LinkShare Golden Link Awards and Symposium

A few weeks ago we got a pointer to the LinkShare developer contest, open to any of their publishers who are using their web services in interesting ways. I wrote up an entry, mailed it in, and didn’t think too much about it for a while. Then a couple of weeks ago we got a message saying that we’re finalists for their Technology Genius Award, and that we should plan on having someone attend the festivities.

Fast forward to this week and I boarded the LimoLiner bus and headed off to New York. A few hours later I was checking into the Sheraton, and not long after that I was boarding another bus for the Plaza Hotel and the Golden Link Awards ceremony. After spending some time in a very dressy crowd, feeling like a fish out of water, I made my way to my seat at a table near the front of the room and after a nice lobster appetizer and steak dinner it was time for the show, hosted by Susie Essman (best known from Curb Your Enthusiasm).

Well into the program, it was time for the Technology Genius Award and the butterflies started going in my stomach. And the award goes to…. StyleFeeder! Went up, shook some hands, made a speech, and sat back down, all in a blur. After the show was over, got on another bus and returned to the hotel with trophy in tow. People kept asking if it was an Oscar, and I kept answering in the affirmative.

The next morning, up bright and early, I got on another bus to head down to Chelsea Piers down by the Hudson River, site of this year’s LinkShare Symposium. The morning was filled with speakers, headlined by James Surowiecki, the author of The Wisdom of Crowds. After lunch and more presentations, it was networking time, in which I was somewhat out of my element. During that time I ran into Adam Weiss of LinkShare, who had helped me with some technical issues back in the Spring, and he introduced me to Jessica Kingman who is our account manager over there. They both had good suggestions in terms of people who I should meet and talk to, and I made my way around to several of the advertisers booths exchanging cards and collecting conference swag. I even won another contest, taking away a nice 9 bottle wine cellar courtesy of our fellow Bostonians at SmartBargains.com. The conference finished around 6, and I headed back to the hotel with the guys from Buzzillions.com to drop off our bags.

After a long New York style evening of after, after-after, and after-after-after parties and some much needed rest, I boarded the LimoLiner back to Boston, with a shiny trophy nestled in my bag. It was worth the trip, and thanks to LinkShare and all their friendly people for making it a great trip.