If you're involved with commanding social media for your business or civic organization (or if you'd like to join the conversation and aren't quite sure how to jump in with both feet), you can't afford to miss SummitUp. This year's event takes place October 18 at Sinclair Community College. In response to attendee surveys, this year's event will only be a half-day, starting at 8 a.m. and running to noon.

Members of DCS and AAF-Dayton can get in at the $49 member rate. (Non-members can attend for $69.) For that, you will get four incredible speakers, breakout sessions, networking with like-minded professionals, breakfast, snack, and free parking in the garage.

Inspring speakers will engage you with keynote addresses and facilitate breakout sessions to help you learn what/how your business should be using the web, tips for developing a social media strategy, establishing and using ROI to demonstrate your social media success, and more!

Check out the website for details. See you at the summit!

Philip Roestamadji, Wilmer: Phil, an eight-year Dayton resident, has an extensive background in technical marketing, including marketing/selling development tools and products to a technical audience, as well as working on and managing various technical projects to support and promote marketing efforts. "This has caused me to work on everything from building a new website/application for an organization to developing marketing/sales strategies to launch a new development environment," he says. Phil also brings experience working in various different organizations from larger corporations to smaller local businesses, and even independently as a freelancing consultant. A member of the American Marketing Association, Phil says spec work is something that will never go away. "As long as a consultant/freelancer/agency/business wants a contract/job/opportunity bad enough, spec work will always be an option. Therefore, it is important for both the (client) and (vendor) to have a clear understanding of what spec work is, when it should be used, and how it can be evaluated." Phil admonishes all creative professionals to familiarize themselves with the concept of spec work as it is prevalent in technical, marketing, and other fields where competition for a job or contract exists. "Understanding its place
within the professional community is critical to everyone's success," he says.

There’s a lot of debate surrounding speculative work, or a job in which the client requests examples or the actual finished product before agreeing to pay. Is this an unethical treatment of creative services or will it purge the marketplace of “hacks,” allowing the highest quality work to rise to the top?

Bring your open mind to a panel discussion -- the second in the EdYOUcate Series. Panel takes place at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, September 8, at Real Art. Watch the blog, Facebook or your inboxes for details on panel participants!

This event is FREE! Brought to you by your creative friends at DCS. Do you have some awesome contacts who would make a killer presentation? Do you have a great idea for an educational event you want to share? Contact education mistress This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and make some noise!

Join your creative pals from DCS, Portfolio Creative and Freelance Dayton for a happy hour at Therapy Cafe Wednesday, August 24, from 6:30pm – 8:30pm. Indulge your Mad Men addiction with Therapy's special on martinis and jazz/swing music while you network with creative professionals. Bring a friend and enter to win prizes! The more friends you bring, the more tickets you'll get for the raffle for a better chance at claiming some cool prizes, donated by our sponsors. Don’t have any friends? Don’t be silly! When you hang out with DCS, you’re always in good company. Dust off your vintage goods, grandpa's old fedora or grandma's super snazzy pill box hat and enjoy a swanky evening with DCS, Portfolio Creative and Freelance Dayton!