Power Conference

Registration Open
TradeShow Open – Networking Starts
Coffee Bar Open
Dress for Success Collection Location – Drop off clean gently worn business attire on your way into the Conference

Conference Welcome -  the Women’s Business Consortium
By Doris McMillon, President and Chief Strategic Officer, McMillon Communications, Inc., veteran journalist, newscaster and producer,
Board Member WBO-Prince George’s County along with:
Naomi Abrams, Worksite Health & Safety, Chair – WBO Montgomery County
Carolyn Bruna, Caregiving Consultants, President WBO-Montgomery County
Liz Cullen, Executive Director, Women Presidents Education Organization, DC
Dawn P. Jackson, Nudawn Marketing Group, Executive Director WBO-Prince George’s County
Nancy Regelin, Shulman Rogers, President Women in Business Education Foundation

Concurrent Keynote Seminars:

POP! Your Success by Sam Horn, The Intrigue Expert - Communications/Creativity/Career Strategist.  Ready to take your career to the next level?  You’ll love this energizing, one-of-a-kind session which has received raves from Inc. 500/5000, International Coach Federation and NAWBO.  Discover original, inspiring ways to interest anyone in anything in 30 seconds or less so what you care about breaks out vs. blends in.  Discover why Sam’s been featured on NPR, MSNBC, BusinessWeek.com, NY Times and Investors Business Daily and why her books POP!, Tongue Fu! and What’s Holding You Back? are endorsed by Susan Jeffers, Seth Godin, Tony Robbins, Stephen Covey and Ken Blanchard who says POP! is an “Inspiring guide to getting heard, getting remembered, and getting results.”

Building Capacity Through Strategic Alliances: Win in Corporate and Government Procurement.  How Diverse Suppliers (WBEs, SDVOBs, MBEs, small businesses) can create alliances to build capacity and what forms are typically accepted in practice and used to create competitive advantage in the private sector and government.  Key Speaker: Carol O’Riordan, O’Riordan Bethel Law Firm, LLP. Moderated by Charlie M. Partridge, Pepco Holdings, Inc., Panelists: Liz Cullen, WPEO-DC; Darlene Fuller, SODEXO and Chair, MD/DC MSDC Certification Committee; Linda Sitney, Department of Veteran’s Affairs; and WBEs: Deborah Stallings, HR Anew & Donna Ransone, GROW, LLC

Powering Up your Dreams: Start-up Bootcamp.   Are you ready to turn your great ideas and energy into a business of your own?  Our panel of local experts will outline the steps involved in starting a new business.  Become acquainted with the resources that are available to assist you.  Review the steps involved in developing a business plan.  Learn about the financing options available to help your business grow.  The panel will include Lori Gillen, Project Manager, Women’s Business Center of Rockville Economic Development Inc. (REDI), Ruth Semple, Senior Business Development Specialist with Montgomery County Department of Economic Development and Paula Sternberg, Regional Microloan Originator for Latino Economic Development Corporation (LEDC).  

PowerTalks! Presented by Montgomery County Department of Economic Development in the Resource Spot across from Salon A, two small group discussions, each led by a local business expert, allow attendees to ask individual questions and share ideas in a small personal setting.  Limited to the first 7 attendees at each table; first come, first seated.  Topics are very focused and relevant to business owners.  Topics and discussion leaders will be published in advance.

Tradeshow Open – Networking Fast Pitch
Booksigning with Sam Horn, POP- Create the Perfect Pitch, Title and Tagline for Anything

Concurrent Morning Workshops

Social Networking: Beyond the Hype.  Alita Carter, Creative Director of the online community Cocoa Savvy at www.CocoaSavvy.com, will help attendees clear away the hype from online social networking and focus on successful online media strategies for utilizing their websites and building online community networks for B2B and B2C businesses.  Alita Carter worked with Black Entertainment Television’s online entity in building its first online community and has been on the leading edge of developing online social networking strategies since.

The Naked Truth about Government Contracting.  How long is the business development lifecycle, and how do you bankroll winning and fulfilling your first contract? How does a company or employee get a clearance, and is this the right strategy for you? How does serving the federal market differ from serving the private sector? This presentation will help you move from "I don't know what I don't know" to "NOW I know what I don't know", and enable you to make intelligent and informed decisions about your federal strategy.  Presented by Marissa Levin, CEO of Information Experts, an 8(a) certified women-owned communications company.  Ms. Levin was named as a 2010 and 2009 SmartCEO Smart 100 participant by SmartCEO Magazine, which recognizes the top 100 CEOs in the region, and was named as a 2008 BRAVO Award winner, which honors the region’s 25 most influential women CEOs. She was also named as one of Washington’s Top 100 Technology Titans for 2009, by Washingtonian Magazine.

