Mar 6 2008

Matt Mullenweg Added To Speaker List For Elite Retreat 2008

By Jeremy Schoemaker 52 comments

I got confirmation last week that Matt Mullenweg (wordpress and automatic fame) will be attending and speaking at this years Elite Retreat. We also just finished getting all the limos arranged to pickup attendees from the airport and also working on a couple pretty interesting surprises for the attendees. We also have an incredible dinner booked for the first night and h2 limos full stocked to take us around. I have been working on so many top class surprises…. We have done everything first class and spared no expense. The event is becoming what we always envisioned it could be. Still I think this might be the last year for the event (course I have said that every year). I am completely thrilled with this years turn out. With almost a full month remaining we only have 2 seats left.

Also I am a very strong believer in compensating the speakers and at this years event I have a special surprise for them all. Each one will receive a brand new Apple Macbook AIR and comped expenses among other things. Speakers are what really make the conferences work and I have no problem compensating them for their time. I choose Macbook AIR’s as a bonus because I wanted to give them something besides cash that most of them would probably want but would not buy for themselves. Shopping for rich entrepreneurs sucks! Its not a smart way for a conference organizer to make money… but I am not having this to make money. I will confess… I get so fired up networking with all the attendees mixed with the speakers/leaders that it makes a significant instant impact on my business also. That is where the true value is for me.

Anyway if you are one of the lucky attendees to be coming to this years almost sold out Elite Retreat I can tell you its going to be an amazing experience of learning and networking. The quality of attendees is very high. I am just super pumped.

I will see you guys there!

Nullamatix said on March 6th, 2008 at 2:52 pm

Nice - hopefully Elite Retreat will still be around by the time I’m capable of going. Are videos ever released? I wouldn’t mind listening to what Matt has to say, or any of the speakers for that matter..

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Harrison said on March 6th, 2008 at 2:58 pm

sounds sick shoe

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John Cow said on March 6th, 2008 at 3:01 pm

Sheesh, why not give the macbook air to the people that actually can’t afford one, like most of your commentators
We speak on your blog all the time, for free!

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Mitchel said on March 6th, 2008 at 3:16 pm

Sweet! Cannot wait. A bunch of us from last year had a great time meeting up at Affiliate Summit.

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jtGraphic said on March 6th, 2008 at 3:23 pm

LOL, nuff said

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ShoeMoney said on March 6th, 2008 at 3:23 pm

I wish I could give everyone a laptop who could not afford one… but then I would be broke =(

On another note we have a very lucrative affiliate program… of which I think only 2 sales came through. So you could have sold 3 seats through there and bought one yourself

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ShoeMoney said on March 6th, 2008 at 3:25 pm

Mitchel I am really proud at how the elite retreat alumni has built into this great mastermind group after the events. You guys are awesome.

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Asif said on March 6th, 2008 at 4:24 pm

i wish i could make it to elite retreat as well however its just too far from Dubai, perhaps you could organize your next elite retreat in Dubai

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SMALL BUSINESS IDEA said on March 6th, 2008 at 4:33 pm

Thanks for the info

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Start Blogging said on March 6th, 2008 at 4:53 pm

Seems like it will be a blast! Wish I was going.

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ShoeMoney said on March 6th, 2008 at 5:04 pm

I would love to… talk to the Emir and make it happen!

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Uzair said on March 6th, 2008 at 5:17 pm

really wish I could go.

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Syed Balkhi said on March 6th, 2008 at 6:07 pm

i am pretty sure next time it can be in Orlando, Florida ??? Not too far away from me. Take off the darn age limit also …

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Zac Johnson said on March 6th, 2008 at 6:13 pm

Excellent! Very excited and can’t wait!

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Terry Tay said on March 6th, 2008 at 7:18 pm

WOW only 2 seats left. Sounds like it is going to be a great event. If I show up and offer to speak can I get one of those brand new Apple Macbook AIR? or if any of them want to pass theirs on, I’ll gladly take it off their hands.

Have fun eveyone!

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jtGraphic said on March 6th, 2008 at 7:39 pm

Damnit. Wish I knew about that.

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ShoeMoney said on March 6th, 2008 at 7:41 pm

we were going to have the last one in Orlando but it was a really bad turnout… Also there are people coming that are below 18 we had to get special insurance. Now you have no excuse =P

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ShoeMoney said on March 6th, 2008 at 7:42 pm

everybody has their cups but they ain’t chipped in!

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Melvin said on March 6th, 2008 at 8:45 pm

Wow, its very exciting//…

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jtGraphic said on March 6th, 2008 at 9:32 pm

I think Shoe needs to start a forum on this site. Only place to talk is the comments. :-/

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RacerX said on March 6th, 2008 at 10:26 pm

Shoe - This really seems like a special and interesting event. Hope you keep it up! Whenever you are working on something, especially at the end, you always say “Never Again!”

