After attending the Queen City Women in Business Conference presented by Skilldora, this past Tuesday, I learned one thing for sure: When a room is packed with strong women, the energy is vibrating and there is a sense of comfort and ease.
Three powerful women in our community spoke on how they are “making bold moves in 2023.” Hosted by the Charlotte Museum of History, president and CEO Terri White didn’t hold back in her genuine delivery of how she got there. She spoke on the path that got her to Charlotte and how she made bold moves to get to the top. She told the audience to find our sweet spot. It’s the thing that makes you happy and the motivator that gets you out of bed in the mornings. For me, that would be the yells of “mama” around 6 a.m. from the next room!
She reminded us to never feel discouraged: “If someone says you can’t do what you want to do, keep pressing forward anyway,” she said. And of course, like any good nonprofit leader, she lifted us with a shameless plug to visit the history museum and know your community’s history.
We also heard from Stacy Cassio, founder and CEO of Pink Mentor Network. She talked about investing in yourself to help you accomplish your goals and make bold moves. She shared a graph to help overcome imposter syndrome. It talked about how to get to that “sweet spot” of loving what you do while being a natural fit with your skills. Once you can identify what those things are, then you’ll really flourish.
Our very own Janet LaBar talked about what inspires her to get up and make those bold moves. Sharing a vision board slide, she talked about her family as the core reason she is motivated. Her mom was her “shero,” making her own bold moves to come to the United States from the Philippines when she was just a young woman without knowing anyone or having much to her name. She built a very successful life for her and her family. Janet found her own strength and conviction in seeing her mom work hard.
Janet recently watched a film titled “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” that encourages her to focus and figure out what’s important. It teaches kindness, consistency, and resilience. She is also inspired by the book “The Bill of Obligations – The Ten Habits of Good Citizens” by Richard Haass. The book is centered on the idea of revising and expanding the obligations of citizenship, and to lead with integrity – something else I learned was in her toolbox for success.
Recharging, recentering, and self-care are obvious needs and motivators for anyone, but what you may not know is that Janet’s recharging place is one she called home for many years, the Florida Coast. I believe she described it as white sandy beaches with the clearest water you’ve ever seen… packing my bags as we speak!
Lastly, and as one would expect, she is also motivated by “practice in purpose” and the Charlotte Region. She also shared a graph of “Ikigai,” a Japanese concept referring to something that gives a person a sense of purpose and a reason for living. It’s aligning your love with your talent, what the world needs, and being paid to do it! She has appeared to have found it!
It was truly inspiring to be in the room as many powerful, wonderful women came together for a purpose of encouraging each other to be bold in their actions and realize their why. So, now I ask you: “What’s your why?”
Ashley Hedrick is the director of engagement at the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance. In her role, she builds mission-driven content and executive experiences for investors and community stakeholders.
