TSCEO 2020 Virtual Experience (Part 2): Commencement Day 2 – LEAD!, July 28th

Leave a comment September 3, 2020 Tamika (Mimi) Miller

DAY TWO: LEAD: “To bravely trailblaze a path forward as a shining example for others to follow.”

With the energy still running high from day one, attendees leapt into day two – and were met with the thrill of two exciting announcements, as I shared my bright, new vision for the future of The Signature CEO Conference:

In 2021, The Signature CEO Conference platform will be designed to continuously educate creative entrepreneurs throughout the year, versus once a year, by hosting the annual signature event, The Signature CEO Conference, in conjunction with a new educational series, “Elevate in the Boardroom”
#TSECO2021 dates are: March 15, 16, and 17th, and will be held at The River View at Occoquan

We embarked into day two, in rousing style; with an entirely new cavalcade of captivating speakers awaiting.

KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM DAY TWO SPEAKERS:

Speaker, Britney Jeanine Canidate, Founder of Britney Jeanine & Co. | Topic: “Building a Plan Based Business & Brand”

⇨Key Takeaway: “Get clear about your business. Confusion causes customers NOT TO BUY!”

In order for you to have a better business and brand, it takes a PLAN! A plan is your “roadmap” that guides you step by step, through each aspect of your business.

Britney outlined how to craft a plan for your business in 3 focus areas:

Business (Clarity before design. Be strategic. Don’t put design ahead of the plan)
Branding
Marketing

Britney’s mic-dropping gem, “Visually branding for my business has nothing to do with me – everything to do with my people. How am I going to attract them?”

Speaker, Nadia Anderson, C.P.A and Founder of Virginia Grace Events | Topic: “All About The Benjamins” – Financial Statement, Ratio and Tax Tip Review

⇨Key Takeaway: “Having a regular practice of looking at your numbers will make you feel empowered as a business leader who is on-top-of-things.”

Nadia cleared up fuzziness around finances and boosted confidence by clarifying technical accounting in simple terms.

She delved into the following areas of business finance:

Financial Statement Review
Ratio Explanations
Taw Law
Tax Preparation Process

During the first break, we were thoroughly entertained by the Perfekt Blend Band. The band did not fail to surprise once again by performing chart topping hits, ranging from the legendary Stevie Wonder’s, Superstition to ‘A lil east coast swing’ from boy band Boyz to Men.

Speaker, Fabiola Hesslein, Founder of Tryon Entertainment | Topic: “Turn Up Your Creative Greatness…What Entrepreneurs can Learn from Entertainers”

⇨Key Takeaway: “Shift Happens. 2020 is a special year with a specific message. Old ways won’t open new doors.”

Fabiola’s words encompassed a healing appeal that reminded us that it is time to let go of operating on autopilot, and not be motivated by competition, greed and running the “rat race”.

Now is the time to transition from survival mode toward “alignment mode; that is how we tap into our creative greatness. How do we manifest ideas and opportunities that serve us?

Fabiola explained alignment as a belief system that offers:

A seamless cohesive boundless process
Ideas, encounters and relationships that best serve us and our creativity
Rewards that expand our imagination

Speaker, Lauren Constantine, Founder of Three Hellos Creative Co. | Topic: “Pinning for Profit with Pinterest”

⇨Key Takeaway: “The truth about Pinterest… Pinterest is not a social platform; it is a search and discovery platform.”

Benefits of Pinterest:

It is a search engine that holds ideas
Pinterest content is Evergreen
It levels the playing field with major brands
Pinterest is a path to purchase

According to Lauren, you should approach content by doing the following:

Set a realistic schedule
Research Keywords
Image Creation

What is your clear and concise end goal? What steps do you want them to take as they click through and evaluate your strategy

After a round of awards and special recognitions, attendees were ready for the afternoon “turnup”; that offered break out sessions to get better acquainted with industry peers and colleagues, through networking and engaging in lively discussions.

The afternoon networking activity was followed by a compelling, in-depth and very timely interview with Speaker, Bree Clarke of the Iman Project. Fireside Chat Topic: ”Diversity with Inclusion…the Culture of Business”

We had the opportunity to get to know Bree Clarke on a more intimate level; as the bridge builder and a connector who creates welcoming spaces for anyone and everyone, no matter background, ideas or opinions.

Bree achieves this by way of designing events and workshops that are focused on diversity, community, and bringing people to the table through crafts and art – “because whenever you use your hands and heart, you create something magical.”

⇨Bree shared a few action steps for creating more diverse and inclusive work environment, community and society:

“Don’t make diversity and inclusion a ‘token’, or reduce it to a hot topic or a trend. Diversity and inclusion is more than a black box, hashtag, or a committee – and more than just getting a group together to talk about something that’s going on right now.”

It is an ongoing conversation.
It’s not just a moment, or a movement; it’s a lifestyle
Brands cannot live without diversity

Speaker, Brian Green, Founder of By Brian Green | Topic: “Navigating the Dynamics of Change”

⇨Key Takeaway: The only constant thing in life is change. Change is something that happens all the time. This time, with the Coronavirus, we were hit in a visceral way. But navigating the dynamics of change are always the same. Change is an opportunity to learn and grow. Don’t view change as a hindrance.”

Brian’s mic-dropping gems:

When you’re finished changing, you’re finished.”
You should not be an entrepreneur if you are afraid of change

In order to choose focus over fear, we must:

Manage our state of mind
Stay grounded in reality
Remain flexible
Stay positive
Put things into a rational perspective
Identify a plan to respond to change
Ground yourself in your core values

Speaker, Alex Cheng, Founder of Boutique Websites | Topic: “The Holy Grail of Websites…What to look for in YOUR Website and What You can do to Improve Your Bottom Line”

⇨Key Takeaways: “What is a supercharged website?”

