WHO: 

 BLACK ENTERPRISE, the premier business, investment, and wealth building resource for African Americans, along with Walmart, the nation's leading retailer and one of the nation's largest private employers of African Americans.

WHAT:   

20/20 Vision: Women In Business, a forum designed to explore how women entrepreneurs can prepare themselves and their ventures to access capital, form strategic alliances to do business with large corporations, turn a business crisis into an opportunity, and leverage resources to propel their enterprises to the next level.

WHERE:   

The Sunset Room National Harbor

137 National Plaza, National Harbor, MD 20745

WHEN:     

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Speaker and Event Highlights

8:00 a.m.     

Registration/Networking/Continental Breakfast

9:00 a.m.     

Remarks

-  Caroline V. Clarke, Host, Black Enterprise Business Report; Executive Editor, Black Enterprise; Co-Editorial Director, Women of Power Summit

-  Beth Harrison, Director, Global Women's Economic Empowerment, Walmart

-  Anthony Brown, Lt. Governor, the State of Maryland

-  Marie C. Johns, former Deputy Administrator, U.S. Small Business Administration; President, L&L Consulting

9:15 a.m.    

One-on-One Conversation: It's A Woman's World: Making It In A Male Dominated Industry

-  Necole Parker, CEO, The Elocen Group, L.L.C.  with Caroline V. Clarke

9:45 a.m.   

Session 1: Strategic Planning and Partnering for Long-Term Growth

As your business grows and experiences challenges along the way, new strategies are warranted. Having a strategic plan provides guidance during each stage of business development. This panel of experts will share how to form strategic partnerships to enter new markets.

-  Arsha Jones, Co-Owner, Capital City Mumbo Sauce

-  Amy Hilliard, Founder and CEO, Comfort Cake Co.

-  Lisa Williams, CEO, World of EPI

Moderator:   

Sonia Alleyne, Editorial Director, BLACK ENTERPRISE and Co-Editorial Director, Women of Power Summit

11:05 a.m.

One-on-One Conversation: Get On The Shelf: Perfecting Your Product and Your Pitch

- Lisa Ascolese, Founder and CEO, Inventing A to Z with Sonia Alleyne

11:35 a.m.    

Session 2: Art of the Turnaround: Hurdling Obstacles and Taking Risks

This panel of tenacious entrepreneurs will share their experiences, showing how to master the tools and skills necessary to turn adversity into hope and challenge into achievement.

-  Monique Greenwood, President and CEO, Akwaaba Bed & Breakfast Inns

-  Nadine Thompson, Founder and CEO, Soul Purpose Lifestyle Company

-  Jessica Johnson, President, Johnson Security Bureau, Inc.

Moderator:  

Carolyn M. Brown, Senior Multimedia Content Producer, BLACK ENTERPRISE

1:00 p.m.  –   

Networking

3:00 p.m.