Joining Us at the Women of Color Connecting Summit & Celebration is your opportunity to help change business as usual.
Women of Color Connecting
Summit & Celebration 2019
The start of a movement.
We believe the time is long overdue for new faces to be at the table. WOCCON is your opportunity to change business as usual. - Jill Johnson, CEO
In September 2018, the Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership (IFEL) launched an initiative to focus attention on a powerful audience of high-value professionals, customers, suppliers, investment targets and job creators — Women of Color Entrepreneurs.
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Women of Color Connecting (WOCCON) is more than an educational or motivational event, it’s the foundation for a movement to shake up the way that we find and engage diverse entrepreneurs. WOCCON represents an opportunity for high-growth potential women of color entrepreneurs to connect with the resources they need to grow. And, it's an opportunity for those trying to connect with this audience to identify and engage them.
Since 2002, the Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership has helped thousands of entrepreneurs get on the path to growth. Through WOCCON, we are committing to using our resources and our relationships, and to act with intentionality in support of Women of Color entrepreneurs. The women that we will bring to the table are resilient, resourceful and ready to rise to their potential. We will all benefit from the diversity in thought, perspective and ways of doing business that these women will offer.
We believe the time is long overdue for new faces to be at the table. WOCCON is your opportunity to help us change business as usual. We look forward to welcoming you to our community of supporters.
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Sincerely,
Jill Johnson
Co-Founder & CEO
WHO ATTENDED
Women of Color entrepreneurs who want to grow, scale and exit
Get curated, intentional introductions
Meet prospective clients and investors who are excited to meet you and want to develop a relationship
Connect to resources to strengthen the business core and foundation
Diversity & Inclusion Executives Procurement professionals
Expand your network
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Learn new strategies for cultivating a pipeline of diverse suppliers that deliver value to your supply chain
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Increase your access points to diverse suppliers, talent and customers
People Who Are Ready to
#ChangeBusinessAsUsual
Meet people who don't look like you
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Share your insights and be part of the conversation to change business as usual for Women of Color entrepreneurs
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Identify meaningful opportunities to volunteer your expertise
Overview of the Day
Summit
11:30 to 5:30 p.m.
includes working lunch
Learn what it means to be consciously unbiased
Understand how you can support Women of Color entrepreneurs in your normal course of business
Lay the foundation for diversifying your network
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Tracks:
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Existing and aspiring angel investors - Discuss investing and wealth building strategies
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Entrepreneurs - Meet angel investors and learn how to grow your "next level" network
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Diversity & Inclusion/Procurement Professionals - Learn about a new model for value centered procurement inclusion
Cocktails
5:30 to 7:00 p.m.
Enjoy engaging conversation in a casual environment to get to know people who move in different circles. Continue the conversations from the Summit, make professional connections and find common ground for building relationships.
Celebration
7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
includes dinner
Hear the lessons learned from the Summit conversation
Learn about a new model for value based procurement inclusion
Celebrate Women of Color entrepreneurs and the people who support them
Enjoy breaking bread with new people
Diversify your network
Online registration is closed. Registration will open at 10:30 a.m. onsite at the event.
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Payment methods accepted:
exact change and credit/debit card
The Women of Color Connecting Summit Conversation Guides
Haley Fradkin is an associate at Plum Alley Investments, a private membership platform with a mission to collectively invest capital via syndicates into innovative and high impact private companies led by female founders and gender diverse teams.
Haley Fradkin
As Chief Diversity Officer, Wendy Garcia is responsible for increasing contracting opportunities for Women- and Minority-owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs) and managing the Comptroller Office’s internal supplier diversity initiative, as well as other diversity related projects across all bureaus of the agency.
Wendy Garcia
In 2000 Twyla Garrett started a management consulting firm, Investment Management Enterprises (IME.). She opened her first nightclub, Club Escape, in Richmond, Virginia in 2003. Twyla single-handedly raised the money to open a $1.5 million entertainment center in her hometown of Cleveland.Twyla is a outstanding public speaker, entrepreneur, restaurateur, and author.
Twyla Garrett
Ashish Kaushai is the CEO of HireTalent, a subsidiary of Creative Solutions Services, is a certified Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) workforce solutions firm, specializing in securing the best talent fit, while providing our services across Executive/Retained Search, Direct Hire Placements, MSP, SOW, and nationwide hiring program management and support.
Dan's expertise is helping organizations understand the changing workforce landscape and driving change to help them attract and retain talent across non-employee and traditional employee populations.
Loretta McCarthy is a Managing Partner of Golden Seeds LLC, an investor consortium that invests in early-stage women-led businesses. She manages the nationwide network of nearly 300 angel investors at Golden Seeds, one of the largest and most active angel investment organizations in the US.
Ashish Kaushai
Dan Khublall
Loretta McCarthy
Henry Murphy is a global strategic business leader with multi-industry experience, solutions development, strategic sourcing and procurement, and strong relationship building with stakeholders.
Henry Murphy
Stephanie Neville is a member of the Advisory Board of the Women's Enterprise
Action Loan Fund (“WEALF”), a not-for-profit entity that provides micro-financing and
mentoring support to women in the NYC area, she has held many other board and
committee memberships, including as a founding member of the legal committee of the US Holocaust Memorial Museum
Stephanie Neville
Donald M. Payne, Jr. is a Democratic congressman representing New Jersey’s 10th Congressional District, which covers portions of Essex, Hudson, and Union counties. A Newark, New Jersey native, he has served the people of the 10th Congressional District since 2012. Rep. Payne, Jr. is a tireless fighter for New Jersey families, working to create jobs and grow the economy, protect and invest in
our children, and ensure the health and safety of our communities.
Donald M. Payne, JR.
As a regular speaker to women and young ladies, Sandi fulfills her passion of ensuring that women are fully prepared for business by sharing pertinent, relevant information through mentoring. She mentors business owners through the NAWBO-NYC Mentoring Program.
Sandi Webster
Boynton Weekes is a franchise consultant with FranNet, whose primary responsibility and passion is to assist people like yourself with navigating the myriad of issues and challenges that arise when identifying and ultimately selecting the right business ownership opportunity.