This just in! We are excited to announce our opening Keynote Speaker for the 2021 Women|Future Conference; Sandy Carter, Vice President of Public Sector Partners and Programs, Amazon Web Services (AWS)

We have some truly incredible speakers this year who are leading the industry in everything from Finance to Influencer Marketing, Social Media, Lead Generation, and Public Relations, but in today's blog, we highlight our anticipated Opening Keynote Speaker, Sandy Carter of Amazon Web Services.

To say that Sandy is a woman who wears many hats would be an understatement. Sandy has earned dozens of impressive accolades for her work spanning from Cloud Computing to thought leadership, to her positive influence on girls in technology. Sandy's responsibilities at AWS include evolving partner models to intensify partner innovation, AWS cloud adoption, and the creation of mission-critical cloud solutions with partners across the public sector. In addition to driving next-generation partnering at AWS, Sandy has also been a Founder and CEO of a startup, and in her last role at IBM, she ran the Cloud and AI/ML Ecosystem on behalf of the IBM corporation.

Sandy is the Chairman of the Board of Girls in Tech, Chairwoman for WIoTCoE, and an adjunct professor at Carnegie Mellon University Silicon Valley. As if that wasn't enough, Sandy is also the author of the book, Extreme Innovation: Three Superpowers for Purpose and Profit. 

• Federal 100 Award Winner
• 2020 Stevie Award Winner for Woman of the Year – Technology
• Women in Tech: Top 50 Influencers
• CRN Women of the Channel 2021 Power 100
• 2021 Cloud Girls Rising Inaugural Visionary Award
• Top 50 Influencers
• Top 150 Global Cloud Thought Leaders and Next Generation Leaders of 2021
• Top 40 Cloud Computing Influencers on Twitter
• Top 50 Digital Influencers
• Awards Magazine Top 50 Women of Influence
• Top 15 IoT Premier League
• Lifetime Achievement Winner, 'Excellence in Cloud Achievement'
• AI Innovator Nominee of the Year
• Top 10 AI Influencers 2019
• Verdicts ten of the most influential people in artificial intelligence on Twitter during Q4 2020
• Top 10 Cloud Computing Influencer
  
  

Our closing Keynote Speaker will be announced later this month.

What to Expect at the 2021 Women|Future Conference

Hundreds of ambitious women business leaders, entrepreneurs, and executives from around the world will be tuning in to the fourth annual Women|Future Conference November 1-5, 2021. The Women|Future Conference is a professional and personal development, learning, networking, and mentorship conference hosted by The Stevie® Awards.

The five-day agenda features over 40 sessions, interactive workshops, and a motivational keynote. Topics range from mental health to financial wellness, lead generation, imposter syndrome, entrepreneurship, and workplace diversity. The 140+ Speakers at this year's conference are a diverse mix of women from global organizations such as Facebook, IBM, Infosys Limited, John Hancock, Pinterest, Quartz, Ralph Lauren, Salesforce, SAP North America, Talkspace, and others. Below is a partial list of conference panels, sessions, and workshops:

• Entrepreneurship – Success Stories Fireside Chat
• How to Blend Strategy and Storytelling to Grow Your Company
• Marketing Tactics to Future Proof Your Business & Your Career
• Networking Tips & Tricks: Learn How to Become Memorable and Build Authentic Relationships
• Personal Development Training: Abundance 360 - Creating Your Best Life Ever
• Real Life First Impressions: Rethinking How To Do Business
• The Future of Work - Preparing for the Changing Business Landscape
• The Truth Bombs on Work-Life Balance to Avoid Burnout for Busy Women
• Top Secrets from World-Class Speakers on How to Use Presentations to Grow Your Business
• Why Diverse Teams Drive Better Outcomes
• The Smart Women's Guide to Financial Success

Registration for the Women|Future Conference is open. Attendees save 10% when groups of three or more individuals register together. Students may attend the Women|Future Conference for a discounted rate of $49 (with proof of a valid current student ID).

