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.

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.

 

The Women|Future Conference has selected five women-owned businesses to compete in the Women-Owned Business Pitch Competition this year. Registered attendees can watch the competition live on November 9 at 12:00 PM ET.

This “Shark Tank”-style pitch competition provides a platform for a select group of women-owned businesses to compete for a chance to win funding support for their businesses and initiatives, and provides the opportunity for international exposure to hundreds of attendees.

Over 200 applicants applied for entry, but only five finalists were selected by the Women|Future Conference leadership team to present their pitches, face questioning, have their pitch evaluated by a panel of judges, and win funding! The winner of the competition will be announced at the conference November 10 at 2:25 PM.

The 2022 Women-Owned Business Pitch Competition finalists are:

Equability
Equability is 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.

Good Mood Treats
Good Mood Treats specializes in curating baked goods that uplift customers’ mood by infusing them with healthy ingredients. Each treat box includes a positive affirmation in hopes of combating issues with mental health and providing a good mood boost. Their mission is to spread love, positivity, and mental health awareness through their treats.

The Village App
Born out of necessity during the COVID pandemic, The Village App seeks to redefine how people use technology and create a modern-day equivalent of a healthy, happy village community. The app encourages collective coordination, enabling users to connect with others in their community who are offering or seeking neighborly assistance and connection.

Tiny Fish Co.
Tiny Fish Co. aims to inspire the canned fish industry by sharing products that are sustainable, flavorful, and tell the fish’s story from water to tin. Their focus is on the tiny fish from the Pacific Northwest and encouraging consumers to create environmentally conscious eating habits.

XpertPatient LLC
XpertPatient was founded to help people new to a cancer diagnosis feel empowered through personalized education and support. With all education developed from authoritative sources such as the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Guidelines, XpertPatient has been purposely designed by nurses, doctors, and patients to help individuals with cancer achieve the best treatment results possible, clinically and financially.

The Pitch Competition will be hosted by Emmy Award-winning broadcaster Sharon Delaney McCloud, a TEDx Speaker, a Certified Executive CDE, Adjunct Professor, agency owner, and a cancer survivor. With over 30 years of experience on local and national stages and online, Sharon’s goal is to help people make an impact by understanding and embracing the power of storytelling in business to move hearts and minds, and to drive better results in their business.

Sharon is a fierce advocate for women in business and develops programs designed to elevate their career trajectory. Featured in Thrive Global, Enterprising Women, Sheryl Sandburg’s Option B platform, and co-author of Keep Going, Memoirs of Strength, Courage & Perseverance, Sharon shows people how they can inspire, influence, and ignite change. Her diverse client list includes Cisco, Lenovo, Eaton, 7-Eleven, Duke University, UNC Health, Florida State University, SAS, Biogen, Merz, and many others. 

Pitch Competition Format and Judging Criteria

The format of the pitch competition is inspired by ABC's critically acclaimed, entrepreneurial-themed TV show, Shark Tank. Each finalist will present a live, three-minute virtual pitch about their product/service, business model, and target market.

A panel of four judges will evaluate each pitch using a five-point scoring rubric provided by the Women|Future Conference. The judging rubric takes into account criteria such as leadership capabilities, innovativeness, competitive advantage, maturity of the technology or product, business model, prospects, growth, response to the live questions, and preparedness for the competition.

The judges of the 2022 Women|Future Conference Pitch Competition are:

• Kim Roxie, Founder, LAMIK Beauty, and first-place winner in the 2021 Pitch Competition
• Heather Cox, President, Certify My Company
• Sree Kanuri, Senior Product Manager, DELL Technologies
• Shubhi Nigam, Product Lead, Carta Inc.

Pitch coaching and mentorship is being provided to our finalists prior to the pitch competition by Dusty Welsh, Executive Director and Lead Program Instructor at the Sister Sprout studio, which offers business and nonprofit development frameworks to guide women founders through each step of the startup process. With over 15 years of experience, Dusty Welsh provides startup founders from around the world with a 3-step magic formula for wowing judges, impressing audiences, and delivering a killer startup story. 

Funding for the Pitch Competition Winners

At the close of the competition, the winner will receive a prize package of $5,000 cash prize to grow their business, as well as a certification ($4200 value) from Certify My Company.

