True leaders are always looking to grow. Even Smart Women in Meetings Award winners are constantly looking for ways to improve and leverage their skillsets. To help advance them on their journey Smart Meetings partner Soundings awarded eight scholarships to some lucky attendees of Smart Woman Summit to help them better understand their strengths and apply them in the context of their goals.
The Soundings Elevate Career Accelerator Program is a transformative professional development initiative designed to help individuals unlock their potential and advance their careers. Over three months, these women participated in bi-weekly sessions led by two International Coaching Federation-certified Soundings Elevate career coaches. Elizabeth Sage is a certified personal coach, accomplished event strategist and speaker. She is head of education and content at Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE) and adjunct faculty at SDSU Event Management Masters program. Howard Cleveland helps participants clarify the puzzle they want to solve and discover the pieces to the puzzle they already have.
Leveraging the CliftonStrengths 34 Assessment, participants uncovered their unique talents and explored critical topics such as career progression, leadership development and overcoming challenges unique to women in the industry. This supportive and empowering environment provided actionable strategies for growth while fostering a strong sense of community, leaving participants equipped to thrive in their careers and lead with confidence.
Following is a snapshot of what three of the participants learned:
Debbie Garcia, CEO, virsitour
What was your goal when you entered the Accelerator Program with Soundings?
My goal was to gain a deeper understanding of my strengths and learn how to leverage them effectively in my professional life. I wanted to enhance my leadership skills, align my work more closely with my core strengths, and create strategies to scale my business while maintaining balance in my personal and professional roles. The program was an opportunity to grow not just as a business owner but also as a leader and collaborator.
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What was your biggest “aha” moment?
My biggest ‘aha’ moment was discovering that, despite believing I was a relationship-focused person, ‘Relationship Building’ ranked 18th out of my 34 strengths. Initially, this was surprising, but through discussions, I realized it’s not that I lack this strength—it’s just one that requires more effort and energy for me to foster compared to my top strengths. My top 5 and even top 10 strengths represent my core abilities that come naturally and energize me. This understanding shifted how I approach my work and relationships, helping me prioritize tasks and collaborations in alignment with my natural strengths
What goal are you pursuing in 2025 that will benefit from your new insights?
In 2025, my primary goal is to fully lean into my strengths to guide my growth as a leader and scale my business effectively. My top five strengths—Achiever, Learner, Significance, Futuristic and Responsibility—not only define who I am but also provide me with purpose and clarity. By focusing on what energizes me and brings out my best, I can prioritize tasks and opportunities that align with these strengths. This insight allows me to approach challenges strategically, maintain momentum and create meaningful impact in both my personal and professional life.
Lucretia Williams, President and CEO, Distinct Event Planning LLC
What was your goal when you entered the Accelerator Program with Soundings?
My goal was to refine my leadership skills, enhance my business strategies and connect with a network of like-minded professional women in the events industry. I aimed to leverage this program to take my event planning company to the next level by learning innovative approaches to client engagement, operations, and growth while building lasting relationships with industry peers.
What was your biggest “aha” moment?
I realized how to integrate my top 5 CliftonStrengths—Positivity, Responsibility, Woo, Communication and Developer—into both my personal and professional life. I discovered that these strengths are not just abstract traits but powerful tools I can intentionally use every day. For example, my Positivity helps me uplift my team and clients during challenging moments, while my Responsibility ensures I follow through on every commitment with integrity. Woo and Communication allow me to connect meaningfully with new clients and partners, building lasting relationships and my Developer strength inspires me to nurture and grow my team and business. Understanding how to apply these strengths holistically has transformed how I approach challenges and opportunities in my company.
What goal are you pursuing in 2025 that will benefit from your new insights?
In 2025, my primary goal is to expand my event planning company by elevating client experiences and scaling my business sustainably. With my new insights from the Accelerator Program, I aim to leverage my CliftonStrengths—Positivity, Responsibility, Woo, Communication and Developer—to strengthen my leadership, foster deeper client relationships and build a more cohesive, motivated team. These insights will help me streamline operations, attract larger clients and create innovative events that resonate with diverse audiences, ensuring my business stands out in a competitive market.
Brittney Cobb, Director of Global Events, Innov8 Meetings + Events
What was your goal when you entered the Accelerator Program with Soundings?
My goal was to come out with a better understanding and clarity of how to achieve my next business goals. I am always seeking to develop myself personally in order to impact every area of my life in a positive way. I was seeking deeper insight and solutions to challenges I was facing.
What was your biggest “aha” moment?
My biggest “aha” moment was learning the innate reasons behind why I work and respond in certain ways. My top strength finder is “Achiever.” While this has many positive attributes, I often find it difficult to describe the “how” of executing projects. I just simply take action and get it done! Learning and understanding my strengths made how I operate so clear to me.
This clarity allows me to better position myself for success, know when to delegate or ask for help, and work with people in a more collaborative, unapologetic way.
What goal are you pursuing in 2025 that will benefit from your new insights?
One of my goals in 2025 is to implement more daily efficiencies in both my work and personal life. Utilizing my new insights is greatly impacting this by helping me decide what tools I can benefit from the most and what tasks I need to consider outsourcing, in order for me to focus on prioritizing the things I’m best to grow my business and accomplish more!
