Conference Breakout Sessions - Thursday, March 29
Track Keynote Presentations
Thursday, 9:15am - 10:00am
WITI Technology Track - Women and SOA: Change agents for success!
Sandy Carter, Vice President, SOA & WebSphere Strategy, Channels and Marketing, IBM
Women in IT -- look at the progress you've made in balancing high powered careers and family! In fact, the impact we are having on the IT industry is profound... and as we look ahead to the biggest emerging trend in IT -- SOA -- women are uniquely skilled to drive the results that businesses need in this area.
Businesses leveraging SOA are rapidly realizing the tremendously beneficial IMPACT that it has in their organizations -- providing the flexibility and agility to get the most value from their existing investments. Join Sandy Carter, Vice President of SOA & WebSphere Strategy, Channels and Marketing, IBM Corporation, who will clarify what SOA is, how it might affect you and share insights into how an SOA approach will help you to make a positive IMPACT on your business today and in the future. Additionally, Sandy will share her perspectives on the advances women around the world have made in the IT industry as well as thoughts on building strong communities to help expand upon this trend.
Entrepreneurial and Business Growth Strategies Track
Trish Karter, President & CEO, Dancing Deer Baking Company
Corporate Leadership Track
Blythe McGarvie, President, Leadership For International Finance, LLC
Cindi Bigelow, President, Bigelow Tea Company
The Business of Philanthropy Track
Melanie Sabelhaus, Board of Governors, National American Red Cross, Former Deputy Administrator, SBA
Session I
Thursday, 10:15am - 11:15am
Entrepreneurial Spirit & Business Growth Strategies Track
WITI Presents: A Winning Approach to Online Market Development (Part 1)
Lisa Chappell, Director, Business Management, Planning and Strategy, Technology Solutions Group, HP
Thursday, 10:15am - 11:15am
Is the Internet creating a better business environment? Is it feasible to cultivate new markets amongst the online noise and clutter? Do traditional or virtual markets better meet the growth demands of today's businesses? These questions and many others will be explored by taking a closer look at the ways in which businesses can grow market share and presence through a combination of online activities, targeted sales activity and focusing on customer segmentation.
In business, change is constant. Today's landscape is no exception. However, the pace of change has accelerated with globalization, mergers and acquisitions, and advancements in information technology. Further, as competition intensifies, businesses are pressed to be more results-oriented. To succeed, organizations must be able to adapt to this change - and that means developing new markets, winning more customers and establishing brand leadership before the competition.
So as competition intensifies, today's businesses must look beyond traditional markets for product sales and customer development. To succeed, every business must have an effective strategy that breaks down the barriers of traditional markets and drives new revenue streams.
Click Here for Part 2 of this Session...
WITI Presents: An Introduction to Business Process Management (BPM)
Julie Schieni, Insurance Practice Managing Director, Swingtide
Linda Sabot, Principal Consultant, Swingtide
Thursday, 10:15am - 11:15am
BPM and related technologies offer organizations options to improve operational efficiency, enhance service to internal and external customers, leverage and integrate disparate systems and introduce change iteratively. We present factors to consider when first evaluating whether a BPM initiative is right for your organization. We help you debunk terminology as well as understand the benefits and challenges of adopting the practice and the technology; we discuss short and long term considerations, as well as options for transitioning organizations to become more process-minded. On the technology front, we compare traditional large implementation software solutions with BPMS and why it enables you to adapt to change more quickly.