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Toronto SEO said on March 6th, 2008 at 11:06 pm

Nice one on getting Matt to speak. Young and smart guy. Hopefully he’ll be looking forward in his presentation. Might be some interesting stuff.

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Affiliate Confession said on March 6th, 2008 at 11:10 pm

Sounds like it’s going to be quite a party. I hope the attendees learn something :o)

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Graham Langdon said on March 6th, 2008 at 11:19 pm

Damn, I would SO be there if I didn’t need all my capital for Entrecard right now…

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ShoeMoney said on March 7th, 2008 at 12:23 am

there was a forum for a long time… forums.shoemoney.com it was dead though so i quit it

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Asif said on March 7th, 2008 at 1:00 am

you don’t need Emir’s permission to do it here, you could organize like you organize it anywhere else

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Uzair said on March 7th, 2008 at 4:20 am

God yet another venue I cant afford to miss!

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AdtollForums said on March 7th, 2008 at 5:27 am

Wow i would want be there just broke right now i plan to attend in the future wish u the best Jermy.

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eMarketing Chat said on March 7th, 2008 at 6:44 am

Elite Retreat has now a bunch of well known people helping out new attendees. Having Matt Mullenweg as a speaker is just adding quality to Elite Retreat!

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Darren said on March 7th, 2008 at 9:36 am

WOW - man what about macbook Air’s for previous speakers

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Paul said on March 7th, 2008 at 10:19 am

I have to admit I hope that this isn’t the last year. As I have mentioned before I would really like to attend, but I am broke from the business start up. By next year this time I should be able to go. So I do hope that you will hold this again. The information is and networking are both priceless. At $5,000 that is a steal so if you get a couple requests for next year you should hold it again.

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Syed Balkhi said on March 7th, 2008 at 10:46 am

oo sweet no age limit … what was the bad turn out of orlando ?? It is a kool place .. If you have it next year .. i will possibly come … and i know you are gonna have it next year even though u say u wont

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Syed Balkhi said on March 7th, 2008 at 10:48 am

yup that was here but due to lack of activity he shut it down

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RacerX said on March 7th, 2008 at 11:16 am

Dubai really is the best place I have been to a trade show at. “PALME Show”

A great convention center, great people…a bit out of the way though! Cannot say enough great stuff about the folks that run the conventions there though.

[Reply]
Asif said on March 7th, 2008 at 2:42 pm

Yes RacerX, Dubai has become financial hub of the region.
Internet Marketing hasn’t hit this region and i am sure pretty soon internet marketing industry will grow here as well, perhaps i will tie up shoemoney and organize something in this region (ofcourse if shoemoney is interested)

[Reply]
Terry Tay said on March 7th, 2008 at 2:48 pm

Of course I was kidding I would love to go but the distance to travel and commitments here at home would not permit me the time needed to attend. I’ll have to look forward to another event and try to find the time to make the trip. Should be a great event and sounds like you’re making sure of that.
~Terry

[Reply]
oakling said on March 7th, 2008 at 3:58 pm

that is genius. I need to get famous/interesting so I can speak for you!

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jtGraphic said on March 8th, 2008 at 5:43 am

Touche. I guess I’m just the new guy

I’ve only been following since like Aug. 2007 ish.

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Syed Balkhi said on March 8th, 2008 at 10:46 am

i agree, Dubai is a fascinating place… I went to the restuarant which have water around it that was pretty nice when i went to visit my cousin. It was pretty expensive, but those are somethings everyone should see … maybe if jeremy holds a contest there … we can go to that restuarant for dinner

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Justin said on March 8th, 2008 at 1:15 pm

Awesome. I’m really pumped I ponied up the money to come to ER. Lookin forward to meetin everyone….

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RacerX said on March 8th, 2008 at 2:49 pm

You should video all of the presentations and after the event sell the DVD pack. Give those without the capital, or distance issues, to still participate and bring in extra money. $199 for the DVD of the event. Heck, make it an affiliate program sale! Then…give the awesome guy who suggested it a free pass to next year’s

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3magin8 said on March 8th, 2008 at 7:33 pm

I wish I could go!
but its out of the question as of now. Maybe in the future, hope its still around!

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Affiliate Confession said on March 9th, 2008 at 8:57 pm

Or how about a contest for one for all your readers? Now, that would be nice.

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Doug said on March 10th, 2008 at 12:13 pm

I know some people that are going to this one and agree, it will be a good one. I was at the elite retreat in san antonio and it was awesome. get some sleep before you go

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Chip said on March 13th, 2008 at 3:29 am

I guess you’ll post reviews and videos about this so I can see what happened there. I currently don’t have the means to attend.

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