If you are interested in joining us as a sponsor, judge, or participant in the 2023 Pitch Competition, sign up for event updates to get notified when entries open for next year.

Sponsor the Pitch Competition and Support Women-Owned Businesses

Sponsorships are still being accepted! Sponsorship offers visibility among a demographic of women business owners, executives, and professionals.

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. Available sponsorship packages can be requested at the Sponsorship and Advertising Page.

What Else to Expect at the 2022 Women|Future Conference

Hundreds of ambitious women in business will gather virtually for the fifth annual Women|Future Conference taking place from November 8-10, 2022, with pre-conference sessions on November 7.

Hosted by the Stevie® Awards, the world's premier business awards, the Women|Future Conference is a professional and personal development, learning, networking, and mentorship conference for women around the globe. 

We are pleased to highlight Opening Keynote speaker Rashmi Verma, Global Head of Diversity & Inclusion at HUGO BOSS, one of the leading companies in the premium segment of the global apparel market, employing 13,800 individuals representing 112 nationalities. The Opening Keynote will take place Tuesday, November 8, at 12:00 pm ET, followed by a live Q&A with attendees.

Conference sessions are designed for ambitious, career-driven professionals to learn and share what’s working in their organizations, troubleshoot the challenges they collectively face, and make meaningful connections. View the Full Agenda here.

Sessions fall into seven main tracks:

• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
• Entrepreneurship
• Future of Work
• Leadership
• Marketing
• Personal Development
• Technology

The 2022 agenda includes over 80 women CEOs, founders, small business owners, entrepreneurs, coaches, and executives who will share their expertise. Conference speakers are from small businesses as well as Fortune 500 organizations including Accenture, Goldman Sachs, Hilton, IBM, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Nestle, T-Mobile, and others.

Registration for the Women|Future Conference is open. Attendees save 10% when groups of three or more individuals register together. Students may register for the Women|Future Conference at a discounted rate of $39 (with proof of a valid current student ID). Sessions are recorded and available for replay through 2022 for your convenience.👍 Get Social With the Women|Future Conference 

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Questions about the Conference?

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

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

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 third annual Women|Future Conference has announced that the conference, originally planned November 12-13 in Las Vegas, will now be presented virtually for the safety of attendees during COVID-19. Though the world is different today than it was this time last year, there is no time to waste when it comes to the advancement of women professionally and personally.

This two-day conference presented by the Stevie Awards encourages engaging connections, professional and personal development, and health and financial wellness through motivational keynotes, educational sessions, and networking. With panel discussions, plenty of networking opportunities, case studies from Stevie® Award winners, and a showcase of young women-owned businesses, this is an event you won’t want to miss!

The 2020 Women|Future Conference agenda has just been announced. Join us this November 12-13 to Cultivate Your Tomorrow and be inspired by over 100 talented, transformative women speakers from across the globe who will be leading 32 sessions, panels, and workshops. This exciting conference addresses the latest innovations and impending changes in areas such as technology, sustainability, career planning, diversity in the workplace, leadership, crisis management, and so much more.Stevie Awards President Maggie Gallagher added,

“We started this conference three years ago to compliment the Stevie Awards for Women in Business program, and now it has evolved to serve women on a larger scale. The conference will address topics beyond the future of work for women; it focuses on today's trending topics and current issues from the female perspective, hosted by speakers from various industries and backgrounds, from corporate to small business owners, to entrepreneurs.”

Stay tuned for updates about the conference as it comes together, including the announcement of our keynote speaker later this summer.

Conference Topics Include:

• Business Chemistry! Using Science to Improve the Art of Relationships Workshop by Deloitte
• Overcoming Personal Adversity
• Conquer Crisis. Train Like a Triathlete. Body + Mind + Business
• Balancing Motherhood + Business: for "Mompreneurs" and Working Moms
• Financial Wellness: Your Relationship with Money
• Diversity & Inclusion: The Importance in Your Workplace
• Pushing Your Envelope: How to Overcome Imposter Syndrome Once and For All
• Women Driving the Future of Tech: How AI, VR, and Robotics Will Be the Norm
• Create Joy in Your Career on Your Own Terms
    ...and many more.

