WORK is a pop-up conference exploring creative and entrepreneurial approaches to work.
WORK WINTER ‘20
presented by BBATX (#bossbabesATX)
powered by Texas MSTC and Texas MBA
10 AM to 6 PM on January 11, 2020 @ Rowling Hall in Austin, Texas
• conference registration •
ROWLING HALL bottom floor
10:00 AM to 10:30 AM
On the bottom floor of Rowling Hall, you'll find registration. We'll scan your ticket, compliment your outfit and get you settled in with a conference agenda and complimentary tote bag.
You can also pop in for a quick, complimentary headshot with photographer Tonya Dailey before heading upstairs. Tonya will be shooting until 1 PM, so if you don’t get a headshot when you arrive, plan to get one after the morning keynote.
• networking, goal-mapping and coffee •
ROWLING HALL ROOFTOP (Floor 5)
10:00 AM to 10:30 AM
After checking in, you’ll then head to the Rowling Hall rooftop for some morning coffee with Chameleon Cold-Brew, CocoYo parfaits with GT’s Living Foods and goal-mapping. All sessions are first-come, first-serve, so you’ll spend this time getting prepared for what’s ahead.
Moreover, this will be the first time that WORK will offer mentorship sessions with some of our speakers—and you’ll have the opportunity to sign up when you arrive, so come early.
• REVITALIZE — ON RECOVERING FROM BURNOUT AND RETHINKING APPROACHES TO WORK: a keynote
introduction by jackie venson •
ROWLING HALL ROOFTOP (Floor 5)
10:30 AM to 11:00 AM
revitalize (v.): to imbue something with new life and vitality.
At work and in our lives, we all face seasons of renewal and restoration—and in turn, we all have moments that redefine who we are and where we want to go. Whether we’re facing changes in our career paths, pushing ourselves out of a rut or revisiting old projects, adjusting to life’s pivots can be equal parts difficult and rewarding. So, what do we do when we recognize we need a change? How can we breathe new life into our work? What does it look like to revitalize our perspectives, mindsets and approaches to work, collaboration and creativity?
Singer, songwriter and powerhouse Jackie Venson will be joining us to share her thoughts on revitalization in 2020.
Obsessed with music from an early age, Austin-based singer/songwriter Jackie Venson immersed herself in its study, attending the Berklee College of Music to practice classical piano. However, it wasn’t until she switched to the electric guitar, that her long-simmering passion for emotive live performance was realized. Abandoning the straight-laced world of classical for the raw power of blues and soul, Venson has since been tirelessly honing her skills into an intoxicating amalgam of Blues, Rock, R&B and Soul with deeply heartfelt lyrics. Having just released her latest studio album “Joy,” Venson is in the midst of her global “Joy to the World” tour, which will see her playing shows all the way from Alaska to Austria and back.
• workshops and discussions:
part I •
Floors 1, 2 AND 5
11:30 AM to 12:30 PM
For this segment of workshops and discussions, attendees will have to choose between four sessions. The sessions for Part I are as follows.
Session 1 — Room 5.420 — An Intro to Copyright For New Creatives and Entrepreneurs
When it comes to credit, we all deserve to have our ideas respected. So, how can we protect our intellectual property from exploitation? In this session, trademark attorney and branding expert Nik Sallie Franklin will show us the ropes.
Session 2 — Rowling Hall Auditorium (Bottom Floor) — Creating A Solid Content Strategy
How can we create workflows around social media, email marketing and communications management? In this session, attendees will learn the basics of a beginning content strategy from Snap Kitchen’s social media strategist Kristen Hubby.
Session 3 — Room 5.210 — Long-Term Goal-Setting and Growth Mindsets
In this session, attendees will learn strategies and tools for setting goals that go beyond short-term scopes and quick fixes with Gold Rush Vinyl’s founder and President, Caren Kelleher.
Session 4 — Room 2.238 — How To Say No
Knowing when to end a relationship with a difficult and/or mismatched job, client or business partner is hard. Moderated by digital creative Sydney Greene and joined by photographer Chelsea Laine Francis, stylist Beth Hitchcock and tech professional Jasmine Robinson, this panel will explore creating exit strategies beyond burning bridges.
