Women Business Leaders Get Business Boost from WLE; Three Women Honored for Ground-Breaking Leadership

Business Wire,  Sept 19, 2003  

• E-mail
• Print
• Link

Business Editors

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 19, 2003

More than 500 women business owners, entrepreneurs, and guests got a jump-start in growing their business at the Women's Leadership Exchange (WLE) conference held Wednesday, September 17, in Atlanta. Attendees were exposed to successful female experts presenting case studies and leading discussions in areas such as financing growth, building business alliances, negotiating tools, managing cash flow and branding. WLE is a unique group because of its focus on women who are already running successful businesses and are ready to grow the business to the next level. The presenting sponsor of the conference was OPEN: The Small Business Network from American Express.

"It's all about having resources and learning the things you don't know," said Leslie Grossman, co-founder, WLE. "This day-long seminar is a fast forward way for women to make contact with other successful women and learn the skills they need to take their business to the next step." The Atlanta conference follows successful events held in New York City, Chicago, Dallas and Long Beach.

Debi Davis, founder, Fit America MD, led the day with her keynote speech that described how her $46 million company grew from her solution to personal trials and challenges. She highlighted the importance of financial planning and the necessity to be flexible in the current business environment.

Leah Ward Sears, presiding justice, Supreme Court of Georgia, delivered an inspirational close to the day by reminding everyone to be an "eagle woman" and soar to greatness in their lives.

"We especially like to draw attention to women who are successful in new areas of business," said Andrea March, co-founder. "That's the motivation for our awards program, and today we honored three such women."

The WLE Compass Awards were presented to role models who have shifted the perception of women in their fields:

-- Valerie Daniels-Carter, president and CEO, V&J Holding

Company, made an impact in the fast food business with a

126-unit, multi-brand operation.

-- Gail Evans, former executive vice president, CNN, and author

of the best-selling book Play Like a Man, Win Like A Woman.

-- Sylvia Hatchell, woman's basketball coach, University of North

Carolina, as one of only eight coaches with more than 600

career victories.

After the presentations, Bobbie Battista, former CNN reporter and principal, Atamira Communications, led a talk show format discussion with the winners. They candidly talked about their careers, goals and business challenges.

Daniels spoke about the glass ceiling and said that she is definitely "looking down through it and it felt good!"

Answering the question about when the United States will see a female president, Evans, who has always been interested in politics, answered that "we will have a woman president when the women of America want one."

Coach Hatchell aspires to be the first female coach of a male basketball team. Commenting on the recent news about professional women's soccer, Coach Hatchell said, "women's sports are at a critical stage; we need women to support women's sports."

Attendees of the conference came from Alabama, South Carolina, and New York, but most were from north Georgia.

About Women's Leadership Exchange

The organization's motto is "Women's Leadership Exchange makes business opportunities happen." Founded in 2002, the organization's chief mission is to provide resources and a forum for women business owners to grow their businesses.

Headquartered in New York, the company conducts five to six conferences each year around the country in major growth markets. Major sponsors include OPEN: The Small Business Network from American Express; Wyndham Hotels & Resorts; BellSouth; HQ Global Workplaces; Dun & Bradstreet; AT&T; Forbes; Entrepreneur Magazine; WomensCalendar; The O Group; Women's Enterprise; and MBE magazine.

The organization offers a free e-newsletter as well as other resources through its website at www.womensleadershipexchange.com.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Business Wire
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning