2020 Choice Summit Recap with Heather Adams

We’re halfway into National Women’s Small Business Month – a month that honors the scrappy, the savvy, the brave. Women who start and lead small businesses have a drive, a passion, a fire and they are providing solutions to a whole host of challenges. Just recently that was on full display for me when 70 of those very women gathered at our Second Annual Choice Summit. 

Two years ago we dreamed of gathering like-minded women – who lead and manage, who influence, who desire growth both professionally and personally, but most importantly who embrace other women as allies, not competitors. It was my sincerest hope that we could build a community who linked arms to share best practices, lessons learned, recent wins and biggest challenges – to assemble thought leaders and industry experts who could make us stronger TOGETHER. And as I sat perched from the top of the Graystrone Quarry staircase looking down on a room full of those very women two years after speaking this dream aloud, my eyes welled up with tears. Tears not because I was sad or disappointed. Tears because it was women, like me, who desired this rich community for themselves as well.

It was our privilege to host the Summit in-person after months and months of isolation. So many women said, “Thank you for not canceling,” and “Oh my gosh, it’s just so nice to be around other people.” We were thrilled to be able to provide a safe and beneficial experience. The community felt rich and rewarding after so much disconnection. 

My key takeaways from the day:

Michele Cushatt, our emcee

• What others may deem a weakness or shortcoming, can be your superpower.

 Elaine Turner, Know Your Worth: Building Resilience in Uncertain Times

• Within pain we discover who we are.

• Your worth has nothing to do with external factors. Own that you are worthy. You are already enough.

Matt Bodnar, The Science of Success: Overcoming Limiting Beliefs and Their Impact on You and Your Business Growth

• Plant new beliefs in your mind even if you don’t believe them yet.

• Life only ever changes in the paradigm of action.

Retha Nichole, Diversity and Inclusion: Live Coaching Q&A

• Do life with people that don’t look like you.

• Don’t be in a hurry to check a box.

Michelle Gifford, How to Use Reels to Sell and Build and Audience

• Be first, even if it’s not perfect. Be an early adopter.

• You can be an expert in a very short window if you lead well.

• 5 Types of Reels to begin with: Quick Win, Expert, Product, Brand Awareness, Community/Viral.

Veronica Romney, Developing (and Selling!) a Product for your Service-Based Business in the Year of COVID

• One problem, one solution.

• We don’t buy products. We buy transformations and shortcuts.

• Make your first step a win.

Latesha Lynch, Attract and Convert High-Tickets Clients (and What to Charge Them)

• Don’t be afraid to charge what you’re worth. That will attract the right clients for your business and allow you peace of mind.

• Your branding should reflect your price point.

Brittany Ratelle, Legal Mistakes 101: Helping Creative Entrepreneurs Become Legally Legit

• Trademark anything that earns you money.

Mary Marantz, The Power in Owning YOur Story and DIgging Through

• Transformation hurts.

• Leaving a place or person behind can build us, but doesn’t define where we go from here.

We invite you to join us at the 2021 Choice Summit on Friday, September 24. Mark your calendars now. Early registration will open soon! In the meantime, if you’re interested in experiencing our 2020 Choice Summit, purchase your copy of the full video (including all speaker sessions) HERE. 

And, if you’re interested in linking arms with other like-minded women before next year’s Summit to learn more from each other, as well as specific communications topics taught from the Choice team, then we’d love for you to be a part of our Choice Collective Mastermind. The next group will be November – January (twice a month for 3 months for a total of 6 sessions). You can register HERE. Spaces are limited. We intentionally keep it a smal, intimate group. The mastermind sessions will be led by our Choice team and will cover specific communications and PR-related topics that are a priority to you and your business! Let us serve you well through the Choice Collective and provide you with a roadmap for your communications strategies in 2021!