Make Mine A $Million Dollar Business® -- Finalist Presentations
Nell Merlino, Co-founder and CEO of Count Me In for Women's Economic Independence & Finalists
Thursday, 10:15am - 12:00pm
Witness 16 women business owners present their businesses to you and a panel of esteemed judges. Vote for your favorites and help us decide who will be the next Make Mine a $Million Business Award Recipients. This is the final step toward finding the first Make Mine a $Million Business program awardees of 2007. Make Mine a $Million Business, a program of Count Me In for Women's Economic Independence with founding partner OPEN from American Express®, is designed to help women entrepreneurs surpass the million dollar revenue mark by providing them money, mentoring, marketing and technology tools to help them grow their micro businesses into million dollar companies. Note: the above session only will run from 10:15am - 12:00pm
Alpha Dogs: How your Small Business Can Become Leader of the Pack
Donna Fenn, Author
Thursday, 10:15am - 11:15am
There are Alpha Dog companies in every sector of the economy - entrepreneurs in a variety of industries from all over the United States whose companies appear quite ordinary, even mundane, but who have moved to the head of the pack. What does it take for these businesses to achieve spectacular success? Here's a hint: their genius lies not in what they do, but in how they do it. Author Donna Fenn will share the insights, strategies, and lessons that she discovered through more than twenty years of writing about entrepreneurs and small business trends and by visiting hundreds of small companies including what she calls ordinary or 'real world' businesses - the kinds of companies that you'll find in virtually every big city or small town in America.
The Art of Networking On and Offline
Marilyn Edelson, President, Ontrack Coaching & Consulting, Inc and Managing Director, E-Women-Network
Diane Darling, Founder & CEO, Effective Networking, Inc.
Fran Dichner, President & C.E.O., R&L Associates, Inc and The Aries Group, and President, Massachusetts Chapter of NAWBO (National Association of Women Business Owners)
Ja-Naé Duane, President & Founder, Wild Women Entrepreneurs
Thursday, 10:15am - 11:15am
Networking today is both "high tech and high touch." Women want and need connection in their lives. More than merely an alternative to old boys' networks, women's networking aims to help women reach their full potential in business and in life through sharing the tools, ideas and networks women need to assume leadership positions, while having fun, remaining feminineÊand even being "fearless, fabulous females."
Our panel of experienced professionals, all of whom have all mastered the art of networking, will teach you how to work both a room and your keyboard to make powerful connections that lead to more business.
Corporate Leadership Track
Green Buildings & Sustainable Businesses: A Survey of the Latest Trends
Ellen Watts, Principal, Architerra
Sarah Hammond Creighton, Program Director, Tufts University Climate Change Initiative
Liz Short, Special Assistant to the President, Stonyfield Farms
Michelle Anderson, Founding Executive, DIRTT (Doing It Right This Time)
Thursday, 10:15am - 11:15am
Organizations are advancing green buildings and green business practices to increase their profitability, marketability, and social impact. Today's leaders need to understand what it means to be green and what it takes to get there. In this session, a select panel of professional, institutional, and corporate representatives will survey the latest sustainability trends affecting all companies and institutions. These trends include green building design and construction, sustainable office furnishing, organic foods, hybrid cars, alternative energy, and organizational environmental initiatives. Participants will learn strategic opportunities and practical lessons related to green buildings and green businesses, and also be invited to share how their organizations are advancing sustainability initiatives.
Simmons Presents: Yes, And...: Negotiating the Conditions for Leadership Success
Deborah Kolb, Deloitte Ellen Gabriel Professor for Women and Leadership, Simmons School of Management; Faculty Affiliate, Center for Gender in Organizations; Ph.D.
Thursday, 10:15am - 11:15am
Women negotiate all the time. Although we associate negotiation with formal agreements and contracts, often the most important negotiations occur in the everyday work we do at our companies. When we take on new leadership roles, the need to negotiate becomes even more important. We need to negotiate to ensure that the role fits our strengths and abilities, that we have the visible backing of key leaders, that we have the resources that will enable us to perform effectively without sacrificing the rest of our lives. We need to claim the credit for what we do so that our contributions are not invisible when it comes time to hand out rewards and assignments. Unfortunately, because of some faulty assumptions about what is negotiable and what is not, many of these opportunities are not recognized. In this workshop, Deborah Kolb will discuss four highly effective strategic negotiating moves - preparatory, positioning, process, and appreciative moves-that women can use to get what they need to be successful in any leadership role.
