With the vast number of panel discussions, fireside chats, webinars, talks, and conference options that exist, why does The Signature CEO Conference continuously attract and excite newcomers, while welcoming back attendees who return, invigorated, year after year?
The answer lies in the hearts and minds of loyal attendees.
Hearing from attendees, and understanding their expectations and motivations, is key. Their words empower me to strive harder, dive deeper, and dream bigger to optimize the conference event, through intellectually stimulating content enhanced by engaging, transformative experiences.
Why attend The Signature CEO Conference? As the founder and managing director, I could go on and on, expounding on all of the amazing benefits, but instead, let’s hear from one the platform’s most faithful attendees.
“I have been a fan of The Signature C.E.O. Conference since I attended my very first one. To be truthful, I mainly attended to support Tara for her first conference. However, that was one of the best conferences I had ever attended.“
Shelby’s take on the high-impact content…
“I loved that some of the speakers were not in the wedding industry, but had valuable information, strategies, and tips for business growth. As many conferences as I have attended in the wedding industry, I walked away with a notebook full of notes with strategies I could easily implement for business improvement.
Sometimes I learned something new or confirmed something that I already knew. There was information shared that could be easily implemented to see immediate changes in your business.”
Her thoughts on engagement…
“Since I missed last year’s conference, I was really looking forward to this year’s Signature C.E.O. Conference. When the decision was made to make it a virtual conference due to the pandemic, I wasn’t sure if I would enjoy it as much. I don’t particularly like staying online for long periods of time.
However, the speakers were engaging, informative, and authentic in their presentations. There was still interaction between the speakers and attendees, fun, games, and entertainment. I ended up taking tons of notes.”
Her feelings about the dynamic speakers…
“All of the speakers were great and I learned something from each one, but I really enjoyed Britney Jeanine, a creative brand consultant. She presented on building a plan-based business and brand. Her presentation was informative and authentic.
She helped me to see some mistakes I was making in my branding and confirmed some things that I was doing correctly. I loved her energy and willingness to share her expertise in such an easy to comprehend manner.”
On the ROI…
“Needless to say, I have become a loyal attendee who only missed one year due to a conflict. I love The Signature C.E.O Conference and look forward to attending next year. It is worth the investment in you and your business.”
I’m proud to share that Shelby Tuck-Horton was a 2020 Financial Sponsor Award Recipient. Her unwavering support over the years is her greatest testimony. It is a tangible demonstration of her belief that The Signature CEO Conference has the ability to change the trajectory of someone’s life by harnessing the collective power of the brightest creative minds.
DAY THREE: IMPACT: A powerful, positive and purpose-driven influence that makes a contribution towards a better future
Rested, and ready from Monday and Tuesday, our creative community tuned into day 3 anticipating more action items to enhance their personal and professional lives.
They were encouraged by emcee, Marilyn Patterson, to “Stop and Woosah”. In other words, take it all in, review notes and consider: “What steps am I going to immediately put into place?”
She emphasized identifying small changes that will make a greater impact over time.
KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM DAY THREE SPEAKERS::
Speaker, Michelle Gainey, Founder of Lemiga Events
Topic: “Having a Red Carpet Brand… Lifestyle of the Rich and Famous”
⇨Key Takeaway: “When Oprah calls you don’t want to have to get ready. Be ready.”
Michelle’s overarching theme was to always be intentional about the projects you accept. Whatever your journey is, it doesn’t have to look like everyone else’s. What’s important is that you stay true to the life you want to build. Your business should be a reflection of that. It should fit your lifestyle.
Identifying the best practices within your industry
Do the Work. There are no shortcuts in building your reputation
Have the right strategic partners
Have a unique vision. Think beyond your industry
Build your tribe
Establish trust
The agenda switched gears midday from single speaker to a Peer Panel Discussion format to further engage.
This year’s peer panel was comprised of heavy-hitters: Shaune’ Hayes of Red Carpet Ready Makeup by Shaune’ Hayes + Jennifer Domenick of Love Life Images + Benjamin Davis Yamean Studios.
Panelists covered key areas of business, such as: systems, marketing, vendor partnerships, customer relationships, personal well-being and entrepreneurship.
