We are excited to announce the keynote speaker for the 2024 Women|Future Conference, Heather Hoytink, President, South Division PepsiCo Beverages North America.

Keeping with our tradition of past Stevie® Award winners keynoting the conference, Heather was honored with a Gold Stevie Award for Female Executive of the Year in the 2023 Stevie® Awards for Women in Business.


Heather is the President of PBNA South Division, leading a beverage portfolio that has grown to nearly $5.5B since she stepped into the role in 2022. As the company’s first woman named division president, Heather is responsible for end-to-end P&L ownership and manages all cross-functional activity inclusive of commercial, go-to-market, manufacturing, operations, and marketing. 

Heather's Keynote, "Igniting Your Influence," will be the opening session of #WomenFuture24, at 10:00 am ET on July 23.

In 2024, she was honored as a 2024 “Woman Who Means Business” by the Orlando Business Journal, and last year she was selected as one of Florida’s 500 most influential business leaders by Florida Trend Magazine. Her other recent accolades include Orlando Magazine’s 2023 Woman of the Year, Profiles in Diversity Journal’s 2023 Woman Worth Watching in Leadership, and during her nearly 20-year career at PepsiCo, Heather has served in sales and operating leadership roles of increasing responsibility across all four beverage divisions.

From 2017 to 2019, Heather served as Senior Vice President of Foodservice Sales, during which she delivered record 10-year revenue growth and scaled the first e-commerce online ordering platform, PepsiCo Partners, to 30,000 customers. As a champion of diversity, inclusion and employee engagement initiatives, Heather has continued to tap into her personal values through her team’s “Returnship” program with non-profit Path Forward, aiming to help women professionals return to the workforce after taking time off for caregiving. She led the rollout of PepsiCo’s internal program, “One Smile at a Time,” which encourages and recruits employees for volunteer events in their communities.

Heather will be joined by ForbesWomen Contributor, Vickie Chachere, to engage in an intimate fireside chat, delving into the profound impact of influence and relationships on one's path to career success.

Vickie previously served as the executive editor of Florida Trend, an award-winning business and public affairs magazine. Before that, she led communications for the University of South Florida Research & Innovation, highlighting its achievements as a leading public research university. Her journalism background includes roles as a supervisory correspondent for the Associated Press and a reporter and editorial writer for the Tampa Tribune. She is dedicated to exploring and explaining the complex issues that shape our world. 

Now a freelance journalist and communications consultant, she uses her extensive knowledge of global challenges, economic development, and public policy to create engaging and impactful content for various audiences. With over 30 years of experience, she excels in writing and speechwriting, delivering clear and compelling messages that inform and inspire.

This year’s conference will take place virtually on July 23, 2024. Sign up by visiting our registration page.

The mission of the 7th annual Women|Future Conference, hosted by the Stevie® Awards, is to foster connections and professional and personal development through insightful sessions, workshops, and networking.

If you’re a small business owner, executive, entrepreneur, or considering starting a business, #WomenFuture24 is an event you won’t want to miss.

WHAT TO EXPECT
Sessions are tailored to ambitious professionals looking to learn and share what’s working in their organizations, troubleshoot the challenges they collectively face, and make meaningful connections.

You can expect discussions about everything from how to utilize mentorship as a path to professional and personal development, gain traction through public relations, and how technology affects human behavior.

You will learn practical takeaways from sessions on marketing strategies, business ownership, and more. Session Topics include:

• Building a Trusted Brand: Authenticity in a Time of Public Scrutiny and Hot News Cycles
• Unlocking Awards Success: The Power of Stevie Awards in Building Credibility and Business Growth
• Breaking Barriers, Building Empires and Elevating Women: Driving Change in Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and Business
• Leveraging AI Technology and Navigating the Social Media Landscape: Strategies for Business Growth & Success

CONNECT WITH LIKE-MINDED PROFESSIONALS 
Women from cities across the United States, Canada, Australia, Asia, and Europe attend the conference year after year to be inspired, build resilience, and share insights into changes that impact their industries, their careers, and their lives. 

The Women|Future Conference is a great opportunity to build industry connections, share challenges, and brainstorm solutions alongside women like you. In any given session, you may find yourself in the company of the Founder of a non-profit, an Entrepreneur, a Publicist, and a CEO.

View the Full Agenda and Speakers online now.

Register to Learn from the Best and Join Our Growing Community of Ambitious Women in Business!

To learn more about the Women|Future Conference speakers and view the full agenda, visit www.womenfutureconference.com.

For partnership, press, and media inquiries, contact Nina@stevieawards.com.

We are excited to announce that the speakers and agenda for the 2024 Women|Future Conference are now available!

This year’s conference will take place virtually on July 23, 2024. 

The mission of the 7th annual Women|Future Conference, hosted by the Stevie® Awards, is to foster connections and professional and personal development through insightful sessions, workshops, and networking. 

Hear From Leading Women in Business
If you're a small business owner, executive, entrepreneur, or considering starting a business, #WomenFuture24 is an event you won't want to miss.

Our speakers will delve into the challenges, successes, firsts, and setbacks of their journeys. Many 2024 speakers are actually past and current Stevie Award winners who have earned recognition in one (or many) of our nine Stevie Awards programs. Speakers this year include:

• Angelique Hamilton, CEO, Chief Coaching Officer, HR Chique Group
• April White, Founder & CEO, Trust Relations
• Bosky Mukherjee, Founder, PMDojo
• Danielle Levy, Business Growth Strategist & Consultant, The Boardroom League
• Deboshree Dutta, Founder & CEO, Criya
• Denise O’Leary MBE, Managing Director & Founder, Purpol Marketing Ltd
• Emoly Lyman, CEO, Branch & Bramble
• Kerry-Ann Powell, Founder & Business Strategist, Trafalgar Strategies, LLC
• Kristen Dolan, SVP, Growth, Influential
• Lisa Thee, CEO, AMP Solutions LLC
• Marissa Nance, Founder & CEO, Native Tongue Communications
• Nicole Schmitz, Founder & CEO, Nicole Schmitz Leadership Coaching
• Rachel Griffin, Co-Founder, PlayWise Partner
• Risa Arin, Founder & CEO, XpertPatient LLC
• Ronjini Joshua, Founder & CEO, The Silver Telegram
• Surbhi Gupta, Product Leader, Zoox

Sessions are tailored to ambitious professionals looking to learn and share what’s working in their organizations, troubleshoot the challenges they collectively face, and make meaningful connections. 

You can expect discussions about everything from how to utilize mentorship as a path to professional and personal development, gain traction through public relations, and how technology affects human behavior.

You will learn practical takeaways from sessions on marketing strategies, business ownership, and more. Session Topics include:

• Building a Trusted Brand: Authenticity in a Time of Public Scrutiny and Hot News Cycles
• Unlocking Awards Success: The Power of Stevie Awards in Building Credibility and Business Growth
• Breaking Barriers, Building Empires and Elevating Women: Driving Change in Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and Business
• Leveraging AI Technology and Navigating the Social Media Landscape: Strategies for Business Growth & Success

Connect With Like-Minded Professionals 
Women from cities across the United States, Canada, Australia, Asia, and Europe attend the conference year after year to be inspired, build resilience, and share insights into changes that impact their industries, their careers, and their lives.