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Questions about the Conference?

Conference Registration and Sponsorship Opportunities

Ruslana Milikhiker, Conference & Event Manager

Ruslana@stevieawards.com

Conference Marketing and PR 

Nina Moore, Marketing Manager

Nina@stevieawards.com

All women-owned businesses founded in November 2018 or later are invited to enter the 2021 Women|Future Conference Business Pitch Competition for a chance to win funding! 💸 For the second year in a row, the Women|Future Conference is hosting this 'Shark Tank' style pitch competition for female business owners and entrepreneurs.

If you are a female founder navigating the startup phase of your business, looking for funding, or simply seeking exposure presenting in front of hundreds of women professionals around the world, consider entering the Pitch Competition. The deadline to enter is September 24. 

The Pitch Competition is funded entirely through the generosity of our sponsors. If your organization is interested in sponsoring, email Ruslana@stevieawards.com or visit our Sponsorship and Advertising Page to request information. We love working with organizations that are aligned with our mission of supporting women in business!

*A monetary prize will be sent in the form of a check to the first, second, and third place winners. The amount of prize money will be determined by the Women|Future Conference Pitch Competition Sponsorship money raised.

Our 2nd annual Pitch Competition will be hosted by Quinn Conyers, a Speaking Strategist for Entrepreneurs, Emcee, and Pitch Competition Host. Quinn has over 16 years of virtual and in-person speaking, event hosting, and training experience. Quinn is the author of 2 books, and made it to the second round of Shark Tank auditions four times! She's been featured on the Entrepreneurs Elevator Pitch TV show as well Essence, Black Enterprise, Vision and Purpose, and Empowering Women to Speak Out Magazines.

What to Expect at the 2021 Women|Future Conference

Hundreds of ambitious women business leaders, entrepreneurs, and executives from around the world will be tuning in to the fourth annual Women|Future Conference November 1-5, 2021. The Women|Future Conference is a professional and personal development, learning, networking, and mentorship conference hosted by The Stevie® Awards.

The five-day agenda features over 40 sessions, interactive workshops, and a motivational keynote. Topics range from mental health to financial wellness, lead generation, imposter syndrome, entrepreneurship, and workplace diversity. The 110+ Speakers at this year's conference are a diverse mix of women from global organizations such as Facebook, IBM, Infosys Limited, John Hancock, Pinterest, Quartz, Ralph Lauren, Salesforce, SAP North America, Talkspace, and others. Below is a partial list of conference panels, sessions, and workshops:

• Entrepreneurship – Success Stories Fireside Chat
• Financial Planning -The Smart Women's Guide to Financial Success
• How to Blend Strategy and Storytelling to Grow Your Company
• How to Deliver a Presentation that Stands Out: On and Off the Screen
• Marketing Tactics to Future Proof Your Business & Your Career
• Networking Tips & Tricks: Learn How to Become Memorable and Build Authentic Relationships
• Personal Development Training: Abundance 360 - Creating Your Best Life Ever
• Real Life First Impressions: Rethinking How To Do Business
• The Future of Work - Preparing for the Changing Business Landscape
• The Truth Bombs on Work-Life Balance to Avoid Burnout for Busy Women
• Why Diverse Teams Drive Better Outcomes

Registration for the Women|Future Conference is open. Attendees save 10% when groups of three or more individuals register together. Students may attend the Women|Future Conference for a discounted rate of $49 (with proof of a valid current student ID).

👍Get Social With the Women|Future Conference 

Instagram 

LinkedIn

Twitter

Facebook

Questions about the Conference?

Conference Registration and Sponsorship Opportunities

Ruslana Milikhiker, Conference & Event Manager

Ruslana@stevieawards.com

Conference Marketing and PR 

Nina Moore, Marketing Manager

Nina@stevieawards.com

This just in—the 2021 Women|Future Conference agenda has launched with an incredible lineup of speakers leading thought-provoking conversations for the ambitious, career-driven woman. The Women|Future Conference will be held virtually over five days, with 40+ sessions, panels, and interactive workshops led by inspiring female leaders around the world.