⇨ Key Takeaways: There were many golden nuggets of wisdom shared, but here are a few standouts:
Our identity is established by our habits
Love what you do.
Adapt to change.
Be a strong business leader/owner, understand what clients want, manage your money, and build a great team
Be brilliant. Be Brief and Be Gone
A business cannot survive if the CEO can’t thrive
During the midday break, Perfekt Blend Band had us floating on a natural high. The end of the day was drawing near, and their performance of “Before I Let Go” by Maze was a bittersweet sign that we would have to soon part ways again until 2021.
Speaker, Ticora Davis, ESQ of The Creator’s Law Firm
Topic: “Protecting Your Smarts…Business Legality Misconceptions”
⇨Key Takeaway: “The law is a sword and a shield, and if it is used correctly it can protect your business, clients and team.”
Ticora empowered our creative community by setting them on a path toward understanding how to secure their rights; especially protecting our brand: names, logos, designs or phrases. Ticora delved into:
The power and purpose of specific business entities
The essentials to include in a contract
Trustworthy places to receive trademark legal guidance
Speaker, Monica Barnett, Founder of Blueprint for Style
Topic: “Paid Marketing vs. Brand Evangelism”
⇨Key Takeaway: “Marketing is all about doing great business and building lasting connections and relationships.”
Monica clarified the differences between two of the oldest and most widely used forms of marketing: Paid Marketing and Word of Mouth; both with the end goal to increase brand awareness, visibility and awareness.
It’s not and either/or strategy. You need both. The key is to use them in the right proportions:
70% Brand Evangelism (Free walking advertisement; an ambassador that eagerly spreads the word about you without payment or being prompted)
30% Paid Marketing
Think through the pieces that define what your brand is about. What is going to differentiate your product or service?
Speaker, Natarsha Wright of Natarsha Wright Photography
Topic: “Brand Clarity for Creative Professionals”
⇨Key Takeaway: “Your mission and vision will drive everything you do in your business. Develop an authentic brand voice to master personal branding like a boss”
Natarsha warned us, “Don’t do another thing to your visual brand until you’ve built the foundational elements of your business.” First clarify:
Brand Purpose
Mission
Vision
Values
Voice
Natarsha was very transparent in showing the growth and development of her own brand identity over the years, and how she overcame old ways of thinking that her brand was “all about her” – as opposed to her new mindset, “Your brand is not about you. It is about who you serve and how.”
Speaker, Teshorn Jackson of Teshorn Jackson Photography- “Crush the Competition…Get Found Online (SEO)”
⇨Key Takeaway: “SEO is like playing sports, you can’t score a basket if you’re not in the game.”
We’re all looking for ways to level up by elevating our online presence. Teshorn shared many technical insights on how we can use SEO to better position our brands online. These are a few things to take into consideration if you’re rebranding or building a website:
Identify Your SEO Objectives
Claim your business listing
Identify Keywords you want to rank for
Use long tail keywords
Write Blogs
With his techniques, we will be able to go from not showing up on google to hopefully showing up on the first two pages.
At the conclusion of Day Three, attendees were brought on screen to share overall impressions of the mind-expanding, virtual event. An attendee remarked that having the lineup of topics top of mind, was value added – and appreciated being shown by peers how they activated various tools, techniques and strategies within their brand strategies.
Accolades were plentiful! No matter if an attendee was a seasoned business owner with 7+ years of experience or an emerging entrepreneur, more new to the game, we were all enriched by the robust wisdom imparted. We “walked away” inspired to use our lives as conduits to make an even greater IMPACT!
We bid one another a fond farewell – resonating with innovative ideas to refine our businesses for the remainder of 2020, and beyond.
DJ Derron of Washington Talent Agency sent final farewells, through a fantastic musical playlist.
Special Recognition and Acknowledgements for our Virtual Experience:
Mission Possible “Special Force Team”: Jazmine Peaters, Michelle Williams, Takisha Edwards, Christina Galloway, Mimi Miller
I would be remiss if I did not thank all of #TSCEO2020 sponsors. attendees and speakers. I am especially grateful that all of you rode this wave with me as we bravely traversed the unprecedented Coronavirus.
