We are proud of our speaker lineup this year, and we’re particularly pleased with our Sunday afternoon Business panels. Here’s a taste of what’s to come.
Inclusivity Lightning Talks
By Correa and Adams
Aida Correa is a New Yorkian Renaissance woman – an artist, writer, poet, designer, teacher, and regular WordCamp volunteer and speaker.
Now in Jacksonville, Florida, she’s the owner of LoveBuilt Life, LLC, an arts and lifestyle company that helps others live more creatively. Specifically, Aida uses her entrepreneurial prowess and WordPress experience to teach women how to creatively rethink their businesses. She also builds websites for budget conscious start-ups.
Aisha Adams is a social media expert with a heart for community development. Through her platform, Nappy Thoughts, Aisha has been a resource to others seeking mental, emotional, and physical trauma relief. Her work has appeared in The Asheville Citizen-Times, The Asheville Grit, and The Final Call. She has a BA in English and an MA in Post-Secondary and Adult Education. She is also the founder of Aisha Adams Media Group, which helps small businesses with marketing. In May, Aisha launched Equity Over Everything, a project that aims to close homeownership and business equity gaps among under-resourced communities.
Join Aida and Aisha as they field inclusivity questions in this lightning round discussion. Attendees will learn how to better approach inclusivity in their blogs, work, and communities.
Click here to visit Aida and Aisha’s websites.
“Get Found, Get Featured: Turning Your Site into a 24/7 Publicist”
By Emily Watkins
Emily Watkins is a public relations expert who partners with small businesses and brands to grow their business through relevant storytelling. With over six years’ experience in small business and startup marketing, Emily knows what truly drives conversions, successful launches, and Associated Press interviews—and it’s not mastering the latest trends. It’s how well you connect with people and businesses you’re trying to help and communicate your understanding back to them. Emily has a BS in Public Relations and works as the PR Manager for Bluehost.
Born and raised in Houston, Emily is a true Texan; she’s even related to Davy Crockett.
In this session, we’ll take a look at good and bad press pages and discuss what journalists are looking for when they land on your site. I’ll provide tips to positioning a founding story and key facts that will pique the interest of media, bloggers, and influencers.
Users will leave with actionable tips they can implement to make their website more journalist-friendly. Freelancers will takeaway a new perspective on press pages they can share with clients.
Click here to follow Emily on Twitter.
“What’s In Your Hand”
By Tonia Myers
Get rid of that old, stagnant thinking; start living a better life by changing your mind, heart, and speech.
Tonia is the owner Myers Ultimate Life, where she helps women attain their goals. Her book, Enough Already: Tips and Techniques for Overcoming Self-Doubt, helps readers build better mental foundations through positive thinking and being.
In her talk, Tonia will help attendees realize their dreams and set achievable goals.
From Tonia:
“In this session, we will create exciting goals and figure out what is most important in your life. We all have dreams – to live happily, to be mentally and financially free. Life is too short to say ‘no.’ Let’s get unstuck and start moving forward together.”
Click here to visit Tonia’s website.
“Utilizing Skills, Talents, & Tools to Invent, Reinvent, Adapt, & Overcome”
By Mark White
Mark White is an entrepreneur, marketer, and radio show host. Formerly the owner of Blanco’s Chips, he is now the host of The Mark White Show, a radio program that recognizes outstanding community members and encourages others to make a difference; the show uses its reach to help others seeking assistance.
In 2008, Mark was selected as “Businessperson of the Year” by the Athens-Limestone County Chamber of Commerce; in April, he received “Citizen of the Year.” For Mark, the awards are signs that he’s moving in the right direction; rather than slow down, he hopes to grow his reach and continue making a difference.
While there are many opportunities to do amazing things, we must understand that reality and expectation can be completely different. In this talk, Mark will discuss how using your talents can help you reach your goals. Though we may occasionally fall, we must be able to adapt: to find our niche and purpose.
From Mark:
“I have tried and failed several times, but one thing I have never done is give up. I hope that my message will inspire those who are struggling and encourage those who have found their direction. Don’t quit!”
Click here to visit Mark’s website.
“Your Business’s Online Identity & Reputation”
By Tricia Clements
Tricia Clements combines her love for pets, especially her rescue mutt, with her business by focusing on marketing pet businesses.
Tricia loves finding out all that WordPress has to offer – to make her business run smoother and easier. As a social media manager, she creates and manages social content, writes blogs, and runs her clients’ Google My Business accounts.
It doesn’t matter if you’ve been in business for 5 days, 5 years, or 15 years: how you present your business online matters. Simply put, you cannot neglect your website, email, or social media. Show your prospective clients and referral partners that you mean business.
Businesses will receive a content checklist they can review and implement right away. Click here to visit Tricia’s website.
Still need WP Y’all tickets?Get yours now before they run out!
We look forward to seeing you this year!