The fourth annual Women|Future Conference celebrates women in business, professional and personal development, and progress. Attendees will explore a variety of topics including mental health and financial wellness, imposter syndrome, entrepreneurship, and preparing for the changing business landscape. With panel discussions, invaluable networking opportunities, and a woman-owned business pitch competition, this is an event you won't want to miss!

Kicking off the conference on Monday, November 1 at 11:00 am EST will be the opening keynote about the future of work for women (speaker coming soon!) followed by breakout sessions and workshops, starting with "The Truth Bombs on Work-Life Balance to Avoid Burnout for Busy Women" at 11:45 am. Other sessions on day one are "Women Leading in a Male-Dominated Industry" and "Financial Planning- The Smart Women's Guide to Financial Success." The full agenda can be viewed here. The 100+ speakers at this year's conference are a diverse mix of female CEOs, Founders, Entrepreneurs, and executives leading organizations such as Facebook, IBM, Infosys Limited, John Hancock, Pinterest, Quartz, SAP North America, Talkspace, and others.

Over the course of the week, there will be 1-hour and 15-minute blocks in between sessions designated for networking, mentorship, yoga, meditation, or mini-style consultations to break up the days. New for 2021, attendees can schedule one-on-one mini-style consultations with Monica Barnett, Founder & Chief Image Curator of Blueprint for Style, a wardrobe styling and personal branding company based in Washington, DC. Across Ms. Barnett’s distinguished career, she has partnered with major corporations such as Marriott International, NBC Universal, Comcast, Georgetown University’s Schools of Business and Law, and Merrill Lynch Wealth Management to fine-tune their employees’ style and brand.

What to Expect at the 2021Women|Future Conference

Attendees can expect to gain valuable insights about challenges and changes that impact their industry, their career, their personal lives. Below is a partial list of some of this year's sessions. 

• Career Reinvention in Mid-Career Crisis
• Confidence Code: Embrace Your Uniqueness
• Entrepreneurship - Success Stories Fireside Chat with female founders
• Future of Work - Preparing for the Changing Business Landscape
• How to Blend Strategy and Storytelling to Grow Your Company
• How to Deliver Presentations that Stand Out: On and Off the Screen
• Lessons from Women STEAM Leaders
• LinkedIn Logic: Leveraging Your Professional Connections
• Managing Crisis: Becoming a Resilient Leader
• Marketing and Lead Generation Strategies to Future Proof Your Business and Your Career
• Personal Development Training: Creating Your Best Life Ever
• ‘Shark Tank’ style pitch competition for newly founded woman-owned businesses
• The Power of Purpose: Organizations that Give Back
• Workplace Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion as a Change Management Initiative
• ...and many more

Stay tuned for our Keynote announcement and featured speakers. This already world-class lineup will continue to grow!

Registration for the Women|Future Conference is open. Take advantage of the $49 student special and save 10% when groups of three (3) or more register together.

About the 2021 Women|Future Conference

The 4th annual Women|Future Conference is a five-day virtual event happening November 1-5, 2021 for women in business and entrepreneurs. The conference encourages connections, professional and personal development, and mental health and financial wellness through motivational keynotes, educational sessions, and networking. From aspiring business professionals to inspiring entrepreneurs to executives, there are sessions for women in all stages of life that open your mind and inspire action. The Women|Future Conference is hosted by the Stevie® Awards, the world's premier business awards.

