Honoring excellence in event leadership as a way to inspire more of it is serious business. But when a powerful group of Smart Women in Meetings Award winners came together at Caesars Palace Las Vegas for a day of education, personalized experiences and a full-glam gala, fun was also on the agenda.
An Evolution
Smart Meetings CEO Marin Bright launched the signature leadership accelerator event nine years ago and it is still the only confluence of its kind for women at all career stages of the events industry. As the founder and CEO of an events company, she recognized she was the only woman in her position at that time and hoped to encourage others to find their way to a seat at the hospitality table.
Statistics show that we have made progress since she founded the media community 22 years ago, but we still have a ways to go.
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A recent PCMA survey found that 77% of the meetings and events industry is female but only 16% are in leadership roles.
The dynamic trailblazers at Smart Woman Summit have the potential to move that lopsided dial while promoting strategies to remake hospitality jobs into a sustainable shape that will appeal to a new generation of event producers.
Voice of the Goddesses
The stage was filled with messages from on high with powerful calls for connection, action and urgency.
Author, pop-artist and 2023 Smart Speaker Shelley Brown vividly shared the importance of banishing “the shoulds” and embracing the fullness of our creative selves with energy and joy.
The brilliant Judi Holler encouraged meeting profs to remix their negative self-talk and embrace their inner advocate with daily affirmations and help from friends. Aligning with our personal values sets us up for “hollering” at our dreams. “Bring your own hype,” Holler proclaimed.
Jenn Cassetta, author of “The Art of Badassery: Unleash Your Mojo With Wisdom of the Dojo,” brought martial arts strategies to the stage to help rising leaders battle their inner critics, external barriers and break through to a more focused and effective approach to work and life. “Embody your power by being in your body,” Cassetta advised.
The fabulous Tracy Judge, founder of Soundings Connect, and fellow Soundings coach Howard Cleveland brought personalized CliftonStrengths coaching to the provocateur circles, so everyone could leave with a better idea of how to manage the challenges and superpowers embedded in their leadership styles. When you know, you can take action.
All of these wisdoms were sealed in as part of a coming together ceremony led by Dawn of the Earth breathwork coach and Mindful Moments founder Charlotte Frederick.
Meanwhile, Rainmaking speaker Precious L. Williams helped attendees sharpen their elevator pitches while BoothEasy gifted them with professional headshots to match.
Everyone left with their proverbial suitcase full of tools to take on the most pressing action items in the events business.
Release the Glimmer
The only way we will elevate women to the highest levels where they can contribute their unique perspectives and skill sets is by coming together to lift each other up.
Shared commitments have staying power. The meeting of Smart Women released a flutter of glimmers (a feeling in your body that is the opposite of a trigger because it results from remembering a positive moment) that will spread joy and badassery far and wide.