Babson Presents: Entrepreneurial Thinking Within Organizations
Joanne Hyland, President & Founding Partner, Radical Innovation Group
Kathleen McCormick, Project Lead, NOVA Chemicals Corp.
Thursday, 10:15am - 11:15am
Entrepreneurs inside organizations? Absolutely! We know that the same "entrepreneurial spirit" (and talent) that makes women so successful at starting and leading their own companies, can also help make you successful inside traditional organizations as leaders of innovation and change. Join the renowned industry expert, Joanne Hyland, President and Founding Partner of the Radical Innovation Group, whose successful work with organizations can help you identify and make the most of your own "entrepreneurial" leadership.
Gaining Career Traction: Building Alliances That Ensure your Success
Brigid Moynahan, Founder & President, The Next Level
Thursday, 10:15am - 11:15am
Research shows that many working women concentrate solely on performance while overlooking the importance of cultivating relationships that will move their careers forward. In this hands-on session, participants identify a career goal, create a networking plan, and practice "speed mentoring" to gain insight and support from one another. As a result, they leave with a clear networking strategy and a list of allies to guide them in advancing their careers and contribution.
Living and Leading with VICTORY
Christine Martinello, Founder & CEO, Training Solutions International
Thursday, 10:15am - 11:15am
Christine Martinello is an international speaker, best-selling author, and coach. She has helped thousands of people worldwide to live their unique legacy. Do you want to lead with confidence, overcome obstacles, and learn new, cutting edge leadership skills? If so, Christine will share the 7 most important skills to be a 'Victory Chick' - powerful insights you can apply at work and at home. You'll master the VICTORY Leadership Skills©:
V ~ Visioning Skills
I ~ Influential Communication
C ~ Change management
T ~ Team Building
O ~ Organizing & Balancing Your Life
R ~ Resolving Problems & Conflict
Y ~ You are valuable
In this enlightening and inspiring seminar, you'll come away with messages of transformation, empowerment and strength to help you reach your fullest potential.
The Business of Philanthropy Track
WITI Presents: How to Tap the Online Marketplace to Identify New Funding Streams
Jon Carson, Chairman & CEO, cMarket charitable auctions online
Linda Plazonja, CEO, National Kidney Foundation New England, of MA, RI, NH & VT
Mary Halpin, V.P. of Development, Arthritis Foundation-MA
Jesse Schlueter, Corporate Social Responsibility, Dunkin' Brands, Inc.
Thursday, 10:15am - 11:15am
With the number of non-profits growing and the donor pool shrinking, the nonprofit landscape is becoming increasingly competitive, particularly as it relates to fundraising. Now more than ever, non-profits need to tap the online marketplace to identify new funding streams.
Charity auctions are a time-tested non-profit fundraising tool. More than 300,000 non-profit auctions are held annually in the United States, raising between $6-9 billion a year. Approximately 98% of these are offline, one day events. Nonetheless, auctions are the most pleasurable way to give (exchange of value) and thus a common element of a successful fundraising effort.
This presentation will help attendees learn how to:
Gain easy and low-risk entry to the e-commerce arena
Widen their circle of supporters and create new opportunities for fundraising
Remove the barriers of time and the space constraints of traditional charitable auctions
Aggregate passionate and enduring communities of like-minded donors, individuals and corporate sponsors who act as benefactors and supporters
Session II
Thursday, 2:30pm - 3:30pm
Entrepreneurial Spirit & Business Growth Strategies Track
WITI Presents: Web 2.0 Digital Business & Digital Media Economy - A Beginner's Guide to The New (and Improved) Internet (Part 1)
Chantal Le Claire, Creative Marketing Solutions, Managing Director
Brian J. Friedman, Spectrum Group, Managing Partner
Chia-Lin Simmons, Co-Host of On Digital Media
Michael Lurie, Founder & CEO, Blue Mine Group
Leslie C. Reiser, Program Director, WW Interactive Marketing, IBM, Small and Medium Business
Thursday, 2:30pm - 3:30pm
Join WITI-Web 2.0 Digital Business & Digital Media Economy series as we present our panel of experts to discuss current applications, leading trends, and opportunities in the digital economy, both enterprise and consumer. In this briefing learn about the innovative technologies and applications that make up Web 2.0: social networking; blogs, wikis, podcasts, RSS feeds, consumer generated media and emerging technologies like virtual worlds.