The Women|Future Conference is a great opportunity to build industry connections, share challenges, and brainstorm solutions alongside women like you. In any given session, you may find yourself in the company of a non-profit founder, an Entrepreneur, a Publicist, and a CEO.

View the Full Agenda and Speakers online now.

Register to Learn from the Best and Join Our Growing Community of Ambitious Women in Business! 

To learn more about the Women|Future Conference speakers and view the full agenda, visit www.womenfutureconference.com.

For partnership, press, and media inquiries, contact Nina@stevieawards.com.

 

Wenn es zu Ihren Zielen für 2024 gehört, Ihr persönliches und berufliches Netzwerk zu erweitern, bessere Geschäftsergebnisse zu erzielen und sich für unerwartete geschäftliche Veränderungen zu rüsten, dann sollten Sie die Women|Future Conference 2024 nicht verpassen!

Die Mission der 7. jährlichen Women|Future Conference, die von den Stevie Awards veranstaltet wird, ist es, durch aufschlussreiche Vorträge, Workshops und Networking Kontakte zu knüpfen und die berufliche und persönliche Entwicklung zu fördern. 

Die diesjährige Konferenz findet virtuell am 23. Juli 2024 statt. Frühbucher sparen über 50 % bei nur 10 $ pro Ticket. Besuchen Sie unsere Anmeldeseite, um bis zum 26. März zum günstigsten Preis teilzunehmen.

Die Sitzungen und Aktivitäten sind auf ehrgeizige Fachleute zugeschnitten, die lernen und sich darüber austauschen möchten, was in ihren Unternehmen funktioniert, die Herausforderungen lösen, denen sie gemeinsam gegenüberstehen, und sinnvolle Kontakte knüpfen möchten.

Egal, ob Sie Unternehmerin, Inhaberin eines Kleinunternehmens, Führungskraft oder Angestellte sind, diese Veranstaltung richtet sich an Frauen in jedem Karrierestadium und bietet Einblicke und Anregungen, die Sie auf Ihrem Weg voranbringen.

Lernen Sie von und vernetzen Sie sich mit führenden weiblichen Geschäfts- und Fachleuten
Im Jahr 2018 wurde die erste jährliche Women|Future-Konferenz von den Stevie Awards präsentiert, um das äußerst erfolgreiche  Stevie® Awards for Women in Business Programm zu ergänzen. Die Konferenz wurde ins Leben gerufen, um leistungsstarken weiblichen Fachkräften, Führungskräften, Unternehmerinnen und Kleinunternehmerinnen einen Ort zu bieten, an dem sie zusammenkommen, Ideen austauschen und sich vernetzen können.

Zu den Rednerinnen gehören in der Regel Changemaker in Fortune-500-Unternehmen sowie (Klein-)Unternehmerinnen. Zu den vorherigen Rednerinnen gehören weibliche Führungskräfte und Manager von Facebook, IBM, Microsoft, John Hancock, Pinterest, Macy's Inc., SAP North America, Talkspace und anderen.

Warum Sie teilnehmen sollten
Sie können sich auf Diskussionen zu zahlreichen Themen freuen, z. B. darüber, wie man Mentorenschaft als Weg zur beruflichen und persönlichen Entwicklung nutzen kann, wie man durch Öffentlichkeitsarbeit Aufmerksamkeit erregt und wie Technologie das menschliche Verhalten beeinflusst.

Das Programm für 2024 wird zwar erst im nächsten Monat veröffentlicht, aber im Folgenden finden Sie einen Überblick über das, was die Teilnehmer erwarten können. Sie können auch die Agenda 2023 erkunden und die wichtigsten Highlights des Programms lesen, um zu sehen, welche Themen und Rednerinnen im letzten Jahr im Mittelpunkt standen.

➡️ Interaktive Sitzungen — Zu den Themen vergangener Sitzungen gehören:

• Markenbildung, PR und Marketing für kleine, von Frauen geführte Unternehmen
• Wie Sie Stevie®-Auszeichnungen nutzen können, um Glaubwürdigkeit zu schaffen und den Ruf Ihres Unternehmens zu verbessern
• Wie man Networking und Mentorenschaft als Weg zu beruflichem Wachstum nutzen kann
• Verwandeln Sie Ihre Leidenschaft oder Ihren Nebenerwerb in Profit
• Tipps zur Gründung und Führung eines Unternehmens
• Frauen in Führungspositionen und berufliche Entwicklung
• Frauen in der Technik - Wie die Technik das menschliche Verhalten beeinflusst

➡️ Bedeutungsvolle Beziehungen — Frauen aus der ganzen Welt nehmen Jahr für Jahr an der Konferenz teil, um zusammenzuarbeiten, Beziehungen zu knüpfen und neue Perspektiven zu gewinnen, wie sie ihr Unternehmen voranbringen können. Rednerinnen und Teilnehmerinnen knüpfen dauerhafte Verbindungen in Form von Geschäftspartnerinnen, Mentorinnen und sogar Freundinnen.

➡️ Vielfältige Perspektiven —  In jeder Sitzung können Sie sich in der Gesellschaft einer Online-Unternehmerin, der Gründerin einer gemeinnützigen Organisation, einer Anwältin, einer Ingenieurin, einer Publizistin und einer CEO wiederfinden.

 

If your 2024 goals include expanding your personal and professional network, achieving better business outcomes, and getting equipped for unexpected business changes ahead, you don’t want to miss the 2024 Women|Future Conference!

The mission of the 7th annual Women|Future Conference, hosted by the Stevie Awards, is to foster connections and professional and personal development through insightful sessions, workshops, and networking. 

This year’s conference will take place virtually on July 23, 2024. Early birds save over 50% at just $10 per ticket. Attend for our lowest price now through March 26 by visiting our registration page.

Sessions and activities are tailored to ambitious professionals looking to learn and share what’s working in their organizations, troubleshoot the challenges they collectively face, and make meaningful connections. 

Whether you're a female entrepreneur, small business owner, executive, or employee, this event caters to women at every career stage, offering insights and inspiration to fuel your journey forward.

Learn From and Network With Top Women Business Leaders and Professionals
In 2018, the first annual Women|Future Conference was presented by the Stevie Awards to complement the highly successful Stevie® Awards for Women in Business program. The conference was created to give high-achieving women professionals, executives, entrepreneurs, and small business owners a place to come together, share ideas, and network.

Speakers typically range from changemakers at Fortune 500 companies to small business owners and entrepreneurs. Previous speakers include female executives and leaders from Facebook, IBM, Microsoft, John Hancock, Pinterest, Macy’s Inc., SAP North America, Talkspace, and others.