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Vom 11. bis 13. November nahmen über 320 Teilnehmerinnen aus der ganzen Welt virtuell an der Women|Future Conference 2020 teil, um Neues zu lernen und sich inspirieren zu lassen. Ursprünglich war die dritte jährliche Women|Future Conference als persönliche Veranstaltung in Las Vegas geplant. Vom Switch zur virtuellen Konferenz ließen sich die Teilnehmerinnen aber nicht daran hindern, interessante Kontakte zu knüpfen und zukunftsorientierte Diskussionen zu führen. In Sitzungen, die von Unternehmertum bis hin zu Finanzplanung, Vielfalt am Arbeitsplatz, Gesundheit und Wohlbefinden, Überwindung des Hochstaplersyndroms und Social-Media-Marketing reichten, erhielten die Teilnehmerinnen eindrucksvolle Einblicke, die ihnen in ihrem beruflichen und privaten Leben helfen konnten.
Die Women|Future Conference 2020 setzte sich aus 108 transformativen Rednerinnen aus verschiedenen Branchen und Denkfeldern zusammen. Die Rednerinnen reichten von Gründerinnen, CEOs, Kleinunternehmerinnen und weiblichen Führungskräften von Fortune-500-Unternehmen wie AT&T Business, Amazon, Deloitte, Cisco, Microsoft, Roku, HCL und PayPal. Die Konferenzsitzungen und Workshops ermutigten Frauen in allen Lebensphasen, sich nicht nur auf ihr "morgen" einzulassen, sondern auch sich motivieren zu lassen, ihre beruflichen, persönlichen und Lebensziele in Angriff zu nehmen. Dies nahmen Teilnehmerinnen der Women|Future Conference von der Konferenz mit:

"Ich habe bereits an vielen virtuellen Konferenzen teilgenommen und dies ist die beste Konferenz von allen. Ich habe viele gute Informationen erhalten und fabelhafte Damen getroffen, die Unterstützung, Ermutigung, Talent und Inspiration boten." - Shirin Alhroob, Universität von North Carolina

"Aufregend, einnehmend, informativ und inspirierend! Was für eine Show!" - April Traughber, Direktorin für Lernen & Entwicklung TTEC

"Die Teilnahme an der 2020 Women|Future Conference war eine absolute Ehre. Gleichgesinnte Frauen zu hören, wie sie Erfolgsgeschichten, Prüfungen und Erkenntnisse über ihre Wege austauschen, war äußerst inspirierend. Ich kann das Jahr 2021 kaum erwarten!" - Catina D'Achille Account Executivtrwqve, Park Place Payments

"Was für ein wirklich inspirierendes Ereignis! Ich fühlte mich engagiert und befähigt. Ich empfehle die Teilnahme an dieser Veranstaltung jedem, der daran interessiert ist, zu lernen, sein bestes Selbst zu sein". - Mirela Marceta, Entwicklungskoordinatorin, YWCA Hamilton

Die am Dienstag, den 10. November stattfindende Vorkonferenzsitzung mit der höchsten Teilnehmerzahl stand unter dem Titel: "Disrupt the Imposter Syndrome; Let the Real You Shine Through!" Die Podiumsteilnehmer dieser Sitzung diskutierten ihre eigenen "Hochstapler-Momente" und erforschten, wie unser innerer Kritiker als Ergebnis des Vergleichssyndroms herauskommt. Sie erklärten, dass wir, wenn wir uns mit anderen vergleichen, dazu neigen, unser Schlechtestes mit dem Besten von jemand anderem zu vergleichen.

"Wir stellen andere of auf ein Podest und sehen uns selbst in einem Zustand, der kleiner ist als die menschliche Natur", erklärte die Podiumsteilnehmerin Dee C. Marshall, CEO von Diverse and Engaged. "Wie können wir dieses Problem lösen? Ein Weg ist die Gewissheit, dass wir alle einzigartige Begabungen und Talente haben, die kein anderer hat. Denken Sie daran: Wenn jemand weiter fortgeschritten zu sein scheint als Sie, dann liegt das nicht daran, dass er besser ist als Sie, sondern daran, dass wir unterschiedliche Fähigkeiten haben."
"Wir vergleichen uns auch mit unserem zukünftigen und vergangenen Selbst", fügte Jen Coken, Executive Coach, Rednerin und Autorin, hinzu. "Ich glaube nicht, dass wir es jemals überwinden können, ich glaube, wir können einen neuen Neuropathiepfad schaffen, sobald Sie in der Lage sind, den alten Neuropathiepfad zu erwischen. Wenn Sie zeigen wollen, dass Sie fröhlich sind, gibt es dafür keine Formel - fröhlich zu sein, könnte bedeuten, dass ich Lachyoga mache, wie ein Verrückter die Straße runterspringe und die Leute denken, ich sei verrückt, oder es könnte bedeuten, dass ich die Leute anlächle. Es gibt so viele verschiedene Dinge, die man tun kann, und sobald man eine neue Praxis gefunden hat, um über der Linie zu bleiben, wird man immer stärker."