Web 2.0 Digital Market trends to be discussed:
- Broad impact of trends & future technologies
- Leveraging Social Media in business 2.0 Marketing
- Best practices & standards of Web 2.0
- Online media programs
- Leveraging Web 2.0 technologies
- Recommendation engines
Click Here for Part 2 of this Session...
Click Here for Part 3 of this Session...
Want Success in Sales? Hire Your Intuition!
Lynn Robinson, author of "Trust Your Gut: How the Power of Intuition Can Grow Your Business" and one of the nation's leading experts on the topic of intuition.
Thursday, 2:30pm - 3:30pm
There are literally hundreds of books, tapes, and seminars that will show, tell and demonstrate everything you need to know about the practice and art of "The Sale." Everything, that is, except the most important element of all: Intuition. Lynn has used her own highly honed intuitive skills to help clients win multimillion dollar accounts. And in this exciting presentation, she'll pass along her secrets in her unique and engaging style. Participants will learn: How to motivate prospects to take action; The five questions to ask their intuition during the sales process; How to recognize the "power hunches" that will direct them to success and add to their bottom line. Enthusiasm is a message from their intuition that can help them nail the sale. (Hint: It's not as obvious as you think!)
Marketing Trends for Growing Brands
Paige Arnof-Fenn, Founder & CEO, Mavens & Moguls
Nancy Rosenzweig, President & CEO, The Natural Dentist
Gina LaRoche, Managing Director, Inspiritas
Jennifer Floren, Founder & CEO, Experience, Inc.
Thursday, 2:30pm - 3:30pm
Whether you have a product or service, you are always looking for creative ways to grow your business. What are the current strategies innovative businesses utilize to stay on their customer's radar today? What can we learn from the online and offline trends that apply to your business? Our panelists are also very active in their communities with local non profits and organizations and take a more holistic view of the creative ways they blend their business and personal goals which also happens to grow their bottom line. Come join the discussion and hear how being socially responsible is not only good for your community but also great for your business.
How to Fund Start-Up, Pre-Revenue and Early Stage Businesses (Part 1)
Stephanie Hanbury-Brown, Managing Director, Golden Seeds Angel Fund
Jean Hammond, Founder & Principal, JPH Associates
Jean Coleman-Jackson, Regional Account Manager, CIT Small Business Lending
Laurie Walsh, Micro Loan Officer, Business Assistance Manager, SEED Corp.
Deborah A. Santy, CT SBIR Program Director, Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology
Thursday, 2:30pm - 3:30pm
This discussion panel will dispel the myths about what types of funding are really available for the start-up and early stage company. Many entrepreneurs and CFO's spend too much time trying to obtain various types of funding that are not a match for their companies. Learn how to identify what stage your business is in, what sources of equity and/or debt funding options are available, and how to access those funds. A 50 minute presentation will be followed by a 10 minute Q & A period facilitated by the moderator.
Click Here for Part 2 of this Session...
Corporate Leadership Track
WITI Presents: Successful Women in a Male Dominated Industry
Peggy Lee, Chief Sales & Marketing Officer, Goodcircle, Inc.
Julie Marshall, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, USAble Life, CLU, CHC
Vela McClam-Mitchell, CEO, Market Designs LLC
Tanya Dobash Berlage, Partner, Saul Ewing LLP
Margaret Launzel-Pennes, Vice President, Events & Distributor Communications, Herbalife International
Thursday, 2:30pm - 3:30pm
The women assembled have all had their share of success in multiple male dominated industries. From Financial Services, Technology, Bio Tech and Law, not to mention CPG in last late '70s and early '80s, the panel will share their advice and experiences breaking thru the barriers that have and still exist today in both the Fortune 500 and Entrepreneurial worlds. It is a very different world today than it was when these women began their careers, but it is certainly no "piece of cake" for new women in industries such as these. Share our good times and not so good, as we examine the formulas for success, and enlighten those who don't already know about the mountains we will all still have to climb for who knows how long.