Why You Should Attend
You can expect discussions about everything from how to utilize mentorship as a path to professional and personal development, gain traction through public relations, and how technology affects human behavior.

While the 2024 agenda will not be released until next month, below is a glance at what attendees can expect to see. You can also explore the 2023 agenda and read top highlights from the program to see what topics and speakers were featured last year.

➡️ Interactive Sessions — Past session topics include:

• Branding, PR, and Marketing for Small Woman-Owned Businesses
• How to Leverage Stevie® Awards to Establish Credibility and Boost Your Company's Reputation
• How to Utilize Networking and Mentorship as a Path to Professional Growth
• Turning Your Passion or Side Hustle into Profit
• Tips on Starting and Running a Business
• Women in Leadership and Professional Development
• Women in Tech - How Technology Affects Human Behavior

➡️ Meaningful Connections — Women around the world attend the conference year after year to collaborate, build relationships, and gain fresh perspectives on how to drive their businesses forward. Speakers and attendees make lasting connections in the form of business partners, mentors, and even friends. 

➡️ Diverse Perspectives —  In any given session, you may find yourself in the company of an online business owner, the founder of a non-profit, a lawyer, an engineer, a publicist, and a CEO.

 

The sixth annual Women|Future Conference, held virtually from August 1-2, brought together over 650 ambitious, forward-thinking women across industries and career stages to connect and discuss key issues that impact their industries, careers, and lives.

A professional development, learning, and networking event, the Women|Future Conference brings together a community of women small business owners, executives, entrepreneurs, and professionals interested in starting a business. Attendees tuned in from cities across the United States, Canada, Australia, Asia, and Europe.

The 2023 conference agenda featured two days of panels, workshops, and breakout sessions hosted by over 30 world-class speakers, including CEOs, founders, entrepreneurs, thought leaders, and small business consultants from The Audacious Agency, MENTOR New York, Jennings Social Media & MarTech, and others. 

Speakers also included seasoned leaders from global organizations like Microsoft's Corporate Vice President - Global Industry Marketing; SAP's Chief Marketing & Solutions Officer; and the Founder and CEO of Fempire, the #1 global coaching brand for women business owners.

Top Attended Sessions From #WomenFuture23
Throughout the two-day conference, attendees participated in sessions about business networking, work-life balance, wealth attraction, overcoming adversity, mentorship, and more. Below are the top conference sessions attended:

• Turning Passion Into Profit as an Entrepreneur
• From Wages to Wealth: Making the Shift from Employee to Entrepreneur
• Taking the Leap: How to Transfer Your Skills from One Role to the Next
• Should I Enter the Stevie Awards? Learn How Leaders Leverage Awards to Boost their Business and build Credibility

On Day 1 of #WomenFuture 23 in the session “Funding Female Futures: Navigating the Investment Landscape and Bootstrapping Success” two female entrepreneur and funding experts, Marnie LeFevre, Founder & CEO of Fempire, and Mez Gallifuoco, Founder & CEO of The Mad Ones, delved into the realities of the investment landscape for women and shared valuable insights on identifying the right investors and business opportunities. 

With her international coaching brand Fempire, Marnie has made it her mission to inspire women to step up and lead with courage, confidence, and from the feminine. Mez is an award-winning technology entrepreneur and strategist for some of the world’s most innovative companies including QBE, AMEX, Virgin Australia, and several startups in Sydney and New York.

Early in the discussion, Mez relayed that men in business are often asked, “What will you do with success?” while women are more likely to be asked, “How will you overcome all these challenges?” Women are sometimes viewed as already disadvantaged in the business space, in some sectors more than others. Even if you have a brilliant idea and are fully committed to making it work, it can be quite intimidating when it comes to getting your vision off the ground, she said,  especially when it comes to learning about and gaining funding, and then growing it.

Before trying to go directly to investors and trying to push a business plan at them, both Mez and Marnie recommend aiming for casual and helpful conversations with investors first. Instead of calling to abruptly ask someone to review your data and plan, just ask them for coffee. Have a conversation about what you’re trying to achieve, what insights they may have, and try to create a connection. 

“Start asking questions—gain advice. Use them as a mentor, and even if they're not prepared to invest in your business, at least you can gain a whole lot of insight. It's about building a relationship before sticking out your hand,” noted Mez.

She emphasized that who the founders are and who your team members are (and how adept or skilled they are) is even more important than your business plan or statistics. When it comes to finally making the pitch for funding, Mez related her own challenges of walking into very intense and critical business meetings. “They barely look at the idea, to be honest. They only really look at, what is the team? do they know what they’re doing….and we’re interested in the founder.” 

Both Mez and Marne agreed that having a well-connected founder—or, even better, multiple founders—who have similar business values can go a long way in securing the relationship and funding. Marne commented: “We're looking for whether we can get along with you, whether we believe in you, whether we think you've got what it takes, whether you have the grit that it takes.”

Day 2 of the conference opened with an instructional session on “How to Write a Winning Stevie Award Nomination” given by Denise O’Leary, MBE. Denise is a 21-time Stevie Award winner and relayed her extensive experience on how she has repeatedly created winning Stevie Award entries. Her company, Purpol Marketing, specializes in marketing strategy development and bid management for public sector contracts across various industries. 

Denise answered many common questions she gets from clients across industries on finding and applying for awards, including:

• Why should you enter awards?
• Where do you find awards to enter?
• How to find the right awards for your business
• What data do you need to consider? 

Denise explained that, based on your specific industry or field, you should build an award target list and track when your targeted awards are open for nominations and what they will require. For example, even the Stevie Awards has eight distinct programs, and, depending on your field, one or a variety of them will get you a different level of exposure to a specific audience, geographic region, or market. Note the deadlines you need to hit and the networking or marketing opportunities they offer. 

She detailed the full Stevie application journey and even provided hints on what judges really want to see. “Play to your individual strengths in your nomination,” she emphasized. “How do you offer better value? How can you explain what you’re doing and make your strengths clear? Prove what you do with tangible evidence.” She covered how to examine your own organization and objectives and then how to tell your personal and business story as well as what types of data should be included with your entry. 

Regarding gathering evidence before writing your Stevie Awards nomination, Denise said, “It’s really important to gather evidence about your business success before writing your nomination. 

• Read all instructions to make sure you’re eligible.” She also advised doing the following: 
• If you’re doing a video, review their specific rules on formatting, length, language, etc.
• Include key performance indicators (KPIs) or other materials in the supporting materials section of the entry submission, like customer testimonials, photos, case studies, etc.
• Include a folder of press coverage to share, if available. 

“Think about what the judges would like to see. Think about their process,” she noted. “If you need to proofread your nomination more than once a day to make sure it’s perfect, you should. Explain in simple terms what your business does so it’s clear to any judge why you should win a Stevie Award.”

She said you will want to keep track of progress, store, and revisit old nominations you’ve written. In addition, after entering Stevie Awards competitions, all entrants can access the judge’s comments. This feedback can serve as an invaluable asset for guidance on areas the judges were impressed with and how entry nominations can be improved in the future.