Tag 1- Women|Future Conference

Die Konferenz begann am Donnerstag, dem 12. November, mit der Eröffnungsrede "Today's Leadership, Tomorrow's Future" von Anne Chow, CEO von AT&T Business. Anne Chow vermittelte eine inspirierende Botschaft über das Führen mit Mitgefühl und Achtsamkeit gegenüber unserem gegenwärtigen Umfeld sowie über unbewusste Vorurteile am Arbeitsplatz. Sie umrahmte ihre Diskussion um die "7+C's" einer großartigen Führung, die ihrer Meinung nach für die heutige Zeit entscheidend und für unsere Zukunft entscheidend sind.

"Eines der Dinge, die ich in meiner Erfahrung gefunden habe, ist, dass Organisationen und Menschen innerhalb dieser Organisationen oft den Fehler machen, anzunehmen, dass wenn man Charakter hat, auch Kompetenz hat oder wenn man kompetent ist, auch Charakter hat, aber das ist absolut nicht wahr. Man braucht sowohl Charakter als auch Kompetenz als Grundlage für Vertrauen". Sie verwies auf das Buch "The Speed of Trust" von Stephen Covey, in dem diese Interaktion untersucht wird, sowie auf eine persönliche Anekdote, um ihren Standpunkt zu illustrieren; obwohl ihr Bruder, ein OB-GYN, der "äußersten Charakter" hat, war er nicht die geeignete Person, um ihre Schulterverletzung zu untersuchen. Als sie das C der Farbe (Colour) diskutierte, erklärte Anne,

"Große Führungspersönlichkeiten umgeben sich mit Menschen, die nicht so sind wie sie selbst, die eigentlich ganz anders sind als sie selbst... die Daten zeigen, dass vielfältige Teams bessere Ergebnisse erzielen."

"Wir wollen Kulturen schaffen, in denen jeder das Gefühl hat, als sein authentisches Selbst dazuzugehören... Vielfalt bedeutet, jemanden zur Party einzuladen, Einbeziehung bedeutet, ihn zum Tanzen aufzufordern, und für mich bedeutet Zugehörigkeit, dass man seinen eigenen Tanz zur Party mitbringt und anderen seinen Tanz beibringt, während man ihren lernt."

Anne Chow schloss ihre Grundsatzrede mit einer Live-Frage-und-Antwort-Runde aus dem Publikum. Weitere Sitzungen am ersten Tag der Women|Future Conference schlossen sich an:

• How to Be Resilient Through a Crisis
• Women Driving the Future of Tech- How AI, VR, and Robotics will be the Norm
• Health and Wellness 2020 & Beyond
• Stevie Awards for Women in Business Case Studies
• Passion to Profit
• Journalistic Approach to Diversity, Inclusion and Equity
• Balancing Motherhood + Business for “Mompreneurs” and Working Moms
• Finding Your Voice for Young Women
• The Power of Female Leadership
• Sustainability: Waste is a Design Flaw
• Women and Money: Investing 101
• How to Make Your Small Business Stand Out in the Crowd