Women, Money & Power Study: Insight into Women's Relationships with Money & Investing
Maria Lindsley, Vice President of Marketing, Allianz Life Insurance
Thursday, 2:30pm - 3:30pm
Women's college graduation rates, numbers in the work force, and earning power are at an all time high. In addition, women are projected to control 60 percent of the wealth in the US by 2010. Despite these numbers, a majority of women say that they do not feel financially secure, state that they don't know enough about financial management and investing and despite all they have achieved nearly half worrying about losing their assets. To provide insight into women's relationships with money and investing, Allianz, in conjunction with Age Wave and Harris Interactive® conducted a new thought-leading study, The Allianz Women, Money, and Power Study. In this session you will hear the results of this compelling study and how it is changing the way financial institutions adapt to female financial decision-makers.
Staying on Top of the Succession Game
Jan Margolis, Managing Director & Co-Founder, Applied Research Corp.
Thursday, 2:30pm - 3:30pm
The hunt for competitive leadership often assumes that solid general management skills are more important than specific industry or organizational knowledge, with expectations running high that qualified, charismatic leaders will transform businesses - but this doesn't always equal success. It takes a couple of decades to develop an effective senior leader but it can also take less than 18 months for that newly appointed leader to be fired. And when that new leader is a woman you can bet that she is being closely observed and that the honeymoon will be short and bumpy.
Through an engaging and interactive presentation, this session will provide you with the practical steps to manage others perceptions about you - from the Board to senior leadership, peers, customers and employees - though the use of a practical and effective transition plan to help you navigate through the politics and expectation setting of your first 120 days. Your will learn the critical actions you need to take to accomplish your agenda while carving space to continue to learn and deepen your understanding of the organization and its challenges. And, you will learn how to avoid the most common pitfalls that often trap leaders into costly mistakes.
Babson Presents: Developing Women's Initiatives and Diversity Programs That Work
Anne Donnellon, Associate Professor of Management, Babson College
Susan Esper, Partner, Deloitte & Touche, LLP
Erin Motameni, Vice President, Human Resources, EMC Corporation
Thursday, 2:30pm - 3:30pm
Is your organization grappling with how to launch --- or how to grow --- affinity groups for women? This session is an opportunity to learn about the key factors that make a real difference, both for women employees and for the organization. Led by Professor Anne Donnellon from Babson College, the session will include the voices and experiences of women who are playing a key role in helping their organizations shape and enhance opportunities for women. The session will offer the most important "lessons learned" from research with over thirty organizations that have affinity groups and diversity programs, along with the "must-do's" and the "avoid at all costs" lessons from these successful initiatives.
In Search of Remarkable Leadership
Dr. Keith Merron, Founder & Managing Partner, Avista Consulting
Thursday, 2:30pm - 3:30pm
So much is written about leadership and so little is understood. Even worse, what is known about great leadership is rarely enacted Leadership is not an action - it is a place where you come from when you act. Based on this premise, for the past two years, Dr. Merron has been conducting in depth interviews with dozens of remarkable leaders throughout North America to get at the heart and soul of what extraordinarily leadership is all about. Based on his upcoming book, temporarily titled: The Golden Flame: Searching for the Heart and Soul of Remarkable Leadership, ÊDr. Merron will share his personal quest to understand the essential ingredients that make up great leadership, inviting participants to get to the heart of what matters. This presentation highlights the three most important factors that define great leadership and differentiates great leaders from the rest of the pack. Through discovering these factors and articulating them in an engaging, thought provoking way, this talk will not only tantalize one's thoughts and reach into your soul it will invite you to connect to the great leader within.
Cisco Presents: Creating a Smart Business Technology Roadmap
Lauren Ventura, Senior Director, Commercial Market Management, Cisco Systems, Inc.