In an educational panel discussion, "Make Your Mark: How to Build a Network with Trusted Mentors" that took place on Day 2, speakers explored how to build social capital and a network you can count on.

Brenda Jimenez, CEO of MENTOR New York, led this panel, and other speakers included Alana Beard, four-time WNBA Champion and President of the 318 Foundation and Founder of Transition Play; Dr. Elizabeth Santiago, author, educator, designer, and leader; and Cicy George, Senior, Organizational Capability at Macy’s. These panelists have made their marks in different industries with an interesting story of how they’ve each become supporters of each other in ways that led to career successes.

Panelists initiated the conversation by examining the concept of social capital—the connections built and nurtured over time that may have beneficial professional implications—and how women specifically can work toward building this capital. For women especially, they agreed, it can be hard simply to ask for help and be vulnerable with a mentor. 

Alana commented: "I encourage [those she mentors] to be to be as vulnerable as possible in these moments because there's no way for people to really understand who you are and what you're going through and what your desires are if you don't speak about them.”

Elizabeth added another perspective, noting that getting comfortable relaying your needs and challenges not only helps you find the help and support you need but also enables you to validate and encourage others with your own experiences once you come out on the other side:

“For me, this is where storytelling comes in. As I look back at my life and my career and all the things that have happened and led me to where I am….there are so many people involved, so many stories, so many ways that I've asked for help over the years that I often share those experiences or share an anecdote about something and usually that helps someone else.”

They explained that self-reflection and conscious awareness of your strengths and, even more so, your weaknesses will help to solidify a sense of confidence and self-worth. The sooner you do the inner work and get past the common feeling of imposter syndrome, the faster you and others will see your potential. In a perfect example of how to be authentic and vulnerable with your peers, Cicy shared part of her personal journey with self-worth and acceptance:

“I've only recently gotten more comfortable with feeling like I am enough, and I feel like I have a hidden greatness that I have yet to unleash. That's just a realization I feel I've come into just now in my early 40s. It's taken me a long time to get here — even just to admit in a global forum that I'm in my early 40s—and I'm just learning some of these lessons now that I wish I had learned earlier on in my life and my career.” 

Special Thanks to Our 2023 Sponsors and Partners​
We are proud to partner with publications, media outlets, and organizations that share our mission of supporting women in business:

• Enterprising Women Magazine
• ImageShield
• Investably LLC
• MBE Magazine
• Professional Woman’s Magazine
• Trust Relations 

If you are interested in sponsorship opportunities for the 2024 Women|Future Conference, sign up here to get notified of the 2023 prospectus release.

 

Registration is now open for the 6th annual Women|Future Conference, to be held virtually from August 1-2. Attending the 2023 conference is free, but attendees must register in advance to access the virtual platform and sessions.

The Women|Future Conference is a professional development, learning, and networking event that brings together a community of small business owners, executives, entrepreneurs, and women who are interested in starting a business.

In 2018, the Women Future Conference was created in conjunction with the highly successful Stevie® Awards for Women in Business program to give high-achieving women professionals, thought leaders, and entrepreneurs a place to come together, share ideas, and network.

Today, we have accomplished this and more, expanding our conference to many ambitious, forward-thinking professionals across industries and career stages. Attendees are a mix of CEOs, founders, small business owners, entrepreneurs, executives, directors, and managers, as well as women between jobs or starting a career transition who are seeking mentorship.

Reputed Stevie Award Winners Give Tips on Award Submissions
The 2023 conference agenda features two days of panels, workshops, and breakout sessions hosted by over 30 world-class speakers including CEOs, founders, entrepreneurs, thought leaders, and small business consultants.

A new feature in the 2023 edition of the program includes a workshop on “How to Write a Winning Stevie Award Nomination,” led by Denise O’Leary, MBE. Denise is a 21x Stevie Award winner and will share her experience on how to construct a winning Stevie Award entry. Denise will share insights from her years of experience in Stevie applications and provide hints on what judges really want to see.

Many 2023 speakers are actually past and current Stevie Award winners who have earned recognition in one (or many) of our eight Stevie Awards programs. Speakers this year who are also past winners in the Stevie Awards for Women in Business include:

• Viola Palescandolo, Founder & CEO, Black Platinum Gold B.V.
• Marnie LeFevre, Founder & CEO, Fempire
• Etosha Thurman, Chief Marketing and Solutions Officer, SAP
• Mez Gallifuoco, Founder & CEO, The Mad Ones
• Kathleen Mitford, Corporate Vice President of Global Industry - Marketing, Microsoft
• Jennifer Harris-Kroll, Director of Growth, Anthill
• Bridgett McGowen, Speaker/Author/Publisher, Press 49, a part of BMH Companies
• Valeria Jennings, CEO, Jennings Social Media & MarTech 
• Jennifer Cloer, Founder & CEO, Story Changes Culture
• Lauren Clemett, Managing Director, The Audacious Agency
• Annette Densham, Creative Director, Audacious Agency

Speakers who have won a Stevie Award in one of our other seven awards programs include: 

• Safiya Johnson, Leadership Strategist & CEO, Safiya Group
• Ciara Ungar, Founder & CEO, The Why Group, Inc.
• Alycia Huston, Founder & CEO, The Culture Cru
• Brenda Jimenez, CEO, MENTOR New York
• Christina Helena, Public Speaking & Communications Coach, Mental Health Speaker, My Scar is Sexy

Women from cities across the United States, Canada, Australia, Asia, and Europe attend the conference year after year to be inspired, build resilience, and share insights into changes that impact their industries, their careers, and their lives. 

Below are a few of the upcoming 2023 Women|Future Conference sessions:

• From Wages to Wealth: Making the Shift from Employee to Entrepreneur
• Taking the Leap: How to Transfer Your Skills from One Role to the Next
• Funding Female Futures: Navigating the Investment Landscape and Bootstrapping Success
• Unveiling the Unspoken: Candid Conversation on Workplace Inclusivity Issues for Women in Business
• From Idea to Empire - Lessons in Branding
• The Must-Have Money-Marketing Marketing Tool…That Few Businesses Have but that Every Single One of Them Needs

To learn more about the Women|Future Conference speakers and view the full agenda, visit www.womenfutureconference.com. 

Free Registration
In order to attend the conference and access the virtual event platform, all attendees must register in advance. 

For partnership, press, and media inquiries, contact Nina@stevieawards.com.

Die fünfte jährliche Women|Future Conference brachte Hunderte ehrgeiziger, zukunftsorientierter Frauen aus verschiedenen Branchen und Stufen der Karriereleiter zusammen, um Kontakte zu knüpfen und über wichtige Themen zu diskutieren, die sich auf ihre Branche, ihre Karriere und ihr Leben auswirken.

