WithIt Professional Conference Draws From All Segments Of The Industry
Furniture World News Desk on
7/21/2017
WithIt, the women’s leadership development network for the home and furnishings industries, recently announced that it drew over 150 women and men to Charleston, S.C. for 3 days of professional development. Among the attendees were retailers, designers, manufacturers, service providers and student scholarship recipients. The theme “The Evolving Leader: Communicate, Collaborate, Cultivate” was conveyed throughout the conference’s leadership focused program.
Erica Hughes, Digital Media Administrator from retailer Coconis Furniture, shared “The WithIt Professional Conference was an empowering experience. I left with many new strategies I have already started implementing. WithIt has so much to offer for leadership development and professional growth in our industry.”
International women’s leadership expert Eleanor Beaton gave the keynote address highlighting significant success factors and stories of effective businesswomen as well as an intensive pre-conference workshop. Other nationally recognized speakers included motivation and communication strategist Lynne Jensen-Nelson from Conversion-mics® Sales Training, Hatch Tribe founder and networking specialist Hilary Johnson, marketing guru Lori Dolnick from Frank Advertising and interior designer and brand expert Lisa Kahn-Allen, president of Kahn Design Group.
“This year’s Educational Conference served to be an outstanding opportunity for professionals in our industry to focus on their leadership and development,” states Lorri Kelley, president of BDI Furniture and WithIt’s VP of Education. “Our speakers provided inspirational and actionable takeaways to help us all grow our skillsets. The relationships cultivated at our WithIt events continue to provide valuable return to the progress of leaders in our industry.”
Julie Messner, International Market Centers Senior VP, adds “The quality of the educational content and connections among industry leaders at the WithIt Conference are valuable and enable us to share best practices across our respective organizations. I look forward to attending again in the future.”
WithIt appreciates leading sponsors Ashley Furniture Industries and MicroD for supporting and recognizing the value the educational opportunities delivered by WithIt’s Annual Professional Conference.
WithIt’s 2018 Professional Conference will again take place in Charleston, S.C. next summer.
The mission of WithIt, and the non-profit organization that produces the conference, is to encourage and develop leadership, mentoring, education and networking opportunities for professional women in the home and furnishings industries.
More about WithIt: WithIt was formed in 1997 for women in the home and furnishings industries in order to support their multi-dimensional career paths. The non-profit network is based in North Carolina and supported by leading companies across the industry including their platinum sponsors International Market Centers and Heritage Home Group. WithIt’s purpose is to encourage and develop leadership, mentoring, education and networking opportunities for professional women in the home and furnishings industries.