Ann Johnson, Marketing Manager, Small Business Marketing, Cisco Systems
Thursday, 2:30pm - 3:30pm
As a small business entrepreneur it's important to understand the critical phases your business will go through when experiencing revenue and employee growth, Cisco Systems will provide you with valuable information on how to identify growth points in your business and why those points could be the trigger to know it's time to align your business plans to a technology roadmap. By implementing the right technology roadmap specific to your business, you will be able to streamline your day-to-day business operations, increase employee productivity, and improve customer service. Learn how other business like yours have benefited from implementing a network solution that includes IP Telephony, which integrates your phone system into your computer network, so you have a single voice and data solution which allows employees to answer their phone, pick up voice mail and respond to customers needs while traveling or working remote as if they were in the office. In addition, networking allows for sharing of critical applications such as your database and contact management system, resources (i.e. printer), files and information, as well as enabling Internet access and on-line collaboration (instant messaging). No matter what size your business is, this session will provide you with a clearer understanding of how technology can help your business grow and prosper.
The Business of Philanthropy Track
Corporate Philanthropy: How Non-Profits and Companies can Achieve Amazing Things Together
Brenda Ginsberg, Founder, Invision Consulting
Thursday, 2:30pm - 3:30pm
Over 80% of consumers are more likely to buy from a company that supports social causes they care about. How can companies and non-profits partner in new ways, to bring enormous benefit to both? This session will cover the hot topics every corporate and non-profit executive should know in this area, including strategies for: (1) Creating sustainable partnerships that make sense for both, (2) Building customer and partner intimacy/loyalty, (3) Focusing on measurement of non-profit and corporate philanthropy results, and (4) Achieving long-term success and stakeholder engagement. Corporate philanthropy can increase profits by 200%-300% of the investment, and huge social/non-profit issues can be solved, but it takes some key models and strategies to make this happen. Join us for an enjoyable and informative session, and take away valuable insights and tools to achieve the goals of your organization.
Governance & Compliance for Non-Profit Executives
Pam McElvane, President & CEO, P&L Group, Ltd.
Thursday, 2:30pm - 3:30pm
Nonprofits engaged in business activities face a variety of legal issues. Will running a business affect your tax exempt status? Who makes business-related decisions, the board or staff? In a lively, interactive format, participants in this workshop will discuss, what is the new definition of an "effective" non profit governance program for organizations launching and operating an earned income-venture. Learn how and why your current governance program has to change and measure up to the new standards. Understand what the implications and relevance of Sarbanes Oxley legislation has on nonprofit organizations, and what you as a non profit leader can do to begin the drive to change how traditional non profit boards operate and are perceived.
Session III
Thursday, 3:45pm - 4:45pm
Entrepreneurial Spirit & Business Growth Strategies Track
WITI Presents: Building Your On-Line Identity for Career and Business Success
Kirsten Dixson, Founding Partner and Brand Strategist, Brandego
William Arruda, Personal Branding Guru, Reach
Thursday, 3:45pm - 4:45pm | Friday, 10:15am - 11:15am
Digital impressions matter. Consider the statistics: 75% of recruiters use search engines to research candidates and 23% of professionals Google people before meetings. Are you digitally distinct or digitally disastrous? Whatever your starting point, building and managing your online brand is a critical business competency in the Digital Age.
Experts will offer their insight into how to leverage the Internet to build and manage your personal brand for career and business success.
Participants will learn:
Options for assessing how they are currently perceived
The three-step personal branding process
Tools & techniques for establishing and controlling your online identity
Options for dealing with digital dirt
The do's & don'ts of personal branding online
WITI Presents: Web 2.0 Digital Business & Digital Media Economy - How to Run Your Business Using Web 2.0 Applications and Services (Part 2)
Chantal Le Claire, Creative Marketing Solutions, Managing Director
Brian J. Friedman, Spectrum Group, Managing Partner
Ryan Allis, CEO & Founder, Broadwick Corporation
Martha Collins, VP Advertising, Helium
Kathleen Gilroy, CEO, The Otter Group
Thursday, 3:45pm - 4:45pm
Click Here for Part 1 of this Session...