Auf dem Programm standen mehr als 25 Diskussionsrunden und Breakout-Sessions, die von mehr als 80 weiblichen CEOs, Gründerinnen, Kleinunternehmerinnen, Vordenkerinnen, Coaches und Führungskräften aus Unternehmen wie Accenture, Goldman Sachs, Hilton, IBM, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Nestle, T-Mobile und anderen veranstaltet wurden.

Die Teilnehmerinnen gewannen wichtige Erkenntnisse für ihr berufliches und privates Leben in Vorträgen zu Themen wie Unternehmertum, Vielfalt am Arbeitsplatz, psychische Gesundheit, Überwindung des Impostersyndroms, Denken wie ein Investor, Best Practices für soziale Medien und vieles mehr.

Das #WomenFuture22 Programm war in sieben Bereiche unterteilt: Vielfalt, Gleichberechtigung und Inklusion, Unternehmertum, Zukunft der Arbeit, Führungsrolle, Marketing, persönliche Entwicklung und Technologie.

Die Eröffnungs-Keynote
Rashmi Verma, Global Head of Diversity & Inclusion bei HUGO BOSS, war die Hauptrednerin der Eröffnungsrede 2022. HUGO BOSS ist eines der führenden Unternehmen im Premiumsegment des globalen Bekleidungsmarktes und beschäftigt 13.800 Mitarbeiter aus 112 Nationen. Als Global Head of Diversity & Inclusion entwickelt Rashmi kreative Methoden, um das Engagement des Teams zu steigern und gleichzeitig eine integrative Kultur im gesamten Unternehmen weltweit zu fördern.

In der Tradition früherer Stevie®-Award-Gewinner, die als Hauptredner der Konferenz auftraten, ist HUGO BOSS mehrfacher Stevie®-Gewinner bei den Stevie® Awards for Great Employers für COVID Response und HR Achievement in 2019 und 2020.

In ihrer Women|Future Conference Keynote, "Dream Big & Chase It", erzählte Rashmi, wie sie diese Herausforderungen in Beruf und Leben gemeistert hat, einschließlich des Umgangs mit kulturellen Unterschieden und Erfahrungen, und wie sie sich auf dem Weg dorthin Möglichkeiten und Träume erarbeitet hat.

Rashmis Leben und ihre Karriere haben sich über mehrere Kontinente erstreckt. Sie wuchs in Indien in einer durchschnittlichen Familie auf und schaffte es dennoch, sich in der Technologiebranche hervorzutun. Sie begann ihre Karriere bei General Electric (GE), wo sie mehrere hochkarätige Strategieprojekte in verschiedenen GE-Unternehmen leitete und vorantrieb. Vor kurzem hat sie ihr eigenes Unternehmen "YogaDaan" gegründet, eine gemeinnützige Organisation, die Yoga-Kurse anbietet, um Geld für eine Schule für benachteiligte und behinderte Kinder in Indien zu sammeln.

Rashmi nahm die Teilnehmerinnen mit auf ihre Reise und erklärte, wie sie jede Herausforderung meisterte, die sie dorthin brachte, wo sie heute steht.

Meistbesuchte Sitzungen der Woche
Während der dreitägigen Konferenz hörten die Teilnehmerinnen der Women|Future Conference Vorträge zu den Themen Business Networking, Work-Life-Balance, Vermögensaufbau, Überwindung von Widrigkeiten, Mentoring und mehr.

Nachfolgend die meistbesuchten Konferenz-Sessions der #WomenFuture22:

• Building Your Community of Mentors (Aufbau einer Mentoren-Community)
• Find Your Voice: Insider Secrets from Seasoned Speakers (Finden Sie Ihre Stimme: Insider-Geheimnisse von erfahrenen Rednern)
• Dream Big & Chase It! (Träumen Sie groß und verfolgen Sie ihn!)
• Think Like An Investor: How to Get the Funding You Deserve (Denken Sie wie ein Investor: Wie Sie die Finanzierung erhalten, die Sie verdienen)
• Resilient Leadership in a Changing Business Landscape (Resiliente Führung in einer sich verändernden Geschäftslandschaft)
• The Ever-Changing World of Social Media (Die sich ständig verändernde Welt der sozialen Medien)

Am Dienstag, den 8. November, erzählten die Referentinnen in der Eröffnungssitzung "Building Your Community of Mentors" ihre Geschichten und teilten Weisheiten darüber, wie man einen Mentor findet, welche Arten von Mentoren es gibt, wie man eine Mentorengemeinschaft aufbaut und wie man das Beste aus einer Mentorenbeziehung herausholt - sei es als Mentor oder als Mentee.

Brenda Jimenez, Chief Executive Officer von MENTOR (New York, USA), stellte fest, dass "eine von drei Personen in diesem Land ohne einen Mentor aufwächst". Sie sagte, dass wir uns für diese jüngeren Frauen einsetzen müssen, dass es aber auch in der Verantwortung der jungen Berufstätigen liegt, sich Mentoren zu suchen und die Beziehung zu pflegen.

Brenda räumte ein, dass es einen kulturellen Aspekt gibt, wenn man um Hilfe bittet, und dass manche das Gefühl haben, Schwäche zu zeigen, wenn sie einen Mentor suchen, worauf sie erwiderte: "Wenn man um einen Mentor bittet, bittet man um eine zusätzliche Superkraft zu den Superkräften, die man bereits hat". Diese Superkraft hängt jedoch von der Einstellung und Offenheit des Mentees ab. Die Beziehung zwischen Mentor und Mentee muss auf Vertrauen und Integrität auf beiden Seiten beruhen, wenn die Frauen hoffen, dass ihr Mentor die Extrameile für sie geht:

"Damit jemand sein soziales Kapital aktiviert, muss er nicht nur schätzen, wer Sie sind, sondern auch darauf vertrauen, dass Sie ein guter Verwalter der Beziehung sind, die er in Ihrem Namen aktiviert, also müssen Sie authentisch sein - Sie müssen sich darüber im Klaren sein, worauf Sie zusteuern, und Sie müssen mit Würde, Integrität und Authentizität auftreten."

Whitney Knight, MBA, Direktorin für Markenpersönlichkeit bei Hilton, erzählte von einer anderen Art von Mentorbeziehung, die sie mit ihrer engen Freundin und Geschäftspartnerin aufgebaut hat. "Ich habe eine Mentorin, die mir als Vertrauensperson dient. Wir waren über ein Jahrzehnt lang befreundet, bevor wir sagten, dass wir gerne mehr Gespräche über unsere Karrieren führen würden. Wir haben angefangen, uns jeden Monat Zeit zu nehmen, um darüber zu sprechen, was du diesen Monat machst, welche Herausforderungen du hast und wie ich dir vielleicht helfen kann."

Brenda wiederholte: "Das Wundermittel ist die Beziehung, und die ist immer komplex, weil Beziehungen selbst Zeit und Entwicklung brauchen". Unabhängig von der Art der Mentorenbeziehung ermutigte sie die Teilnehmerinnen, über ihre Bedürfnisse nachzudenken und ihr authentisches Selbst in die Netzwerk- und Mentorenbeziehungen einzubringen.

In einer weiteren beliebten Podiumsdiskussion am Mittwoch erörterten die Rednerinnen "Strategic Storytelling: Advertising and PR Tactics for Your Business". Das Gespräch drehte sich um Storytelling im Zusammenhang mit dem Wertversprechen eines Unternehmens sowie mit der persönlichen Geschichte und Marke.
Die Forschung zeigt, dass sich das Gehirn von Menschen, die sich im Erzählmodus befinden, in einem anderen Bereich befindet, in dem sie Informationen mit größerer Wahrscheinlichkeit aufnehmen und behalten. "Wenn Sie Ihre eigene Geschichte haben und sich diese zu eigen machen, schenken Ihnen die Menschen Aufmerksamkeit... Es gibt eine Möglichkeit, in einem Raum mit unterschiedlichen Menschen und Überzeugungen durch das Erzählen von Geschichten Gemeinsamkeiten zu schaffen", so Star Bobatoon, Business Storytelling Coach und Gründer von Own Your Stage Training.

Ciara Ungar, Gründerin und Geschäftsführerin von The Why Group Inc. und Ciara Ungar Coaching & Consulting, erklärte, dass Unternehmen und Einzelpersonen oft einen Schritt zurücktreten und sich auf ihren eigentlichen Zweck besinnen müssen. "Die Menschen können spüren, wie authentisch man ist. Man tritt immer auf... Wenn Sie dieses erste 'Warum' nicht verstehen, wird es schwer sein, diese Authentizität zu vermitteln und eine echte Verbindung aufzubauen."

Star erklärte, dass wir unsere Denkgewohnheiten anpassen müssen, um aus unserem authentischen Selbst zu schöpfen:

"Weil wir uns selbst so oft klein machen und in den Hintergrund treten, fühlen wir uns nicht wohl dabei, wunderbare Dinge über uns zu teilen, und das beginnt sich, in uns zu normalisieren... Die Art und Weise, wie wir unser Leben leben, ist das Ergebnis der Geschichten, die wir über uns selbst glauben... es gibt die Geschichte, die wir in unserem Kopf ständig wiederholen, und diese Geschichte lenkt unsere Arbeit", sagte sie.


Pitch-Wettbewerb für von Frauen geführte Unternehmen
Der dritte jährliche Pitch-Wettbewerb für von Frauen geführte Unternehmen auf der Women|Future-Konferenz bot fünf Unternehmen eine Plattform für den Wettbewerb um die Chance auf eine Finanzierung. Zu den Finalisteinnen des Pitch-Wettbewerbs gehörten Equability, Good Mood Treats, The Village App, Tiny Fish Co., and XpertPatient, LLC.

Bei diesem Live-Wettbewerb im Stil von "Die Höhle der Löwen" am 9. November verfolgten eine Jury und die Teilnehmerinnen, wie jede Finalistin eine dreiminütige Präsentation abgab und anschließend Fragen der Jury zu ihrem Geschäftsmodell, ihrem Zielmarkt und ihrer Geschäftsstrategie beantwortete.

Die Jury entschied sich schließlich zu Gunsten von
Equability, einem Online-Kleidungsanpassungsdienst für Menschen mit Behinderungen. Equability wurde 2020 ins Leben gerufen, nachdem Untersuchungen ergeben hatten, dass der Mangel an anpassungsfähiger Kleidung ein Hindernis für die soziale und berufliche Teilhabe darstellt. Equability bietet Menschen die Möglichkeit, Kleidung bequem an ihren Stil und Lebensstil anzupassen.

Gründerin und CEO Hilary Pham gewann einen Geldpreis in Höhe von 5.500 US-Dollar, der von den Stevie Awards und Autumn Consulting, LLC finanziert wurde, sowie eine Zertifizierung von Certify My Company (Wert: 4.800 US-Dollar).

On-Demand-Zugang zu den Konferenzsitzungen 2022
Haben Sie die diesjährige Konferenz verpasst? Sie können sich registrieren, um die Aufzeichnung von über 25 Panels, Workshops und unserer Eröffnungs-Keynote für nur 39 $ anzusehen.

On-Demand-Teilnehmer haben bis November 2023 Zugriff auf die virtuelle Plattform der Women|Future Conference 2022. Die Plattform umfasst drei Tage mit Sitzungen und Listen der Redner, Teilnehmer und Sponsoren, die an der #WomenFuture22 teilgenommen haben.

Besonderer Dank gilt unseren Sponsoren und Partnern aus dem Jahr 2022
Wir sind stolz darauf, mit den folgenden Publikationen, Medien und Organisationen zusammenzuarbeiten, die unser Ziel der Unterstützung von Frauen in der Wirtschaft teilen.

Wenn Sie an Sponsoring-Möglichkeiten für die Women|Future Conference 2023 interessiert sind, melden Sie sich hier an, um über die Veröffentlichung des Prospekts 2023 informiert zu werden.

 

The fifth annual Women|Future Conference brought together hundreds of ambitious, forward-thinking women across industries and career stages to connect and discuss key issues that impact their industries, careers, and lives.

The agenda featured more than 25 discussion panels and breakout sessions hosted by 80+ women CEOs, founders, small business owners, entrepreneurs, thought leaders, coaches, and executives from organizations such as Accenture, Goldman Sachs, Hilton, IBM, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Nestle, T-Mobile, and others.

Attendees gained powerful insights to help them in their professional and personal lives through sessions ranging from entrepreneurship to workplace diversity, mental health, overcoming imposter syndrome, how to think like an investor, social media best practices, and more.

The #WomenFuture22 agenda was divided into seven tracks: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Entrepreneurship, Future of Work, Leadership, Marketing, Personal Development, and Technology.

The Opening Keynote
Rashmi Verma, Global Head of Diversity & Inclusion at HUGO BOSS, was the 2022 Opening Keynote Speaker. HUGO BOSS is one of the leading companies in the premium segment of the global apparel market, employing 13,800 individuals representing 112 nationalities. As the Global Head of Diversity & Inclusion, Rashmi develops creative methods to increase team engagement while establishing an inclusive culture across the company globally.

Keeping with our tradition of past Stevie® Award winners keynoting the conference, HUGOBOSS is a multiple-time Stevie winner in the Stevie® Awards for Great Employers for COVID Response and HR Achievement in 2019 and 2020.

In her Women|Future Conference Keynote, "Dream Big & Chase It," Rashmi shared how she navigated these work and life challenges, including managing cultural differences and experiences, and ways to carve out possibilities and dreams along the way.

Rashmi’s life and career have spanned continents. She grew up in India in a conventional family yet managed to excel in the tech industry. She started her career working for General Electric (GE) where she led and drove multiple high-profile strategy projects within various GE businesses. She also launched her own business recently called YogaDaan, a charitable organization that offers yoga classes to raise money for a school for the underprivileged and differently abled children in India.

