Image by sidewalk flying via Flickr

Dateline:  REBarCamp San Francisco.  August 4th, 2009.

The REBarCamp experience is FREE, the knowledge openly shared is FREE, the coffee and breakfast is FREE, the lunch is FREE, even a beer after the event is FREE. While there might not be a free lunch out in the real world there certainly is at REBarCamp SF thanks to the sponsors.

300 spots were initially available for the 2nd annual REBarCampSF (first REBarCamp was SF in ‘08).  Due to the high demand, organizers scrambled for additional space, additional chairs, additional food, drinks, and even registration packets.  An additional 100 spots were released and quickly taken.  As of event time, we’re clearly overbooked!

That’s ok.  It’s ok because we also know there’s a high attrition rate.  Because the event is FREE to attend (just the cost of an online RSVP) it’s also just as easy to blow off.

Things inevitably come up.  Life happens.  Legitimate things do come up.  I get that.  Blow off attending because “I’m having a bad hair day“, or “I really need to get those mailers out“, or “I’m not sure about where to park“, or some other lame excuse and …  aw heck, just forget about it.

I think you owe someone an apology. Not me, not the organizers, not the sponsors.  We’ve already factored in a % of no shows.   I think you owe an apology to the person who wanted to attend, saw that we were overbooked, and said to themselves, “Maybe next year”.  That’s just my personal opinion.

BTW: Since all this is FREE – (to those that made it and to those that didn’t) Why not put a little of what you received towards a good cause.

Read more about it and make a Paypal Donation right now!

If you would like to donate to our Housing for Homeless initiative, make it here! 100% of your donation (less the paypal credit card charge) will be distributed to Compass Community Services, a not-for profit organization. Please provide your mailing address in the shipping address field. This information will be provided to Compass Community Services for tax purposes.

Oh yeah, a very special thank you to our Sponsors!

• Altos Research
• Trulia
• Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate
• Diverse Solutions
• NeighborCity
• Torontoism
• HomeFinder.com
• Inman News
• Aumnia
• Roost
• Social Media Marketing Institute
• EcoJoe
• Zillow
• San Francisco Real Estate Services
• Mortgage Coach
• Planomatic
• Ribbit
• Cyberhomes
• Cort
• reblogworld
• Tom Ferry

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