Now that we’ve gone virtual, there’s a new lower cost with incredible value - just $199! The virtual platform replicates the beloved in-person networking, workshops, and panels. Register for the conference now to reserve your spot.

What’s New for the 2020 Conference?

• Showcase of young women-owned businesses
• Business pitch competition
• One on one networking: the virtual conference platform has AI matchmaking capabilities to match you with different attendees, sponsors, sessions, and workshops based on your commonalities
• Women|Future Conference Exclusive Webinar Series leading up to the conference

Connect With Us!👍

Twitter: https://twitter.com/WomenFutureConf

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/womenfutureconference/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WomenFutureConference/

About the Stevie Awards

Stevie Awards are conferred in eight programs: the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, the German Stevie Awards, the Middle East Stevie Awards, The American Business Awards®, The International Business Awards®, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, the Stevie Awards for Great Employers, and the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. Stevie Awards competitions receive more than 12,000 entries each year from organizations in more than 70 nations. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevie’s recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about the Stevie Awards at http://www.StevieAwards.com.

 

The COVID-19 pandemic has altered the ways we think about our routine habits and work environments, among other lifestyle practices. For businesses large and small around the world, the importance of putting people over profits has heightened. The mission of the Stevie Awards is to honor and generate public recognition of the achievements and positive contributions of organizations and working professionals worldwide.

We’d like to recognize some of the ways that Stevie Awards for Women in Business winners and 2019 Women|Future Conference attendees have pivoted their services, products and strategies to help individuals, businesses and communities impacted by the virus.

While thousands of Stevie Award winners are doing incredible work in their fields during this time, here are six that make the top of our list:

1. Arco + Associates, St. Louis, MO

  

Andrea Arco is the founder and CEO of Arco + Associates, LLC, a marketing communications firm based in St. Louis, MO that serves clients nationwide. Her company is a 2019 Silver Stevie® Award for Women in Business winner in the Women-Run Workplace of the Year category. Andrea also served as a panelist during the 2019 Women|Future Conference Panel – “The Significance and Simplification of Being Strategic.” Since March 2020, the Arco team has been offering an incredible value of free 30-minute virtual consultations to any business executives and owners looking for strategic marketing advice during this time. The sessions cover everything from messaging to clients, talking through fears, remote working strategies, bounce back marketing strategies, and more. Learn more about the Arco + Associates COVID-19 response here.

 

2. ScriptDrop, Columbus, OH 

 

ScriptDrop is a nationwide prescription delivery startup. The company’s president Amanda Way is a Silver Stevie® winner for the Women in Business Awards category Female Entrepreneur of the Year – Business Services. ScriptDrop has recently switched from solely a business-to-business model to a consumer-facing one. Its prescription delivery service is making a difference in the lives of all patients who are sheltering at home without a way of getting required medications by enabling pharmacies to deliver directly to customers’ homes. ScriptDrop Founder Nicholas Potts explained this shift during this April 21^st  interview with Fortune: “The coronavirus pandemic has meant a sevenfold increase in order volumes—and the execution of a multiyear business plan in just six weeks.” Learn more.

 

3. Jeunesse Global, Lake Mary, FL

 

Jeunesse Global is a global direct selling company with a mission to impact the world by helping people look and feel young, while empowering each other to unleash their potential. The company’s exclusive skin care and nutritional products are available in more than 145 countries around the world. Jeunesse Founder and Chief Operations Officer Wendy Lewis is a Gold Stevie winner for Female Entrepreneur of the Year – Business Products. Jeunesse has added new products to its Youth Enhancement skincare line in response to COVID-19. The newest addition is the AlōClnz Hand Sanitizer single use packets. Jeunesse also recently donated $500,000 USD to COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund. Learn more.

 

4. Income Access (a Paysafe Company), Montreal, Quebec (Headquartered)

  

Income Access is an affiliate software provider, digital marketing agency and affiliate network that serves the iGaming, lottery and forex industries. The company received a 2019 Bronze Stevie Award for Women in Business in the Women-Run Workplace of the Year category. During the COVID-19 outbreak, Income Access key leaders have been hosting webinars about how to create a contingency plan and maintain affiliate marketing business during trying times. Income Access SVP and General Manager, Tara Wilson recently spoke on the April 22, 2020 free webinar Business as Unusual. Making Remote Work 'Work'  about keeping teams productive and connected from a distance. Tara Wilson was a Moderator on the 2019 Women|Future Conference panel “The Art of Inclusion: How to Craft Your Company's Diversity Mosaic” and is currently serving on the 2020 Women|Future Conference Advisory Board.