Rashmi walked attendees through this journey, explaining how she navigated through each challenge that brought her to where she is today.

Top Attended Sessions From the Week​
Throughout the three-day conference, Women|Future Conference attendees heard sessions about business networking, work-life balance, wealth attraction, overcoming adversity, mentorship, and more.

Below were the top conference sessions at #WomenFuture22:

• Building Your Community of Mentors
• Find Your Voice: Insider Secrets from Seasoned Speakers
• Dream Big & Chase It!
• Think Like An Investor: How to Get the Funding You Deserve
• Resilient Leadership in a Changing Business Landscape
• The Ever-Changing World of Social Media

On Tuesday, November 8, in the opening session “Building Your Community of Mentors,” speakers shared  their stories and wisdom on how to find a mentor, types of mentors, creating a community of mentorship, and getting the most from a mentor relationship—whether as the mentor or mentee.

Brenda Jimenez, Chief Executive Officer of MENTOR (New York, NY), noted that “one in three individuals in this country grow up without a mentor.” She said we need to step up for those younger women, but the onus is also on young professionals to seek out mentors and maintain the relationship.

Brenda acknowledged that there is a cultural aspect around asking for help, and some may feel like they are seeking a mentor out of weakness, to which she asserted: “When you're asking for a mentor, you're asking for an additional superpower to the superpowers you already have.” This superpower, though, is contingent on the mentee’s attitude and openness. The mentor relationship must be built on trust and integrity on both sides if women hope to have their mentor go the extra mile for them:

“For someone to activate their social capital, they have to value not only who you are but trust that you're going to be a good steward of that relationship that they're activating on your behalf, so you have to be authentic–you have to be very clear on what you're moving toward and you have to show up with dignity, integrity, and authenticity.”

Director of Brand Personality at Hilton, Whitney Knight, MBA, shared another type of mentor relationship she initiated with her close friend and fellow business woman. “I have a mentor who serves as my accountability partner. We were friends for over a decade before we said we'd like to have more conversations about our careers. We started having dedicated time together each month to focus on what are you doing this month, what are the challenges you’re having and maybe I can help.”

Brenda reiterated: “The magic sauce is the relationship, and that's always complex because relationships themselves take time and evolution.” No matter the type of mentor relationship, she encouraged attendees to reflect on their needs and bring their authentic selves to networking and mentorship relationships.

In another popular panel session on Wednesday, speakers discussed “Strategic Storytelling: Advertising and PR Tactics for Your Business.” The conversation centered around storytelling as it relates to a company value proposition as well as individuals’ personal story and brand.
Research shows that, when people are in storytelling mode, their brains are in a different space where they are more likely to receive and remember information. “When you have your own story and when you own that, people pay attention….There is a way to create commonality in a room of diverse people and beliefs through that storytelling,” noted Star Bobatoon, Business Storytelling Coach and Founder of Own Your Stage Training.

Founder and Chief Executive Officer of The Why Group Inc., and Ciara Ungar Coaching & Consulting, Ciara Ungar shared that businesses and individuals often need to take a step back and really reflect on their core purpose. “People can feel how authentic you’re being. You’re always performing….If you’re not understanding that first ‘why,’ then it will be hard to deliver that authenticity and form a true connection.”

Star explained that we need to adjust our thought habits to draw from our authentic self:

“Because we are so often making ourselves small and taking the back seat, we are not comfortable sharing the wonderful things about us, and that starts to become normalized within us….The way we live our lives is a result of the stories we believe about ourselves…there is the story that we are repeating inside our minds all the time and that story is directing our work,” she said.

Women-Owned Business Pitch Competition
The third annual Women-Owned Business Pitch Competition at the Women|Future Conference provided a platform for five women-owned businesses to compete for a chance to win funding. Pitch Competition finalists included Equability, Good Mood Treats, The Village App, Tiny Fish Co., and XpertPatient, LLC.

During this live, “Shark Tank”-style competition on November 9, a panel of judges and attendees watched each finalist present a three-minute pitch and then answer questions from the judges about their business model, target market, and operations strategy

Judges ultimately determined that Equability was the winner, an online clothing modification service for individuals with disabilities. It was launched in 2020 after their research had identified lack of adaptive clothing as a barrier to social and professional participation. Equability gives people the ability to conveniently modify clothes to suit their style and lifestyle.

Founder and CEO, Hilary Pham, won a $5,500 cash prize funded by the Stevie Awards and Autumn Consulting, LLC, as well as a certification from Certify My Company (a $4,800 value).

Access the 2022 Conference Sessions On-Demand
Did you miss this year’s conference? You can register to watch the replays of over 25 panels, workshops, including our opening keynote for just $39.

On-demand attendees will have access to the 2022 virtual Women|Future Conference platform through November 2023. The platform includes three days of sessions and lists of speakers, attendees, and sponsors that participated in #WomenFuture22.

Special Thanks to Our 2022 Sponsors and Partners​
We are proud to partner with the following publications, media outlets, and organizations that share our mission in supporting women in business.

If you are interested in sponsorship opportunities for the 2023 Women|Future Conference, sign up here to get notified of the 2023 prospectus release.

 

We are excited to announce that Rashmi Verma, Global Head of Diversity & Inclusion at HUGO BOSS, will be the 2022 Opening Keynote Speaker for the Women|Future Conference. The Opening Keynote will take place Tuesday, November 8, day one of #WomenFuture22 at 12:00 pm ET, followed by a live Q&A session with attendees.

The 5th annual Women|Future Conference brings together hundreds of ambitious, forward-thinking women across industries and career stages to connect and discuss key issues that impact their industries, careers, and lives.

HUGO BOSS is one of the leading companies in the premium segment of the global apparel market, employing 13,800 individuals representing 112 nationalities. As the Global Head of Diversity & Inclusion, Rashmi develops creative methods to increase team engagement while establishing an inclusive culture across the company globally.

Rashmi’s life and career have spanned continents. She grew up in India in a conventional family yet managed to excel in the tech industry. She started her career working for General Electric (GE) where she led and drove multiple high-profile strategy projects within various GE businesses. Rashmi paused her career around 2008 to focus on raising her son. The family moved to Germany soon after, and Rashmi navigated the difficult task of raising her child in a strange country with a drastically different culture and language.

Rashmi spent the next 10 years at SAP, a German multinational software company, serving in multiple positions of increasingly higher levels of responsibility. During this time, she expanded her personal and professional networks in Germany and pivoted to her current role at HUGO BOSS.

But being a mother and holding a high-level role at a global fashion giant were not enough; Rashmi also launched her own business recently. YogaDaan is a charitable organization that offers yoga classes to raise money for a school for the underprivileged and differently abled children in India.

In her Women|Future Conference Keynote, "Dream Big & Chase It," Rashmi will share how she navigated these work and life challenges, including managing cultural differences and experiences, and ways to carve out possibilities and dreams along the way. The session aims to inspire attendees to dream big and show them how to chase those dreams wholeheartedly.

