Affiliate Summit Boston: mastering the art of mixing business with pleasure

For the first time in my 3.5 year career in the online gaming affiliate business, I was able (and willing) to integrate my personal life with my business life, thanks to the Affiliate Summit Boston. I think we can all safely say it takes a very special group of friends and very, very special significant other to enjoy mixing with this highly unique and social online gaming crowd. Considering my dual lives were bound to collide at one point in time, I am a pretty lucky young lady to have such a compatible mixture of people in my personal and professional life. Lets not get too excited here however, the Affiliate Summit's limited gaming crowd was just a tease and a preview...the real test will be the GPWA Conference at EIG and CAP Euro Barcelona. Ok fine, so none of my nearest and dearest will actually be coming, but I think it would be fun if they did. Unlike the majority of you, I enjoy sharing (and publishing) my business related social life with everyone as opposed to hiding it. Surprise!

Saturday integration


There is nothing better (and rarer) than a warm and sunny Saturday afternoon in Boston. Naturally, according to my crew, the only acceptable way to spend a day of this caliber is to spend it along Boston Harbor at a bar. So guess what affiliate Adam and Clarion Mark? You're coming too. I was happy to discover I felt this weird sense of pride and pleasure when bringing Adam and Mark straight into my vast, male dominated South Boston drinking crew. My worlds can mix and even coexist without me! For example, after parting ways with Mark, my friends invited him to more bars and subjected him to a late night game of spin the bottle on a roof deck. See? I know how to hook it up.

Sunday recuperation


As I have mentioned in the past, Boston's nightlife isn't exactly Vegas, London, Barcelona, Costa Rica, Amsterdam, New York or Tel Aviv. Everything closes at 1 or 2am, and there are very few clubs and even less strip joints for the online gaming folks to visit. Of course we managed to nail down one of the crazier Boston clubs after an exquisite meal and cocktail fest at Mistral, one of Boston's fanciest and hippest restaurants (thank you, Adam). The morning/afternoon/night after a 12 hour drinking/eating/clubbing extravaganza is never pretty. My Sunday consisted of egg and cheese sandwiches and pizza, screening of all phone calls, avoiding the Affiliate Summit Meet Market like the plague, and at least 15 episodes of Sex in the City accompanied by a lovely Brit (no, not Mark!) who will remain nameless. Hey, I like to protect the innocent.

Monday and Tuesday Summit


Much to your surprise I'm sure, there is some work involved with the conference attending lifestyle I lead. My Affiliate Summit days were filled with presentations, meetings with Clarion to sort out GPWA Conference at EIG details, networking throughout the exhibit hall, and acting as the Boston social coordinator from 6pm and onwards. On Monday night I was able to arrange a group dinner at Great Bay, an exquisite seafood restaurant in Boston where my friend, Adam Fuller, is the executive chef. Our group received the royal treatment from Adam and his team, including complimentary signature appetizers and desserts along with a tour of the immaculate kitchen. Later that evening, the boys took off for Centerfolds, one of Boston's "finer establishments", which happens to be owned by my friend's father. Yep. Royal treatment part 2. On Tuesday night, we topped off Mark's Boston experience with a nice Red Sox game, an absolute staple if you come visit this city. Sadly, I was unable to complete the experience by treating him to a ball park sausage or a Fenway frank as those damn kiosks closed at 10.

Next stop Helsinki and Stockholm


It's about time, right? After a busy week of entertaining and conferencing here in Boston, I am finally shipping off to a land full of Swedes (and Fins). Yes, this is a vacation, and even though you think I'm lying, Casino City is not funding this trip. GPWA is. Just kidding. Såja