Tag 2- Women|Future Conference

Der zweite Konferenztag begann mit einer gefragten Sitzung, die sich mit der individuellen Einstellung zu Geld und den vielen Dingen befasste, die unsere Fähigkeit, finanziell erfolgreich zu sein, beeinflussen. Die Podiumsteilnehmer zum Thema "Financial Wellness: Ihre Beziehung zum Geld" untersuchten, was es bedeutet, echte finanzielle Freiheit zu haben, und gaben Tipps, wie man verfolgen, auswählen und investieren kann, wohin das Geld fließt. Die Podiumsteilnehmer tauschten Ressourcen zum Thema Investieren und Sparen aus und erläuterten, wie Geld für Frauen ein emotional aufgeladeneres Thema sein kann als für Männer. Zusätzlich wurden zwei Tagessitzungen der Women|Future Conference angeboten:

• Create Joy in Your Career on Your Own Terms
• Business Chemistry: Using Science to Improve the Art of Relationships
• Getting Creative with Client Engagements
• Tips and Tricks: How to Get Funding for Your Business
• Building Your Dream Network for Introverts
• Conquer Crisis. Train Like a Triathalete. Body + Mind + Business
• Growth Through Social Media
• Bold Identity Branding to Build Your Business Post-Covid
• Creating Memorable Content
• E-Commerce and Online Business in Today’s Changing Climate

Auf dem Bild oben, von rechts, sind Judith Batty, Interim-CEO der Pfadfinderinnen der USA und Kelly Parisi, Kommunikationsbeauftragte der Pfadfinderinnen der USA zu sehen. Während ihrer Sitzung der Women|Future Conference Session, "Building the Next Generation of Women Leaders Who Make a Positive Impact in the World" (Aufbau der nächsten Generation von weiblichen Führungskräften, die einen positiven Einfluss auf die Welt haben), teilte Judith einige beeindruckende Statistiken über die rund 59 Millionen Pfadfinderinnen-Alumnae und den Einfluss, den sie auf die Welt hatten, mit.

"53% der Unternehmerinnen und Geschäftsinhaberinnen in den USA waren Pfadfinderinnen", erklärte Batty. "Pfadfinderinnen-Absolventinnen haben mit größerer Wahrscheinlichkeit als andere Frauen einen Wirtschaftsabschluss. Die Mehrheit der Frauen, die im Kongress dienen, waren auch Pfadfinderinnen. Betrachtet man die Wissenschaften, so war die Mehrheit der Astronautinnen ebenfalls Pfadfinderinnen. Wir schaffen Führungskräfte."

Eine unserer abschließenden Sitzungen des Tages war der "Shark Tank"-Wettbewerb, bei dem zehn Finalisten, deren Unternehmen im November 2017 oder später gegründet wurden, um die Chance auf eine Finanzierung konkurrierten. Ein Gremium aus Jurorinnen und Teilnehmerinnen sah sich einen dreiminütigen Pitch von jeder der Finalistinnen an und stimmte dann für ihre Favoritin ab.

Die Finalistinnen des Pitch-Wettbewerbs beantworteten Fragen der Jury zu ihren Geschäftsmodellen, ihren Zielgruppen und ihren Betriebsstrategien. Der Gewinner des Pitch-Wettbewerbs ist Clocr Inc., ein innovatives Nachlassplanungstool, mit dessen Hilfe eine Vollmacht zur legalen Weitergabe von digitalen Vermögenswerten und Online-Konten erstellt werden kann. Den zweiten Platz belegten Geschenkschachteln von Sam and Lance für ihren ethischen Marktplatz, den dritten Platz belegte Nutricraft Cookware.

Virtual Networking und roter Teppich

Der Übergang zu einer virtuellen Konferenz hatte zwar seine eigenen Herausforderungen, trotzdem konnte die persönliche Begegnung, die bei der Konferenz so beliebt ist beibehalten werden, darunter Networking, praktische Workshops und Momente auf dem roten Teppich. Die Konferenzplattform Swapcard und ihre Matchmaking-Fähigkeiten auf Basis künstlicher Intelligenz ermöglichten es den Teilnehmerinnen auch außerhalb der Konferenzsitzungen zu interagieren. Swapcard empfiehlt relevante Teilnehmer, Sponsoren, Sitzungen und Workshops auf der Grundlage gemeinsamer Interessen. Eine weitere unterhaltsame Funktion der Plattform war die Möglichkeit, von zu Hause aus ein Foto auf dem roten Teppich zu machen. Klicken Sie hier, um die Fotos vom roten Teppich anzusehen.