Join WITI-Web 2.0 Digital Business & Digital Media Economy series as we present our panel of experts to discuss how we are just starting to see the profound effects of how the Internet impacts the way we interact and how we conduct our day-to-day business processes. Web 2.0 has generated the emergence of Enterprise 2.0 and produced sustainable business models that have facilitated mass adoption of business Internet applications.
Key Business Web 2.0 Market Trends to be discussed:
- Tagging, Podcasting, Blogging, Wikis
- User experience & peer review/rating
- Marketing software for enterprise
- Surveys, RSS feeds
- SaS-software as Service
- Collaboration software
Click Here for Part 3 of this Session...
Success Secrets of the Inc. 500
Jim Melloan, Project Manager, Inc 500, INC Magazine
Diane Hessan, President & CEO, Communispace
Gail Goodman, CEO, Constant Contact
Debbie Bennett, Sales and Marketing, LightWedge
Thursday, 3:45pm - 4:45pm
Last September, Inc. magazine published its 25th annual ranking of the fastest-growing privately held companies in the U.S., the Inc. 500. In its profiles of the companies that make the list, Inc. always answers two questions: What does the company do? And why has it been growing? The issue separates the companies into 24 different business categories, from Advertising and Marketing to Transportation. Separating the companies into these categories is a challenging task, as the fastest-growing companies often have unique business models that tend to defy categorization. In this presentation, Inc. 500 Project Manager Jim Melloan takes on the equally challenging task of categorizing the reasons the companies have been growing. He identifies the top ten reasons for growth of the companies on the 2006 Inc. 500. Jim is joined by three panelists whose companies made the 2006 list: Gail Goodman, CEO of Constant Contact, which manages e-mail marketing for 65,000 small businesses, associations, and nonprofits; Diane Hessan, CEO of Communispace, which builds and runs online communities for large companies wishing to communicate with their customers; and Debbie Bennett, Director of Sales and Marketing for LightWedge, which makes and sells reading accessories like the LightWedge reading light.
A Case Study of Start Up / Early Stage Companies - Debt and Equity Funding (Part 2)
Jean Hammond, Founder & Principal, JPH Associates
Anne Rice Hunt, Lead Lender Relations Specialist, SBA
Janice P. Guy, President, P3i Incorporated
Lisa Kable, Managing Partner, Artemis Woman, LLC
Peggy Wallace, Partner, Black Dome Capital
Thursday, 3:45pm - 4:45pm
This session is a sequel to the "How to Fund Start-up, Pre-revenue and Early Stage Businesses" panel. Two entrepreneurs and their respective financing sources will talk candidly about why the entrepreneurs sought a certain type of funding, the process to obtain those funds, and where they are today. A debt and an equity product will be explored. The format will be two 20 minute case studies followed by a 20 minute Q & A period facilitated by the moderator.
Click Here for Part 1 of this Session...
Corporate Leadership Track
Motivating Every Employee to Sell
Joy Baldridge, Speaker, Author, Consultant
Thursday, 3:45pm - 4:45pm
Everyone in your organization directly or indirectly effects the bottom-line, whether they realize it or not. In this highly energizing and insightful program you will discover how motivate every employee to sell in a way that is appropriate for their role in your organization. You will learn:
A plethora of specific words to use and share with your staff that enhance relationships
Ways to accentuate the experience the client has when interacting with your company
Expectations that the best performing companies set to further interpersonal success
How to raise the bar by creating a positive and productive sales culture
Speak like a CEO: Secrets to Commanding Attention and Getting Results
Suzanne Bates, President & CEO, Bates Communications
Thursday, 3:45pm - 4:45pm
To become successful, hard work and experience are important, but they can take a person only so far. To lead in an industry or profession, a leader must be ready to assume a speaking role. In survey after survey, the number-one skill determined to be indispensable to leaders is communication. In Speak Like a CEO, participants find out that developing a compelling speaking style isn't something that comes naturally - anyone can do it with some practice and effort! Whether they're in the corner office or the Oval Office, at the dining room table or before an audience of millions, participants will find a blueprint to speak like a leader and get results.