Every single year, I hand select each speaker, and intuitively, I know they will knock it out of the park. After witnessing this year’s presentations and absorbing the knowledge that was shared – the speakers did not disappoint! I thank each speaker from the bottom of my heart.
As a creative community, we are at the end of the 2020 virtual conference experience, but also at a new beginning to re-energize our entrepreneurial business journeys.
It is my hope that you felt that I saw each and every one of you. This platform was specifically created and curated especially for you – for every level that requires a different you. Take time to rest and digest. Then, continue to set audacious goals. Change mindsets. Build relationships.
Dare yourself to be bold each and every day.
It was a remarkable 3-days. We will continue to rise, and reconvene, fully renewed, in 2021!
If you were one of the numerous attendees of The Signature CEO Conference 2020 – Virtual Experience, you were a part of history in the making! Although I was faced with the challenge of re-aligning to a virtual event in the midst of a global pandemic that gripped the event industry, the “socially distant” world we currently live in did not discourage me. While I missed connecting face-to-face with industry colleagues, I am pleased to share, the 5th annual event was a resounding success!
The 3-day, content-rich agenda was packed with a plethora of multifaceted topics. From marketing best practices to the latest in technology, and health and wellness, there were insights, strategies, and inspiration for everyone to accelerate their business’ impact – with ample opportunities to create long-lasting connections.
The 2020 theme “Mission Possible”not only set the tone – it raised the stakes!
Attendees radically shifted their mindsets toward reaching their highest potential, by shedding limiting beliefs and re-imagining what is possible for their personal and professional lives.
The slogan: “Aspire. Lead. Impact.”encapsulated the conference’s guiding ideals. These three concepts reminded attendees to always consider the impact of their work in terms of the legacy it leaves behind and the positive implications it will have on their sphere of influence.
If you are like most of our conference attendees, you were too engrossed in the experience to fully take notes. With all the game-changing gems that were dropping, who had time? You were immersed in the sessions, live-chatting, sharing on social, catching up with old friends, networking to make new connections – and maybe even presenting? With 18+ hours of game-changing content, and over 20 fascinating speakers, sessions and activities, there was a great deal of information to absorb.
We created a 3-part blog series, to fully explore memorable moments from each day, and enable you to further ruminate, contemplate and process the multitude of ideas and concepts still buzzing in your head.
Enjoy re-living the experience! Reflect and Reminisce!
DAY ONE – ASPIRE:To direct one’s hopes and ambitions toward achieving a transformative goal for their lives, in the highest pursuit.
With a full agenda of energizing topics awaiting attendees on Monday morning, I kicked off day one to the tune of the iconic theme music from the movie, Mission Impossible. I can still hear each sharp percussive blast of brass and woodwind sounding like a charging step to get everyone pumped up!
Emcee DJ Derron of Washington Talent Agency and co-host, Marilyn Patterson of Joyous Events welcomed everyone with bright smiles and cheerful greetings.
Marilyn’s opening remarks invigorated the audience, “If you have vision, passion and hope, you are in the right place today! We are here to stimulate, elevate and activate our professional posture. We experienced a shift in the venue, but not the VISION!”
Next, I shared a heartfelt yet energizing opening keynote. I stood poised behind a sleek, acrylic podium within my home; elegantly transformed for the momentous occasion with luxe drapery and stylish balloons furnished by Fabrication Events and Anelia Rose.
“We finally made it!” my face beamed, full of enthusiasm, joy and gratitude. My next remark, “Every next level of your business demands a different you,” was the perfect motivation for what was in store for the 3 riveting days that lay ahead.
KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM DAY ONE SPEAKERS:
Speaker, Beny Blaq, Founder of Rebel Fit USA
Topic: “Be the CEO of Your Own Body”
⇨Key Takeaway: “Mindset is the Key to success! You can’t pour from an empty cup. When you are living a healthier lifestyle, you’ll have more energy and focus to do your best work.”
Beny Blaq’s whole-body plan inspired attendees to be more proactive and take greater charge of their lives.
He motivated attendees to set and achieve their goals, whether they were focused on losing weight, becoming physically fit, or simply living their best life possible!
