tourism and hospitality industries have led leaders to explore viable "niche" markets to fill the gaps. Research over the past decade has indicated particular strength in the gay and lesbian markets, who continue to take holidays in large numbers during recessions, health scares, etc.

Community Marketing, Inc. (CMI), the international LGBT research and marketing firm, has announced a comprehensive "European Symposium on Gay & Lesbian Tourism" to meet these challenges and identify growth opportunities. The symposium, to be held at the Cumberland Hotel, Marble Arch, London on 13 February, is dedicated to marketing and sales executives of tourism boards, accommodations, travel suppliers, tour operators, retailers and meeting planners. ...

Other Highlights

• What are the Benefits of Social Media Marketing?
  
• Who’s on our PBM Social Networking Site?
  

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