Courageous Leadership- Inspiring positive change with greater clarity, confidence and courage. Presented by Margie Warrell, Bestselling author, Executive & Life Coach, International Speaker and Media Contributor. This powerful presentation will challenge beliefs that limit leadership effectiveness, enabling attendees to lead themselves and others to superior performance, stronger results and a much more valuable contribution. Attendees will leave feeling more purposeful in what they do, more passionate about why they do it and more courageous in pursuing the vision that inspires them.

Building Customer Loyalty as a Longterm Sales Strategy.  Are you using customer loyalty as an engine to grow your business?  Sales and customer service expert Jeff Gitomer maintains that “Customer Satisfaction is Worthless; Customer Loyalty is Priceless.”     Renee Lewis, President of Pensare Group, explores how you can build and implement customer loyalty strategies as a key component of predictable and sustainable growth for your company.   Think for a moment how hard you have to work to earn the right to do business with each customer.  It only stands to reason that retaining existing customers should be one of the top priorities in every business.  What are you doing to develop customer loyalty that keeps your competitors up at night? 

Accessing Capital –Financing Strategies for Growing Established Small Businesses.
In an interactive format, a panel consisting of a banker, marketing specialist and lawyer present a fictitious fact pattern of a small woman-owned business seeking bank financing.  The panel discusses challenges regarding legal structure, business practices and profitability, providing concrete examples of best practices and lessons to learn in how to work with a bank, use business plans and profitability strategies effectively, and mitigate risk with appropriate legal infrastructure.  Presented by Sydnee Reghioui, Vice President, Business Development, EagleBank; Aileen Pisciotta, Attorney, Executive Counsel, PLC; and Mary Ellen Hickman, President, Hickman Consulting Partners, LLC.

PowerTalks! Presented by Montgomery County Department of Economic Development in the Resource Spot across from Salon A, two small group discussions, each led by a local business expert, allow attendees to ask individual questions and share ideas in a small personal setting.  Limited to the first 7 attendees at each table; first come, first seated.  Topics are very focused and relevant to business owners.  Topics and discussion leaders will be published in advance.

Tradeshow 
Book-signing Sam Horn,  POP- Create the Perfect Pitch, Title and Tagline for Anything
Informal Fashion Show, African Womens Council, Business Attire

PowerTalks! Presented by Montgomery County Department of Economic Development in the Resource Spot across from Salon A, two small group discussions, each led by a local business expert, allow attendees to ask individual questions and share ideas in a small personal setting.  Limited to the first 7 attendees at each table; first come, first seated.  Topics are very focused and relevant to business owners.  Topics and discussion leaders will be published in advance.

Keynote Luncheon:  The Power of Women

A Keynote Luncheon panel moderated by ABC News Anchor, Maureen Bunyan will discuss the power of and resources for women-owned businesses.  Each panelist is an experienced businesswoman who has applied her entrepreneurial talents to promoting women in business.  Dr. Sharon Freeman is an Economic Development Specialist, author, and successful entrepreneur on the cutting edge of global business development.  Dr. Sharon Hadary is the founder of the Center for Women’s Business Research and has been called a “Change Agent for Women.”  Cynthia de Lorenzi is the CEO of Success in The City, rated #1 by The Washington Post for women’s networking organizations in the Washington Metropolitan Area.  Ana Recio Harvey is the SBA Director of the Office of Women’s Business Ownership. A highly successful SBA 8(a)-certified entrepreneur and former President of the Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Harvey now oversees the SBA’s efforts to promote the growth of women-owned businesses.  
Attendees may reserve a seat to lunch with “Power Brokers” - noteworthy businesswomen including:

Cynthia de Lorenzi, CEO, Success in the City
Lynda Ellis, President / CEO, Capitol Concierge, Inc.
Kristina Bouweiri,  CEO, Reston Limousine
Dr. Sharon Freeman, Global Business Expert, Lark-Horton Global Consulting, Director All America Small Business Export Association  AASBEA
Dr. Sharon Hadary, Sharon Hadary & Co., Founder Center Womens Business Research
Ana Recio Harvey, USA SBA, Assistant Administrator, Director Office of Women’s Business Ownership
Sam Horn, Best selling Author and Communications/Creativity Consultant
Marissa Levin, CEO Information Experts, Government Contracting Expert
Doris McMillon, President and Chief Strategic Officer McMillon Communications, Inc., veteran journalist, newscaster and producer
Sharon Pinder, CEO The Pinder Group, LLC, architect of Maryland’s minority and small business reform movement