The audience will hear:
The secrets, strategies and solutions that every executive must face
Stories from successful executives on what it took them to become a leader
Clear and wise advice on how to find their authentic voices
How to instantly command the room with a powerful presence
Taking Charge of Your Career
Pamela Lenehan, President, Ridge Hill Consulting
Thursday, 3:45pm - 4:45pm
No one cares more about your career than you do, but chances are good you only think about your career once a year when doing your annual review. How can you position yourself to move up? Are you getting the experience you need? How does senior management judge candidates for promotion? If you are off the fast track, how can you get back on? Do you need to change companies to advance? This session will force you to ask yourself the tough questions and show you how to formulate a strategy to energize your career.
Genderflex: Empowering Your Executive Presence
Brigid Moynahan, Founder & President, The Next Level
Thursday, 3:45pm - 4:45pm
Projecting a powerful presence is key to leadership and especially critical for women seeking to advance in organizations. In this session you'll learn from an executive coach how to communicate in ways that enhance influence and move your leadership forward. Learn to embrace your own power, communicate your unique "value proposition", and speak with positive vocal and physical impact while avoiding "gender traps" that undermine your leadership.
WHOLE Work: How Women Can Enlighten and Transform Tomorrow's Organizations
Patricia Shafer, President, Compel Organizational Excellence Alliance, Ltd.
Barbara Trautlein PhD, Vice President of Research, Compel Ltd.
Thursday, 3:45pm - 4:45pm
As corporations expand in size and multinational reach, their influence on employees, communities, societies and the planet continues to increase. This begs the question: "In a world with more women middle managers and executives than ever, how can women better integrate their points of view to large companies?" In this interactive session, leadership consultant and author Patricia Shafer and colleague Barbara Trautlein will share global research and work with corporations that proves workplaces are yearning for more balanced, connected, collaborative and participative leadership approaches. Moreover, Shafer and Trautlein will illustrate why women in this workshop are ideal candidates to lead the way!
The Business of Philanthropy Track
Too Busy to Save the World? Social justice for Busy Working Women
Sarah Symons, Founder and Director, The Emancipation Network (TEN)
Jon Carson, Chairman & CEO, cMarket charitable auctions online
Joanne Grady, Founder & President, Abbot Personnel Services, Inc.
Paula Grieco, Principal, Co-Founder, and Co-Owner, Etimes3
Thursday, 3:45pm - 4:45pm
This panel will explore ways that you can fit your love of social justice into your busy life. You don't have to quit your job to join the peace corps, or just send in money to worthy causes. In fact, your business and entrepreneurial skills are greatly needed in the social justice movement.
In the past, serious global issues such as human trafficking, poverty, education or homelessness have been addressed through government and nonprofit agencies. But increasingly, the 'Social Enterprise' movement is bringing the skills and best practices of the business community into the equation. Mission-driven businesses are harnessing the talents and entrepreneurial spirit of poor and oppressed people to improve their own lives - through empowerment, not handouts.
Panelists are social entrepreneurs who are using their business skills to improve the world. We need all hands on deck, including yours! Come and learn how you can help.
Aligning your Philanthropy with your Business Strategy
Kip Hollister, CEO, Hollister Inc.
Philip Clawson, Managing Director, Community Matters Group
Leah P. Bailey, Executive Director, Community Affairs and Boston Globe Foundation
Thursday, 3:45pm - 4:45pm
Many companies strive to bring value to the local community through philanthropic initiatives but struggle to find a strategic focus that will leverage their investments. With the growing mass of funding requests coming from non-profit organizations, this evaluation process is becoming more and more challenging for businesses to manage.
In order to have and to sustain a successful philanthropy program, it must be approached no different than the core business itself.
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