In addition, Paysafe has been providing solutions for small business that want to pivot their model to include an online scheduling or order ahead service using POS systems. For businesses not currently operating a sophisticated POS system, Paysafe works with their payment services provider to launch lightweight solutions such as Clover Go or Clover Flex.

 

5. TriageLogic Group, Jacksonville, FL

 

Triagelogic is a URAC-accredited physician-led company that offers leading-edge solutions for patient care management including emergency healthcare solutions that can be implemented quickly for remote monitoring. Dr. Charu Raheja is the co-founder and CEO of the TriageLogic. She and her team are working tirelessly to help as many healthcare organizations as possible during this crisis. TriageLogic is offering free COVID-19 Protocols to doctor’s offices and hospitals to efficiently triage those who may have been exposed or who are concerned about the virus. The company CTO spoke on live TV network News4Jax to explain the do's and don'ts of wearing a protective face mask. If you need help setting up a #COVID-19 hotline, contact info@triagelogic.com or call (855) 734-4463.

TriageLogic Group and Dr. Charu Raheja are 2018 Stevie® Awards For Women in Business winners. TriageLogic is a Silver Stevie® Award winner in the Company/Organization Awards category, and Charu is a Gold Stevie® Award winner in the Individual Awards category for Women in Business. Dr. Charu Raheja was a breakout session speaker at the 2019 Women|Future Conference; her session was titled “Finding Your True Self and Meaningful Support at Work.”

 

6. Noonday Collection, Austin, TX

 

Noonday Collection designs and sells jewelry and accessories made by Artisans in some of the world's most vulnerable communities. The company partners with Artisan Businesses through fair trade, empowering them to grow sustainably and to create dignified jobs for people who need them. Noonday announced on April 21, 2020  that they are partnering with @nokidhungry to help end childhood hunger. In a time when schools have closed their doors, kids in need have missed millions of school meals that their families rely on. They are also running contests on social media to nominate healthcare workers to receive healthcare packages and work appropriate Noonday accessories. Noonday Founder and Co-CEO Jessica Honegger is a 2019 Gold Stevie® Awards for Women in Business winner in the category Female Entrepreneur of the Year- Business Products.

 

About the Stevie Awards for Women in Business

The Stevie Awards for Women in Business are the world’s premier business awards for female entrepreneurs, executives, employees, and the organizations they run. All organizations and individuals worldwide are eligible to submit entries to the competition. The awards feature categories to recognize achievement in many facets of work life, including:

• Entrepreneur Awards
• Executive Awards
• Achievement Awards
• Management Team Awards
• Company of the Year Awards
• Communications & Marketing Awards
• PR Awards
• Media Awards
• New Product & Service Awards
• Website & App Awards
• And More

More than 200 professionals around the world will participate in the judging process, and entrants have access to all of the judges’ comments and suggestions about their entries; an invaluable resource! Finalists are announced in early October 2020, and the Gold, Silver and Bronze Stevie winners will be revealed during the Las Vegas award ceremony on November 13, in conjunction with the 2020 Women|Future Conference.

 

Interested in nominating your business in the 2020 Stevie Awards for Women in Business? 

 

About the Women|Future Conference

This two-day conference for women encourages engaging connections, professional and personal development, and health and financial wellness through motivational keynotes, educational sessions, and networking. The mission of the Women|Future Conference is to help women share insights about the changes that will impact their businesses, their industries, their careers, and their lives.

Speakers and topics address the latest innovations and impending change in areas such as technology, sustainability, career planning, social media, government regulation, access to capital, and more. With panel discussions, a must-see keynote, plenty of networking opportunities, case studies from Stevie® winners, and a showcase of young women-owned businesses, this is an event you don’t want to miss! Learn more.

 

Registration is open for the 2020 Women|Future Conference, November 12-13 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.