Speaker, Tara McMullin, Founder of What Works and YellowHouse Media Topic: “Manually Managing Projects, Goals and Tasks to Create Habit & Take Ownership”
⇨Key Takeaway: “What is Ownership? Ownership is taking responsibility for how you show up, how you spend your time, and how you lead.”
Tara’s mic-dropping gem,“Vision is a filter for decision-making.” Those words resonated with our attendees, through two overarching questions that were explored:
What is the vision for your business/life?
Who are you becoming?
Next up was an electrifying live performance by Perfekt Blend Band. They raised the roof – and the energy in the room during our first break. They entertained attendees with a wide range of upbeat covers of popular music across genres. Attendees rocked in their seats, as they filled the chat box with great reviews, such as: “Whooo!” “Yes! They are great!” “The music is great!”
Speaker, Chip Dizard – Founder of Chip Dizard Weddings
Topic: “Effective Social Media Advertising (FB & IG) to Transform Prospective Customers into Loyal Ones”
⇨Key Takeaway: “Content is King but engagement is Queen and she rules the house.”
Chip demystified digital marketing by illustrating a variety of proven tactics and targeting methods. His techniques showed attendees how to transform prospects into a “team” of loyal customers.
Speaker, Jacquette Timmons, CEO of Jacquette M. Timmons & Sterling Investment Management Inc.
Topic: “The Hidden Impact of Pricing You…How to Price Your Genius”
⇨Key Takeaway: “Your business’ financial success should translate down – and have a positive impact on the health of your personal finance as well.”
Jacquette’s insights helped attendees understand how to make the right connection between our business and personal finances, by using pricing as the mechanism to do that.
She revealed how many entrepreneurs and small business owners are confined by industry pricing and market misconceptions.
Key Question: “What should I Charge for This?” The question is ubiquitous. The answer was not, as she shared her pricing framework.
Speaker, Myrna Daramy, Founder of Myrna & Co.
Topic: “Optimize Your DMO (Digital Marketing Optimization) & Build Traction for Your Business with Blogging”
⇨Key Takeaway: The Question, “Why Blog?”
Myrna delved deep into the following answer, outlined as bullet points below:
It creates dynamic content
Establish Expertise
Creates Authority
Builds Trust
Improves On-Page SEO
Optimizes Your Footprint
She successfully delivered not so easy to comprehend tech information in a way that was relatable, digestible, and easy to implement.
Speaker, Darnyelle Harmon, Founder of Incredible One Enterprises LLC
Topic: “Sales is Not a Dirty Word”
⇨Key Takeaway: “The idea of selling should not seem distasteful. It’s not about selling products, it’s about helping people become the best versions of themselves – filling someone else’s need, providing real benefits or services, or doing something useful by helping your customers. There is nothing dirty about that.”
Darnyelle’s mic-dropping gems:
“Nothing happens until somebody “serves” someone!
Think like a CEO not an entrepreneur
Success requires a posture change
Here’s a glimpse into Darnyelle’s Sales Success System:
Realize it is as honorable to sell, as it is to buy
Create Your Sales Management System
Kick Your Competition to the Curb (Rise Above the Noise and Stand Out)
At the conclusion of Day One, our creative community was challenged to fully take in their newfound knowledge. We ASPIRED to implement our new skills, to grow and evolve personally – and take our businesses to higher plateaus.
Washington Talent Agency placed the perfect musical punctuation at the end of a magnificent first day.
(additional photos of TSCEO 2020 virtual conference, click here)
The Signature CEO Conference is all about engaging its audience in the fundamentals of business intelligence that essentially equips creative entrepreneurs with the tools to run their businesses effectively and efficiently.
This video is on “End of Year Preparation”. Founder, Tara Melvin, walks you through some essential reminders of things you should be implementing to get ready for 2020! From budgets to networking strategies, to marketing strategies and beyond.
The Signature CEO Conference is all about engaging its audience in the fundamentals of business intelligence that essentially equips creative entrepreneurs with the tools to run their businesses effectively and efficiently.
This video is on “End of Year TAX Preparation”. Founder, Tara Melvin, walks you through some key essential tools that she utilizes to aid in her preparation for the upcoming tax season.