Keeping with our tradition of past Stevie® Award winners keynoting the conference, HUGO BOSS is a multiple-time Stevie winner in the Stevie Awards® for Great Employers for COVID Response and HR Achievement in 2019 and 2020. The organization also won three Gold Stevies in the 2021 German Stevie® Awards.

What to Expect at the 2022 Women|Future Conference

Hundreds of ambitious women business leaders, entrepreneurs, and executives from around the world will be tuning in to the fifth annual Women|Future Conference November 8-10, 2022. The Women|Future Conference is a professional and personal development, learning, networking, and mentorship conference hosted by The Stevie® Awards.

The agenda features over 20 panels, workshops, and breakout sessions hosted by 70+ women CEOs, founders, small business owners, entrepreneurs, thought leaders, coaches, and executives from organizations such as Accenture, Goldman Sachs, Hilton, IBM, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Nestle, T-Mobile, and others. 

Below is a partial list of the 2022 Women|Future Conference panels, sessions, and workshops.

• Building Your Community of Mentors​​​​​​​​
• Crafting and Delivering the Perfect Pitch
• Cultivating an Inclusive Workplace: How Diversity Creates Opportunity​​​​​​​​
• FearLESS: Facing Adversity ​​​​​​​​
• Generational Work Styles: Understanding the Old and the New​​​​​​​​
• “Shark Tank” style pitch competition for newly founded woman-owned businesses​​​​​​​​
• Silencing Self Doubt: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome​​​​​​​​
• Strategic Storytelling: Advertising and PR Tactics for Your Business​​​​​​​​
• The Balancing Act: Self-Care and a Sustainable Work Life
• The Next Generation of Tech​​​​​​​​
• The Ever-changing World of Social Media
• The Evolution of Connection: In-person vs Virtual Networking
• The Snowball Effect: How Women-Led Businesses Create an Impact
• Think Like an Investor: How to Get the Funding You Deserve​​​​​​​​
• Turning Passion into Profit
• ...and many more.

To learn more about the conference, keynote, other speakers, and registration, visit www.womenfuturconference.com.

Registration for the Women|Future Conference is OPEN.

•  Get $15 off registration by using promo code RASHMI15 at checkout
• Groups of three (3) or more who register together get 10% savings with our group discount
• Student tickets are $39, with proof of a valid student ID

The Women|Future Conference is an annual learning and networking event for women professionals hosted by the Stevie® Awards. The 2022 conference will take place virtually from November 8-10, 2022.

Do you or someone you know run a women-owned business founded in November 2019 or later? All eligible individuals are invited to enter the third annual Women-Owned Business Pitch Competition. This is an opportunity for female founders to advertise their business, improve their communication and presentation skills, network with like-minded attendees, and compete for a cash prize. 

Interested applicants may enter by submitting an application by the October 3 entry deadline. There is no fee to enter. The competition will take place during the 2022 Women|Future Conference on Wednesday, November 9.

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 competition. 

Pitch competition finalists will have opportunities to:

• Learn how to craft the perfect pitch to investors and concisely and eloquently present their business model
• Receive one-on-one mentoring about how to present their best pitch prior to the competition
• Network with judges and fellow pitch competition competitors
• Receive written and real-time feedback from judges and attendees
• Attend the 2022 Women|Future Conference 

Attendees who watch the competition will learn how to pitch their own business, gain insight into the organizational structure of other women-owned businesses, vote for their favorite pitch, and connect with competitors and judges.

Pitch Competition Format

The initial pitch applications will be reviewed by the Women|Future Conference leadership team. Five finalists will be selected in mid-October and invited to participate in the virtual competition during the conference on November 9. The competition will be judged by a live panel of successful and established women entrepreneurs, business owners, and investors. 

The format of the competition is similar to ABC's 'Shark Tank' reality TV show where finalists present a timed virtual pitch about their product/service, business model, and target market before the judges and conference attendees. There will be one winner who will receive a monetary prize. The amount of prize money will be announced in October.

Sponsor the Pitch Competiton

We love working with organizations that are aligned with our mission of supporting women in business. The Pitch Competition is funded entirely through the generosity of our sponsors. Sponsorship offers visibility among a demographic of women business owners, executives, and professionals. 

For more information on available sponsorship packages, please email Ruslana@stevieawards.com or visit the conference Sponsorship and Advertising Page to request information.

What to Expect at the 2022 Women|Future Conference

Hundreds of driven women business leaders, entrepreneurs, and executives from around the world will virtually attend the fifth annual Women|Future Conference from November 8-10, 2022. The mission of the conference is to help women share insights about changes that will impact their businesses, their industries, their careers, and their lives. Attendees gain practical takeaways through panels and workshops in seven tracks that are useful for every industry:

1. Entrepreneurship
2. Future of Work
3. Leadership
4. Marketing
5. Personal Development
6. Technology
7. Workplace Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
   

The conference agenda features over 20 sessions hosted by diverse speakers from small businesses and global organizations such as Accenture, Cisco, Goldman Sachs, Hilton, IBM, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Nestle, SAP, T-Mobile, Wolters Kluwer, and others.

The sessions cover everything from how to gain traction through public relations, overcome the imposter syndrome, and think like an investor. Below is a partial list of sessions:

• Building Your Community of Mentors​​​​​​​​
• Cultivating an Inclusive Workplace: How Diversity Creates Opportunity​​​​​​​​
• FearLESS: Facing Adversity ​​​​​​​​
• Find Your Voice: Insider Secrets from Seasoned Speakers
• Legal Tips For Your Trade 
• Generational Work Styles: Understanding the Old and the New​​​​​​​​
• Silencing Self Doubt: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome​​​​​​​​
• Strategic Storytelling: Advertising and PR Tactics for Your Business​​​​​​​​
• The Next Generation of Tech​​​​​​​​
• The Ever-changing World of Social Media
• The Evolution of Connection: In-person vs Virtual Networking
• The Snowball Effect: How Women-Led Businesses Create an Impact
• Think Like an Investor: How to Get the Funding You Deserve​​​​​​​​
• Turning Passion into Profit
• …and more

Registration

Registration for the 2022 Women|Future Conference is open. Take advantage of these savings and reserve your virtual seat:

• Bring the whole team to #WomenFuture22! Groups of three (3) or more who register together get 10% savings with our group discount
  
• Student tickets are $39 with proof of a valid student ID

More About the Women|Future Conference

The Women|Future Conference is a professional and personal development, learning, and networking conference hosted by The Stevie® Awards. The conference encourages connections, professional and personal development, and mental health and wellness through motivational keynotes, educational sessions, and networking. From business professionals to inspiring entrepreneurs to executives, there are sessions for women in all stages of life that open your mind and inspire action.

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Questions?

Conference Registration and Sponsorship Opportunities
Ruslana Milikhiker, Senior Manager, Events
Ruslana@stevieawards.com

Conference Marketing and PR 
Nina Moore, Director of Marketing & Communications
Nina@stevieawards.com