Tradeshow –Ongoing Networking

Concurrent Afternoon Workshops

Introduction to Alternative Financing: A Roundtable.  Entrepreneurs often face the challenge of needing capital to win and fulfill a contract but needing a contract to access that capital.  These alternative financing experts will briefly discuss how they provide non-traditional forms of supplying a business with sources of capital and will open the floor to questions from attendees.  Moderated by Susan Wilson, CEO of The Judgment Group and Chief Everything Officer at FundHer, with Kathleen Manley, President of Asset Funding Solutions and Amy Horn, Executive Vice President and Senior Business Development Officer of Federal National Payables.

Overwhelmed? Business Strategies for the Social Web presented by Jo Golden MS, PhD, Educator, Digital Strategist, and Web Presence Wrangler, and Tracey Holinka MS, Manager and Web Designer/Developer, of Chaos to Clarity LLC.  Growing your business and web presence with social media can be daunting without a clear sense of what to do and how to do it. You can learn new technologies but without understanding how your business can benefit from the changing business environment, technology alone won’t get you what you need from social media. Learn how to succeed on the social web with a business focused strategy, plans you can implement right away, and tools to make it easier.

Strategic Bragging for Business Success.  Do people instantly understand what you do and feel compelled to talk with you?  Ever notice how some people quickly capture attention and get business?  They know how to brag strategically and it’s time to learn to make the same connection.  You will learn to tell the right stories at the right time in the right way so you attract the right connections.  You’ll get a powerful strategy to promote yourself without annoying anyone.  Presented by Sally Strackbein, Chief Story Facilitator at Defining Story.com.

Healthy Hearts Make Healthy Business Sense. Presented by Dr. Christine Bussey, Cardiologist and partner in Northern Virginia Cardiology Associates, where she specializes in Women’s Heart Health and is a winner of the Patient Choice Award year after year.   It’s no coincidence that women, especially women in business, are experiencing ever greater stress and heart attacks are the leading cause of death in the US today.  Keeping your heart healthy makes healthy business sense for you, your business, and your family. 

Power of Image.  Your image is not what you wear; it’s the overall impression that you convey. Within seconds of an encounter, your body language, clothing, and grooming send valuable information to those you meet. This program will help you ensure that your nonverbal message supports and enhances your intentions. This interactive and inspiring course will teach: How to accurately assess the way you are perceived;  How to use the symbols of authority to maximize credibility;  5 ways to convey leadership and confidence; Body language blunders to avoid; and Quick, easy strategies for maintaining a professional image.  Presented by Kim Foley of KimFoley.com.  When public figures need to look their best, they turn to Kim Foley.  A professional stylist for film and television, Ms. Foley has worked with hundreds of high-profile clients as well as productions for ABC, NBC, CBS, HBO, MTV, and The Discovery Channel.

PowerTalks! Presented by Montgomery County Department of Economic Development in the Resource Spot across from Salon A, two small group discussions, each led by a local business expert, allow attendees to ask individual questions and share ideas in a small personal setting.  Limited to the first 7 attendees at each table; first come, first seated.  Topics are very focused and relevant to business owners.  Topics and discussion leaders will be published in advance.

Tradeshow 
Door Prize Awards

Concurrent Mini Sessions I

Promotional Cocktail.    Adele Cehrs , CEO of Epic Media Relations will teach audiences how to Mix It Up with an Integrated Communications Approach.  Her  “real-world” success stories, will provide attendees with the knowledge they need to successfully implement a multi-faceted campaign with a mix of partnerships, traditional PR and social media.   In addition, her interactive discussions help organizations:  Better understand the best way to engage partners;  how to implement a successful media outreach plan; and how to avoid the common mistakes people make when telling their story to local and national media outlets. 
A recognized expert in public relations, Cehrs has been featured in Women Entrepreneur Magazine, Washington Business Journal, PR week and the Washington Post. She has also appeared as an expert on the Fox News Channel, Fox Business Network Happy Hour and CNN Headline News.   Earlier in her career, Cehrs was an executive at Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, where she was responsible for significant client growth and successful client programs, including work for DuPont, Maxwell House Coffee, The Red Dress Campaign, Select Comfort, Paula Deen, Multibionta Probiotic, Yum Brands and others.