“WOW…where has the time gone? It seems like only months ago we were just jumping on the road headed to the Washington, DC to attend the Signature CEO conference…. And Why you ask? Let’s take a look…
From the time clients visit your website, search your social or even watch your videos on YouTube…it’s all about the overall client experience. There’s no better way to make this happen then investing in continued education.
Recapping our time, we’d have to say that we were able to take away things that we know we could implement into our business right away. As we always say, it isn’t just about spinning records and flashing lights!” DJ Toryn L for Exquisite Sounds Entertainment (2018 attendee and sponsor).
Register today for our 2020 Conference! March 16-18! Click Here for More Details.
Several, if not all, of my fellow creative bosses would agree that one of the most important things you can do to ensure the success of your business is to consistently seek educational opportunities to learn and expand your knowledge base. Whether the focus is on the newest trends or techniques of your creative niche or discovering new tools and systems to implement in your business, finding a workshop or conference to attend quarterly or annually can prove to be worth the investment.
Every year creatives plan to attend various conferences and workshops in search of the ultimate educational and networking experience. With so many promising to offer just that, it can be overwhelming trying to find the right conference for you and your business. One conference I have attended that has proven to be well worth the investment, is the Signature CEO Conference, organized by Tara Melvin of Perfectly Planned Events. Tara thoughtfully curates the best of the best in the creative industry to present attendees with valuable information and tools to immediately implement and take their businesses to the next level.
The inaugural conference was held in 2015, but my first time attending was the 2017 conference. I had such a positive experience that I knew I could never miss another. What I appreciated so much was the intimacy of this conference. The speakers were so engage, and they even stayed after their own presentations to learn from other industry leaders and interact with attendees. I didn’t feel lost in a sea of professionals fighting for a handshake or “usie.” Instead it felt rather inclusive and personal, especially when we were able to mix and mingle during lunch and speed networking.
I loved that each speaker presented on his or her own area of expertise, covering a broad range of topics that applied to us all regardless of our creative niche. They spoke about practical things we could apply to our business the very next day versus fluff that is only “instagram” worthy. LoL The Signature CEO Conference 2018 was simply amazing!
This year’s speaker line-up included industry gurus like the amazing Kathy Romero, Kellie Daab, Jacqueline Nwobu, and Dan Simons to name a few. The jewels that were dropped were truly invaluable. I ended each session with pages of notes and was fired up to get back to my home office to make the necessary adjustments in my business.
Monique Melton’s presentation about creating passive income definitely resonated with me. She specifically spoke about the importance of creating something that doesn’t compete with our core service/product. Instead, she implored us to study our target market to find the gaps and areas that can be improved by understanding the frustrations of our audience. It got my wheels turning, and I’m already considering adding a new service/product that will compliment what I currently do.
Patrick Teague dived deep into the basics of copyrighting and how to recognize copyright infringement. He also gave steps on how to obtain copyrights for things such as pictures, videos, and other digital products online. He also touched on social media since that’s how the majority of us share our work with the world.
The panel discussion focused on the grit and grace of being an entrepreneur also resonated with me. They discussed the sacrifices made in order to get ahead, the hardest lessons they’ve learned, and shared so many examples of ways to practice self care while being an entrepreneur. Each panelist was very transparent about their journey and their struggles, giving examples of challenges they had overcome to get where they are today. Their candid responses were heartfelt and relatable.
Although each speaker focused on very specific topics, there were a few points that were consistent among them…
~Outsource and get help in areas where you know you are not the expert…Abby Grace touched a lot on this.
~Utilize tools that will help you stay organized and on top of things, such as processes and systems to help you streamline. Nicole Peck of Bizbash and Jacqueline Nwobu, CEO of Munaluchi Bride gave us some amazing apps we can use.
~Be ready to pivot and change often because there’s no one size fit all model. Adjust with the industry and determine ways to stand out as a brand! Kellie Dabb talked about becoming known for one thing (niching down), and creating a smooth client experience unlike the rest by starting with a clear message and delivering the luxury to your client by providing the VALUE.
~Authenticity goes a LONG way, especially on social media and when building lasting relationships with people. Network = your net worth!
