Posts Tagged ‘networking’

Choices, Choices, Choices

posted: 2010-05-14 @ 9:30 am EDT

By Dylan Higgins

As the Microfinance USA conference draws nearer and with an abundance of tantalizing sessions, I thought it may be helpful to map out an attendance strategy. Here are my Day 1 and Day 2 recommendations.    

Day 1:

  • 1:15 Session – Scaling Global Microfinance – While much progress has been made in scaling this field, we still have much work to do.  I’m interested in learning what has worked and what hasn’t from these panelists.
                        
  • 2:45 Session – Leveraging Partnerships To Reach Millions – A nice follow-up to the 1:15 session.  With more and more players entering this field, it is becoming imperative that we learn how to collaborate on our common goals.
                     
  • 4:15 Session – What is a Fair Price to Pay for Good Credit? – The recent New York Times article on interest rates for microfinance loans will undoubtedly make this one of the most popular sessions in the conference.  If you want to come prepared, I would recommend reading Chapter 5 of Portfolios of the Poor – The Price of Money. 

Day 2:

  • 9:45 Session – Is Savings Even More Important Than Credit?  As the CEO of SaveTogether, you can guess how I would answer this question and why I’m the most excited about this session.
                           
  • 11:00 Session – Policy Efforts  to Promote Responsible and Appropriate Financial Products  – Leveraging broad public support through public partnerships and policy advocacy is the most under-appreciated and untapped step to truly scaling this work.
                             
  • 2:30 Session – US Innovations: Serving the Unbanked – Since I’ll be missing the 11:00 session on innovations, I’m glad I’ll be able to attend this one to learn about organizations who like to push the envelope. 

I look forward to meeting many of you next week!   Feel free to contact me on twitter: @savetogether

                                 
Dylan Higgins is the Founder and CEO of SaveTogether.org and the Vice-Chair of SeaMo. SaveTogether operates a website that offers you an opportunity to participate in savings-focused microfinance and SeaMo is an organization dedicated to connecting the microfinance community through events, conferences, and an online platform.

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Looking Forward to Microfinance USA 2010

posted: 2010-05-06 @ 1:12 pm EDT

A few months ago I had ranted and raved a blog post for Social Earth that I’d get the opportunity to attend Microfinance USA 2010. Needless to say, I’m thrilled that it worked out.  After six years working in microfinance marketing (I’ll leave you to judge whether I’m a newbie or a veteran), I’d been craving a crash course in the more academic side of the industry and the opportunity to mix and mingle with industry experts. Microfinance USA 2010 promises to provide just that.

The session that’s at the top of my agenda is Thursday’s “Growing Microlending in a Challenging Economy.” I started my career in the post-dot com boom—portfolios were growing, delinquencies were low, and small businesses were staying open. Things are different these days (to say the least!) and I’d like to see what tricks the experts have up their sleeves to keep pushing microfinance forward. As a personal side note, this food aficionado’s not going to miss the “Taste of Entrepreneurship” networking event, either!

If you’ll be at the conference, I’d love to hear what sessions are on your list and why. And if you’re not able to attend, I hope you’ll check in on the Webcast and the @mfusa2010 Twitter feed. (And if you’re just procrastinating wait no longer! There are only two weeks left to register, and you can still find a flight to San Francisco on a budget.)

Laura Kozien is communications director at ACCION USA—she’ll be live blogging and vlogging at the conference, and hopes attendees won’t be camera shy!

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