From November 12-13, over 320 attendees tuned in virtually from around the world to learn and be inspired at the 2020 Women|Future Conference. The third annual Women|Future Conference was originally planned as an in-person event in Las Vegas, but this year's pivot to virtual did not stop attendees from making engaging connections and having forward-thinking discussions. Attendees gained powerful insights to help them in their professional and personal lives through sessions ranging from entrepreneurship to financial planning, diversity in the workplace, health and wellness, overcoming the imposter syndrome, and social media marketing.

The 2020 Women|Future Conference was made up of 108 transformative speakers from multiple industries and fields of thought. Speakers ranged from female founders, CEOs, small business owners, and executives of Fortune 500 companies including AT&T Business, Amazon, Deloitte, Cisco, Microsoft, Roku, HCL and PayPal. The conference sessions and workshops encouraged women in all stages of life to not only embrace their tomorrow, but to walk away with lessons that motivate them to tackle career, personal, and life goals. Here’s what Women|Future Conference attendees took away from the conference:

"I have attended a lot of virtual conferences and this is the best conference out there. I took away a lot of good information and met fabulous ladies who delivered support, encouragement, talent and inspiration." - Shirin Alhroob, University of North Carolina

"Exciting, engaging, informative, and inspiring! What a show!" - April Traughber, Director of Learning & Development TTEC

"Taking part in the 2020 Women|Future Conference was an absolute honor. Hearing like-minded women share success stories, trials and insight on their stories was extremely inspiring. I can’t wait for 2021!" - Catina D’Achille Account Executivtrwqve, Park Place Payments

"I loved the mix of topics at the Conference. It was inspiring to be surrounded with knowledgeable women who have overcome trauma and other life events and rise to success. Everyone was very approachable and it was a great platform for networking. Would definitely recommend to other."  - Georgia Homsany, Founder of Daily Dose Wellness

"What a truly inspirational event! I felt engaged and empowered. I highly recommend attending this event to anyone who is interested in learning to be their best self". - Mirela Marceta, Development Coordinator, YWCA Hamilton

The top attended pre-conference session was on Tuesday, November 10 titled, "Disrupt the Imposter Syndrome; Let the Real You Shine Through!" Panelists of this session discussed their own “imposter moments” and explored how our inner critic comes out as a result of comparison syndrome. They explained that when we compare ourselves to others, we tend to compare our worst to someone else’s best.

“We see others in a more larger-than state, and see ourselves as less-than by human nature,” explained panelist Dee C. Marshall, CEO of Diverse and Engaged. “How we can resolve this? One way is to know that we all have unique gifts and talents that no one else can do. Remember, if someone appears to be farther along than you, it is not that they are better than you, it is that we have different skillsets.”

“We also compare ourselves to our future and past selves,” added Jen Coken, Executive Coach, Speaker and Author. “I don’t think we can ever overcome it, I think we can create a new neuropathway the moment you are able to catch the old neuropathway. If you want to show up being joyful, there’s no formula for that- being joyful could mean I do some laughter yoga, skip down the street like a nut job and people think I’m crazy, or it could mean I smile at people. There are so many different things you can do, and once you identify a new practice to stay above the line, the stronger you get.”

Day One- Women|Future Conference

The conference kicked off on Thursday, November 12 with the opening keynote, "Today's Leadership, Tomorrow's Future" by Anne Chow, CEO of AT&T Business. Anne delivered an inspiring message about leading with compassion and mindfulness of our current environment, as well as unconscious bias in the workplace. She framed her discussion around the “7+C's” of great leadership, which she says are key for today and critical for our future.