The Signature CEO Conference is perfect for established and newbie creative professionals. I would recommend this conference to anyone who is looking to learn from some of the best in the industry. At this conference, you get so many practical steps you can take and apply immediately. The speakers are experts in the areas they present, and they provide great information on ways to improve on what you’ve already established.
In addition to the amazing educational opportunity, you can expect to laugh and catch up with old business buddies. Expand your business network by meeting new people and laying a foundation for cultivating new relationships. You will learn so much from others who ask questions and share their thoughts on different topics.
You’ll find yourself opening up to fresh new perspectives that may allow you to see things in your business that you’ve never seen before. You are guaranteed to walk away with the motivation you need to finish the year off strong and plan for the next year. At the end of each conference, I’ve left with a feeling of “I CAN DO THIS!”…Just knowing I have people there that will genuinely cheer me on means the world.
Oh, and I forgot to mention how fabulous the welcome party was! It’s a great time to let your hair down and be a guest at an event when we are usually on the other end.
So…are you sold??
Great news! Early registration is now open for Signature CEO Conference 2019. I’ll see you there!
In the event planning business, you will be working with a variety of vendors. It is important to have good working relationships so you can be successful. Here are some tips to help you establish these essential relationships.
5 tips to better vendor relationships
Expect to pay fair market value
Yes you want to give your clients a deal, but not at the expense of another vendor losing out. It is important to understand pricing in the event industry, so that you can negotiate fair pricing for both your client and the vendor you are partnering with. Do not expect special deals beyond what is reasonable. The vendor will be much easier to work with if you see their side of the business too.
Refer other business to them
You already have your finger on the pulse of the event industry and most likely know other local event planners. If you like working with a particular vendor, reach out to your other industry contacts and recommend your preferred vendor to them. The vendor will appreciate the business and may give you better discounts in the future. They may also return the favor.
Write glowing reviews
In addition to personally referring business to great vendors, take the time to write a favorable review for them on popular sites like Google and Yelp. This will make you appear more favorable in their eyes and they may in turn write a review for you too.
Respect their opinion
You know a lot about event planning and have many opinions on vendors and their services. It’s important to let other vendors in the industry have a voice too. They are in their respective businesses because they have an expertise. When you are open to their views and vision for their part of the event, you will cultivate a great working relationship. This doesn’t mean giving in to ideas that won’t work for your client, but there might be some value in their thoughts that you hadn’t considered.
Give thanks and praise
You both have jobs to do, but it’s always nice to be thanked for services even if the service is expected. A “thank you” can go a long way, especially when it comes to establishing mutual respect and trust. In addition, it’s a nice gesture to praise a vendor for an excellent job in front of your client or potential clients. This could lead to more business for them.
We hope these tips help you foster great relationships with vendors. When you cultivate relationships, you also start sharing best practices. Consider informing them about event insurance. They will thank you.
Markel offers event liability insurance to hosts and honorees, protecting from incidents such as property damage to the venue or injury to a guest. Up to $2 million in event liability insurance can be purchased by your client from Markel any time at least 1 day before the event. Policies start as low as $75.
By offering Markel Event Insurance, it will not only protect your clients, but it can also protect you by potentially decreasing your own business liability risk for accidents due to negligence of the event host or honoree. Markel Event Insurance is an easy and affordable solution for your clients – a free quote takes only a few minutes online or on the phone – turning you into a one-stop-shop for your clients.
Have a website? You can receive a $25 gift card simply by placing a Markel Event Insurance link on your website. Email maicmarketing@markelcorp.com to learn more!
If you don’t have a website, Markel can also provide you with brochures to help raise your clients’ awareness of the benefits of event liability insurance.
After a very energized and fruitful day of knowledge from day one of The Signature CEO Conference, the attendees were ignited to continue on with day two to engage with their colleagues to learn more of the behind the scenes business acumen to make them stronger leaders and business owners.