It’s ranking for highly relevant keywords for your business.
Love at first sight, for customers to book now
High conversions
Easy and Intuitive for users

If you better manage your own website, build a new website or improve the performance of your website, do so in a manner that attracts higher quality leads. Start with:

SEO
User experience
CTA’s

At the end of Day Two, attendees were brought on screen to smile, wave to one another, and share. We compared notes and reflected on our favorite key facts, points, or ideas that emerged from the comprehensive sessions and discussions to LEAD us forward.

The day was wonderfully topped off with evening music from DJ Derron of Washington Talent Agency.

(View full photo gallery, here. Photography by Ana Isabel Photography | Video by Capital Films DC | Day One Recap )

TSCEO 2020 Virtual Experience (Part 1): Commencement Day One, July 27th

Leave a comment August 24, 2020 Signature Concepts LLC

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.

The behind-the-scenes tech team, Jazmine Peaters of Jazmine Karess Events and Christina Galloway of Galloway Event Services ensured we were ready to launch without a hitch. And, the media team, Ana Isabel Photography and Capital Films DC, were in position to capture every exciting moment along the way!

“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)

Guest Blogger • Markel Insurance • How to Cultivate Vendor Relationships

Leave a comment August 29, 2017 Signature Concepts LLC

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.

To learn more, please visit http://www.markeleventinsurance.com/wedding-and-event-professionals or call 1-855-480-9757.

Writer, Lauren Hernandez, Markel Insurance

Guest Blogger, Markel Insurance…”Free Wedding Directories to List Your Venue”

Leave a comment March 30, 2017 Signature Concepts LLC

(One of our 2017 Sponsors, Markel Insurance, is on the blog this week! )

Listing your venue on free online wedding directories will help you reach more brides and grooms.. To help get you started, we’ve listed some website directories where brides can easily find you.

Directories to list your wedding venue

ReceptionHalls.com
This online directory is a perfect place to list your venue. It’s free with no trials or upgrade packages. Customers can find you by searching on location, capacity, amenities and budget.

WeddingVibe.com
Get your business in front of more brides by listing your venue for free on Wedding Vibe. There are additional packages you can purchase to gain more exposure.

WeddingVenueLove.com
Another great website to list your business for free with a basic profile. You can also upgrade to a paid profile that supports more portfolio images and more promotion opportunities.

theWeddingDirectory.us
This directory lists more than 700,000 wedding vendors. Create a free listing with the option of upgrading.

BridalTweet.com
Join in discussions with real brides. Set up a profile and you can start interacting by updating your status, creating a headline and sharing a blog.

Eventective.com
This website is a comprehensive resource for event planning. It lists more than 300,000 venues and services for weddings. This is also a free directory with the option to pay additional fees to participate in certain Programs the website offers.

TheVeil.co
This website offers free listings for high-end wedding vendors who cater to upscale brides-to-be.

Additional websites that offer free listings:

We hope these free online directories help you attract more brides and grooms to your venue. After you gain your clients, make sure your clients are protected with wedding insurance.

Markel offers wedding liability insurance, protecting the host and honoree from incidents such as property damage to the venue or injury to a guest. Up to $2 million in wedding liability insurance can be purchased from Markel any time at least 1 day before the event and covers the ceremony and reception, rehearsal and setup/takedown. 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.

Markel can provide you with free client materials to help raise your clients’ awareness of the benefits of event liability insurance.

To learn more, please visit http://www.markeleventinsurance.com/wedding-and-event-professionals or call 1-855-422-5944.

2016 Highlights | Day Two | The Signature C.E.O. Conference 2016

Leave a comment November 18, 2016 Signature Concepts LLC

DAY TWO:

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 of Ginger+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:

Photography Credit: Memories of Bliss Photography

Conference Founder & Producer: Tara Melvin of Perfect Planning Events

THE ATTENDEES IN ACTION:

Speaker, Maya Warburton Holihan, Owner of House of Maya bridal boutiques

The attendees dancing to a little Justin Timberlake!

The attendees in a dance off!

Speaker, Ginger Johnson of Ginger+Liz Colour Collection

Speaker, Liz Picket of Ginger+Liz Colour Colleciton

Break Sponsor, Sugar Shack Donuts

Break Sponsor, Sugar Shack Donuts

Sponsor, Gillian DeSouza of Caribbean Caterers

Speaker, Stephen Marshall of Franklin & Prokopik, P.C.

We love our Speakers!

We’re dancing again…Speaker, Tiffany Chalk, has moves!

Sponsor, Flufness, opened up the kid in everyone serving their delicious cotton candy!

Sponsor, Flufness, opened up the kid in everyone serving their delicious cotton candy!

Speaker gifts courtesy of our Sponsor, Papered Wonders.

Speaker gifts courtesy of our Sponsor, Papered Wonders.

Speaker, Dr. Antwain Goode of Tate Consulting.

Loving our Speakers!

Sponsor, DC Sweet Potato Cake had us all licking our fingers!

Giving love to our speaker, Chef Dana Eugene Herbert.

Speakers, Ginger Johnson (left) and Liz Pickett (right) of Ginger+Liz Colour Collection.

Speaker, Marilyn Crouther, Senior Vice President of Hewlett Packard Enterprise Services US Public Sector.

Julie Moran accepting on behalf of Speaker, Maya Warburton Holihan.

Speaker, Myrna P. Daramy of Mezzohead and NewlyBride.

Speaker, Dr. Antwain Goode of Tate Consulting.

Save

2016 Highlights | The Signature C.E.O. Conference | Day One

5 Comments November 14, 2016 Signature Concepts LLC

DAY ONE:

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 Center on 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.