When explaining two of the C’s, character and competence, Anne explained “One of the things I have found in my experience is that organizations and people within those organizations often make the mistake of assuming that if you have character, you have competence, or if you are competent, you have character, but this is absolutely not true. You need both character and competence as a foundation for trust.” She referenced the Stephen Covey book, The Speed of Trust, which explores this interaction as well as a personal anecdote to illustrate her point; even though her brother, an OB-GYN, has the "utmost character," he was not the appropriate person to see for her shoulder injury. When discussing the C of color, Anne stated,

“Great leaders surround themselves with people who are not like them, but are actually very different than themselves...the data shows that diverse teams generate better results.”

“We want to create cultures where everybody feels that they belong as their authentic self...diversity is asking somebody to the party, inclusion is asking them to dance, and for me, belonging is about bringing your own dance to the party and teaching others your dance while you learn theirs.”

Anne Chow closed her keynote with a live Q&A session from the audience. Other sessions on day one of the Women|Future Conference included:

• How to Be Resilient Through a Crisis
• Women Driving the Future of Tech- How AI, VR, and Robotics will be the Norm
• Health and Wellness 2020 & Beyond
• Stevie Awards for Women in Business Case Studies
• Passion to Profit
• Journalistic Approach to Diversity, Inclusion and Equity
• Balancing Motherhood + Business for “Mompreneurs” and Working Moms
• Finding Your Voice for Young Women
• The Power of Female Leadership
• Sustainability: Waste is a Design Flaw
• Women and Money: Investing 101
• How to Make Your Small Business Stand Out in the Crowd

Day Two- Women|Future Conference

The second day of sessions began with another popular session that addressed individual mindset about money and the many things that impact our ability to be financially successful. The panelists on “Financial Wellness: Your Relationship with Money” explored what it means to have true financial freedom and provided tips on how to track, choose, and invest where your money goes. The panelists shared resources about investing and saving, and explained how money can be an emotionally charged topic for women more so than for men. Additional day two Women|Future Conference sessions included:

• Create Joy in Your Career on Your Own Terms
• Business Chemistry: Using Science to Improve the Art of Relationships
• Getting Creative with Client Engagements
• Tips and Tricks: How to Get Funding for Your Business
• Building Your Dream Network for Introverts
• Conquer Crisis. Train Like a Triathalete. Body + Mind + Business
• Growth Through Social Media
• Bold Identity Branding to Build Your Business Post-Covid
• Creating Memorable Content
• E-Commerce and Online Business in Today’s Changing Climate
  
  View the full 2020 Women|Future Conference Agenda

Pictured above, from right, are Judith Batty, Interim CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA and Kelly Parisi, Communications Officer of Girl Scouts of the USA. During their Women|Future Conference Session, "Building the Next Generation of Women Leaders Who Make a Positive Impact in the World," Judith shared some impressive statistics about the roughly 59 million Girl Scout alumnae and the impact they have had on the world.

“53% of female entrepreneurs and business owners in the US were Girl Scouts,” stated Batty. “Girl Scout alums are more likely than other women to have a business degree. The majority of women serving in Congress were also Girl Scouts. If you look at the sciences, the majority of female astronauts were Girl Scouts as well. We create leaders.”

One of our closing sessions of the day was the “Shark Tank”-Style Women-Owned Business Pitch Competition which featured ten finalists whose businesses were founded in November 2017 or later competing for a chance to win funding.  A panel of judges and attendees watched 3-minute pitches from each finalist, then voted for their favorite.  Our five judges included female founders and CEOs of successful, established women-owned businesses. The Pitch Competition finalists answered questions from the judges about their business model, target audience, and operations strategy.

The winner of the pitch competition was Clocr Inc., an innovative estate planning tool that helps create a power of attorney to legally pass on digital assets and online accounts. In second place was Sam and Lance ethical marketplace gift boxes, and in third place was Nutricraft Cookware.

Virtual Networking and Red Carpet