Mentorship Sessions Round One — Robert B. Rowling Hall Student Lounge on Floor II
For the first time, we’re offering one-on-one drop-ins with select mentors from the BBATX network. From 11 AM to 1 PM, you can schedule a 20-minute meeting with creative entrepreneur and Curly Executive Founder Mélissa Peng to chat small business marketing, Intero co-owner Krystal Craig to talk career-building or emotional management coach Megan Saxelby to explore tools and strategies for approaching stress at work. You must sign up for a time slot during registration from 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM.
• process and connect: A WORKING LUNCH •
1:00 to 2:00 PM
During this break, you can head out for lunch in the area (click here for a list of recommendations). You can also use this time to enjoy a number of creative workshops and activities, like tarot readings, museum tours and more. Here’s a full schedule of what’s available during lunch:
Blanton Museum — A Lil Tour With The Blanton Museum
Head down the block to the Blanton Museum at 1:00 PM for a private tour with their staff exploring works by women and queer artists within their collections. You must have your WORK wristband on to enter the museum for free.
Room 2.238 — Figuring Out What You Want: A Workshop With Donnet Bruce
From 1:15 to 2:00 PM, sit down for a hands-on, interactive workshop with Donnet Bruce on getting out of a rut and making a career pivot. How do we make tough decisions for what’s next?
Bottom Floor of Rowling Hall — A Collections Walk With UT Landmarks
Join our friends at Landmarks for a walking tour of their public art installations on UT campus, starting at 1:15 PM in the Rowling Hall lobby.
Room 4.304 — Tarot Readings with La Mystica
From 1 to 4 PM, sign up for a tarot reading by women-owned business La Mystica, which offers support to entrepreneurs, therapeutic practitioners and creatives through Emotional Freedom Technique and other supporting, contemplative practices. Tarot readings are first-come, first-serve.
• workshops and discussions:
part II •
Floors 1, 2 AND 5
2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
For this segment of workshops and discussions, attendees will have to choose between four sessions. The sessions for Part II are as follows.
Session 5 — Room 5.420 — Becoming A Better Leader For Life
Led by Deeds Not Words’ Co-Executive Director, Claudia Yoli Ferla, this session will explore how to advocate for and implement workplace policies that create healthier, more inclusive work environments—no matter how small (or large) that work environment is.
Session 6 — Rowling Hall Auditorium (Bottom Floor) — Compelling Content, Compelling Stories
What part does storytelling play in our personal and professional branding? In this session, attendees will learn from photographer and small business owner Riley Blanks on how to create social media imagery that has something to say.
Session 7 — Room 5.210 — Becoming A Better Public Speaker
Despite living in a digital world, figuring out ways to improve our in-person communication has become more important than ever. In this session, attendees will learn strategies from Communication Specialist Talan Tyminski for leading meetings, giving talks and crafting messaging that better gets their ideas across.
Session 8 — Room 2.238 — How To Crowd-Fund
What does it look like to launch a successful crowd-funding campaign? In this workshop, we’ll hear from the Fembeat team, Kayla Galang and Victoria Montemayor, on their experience using using IndieGogo to gather financial support around their latest film.
Mentorship Sessions Round Two — Robert B. Rowling Hall Student Lounge on Floor II
For the first time, we’re offering one-on-one drop-ins with select mentors from the BBATX network. From 2 PM to 4 PM, you can schedule a 20-minute meeting with Planoly Director of Marketing Priscilla Castro and Front-End Developer/Designer Jessica Tremblay about breaking into careers in marketing and design.
• workshops and discussions:
part III •
Floors 1, 2 AND 5
3:00 PM to 4:00 PM
For this segment of workshops and discussions, attendees will have to choose between four sessions. The sessions for Part III are as follows.
Session 9 — Room 5.420 — Put It In The Contract
How can we use contracts to set expectations and negotiate our value? Designed for freelancers, side hustlers and small business owners, this session will explore contract-building and client management with lawyer Nicole Swartz.
Session 10 — Rowling Hall Auditorium (Bottom Floor) — On Taking Investment
This session will explore investor management—what does it look like to communicate with and maintain relationships with a network of investors? Led by Elisa Sepulveda with Founder Institute and The Riveter, we’ll hear from second-time entrepreneur and founder of Prowess Project Ashley Connell on her experiences with investors.
