DC Bloggers September Meetup Recap: The Creator Upgrade with Liz Strom
On Saturday, September 19, DC Bloggers gathered in the Sapphire Room on the penthouse level of The Royal Sonesta Washington, DC Capitol Hill for Influence + Monetization via Mastery: The Creator Upgrade, an interactive workshop led by Liz Strom, DC Bloggers Chapter Officer and Lifestyle Ambassador at @espressofied.
We promised a working session, not a lecture, and that is what Liz delivered. Attendees upgraded their creator journeys by connecting and collaborating with one another, and by learning how to become influential on purpose on their social channels, especially Instagram and TikTok. Creators at every stage were in the room, and the format stayed exactly what we hoped for: friendly, interactive, and social.
What the Room Took Home
Liz is a full-time creator and has been an award-winning life and career coach since 2015, so the session stayed practical from start to finish. Over two hours, attendees worked through:
- Bio optimization and portfolio building. Making the first thing a brand or a new follower sees clear, professional, and worth a second look.
- Social media funnels and brand outreach. How attention on Instagram and TikTok turns into relationships and paid work, and how to approach brands instead of waiting to be found.
- Redefining media success, and livelihood, on your own terms. Deciding what you are building toward before someone else’s version of “making it” fills your calendar.
- What people are actually watching right now. The most up-to-date viewing trends, and how to work out what your own followers want to see more of.
- A personalized refinement strategy. Each attendee left with a plan for their own channels, built around what current media demands.
And, as every attendee who wrote to us mentioned, the room itself. That is the part of a DC Bloggers meetup you cannot get from a post.
What Attendees Are Saying
We asked a few of the creators who joined us to share what the morning meant to them. Here is what they said, in their own words.
@leposhfox★★★★★
Attending the DC Bloggers event on Saturday was such a beautiful reminder of why community matters so much in this industry. From the moment I arrived, I felt genuinely welcomed, supported, and encouraged by everyone in the room.
Building as a creator can feel vulnerable at times, but this community has made me feel like I truly have a place in this journey. The connections, conversations, and knowledge shared are the kind of support that keeps you going…and honestly, it is a piece of this journey I would not want to continue without.
A special thank you to Liz. She is not only an incredible local influencer, but an exceptional leader who has created a space where creators can learn, connect, and genuinely pour into one another. Her knowledge of the industry is invaluable, and the way she shares it with this community is so generous and impactful. You can feel how much intention, heart, and leadership she brings into every event.
I have truly enjoyed the connections I’ve made and everything I’ve learned from Liz and this amazing group. I’m so grateful to be part of it and cannot wait to attend more DC Bloggers events in the future!
@iamdr.kate★★★★★
Saturday’s workshop was so helpful and practical. I loved learning how to enhance my Instagram presence, especially the tips on improving my bio to be more clear and professional. The guidance on how to connect and engage with people was also incredibly valuable. I left feeling more confident and inspired — thank you for creating such a welcoming space for creators!
@zurianasthoughts★★★★★
I want to say a huge thank you to Liz Strom of @espressofied for sharing her wealth of knowledge during the DC Bloggers: The Creator Upgrade: Mastery — From Content to Influence + Monetization session.
When I signed up for this class, I never imagined I would walk away with 18 pages of notes, tips, and actionable homework! I literally wrote for almost two hours nonstop. 😂 And these weren’t just things that sounded good in theory—the tips were so actionable that I was able to accomplish a couple of the items that very same evening! That’s when I knew this was more than just another class.
Liz gave us practical strategies we can actually implement to take our content creation to another level and monetize more intentionally. She has given us the tools to elevate, expand, and take what we’re doing as content creators to another level.
I also appreciated how generously Liz shared what has worked for her, along with practical strategies, resources, and tips we can put into action. She even reached out to an account executive from a brand to learn what that brand is looking for from content creators—and then shared those insights with us. That is going above and beyond.
And beyond the wealth of knowledge she shared, I really appreciate Liz as a person. She is so gracious, generous, and genuinely such a sweetheart. Having someone I respect so highly openly share her experience, knowledge, resources, and practical tips with our creator community is invaluable.
Liz, thank you for being such a blessing to the content creator community. I walked away from this session inspired, equipped, and ready to do the work. I have 18 pages of notes and a whole lot of homework—but more importantly, I have a clearer understanding of the steps I need to take to elevate my content creation, expand my reach, and build toward monetization.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Liz. What you shared was so much more than I expected, and I’m excited to put it into action. ❤️
Thank You
Thank you to Liz Strom for leading with so much generosity, to The Royal Sonesta Washington, DC Capitol Hill for hosting us, and to every creator who showed up on a Saturday morning ready to work on their business. This community is what you make it, and you made it a very good room.
Get first dibs on the next workshop
Missed this one, or want a seat at the next session on monetization and creator influence? Leave your name and email and you will hear about the next DC Bloggers workshop before we announce it anywhere else.
Stay Connected
Not in the DC Bloggers chapter yet? Join for free to hear about every meetup, and follow @thedcbloggers on Instagram. Want to host or speak at a future meetup? Email us at dc@thebloggerunion.com.
