WithIt, the not-for-profit professional development organization for women in the home furnishings industry, held its annual conference June 24-26, 2019 in Alexandria, VA.
The three-day event featured workshops, keynote presentations, breakout sessions and networking opportunities designed to help WithIt members with personal and professional growth.
After three pre-conference workshops focused on vision, strength and wellness, the official program kicked off Monday afternoon with a membership meeting, followed by networking dinners at a selection of local restaurants.
On Tuesday, Denise Ryan of Firestar Speaking kicked off the day with a presentation that spoke to the conference them — Igniting Leadership — and outlined the traits of successful leaders. She provided tools to help the leaders in the room determine their employees' motivations and help them better communicate to raise employee morale.
Ashley Feinstein Gerstley, The Fiscal Femme and author of 30-Day Money Cleanse, explained why it is crucial for women to possess wealth, and offered tips from her book for how attendees can become more conscious about their finances. “Being smart with money is not a restriction, it is an act of self love,” Feinstein Gerstley said.
Nicole Leinbach Reyhle, founder of Retail Minded, presented "The Path to Purchase: Understanding the Realities, Resources & Revenue Opportunities Based on How Consumers Really Shop." She explained that the consumer’s path to purchase is no longer linear and instead often is influenced by technology either before, during, or after a customer enters the store. She also gave tips for how retailers can handle this shift. For example, instead of seeing customers on their smartphones while walking around the store as a negative, consider that they are using this technology as part of their shopping journey, and consider offering a free, gated WiFi network in-store to capture their information.
Afternoon breakout sessions helped attendees gain further specialized knowledge in intimate settings. In “Capturing Lightning in a Jar,” Lori Dolnick of Frank Advertising provided tips and tricks for taking photos with cameras and smartphones, suggesting accessories and tools for enhancing photos and videos.
In "You're Talking, But Why Should We Listen," Deena Gardner of Reverie led a discussion on content and the importance of brands knowing their audience and putting them first. Without forming a relationship with your audience, she said, there is no loyalty and they will go somewhere else for their content.
On Tuesday evening, the networking reception theme was “Honoring Empowered Women Through History,” and attendees were encouraged to dress as their favored empowered woman. Rosie the Riveter, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, and Frida Kahlo were all present in multitudes, but Pink, Mother Teresa, Princess Diana, and Queen Elizabeth also made appearances.
Wednesday’s half-day of programming began with a presentation from Andrea Courtney of City of Hope. Courtney explained how the home furnishings industry can get involved and help move forward the organization’s cancer treatment and research initiatives.
Joan Kuhl, author of Dig Your Heels In, shared research that demonstrates that companies are more successful with women in leadership roles, but are often judged more harshly than men when they are in these roles. She outlined the reasons why women don’t get promoted, how to handle difficult conversations, and how to get past “good girl thinking” — behaving according to society’s perception of how women should behave.
The conference wrapped up with a panel of attendees sharing what they learned over the course of the conference.
