Thursday, March 20th: Virtual
(Virtual-Only, Zoom)

Virtual - Check Your Registration for the Zoom Link

9:00 AM - 10:00 AM - Building Boldly with Dr. Kimberly McGlonn: Dr. Kimberly McGlonn, Build It Boldly

10:30 AM - 11:30 AM - The Benefit of Benefits: Brittni Sennett, Mass Mutual Greater Philadelphia

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM - E-Commerce & Storytelling Selling (For Humans): Martin Guerrero, Square & Rachel Scarborough, G+RIZZ

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM - Maker to Manufacturer: Mason Holden, Friday.

3:30 PM - 4:30 - The A to Z on Hiring: Ruth Schanbacher, NextFab

9:00 AM - Building Boldly with Dr. Kimberly McGlonn: Dr. Kimberly McGlonn, Build It Boldly

Dr. Kimberly McGlonn, Author/Speaker/Entrepreneur/Professor, Build It Boldly

Building a brand is rarely a linear path. Dr. Kimberly McGlonn, founder of Grant Blvd, a sustainable fashion brand, will share her candid take on the challenges she faced when deciding to pivot Grant Blvd's vision.

During this session, she will pull lessons from her newly released book, Build It Boldly: How Daring Business Leaders Can Gain Influence and Create Impact. In Build It Boldly, she calls on the world's 524 million entrepreneurs to embrace a new kind of activism and legacy-building: one that puts people and the planet in the balance of the pursuit of profit and that promotes the kind of optimism necessary for climate resilience. A unique voice, Dr. McGlonn offers timely wisdom on what daring leadership requires and how we might use business design to create powerful impacts on behalf of the common good.

This talk will inspire you to follow your passion, embrace change, and build a brand that reflects your authentic self and values.

10:30 AM - The Benefit of Benefits: Brittni Sennett, Mass Mutual Greater Philadelphia

As a creative entrepreneur, your focus is on building your art, not navigating complex financial landscapes. But securing your future requires careful planning, especially when it comes to healthcare and retirement.

This session will demystify the often-overlooked world of benefits for freelancers and creatives. We'll explore:

  • Healthcare Options: Understanding the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and finding the right plan for your needs.

  • Exploring alternative options like COBRA, short-term plans, and professional associations.

  • Retirement Planning Strategies: Building a retirement fund as a freelancer: exploring options like IRAs, SEP IRAs, and Solo 401(k)s.1  

  • Understanding Social Security benefits for self-employed individuals.

  • Develop a personalized retirement plan that aligns with your goals and lifestyle.

By the end of this session, you will have gained a clearer understanding of your healthcare and retirement options as a creative professional.

Brittni Sennett, Financial Advisor, Mass Mutual Greater Philadelphia

12:00 PM - E-Commerce & Storytelling Selling (For Humans): Martin Guerrero, Square & Rachel Scarborough, G+RIZZ

Martin Guerrero, Community Impact & Policy Partnerships, Square

Rachel Scarborough, Co-Founder, G+RIZZ

Unleash the power of data-driven storytelling and watch your brand connect with customers. This discussion, led by an expert from Square and the creative force behind G+Rizz, reveals how to weave compelling narratives that captivate your audience and drive sales. We'll show you how to translate the insights hidden within your data into captivating stories that resonate with your ideal customer. Learn to craft a powerful brand experience that seamlessly blends creativity and strategy for maximum impact.

In this session, you'll learn how to:

  • Unearth the unique narratives within your products: Go beyond basic descriptions and tap into the hidden stories that resonate with your ideal customer.

  • Create visual magnetism: Transform your product photography and online displays into captivating experiences that stop scrollers in their tracks.

  • Translate data into compelling narratives: Discover how analytics can tell a story that informs your own product storytelling and strengthens your brand message.

  • Creating Online Rizz: How Data-Driven Storytelling Selling Can attract the right customer

2:00 PM - Maker to Manufacturer: Mason Holden, Friday.

How do you scale up your handmade production, without losing the quality and authenticity you've built up?

Join Mason Holden, co-founder of Friday. Furniture, as he shares why and how he is scaling beyond handmade to manufacture his modular desk. Mason will walk us through his process for designing for manufacturing and how to find and vet the right manufacturer to bring your vision to life. Understand the associated costs when scaling to production and what will set you up for success.

Mason will walk you through the critical steps of:

  • Designing for manufacturability: Learn how to adapt your designs for efficient and cost-effective production.

  • Finding and vetting the right manufacturer: Discover how to find reliable and trustworthy production partners.

  • Navigating the costs of scaling: Understand the associated costs of manufacturing and develop strategies for optimizing your production budget.

  • Building a successful production partnership: Learn how to effectively communicate your vision and ensure quality control.

By the end of this session, you will gain the insights and confidence to bring your handcrafted vision to a wider audience, without sacrificing your authentic handmade elements.

Mason Holden, Founder, Friday.

3:30 PM - The A to Z on Hiring: Ruth Schanbacher, NextFab

You've poured your heart and soul into creating a great product, but taking your business to the next level requires a great team. But where (and how) do you even start?

If you've been thinking about expanding your team, this talk is for you! Ruth Schanbacher, NextFab's HR Director and fabric artist, will guide you through a proven system for finding and hiring the right people for your team.

In this session:

  • Identify your unique hiring needs.

  • Craft compelling job descriptions that attract top talent.

  • Conduct effective interviews and avoid costly hiring mistakes.

  • Master the art of onboarding new employees.

  • Navigate legal requirements, current labor regulations, and best practices with confidence.

By the end of this session, you'll be ready to tackle the hiring process with ease to find the right people for you!

Ruth Schanbacher, NextFab