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I have been designing and developing websites for 10 years now, but my company, 4Web Inc., has only been around for 2 years. (Prior to that, I ran a freelance company, Focused Consulting LLC.)

Back in 4Web's infancy, my colleagues attended the very first CMS Expo in May 2008.  (I was at Adobe headquarters for an Adobe User Group Manager summit and could not attend.) Back then it was a Joomla conference mostly. The networking was great, though, and my colleagues got to meet a lot of people.

That lead to Bill, Sam, and I being asked to speak in December 2008, when the conference was held in Denver. That was my first Expo, and the networking was really wonderful. It was so great to meet fellow Joomla developers and those interested in Joomla. I had just released my first Lynda.com videos as well, which coincided with the conference, so it was a very exciting time.

When John and Linda Coonen, CMS Expo's organizers, asked us to come to Chicago in speak in May 2009, we didn't hesitate for a moment! This time, 4Web had a booth. I was able to give away our famous 4Web Joomla 1.5 Template Cheat Sheet card and meet even more people. As a direct result of that meeting, we got two new clients within six months that we otherwise would not have had. Both jobs were fairly substantial and interesting.

As a direct result of that May 2009 meeting, I made the connection that lead to my first book, published earlier this year.

Also as a direct result of this conference, 4Web made a connection that ultimately lead to the largest project in the company's history.

When Linda Coonen asked me to be the Joomla Track Organizer for CMS Expo 2010, I didn't hesitate a second! It's an honor to come back to CMS Expo again. I've developed quite a base of colleagues as a direct result of that meeting, plus the meeting has always paid for itself (and then some) in terms of the work that I've been able to get as a direct result of attending.

What's more, we'll have a great showing from Joomla User Group New England and the Marlboro College Graduate School. Marlboro is a Silver Sponsor for this year's conference. And as far as Joomla User Group New England goes, we'll have at least 6 of us attending -- ALL WOMEN. Five of us are either alums or wrapping up our degree at Marlboro, and two of us, Barb Ackemann and I, will be speaking in the Joomla track. So watch for the women of Northern New England, coming to school you all in Joomla!

Not attending CMS Expo yet? Worried about whether it will pay off? I couldn't say more nice things about it. Come! Enjoy! Network! We Joomies are a friendly bunch, and if you don't have anyone to hang out with, find one of the fabulous women of Joomla User Group New England -- we'd be more than happy to say hi!