Session 11 — Room 5.210 — Challenging Implicit Bias
What is implicit bias and how does it play out at work? Led by Jennifer Sarduy, the co-founder and President of Re+Birth Equity, this session will explore identifying and addressing biases, particularly those that perpetuate racism, sexism and other harmful belief systems.
Session 12 — Room 2.238 — From Dreams To Done
In this session led by Mélissa Peng, serial entrepreneur and founder of Curly Executive, attendees will learn how to craft an effective 12 week action based plan to help crush procrastination and accomplish their goals. They will also gain tools to help prioritize what's most important to as one navigates through 2020.
• work winter 2020 keynote panel •
ROWLING HALL AUDiToRIUM (Bottom Floor)
4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
In this keynote panel, Texas-based women entrepreneurs and thought leaders will share their thoughts on our winter theme: revitalize. They’ll discuss how they’ve sustained momentum for their careers, how they take care of themselves through stress and success and the leadership skills that have been useful along the way.
This panel will be moderated by Latinitas Deputy Executive Director Sylvia Butana and joined by the Chief Operating Officer of OHi Foods, Co. Lilly Wunsch, lawyer and community leader Pooja Sethi, lululemon Brand and Community Manager Kelly Krause and Elephant Table founder Hope Furst.
Sylvia Butanda is the deputy executive director for Latinitas where she manages year round digital media and technology enrichment programs for girls, development and operations. She takes strong pride in her culture and storytelling roots that led her to Latinitas and, since then, has enjoyed the opportunities to positively impact her community.
She is originally from Brownsville, TX and graduated from the School of Journalism at the University of Texas at Austin. She was awarded the 2018 Out of School Time Champion Award from Learn all the Time Network (LATT) for her work in empowering girls and young women in Central Texas with media and technology training.
Kelly Krause is a content and brand curator and community-builder living in Austin, Texas.
From 2010 to 2019, she held several positions with SXSW including head of Press and Publicity, and most recently curated Keynotes, Featured Speakers, and style and tech-related content for the conference. Currently she oversees brand and community initiatives for lululemon in the Southwest, and works with an Auberge Hotel in Austin, the Commodore Perry Estate on brand strategy.
In her spare time, she's a contributor for Forbes, focusing on women that keep empathy of the forefront of business, and also writes a monthly column for Camille Styles. She also serves as a mentor for WIT, a teen entrepreneur program. Most recently, she passed The Court of Master Sommeliers Level 1 Introductory Course to further fuel her love for wine and the industry.
Lilly Wunsch has been a natural foods entrepreneur for the past seven years. She co-founded 4th & Heart ghee butter and grew the company to over 5,000 stores nationwide before leaving to shake up the energy bar space with OHi Superfood Bars. OHi bars are fresh from the fridge, so you don't have to sacrifice real food when you're on-the-go. She loves serving people by providing better yummy food options where you don't have to sacrifice feeling satisfied to feel nourished.
Pooja Sethi is a mother, Austin Community Leader, Attorney, City Council Commissioner and a small business owner with all-women employees. She is also nonprofit founder addressing the immediate legal, economic, and housing needs of immigrant women and children who are survivors of domestic abuse and assault. Pooja frequently speaks on television and on panels in the Austin area fighting for the rights of all women and a more inclusive Austin.
Hope is a connector, collaborator and all around food enthusiast. She has over 10 years of career experience in the food and events industry with roles ranging from Catering Director for The Peached Tortilla to brand management for food & beverage companies such as CatSpring Yaupon, KeVita and PepsiCo. In the last year, she has branched off to focus on her own ventures that marry her passions and past experiences. Hope is co-founder of The Elephant Table, a collaborative dinner party concept focusing on giving creatives and brands an empowering platform to share their story. Most recently she’s co-founded The Glitter Queens, an eco-friendly pop-up glitter bar concept and she also acts as the Sponsor Manager for local Austin culinary and music fest, Hot Luck. Whether quite literally or figuratively, Hope's goal in each of her roles is to make everyone around her sparkle.
• class portrait happy hour •
Rowling Hall Bottom floor lounge
5:00 Pm to 6:00 PM
Following the conference's keynote panel, we'll reconvene in the Rowling Hall lobby for one of our classic WORK conference class portrait and light refreshments by our friends at Austin Cocktails. This happy hour is a great time to grab last-minute contact information, scribble down your next steps and set goals, too.