THE SPEAKERS:
To get the crowd motivated early in the morning, industry mogul, Maya Warburton Holihan of House of Maya boutiques, led the crowd with a dance move to the song of Justin Timberlake’s, “Can’t Stop the Feeling.” After a few moments of everyone grooving to the beat, Maya, settled everyone down and led them on the journey of the challenges of an entrepreneur with her lecture on, “Leading Through Crisis, Change, and Growth.” We journeyed through every type of scenario from personnel to environmental to political to social. After an analysis of each of these types of crisis, Maya coached the attendees on how to manage crisis identifying successful leadership characterstics, and how to lead with integrity.
Our Featured Keynote Speakers, Ginger Johnson & Liz Pickett ofGinger+Liz Colour Collection, addressed the group on How to Build a Product or Service that your Target Audience will Love! This dynamic duo is not only fierce in the beauty industry but leaders across the board for entrepreneurs. Ginger and Liz focused on profitability, benefits your brand offers, need vs demand, and so much more. Their lecture embodied the cycle of product or service development to inspire your customers to work with you.
Legal eagle, Stephen Marshall of Franklin & Prokopik, PC, had everyone mesmerized with the language of contract law discerning Contractor vs. Employee!!! Talk about engagement, the attendees were hanging on to his every word and taking note. Attendees were informed about the proactive steps to protect their business from contractors and employees, the unique difference between contractor and employee, and the risks for their business based on the actions of independent contractors and employees.
“How To Become a Person of Influence with your Industry” was coached by Marilyn Crouther, Senior Vice President and General Manager, of Hewlett Packard Enterprise Services U.S. Public Sector. An Executive with endless accolades and years of experience in leadership, was the right person to lead a lecture on this subject (if you saw her resume, you’d understand why). Marilyn outlined and perfectly narrated the power and vision of action, merging passion and authenticity, and understanding the importance of one’s influence. Attendees left inspired and fully committed to become not only better business owners but business leaders.
After lunch, attendees were had the opportunity to learn about SEO, the evolution of the website and what it means to establish a digital brand, and new insight of having a web presence. This was all under the direction of Myrna P. Daramy, CEO of Mezzohead and NewlyBride. Attendees walked away with an empowerment of knowing that they were equipped with the tools to make better decisions for the growth of their business online.
Being prepared to master your dreams through finding your purpose was the platform of Dr. Antwain Goode’s lecture on day two. Dr. Goode, founder of Tate Consulting, led the group down the path of personal development by redefining your purpose, positioning, attracting mentors, knowing your true north, reflection and how to take the next step of action. Another inspiring lecture to take your business to the next level.
To complete our two days of valuable knowledge and growth, Chef Dana Eugene Herbert, of Desserts by Dana, took the stage to lead with our final lesson of business intelligence, “6 Things Every Business Owner Must Have in Place”. Dana circled the spectrum from personal appearance, to friends in business, to developing a strong team, to developing definitive company goals, to having a checks and balance system, and more.
summary:
The Signature C.E.O Conference is an educational platform to empower wedding and event professionals to be the best of the best in their professions. The foundation is built upon solid business intelligence to stimulate and strengthen the mindset of leadership and entrepreneurship, and to build the character of one’s intelligence to dominate in their field and build and bridge their network of professionals to thrive in this diverse industry. The core competencies focus on:
Branding & Marketing
Business Financial Planning
Business Technology
Legal & Contracts
Business Best Practices
Productivity & Business Management
Business Innovations
Small Business Entrepreneurship
We enjoyed connecting with new and old friends, and most importantly valued the time and education that was conveyed by each of our speakers. Thank you to our dynamic Speakers and our supportive cast of Sponsors that helped to make The Signature CEO Conference 2016 a SUCCESS!!!!
OUR SPONSORS:
Special thanks to all of our collaborative Sponsors that helped to make the the conference a success:
The Signature C.E.O. Conference this year was held on the beautiful grounds of The University of Maryland campus at The Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Centeron October 31st and November 1st of this year. The stage was set to bring together event professionals near and far of diverse professions with one goal in mind – to enhance their business acumen and to excel at business leadership.
THE SPEAKERS:
On Day One, the energy level was high! Event Pros arrived totally engaged to learn new business techniques and to network with new and old friends. Speaker, Jocelyn Delk Adams, award winning author and food blogger of Grandbaby Cakes, led the morning with an impactful lecture on key objectives such as following your curiosity to find purpose, developing growth and engagement, diversifying your reach and much more. Her vibrant personality and wealth of knowledge definitely set the tone for the start of the conference.