Growing Your Business Globally.  Why go Global?  Kerri Norris of Norris Enterprises will share her experience on global strategy development.  She has advised Fortune 500 companies and non-profit organizations on a range of international matters.   If you are considering taking your business international or if you want to grow your existing global business, this workshop will help you plan your next steps.  Add value and grow your bottom line in the current global economy, including strategic alliance creation and management, inter-cultural considerations, and resources for women entrepreneurs. 

10 Biggest Mistakes in Paying Wages.  Wage and hour claims may be the fastest growing types of claims against employers – whether you have 1 or 100 employees.  Government agencies have markedly increased their enforcement efforts.  Employers face significant liability for violating Federal and state labor and wage laws, whether intentional or not.  Are you misclassifying employees as exempt instead of non-exempt or failing to pay employees for all hours deemed “working time” under the law?  Can you hire unpaid interns?  Get an overview of the law so you can recognize the issues and protect your business when you hire and pay wages.  Presented by Meredith Campbell, Employment Law Attorney with Shulman Rogers.

Protecting Your Company’s IP Assets.  Barbara Berschler, Business Attorney with Press, Potter & Dozier, LLC will present a Business Owner’s Guide to Intellectual Property and share best practices for protecting your Intellectual Property and Using the Intellectual Property of others in your business.  Be smart and protect your creative ideas and innovations!

Easy, Affordable E-marketing Tools that Build Your Business (and Save Your Sanity!)  A special 90 minute workshop presented by Constant Contact.  Learn the key steps to building your business and expanding your reach with easy, affordable and effective technology tools! Step by step, you can help grow prospects and customers into raving fans -- who not only build your business but expand your reach by sharing your message with their friends and followers.
Learn how you can:  1. Manage and measure your social media marketing -- to get new friends, followers and email subscribers;  2. Integrate email marketing with social media to convert prospects to customers – and customers to raving fans!  3. Ask the right questions at the right time – use online surveys to stay ahead of your competition, create a buzz, and provide timely feedback that your readers/followers/friends re-post and share;  4. Host exciting events (easily, affordably) that bring your fans face-to-face, plus expand your reach; and 5. Why building a permission-based email list adds real dollar value to your business or organization.
Gina Watkins, Regional Development Director of Constant Contact will share real-life examples of how businesses like yours are using easy, affordable tools to create awareness, leverage social media, drive prospects to their permission-based lists, and manage & measure their marketing investment.

PowerTalks! Presented by Montgomery County Department of Economic Development in the Resource Spot across from Salon A, two small group discussions, each led by a local business expert, allow attendees to ask individual questions and share ideas in a small personal setting.  Limited to the first 7 attendees at each table; first come, first seated.  Topics are very focused and relevant to business owners.  Topics and discussion leaders will be published in advance.

Concurrent Mini Sessions II

Gutsy Thinking – Putting Women’s Intuition to Work in the Workplace.  Dr. Lisa Ross, President of Incisive Learning Designs, LLC will share how to turn women’s intuition into a business tool by:  Cultivating intuition in its various forms; Understanding intuition’s role in business strategy; Communicating intuition in logical, hard-driving terms; Comparing evolutionary advantages of the male and female brain; and recognizing regard for women’s intuition throughout history.

Employees vs. Independent Contractors: The Costs And Consequences of Misclassification.  For many small business owners, the use of independent contractors is an attractive alternative to hiring employees. Using independent contractors often minimizes the costs associated with hiring full time employees such as payroll expenses, benefits, taxes, unemployment compensation insurance and worker's compensation benefits.  However, many employers often incorrectly label workers as independent contractors who truly function as employees.  Such an incorrect classification may result in significant monetary fines, penalties and damages imposed by the Internal Revenue Service, Department of Labor and federal courts. This workshop will highlight the legal distinction between independent contractors and employees, the consequences of misclassifying workers, and counsel business owners through the process of correctly classifying their workforce to avoid the expense of a regulatory audit or lawsuit. Presented by Ardra M. O’Neal, Esq. is the principal in The O’Neal Firm. Specializing in labor and employment law, Ms. O’Neal defends state and federal court lawsuits, arbitrations, administrative charges, and other legal claims on behalf of employers primarily. Ms. O’Neal also provides counsel to executives, managers and human resource professionals throughout the country on the full range of issues concerning employer-employee relations, including anti-discrimination and anti-harassment issues, wage and hour matters, employee leave matters, independent contractor classifications and union-related grievances and charges.

Montgomery County Minority and Small Business Reserve Program.  Presented by Montgomery County Department of Economic Development.  Learn how to take advantage of state and local small business reserve programs as a minority or small business.

Conference Ends