Agenda

Prerequisite: Purchase Strengths Finders from Amazon.com, read the first 30 pages and take the test prior to the conference. Bring the results with you to the workshop.

Strengths Finders is one of the leading professional development tools used to uncover your top five talents and teach you to capitalize on them so you can work to your strengths. You can take the test and discover your talents, but you will be missing half of the opportunity. In addition to understanding your strengths, you learn how to work with others and build your team to have complimentary strengths.

There is an additonal $50 charge for this workshop

Lorri Kelley is the CEO and Founder of Lorri Kelley Advisors, Inc., a strategic consulting firm dedicated to providing services and guidance to companies and individuals who are passionate and committed to achieving business excellence. She has served a variety of companies within the furniture industry, most recently as the president of BDI. Lorri also held executive roles for Palliser Furniture and Home Elements, the 26-store retail division of The Rowe Companies. She is a past president of WithIt and was the recipient of the 2015 WOW Mentoring Award.

Advancing and getting to the C-Suite is more complicated than simply doing an exceptional job, it’s about building and navigating the right relationships. Spend time with Caroline Hipple, president of Norwalk Furniture, hearing advice from her and other C-Suite women about how they navigated relationships and situations to get to the top.
Bring a situation to share with the group for the second hour, as you work with experienced mentors to create strategies and solutions.

There is an additonal $50 charge for this workshop

Caroline Hipple is President of Norwalk Furniture. Prior to this role, Caroline founded HB2 Resources with a long-time partner to provide start-up, turn-around and brand advisory consulting to the home furnishings industry. One of those clients was Norwalk Furniture. Two previous leadership roles, as President of 72 store retail chain, Storehouse Furniture and EVP of 250 store This End Up furniture prepared Caroline and her partner to provide these consulting services. Caroline and 3 co-workers in both those companies chronicled their experiences promoting a “Culture of Caring” in their 2014 book, A Pathway to Profit (Amazon) which shares tangible methods for success in business by putting people first in the profit picture.

Amid one of the most disruptive times in history, industry and workforce trends are changing daily. Generational viewpoints provide a fascinating lens to discern current and future realities- turning chaos into clarity.

In this forward-thinking session, national speaker and author Jessica Stollings-Holder will empower you with insights to understand and engage all generations and to partner with young professionals- known as GenZ- to prepare for a thriving future together.

Jessica Stollings-Holder is a national speaker, trainer, author and researcher who empowers leaders to think differently about differences and turn obstacles into opportunities.

She entered the speaking world through her groundbreaking work in generational diversity and inclusion. She has studied how to bridge gaps across generations for more than a decade, serving more than 100 clients in 32 states and delivering 400 keynotes and training events.

Jessica’s research findings have been spotlighted in trade publications serving business, education and human-resources professionals, including SHRM, Ragan/PR Daily and The Chronicle of Higher Education. Her work in partnership with a client sparked new experiential training honored as one of top 120 trainings in the world by Training Magazine.

The Sharpen Your Inclusion Edge approach teaches multi-generational leaders to sustain inclusive practices. Leaders who follow the 8-steps are more equipped to approach inclusion with guidelines and a measurable timeline they can co-create with colleagues. During this interactive keynote address, the speaker offers applicable tools to assess and transform leaders and organizational culture.

Jada Monica Drew is the CEO of Social Designs, a leadership and diversity firm. When people think of Jada, they think, results, impact, innovation, and community. She is passionate about working with leaders and serving as a catalyst for growth as a trainer, coach, and consultant. She is also the author of Sharpen Your Inclusion Edge and More Than Enough. When she’s taking a break from speaking and training, Jada enjoys cooking, spending time with family and working out.

Shelia Butler explores the incredible power of coaching in shaping a company that truly resonates with people from different generations. We’ll explore practical strategies and insightful perspectives highlighting how effective coaching can bridge the gap between generations, nurture talent, and foster a strong sense of purpose within organizations.

Shelia Butler is a seasoned professional with over 18 years in the home furnishings industry. As a co-founder of Aidan Gray Home and Handley Drive, she established highly sought-after brands. Shelia is an industry consultant and executive coach, specializing in agile and operational transformation. With an MBA from Baylor University and a Lean Green Belt from Arizona State University, she brings a wealth of knowledge to her clients. Shelia’s dynamic leadership and expertise drive positive change and optimize business processes.