Our second speaker, Myleik Teele, not only is a social media expert but she is a successful business owner, strategist, and innovator. She is the founder of curlBOX, an exclusive monthly subscription box full of amazing products for the stylish entrepreneur. Her lecture engaged the audience on “Taking your business to the next level with Social Media”. She gave an indepth conversation on the explanation of the different social media platforms, how to drive lead generation, increase traffic to your website, incorporating brand personality and voice, embracing the visual, and much more. Attendees were ready to take on social media at the end of her talk.
Speaker, Funlayo Alabi, (Co-Founder & CEO of Shea Radiance) addressed the audience on “How to Dare to be Different.” One of her most stimulating points during her lecture stated, “The only asset that you have that is truly unique and cannot be duplicated or reverse engineered is you”. Taking that one phrase and having it as a your mantra for anything you will help you to succeed and not worry about the competition. You are your greatest asset.
Right before lunch, Dominique Broadway, guided the attendees on a step by step plan to set and reach revenue goals. Dominique, is an award-winning Financial Planner, Personal Finance Coach, Speaker, Finance Expert, Entrepreneur and the Founder of Finances De•mys•ti•fied & The Social Money Tour. Dominique stressed the fact that life is unpredictable and it is important to prepare, especially as an entrepreneur. From budgeting with inconsistent income to creating a retirement plan to the best ways to separate business and personal finances; she covered an array of financial key initiatives for smart business owners to stay on track and to prepare for financial success.
The day continued with more of our dynamic speakers. Tiffany Chalk of Tiffany Chalk Events touched on that very important question that we all have circling in our minds every day – are we pricing correctly and are we pricing based on our value. Tiffany dove straight in…optimizing the pricing strategy, charging your worth – pricing to win, pricing to perform. After her engaging talk, everyone was able to define strategies to identify their ideal client, how to value their time, and how to sell their service and not their price.
AllSeated Co-Founder, Sandy Hammer, addressed having an effective technology tool kit. She identified business apps that will help business leaders to be more efficient managing their business and also save money. She stressed that technology is our friend and that without it a business will not survive. Don’t be behind the technology curve, be in front of it.
Meryl Snow of Meryl Snow Consultants definitely had the crowds attention with her infectious personality and a topic that everyone wants to perfect in their business – prospecting and closing deals! Meryl stressed 5 easy rules to follow when closing the sale – treat closing as a process, set appropriate closing objectives, let close emerge from conversation, wait for the right moment, and celebrate your success. When you are in front of your clients, always close for the sale.
To round out the end of day one, Brian Wendroff, led a discussion on the benefits of having an accounting system to manage and grow your business. Brian is the founder of the accounting firm, Wendroff & Associates and is a certified professional QuickBooks instructor. From keeping track of revenue expenses to monitoring cash flow and budgeting, to tax preparation and planning. A wealth of financial information to keep wedding pros on track and having the ability to manage their finances with an effective accounting platform.
THE WELCOME PARTY
To round out the evening, we had a wonderful celebration hosting all of the attendees, speakers, and sponsors. The evening cuisine was catered by Caribbean Caterers, dessert provided by Couture Cakes by Sabrina, floral decor by Edge Floral Event Designers, chair and tableware by Select Event Group, linens by CV Linens, and live entertainment by Tony Craddock Jr. and Cold Front Music.
Table Numbers by Fingers In Ink.
Black chairs sponsored by Tierra Floral Design.
Floral Decor by Edge Floral Event Design. Ghost Chairs by Select Event Group.
Menus by Fingers In Ink. Chargers by Select Event Group. Linens by CV Linens.
Linens by CV Linens.
Cake by Couture Cakes by Sabrina.
Entertainment, Tony Craddock Jr & Cold Front Music.
OUR SPONSORS:
Special thanks to all of our collaborative Sponsors that helped to make the the conference a success:
attract and excite newcomers, while welcoming back attendees who return, invigorated, year after year? 
Shelby’s take on the high-impact content…
plan-based business and brand. Her presentation was informative and authentic. 
