Opening Remarks
Featuring Kristen Nolte, SVP, Global Consumer and Small Business Marketing, Dell Technologies
What Do Investors Want?
Featuring Tracy Britt Cool, Cofounder, Kanbrick
Interviewed by Christine Haughney Dare-Bryan, Editor-at-Large, Inc. Magazine
Meet Tracy Britt Cool: Protégée of Warren Buffett and former CEO of Pampered Chef who founded her own firm, Kanbrick, to make long-term investments in businesses. She speaks about the biggest trends she is seeing in the markets right now and what opportunities she sees in the future for potential partnerships.
From Initial Idea to the Breakthrough Moment: The Strategies, Tactics, and Processes Driving Innovation
Featuring Amber Allen, Founder and CEO, Double A Labs; Amy Jo Martin, Founder and CEO, Renegade Global; and Jasmine Crowe-Houston, Founder and CEO, Goodr
Moderated by Melinda Emerson, the Small Biz Lady; Author, Fix Your Business: A 90-Day Plan to Get Back Your Life and Reduce Chaos in Your Business
A lot of people have great ideas for businesses. Precious few are able to cross the chasm from idea to breakthrough. But breakthroughs don’t happen by accident. They must be planned for, budgeted for, and executed. Leadership must instill an innovation mindset and hire employees who are built to innovate.
The entrepreneurs on this panel will speak to the lessons they’ve learned, the qualities women leaders need to drive innovation in their businesses, and the specific steps needed to make themselves into innovation engines.
Breakout Session
The Roller-Coaster Journey to Getting Funding
Featuring Janice Omadeke, Founder and CEO, The Mentor Method, and Shelly Porges, Founder and Managing Partner, Beyond the Billion and the Billion Dollar Fund for Women
Moderated by Lilian Ajayi-Ore, Chief Learning Officer, Data Scientist, Founder and CEO, Global Connections for Women Foundation (GC4W)
In this session, attendees will have the opportunity to hear and share challenges, success stories, and lessons learned from their funding and fundraising experiences. Speaking to non-dilutive funding, bootstrapping, and more.
Breakout Session
Growing Pains: Pivots, People, P&Ls
Featuring Ellen Bennett, Author; Founder and Chief Brand Officer, Hedley & Bennett, and Nicole Cardoza, Author; Founder and CEO, Reclamation Ventures; Founder, Anti-Racism Daily
Moderated by Melinda Emerson, the Small Biz Lady; Author, Fix Your Business: A 90-Day Plan to Get Back Your Life and Reduce Chaos in Your Business
In this session, attendees will have the opportunity to hear and share their key challenges, success stories, and lessons learned in scaling their businesses. Topics covered will include working with a VC, where to put funds, how to prioritize, working with partners, and more.
The New New Rules of Customer Experience: How Innovation and Ingenuity Are Addressing the Fast-Changing Needs of Customers
Featuring Ellen Bennett, Author; Founder and Chief Brand Officer, Hedley & Bennett, and Rakia Reynolds, Founder and CEO, Skai Blue Media
Moderated by Jude Davidson, Senior Director, Global Customer Development and Loyalty Marketing, Dell Technologies
As businesses find a new normal in the wake of societal and technology shifts, business owners are also adapting to form new, different, and stronger relationships with their customers. Today’s consumers are looking for companies they can relate to, rely on, and rally behind and that requires a more personalized, seamless, and meaningful experience at every touchpoint. Learn how to lean into innovation to level up the customer experience, and how to build stronger bonds and deeper loyalties with your customer base.
Breakout Session
Leveraging Emerging Technology
Featuring Katina Kenyon, CEO, Tree3, and Venus Quates, President and CEO, LaunchTech
Moderated by Rakia Reynolds, Founder and CEO, Skai Blue Media
In this session, attendees will have the opportunity to share challenges, success stories and lessons learned with other attendees on finding the business opportunity in what’s next: metaverse, AI, machine learning, digital transformation.
Breakout Session
Leading with Empathy
Featuring Verta Maloney, Cofounder and Chief Innovation Officer, The*gameHers, and Mary Spio, Founder and CEO, Ceek
Moderated by Amy Jo Martin, Founder and CEO, Renegade Global
In this session, attendees will have the opportunity to share with each other their key challenges, success stories, and lessons learned on how to take care of their employees’ and customers’ needs while tending to their own.
The Power of Prescience: A Conversation with Forerunner Ventures Founder Kirsten Green
Featuring Kirsten Green, Founder and Managing Partner, Forerunner
Interviewed by Amy Farley, Senior Editor, Fast Company
Closing Remarks
Featuring Kristen Nolte, SVP, Global Consumer and Small Business Marketing, Dell Technologies