A Recap of The 2025 Women's Conference of Florida
Back in December, our team attended the 2024 Women's Conference of Florida in Tampa — and we haven't stopped talking about it since! So, of course, we have to share all our top highlights from this year's event.
This was a one-day conference that captivated you as soon as you walked in the door! The space was lined with local vendors with tons of fun products, so yes, we got some last-minute Christmas shopping in! Between custom cowboy hats, and candles to a professional headshot stop and custom-created poem based on a word of your choice, they had a booth for everything. Just on how unique the vendors were alone, you could tell how much intent went into planning this event. But, our favorite part of course — the speakers! Here's a deep dive into the keynote speakers we listened to and our key takeaways from this.
Lisa Sun
FOUNDER & CEO, GRAVITAS
Lisa told her story of how she took the leap out of her 11-year corporate role and launched her own inclusive fashion company. With this huge career shift, she talked about how she had to look within and focus on channeling her own strengths and confidence.
Our Takeaways:
Confidence doesn't always translate to outgoing, charismatic, and extroverted. There are different types of confidence and everyone has to find theirs, even if you are an introvert. We participated in an interactive exercise to have everyone think about their strengths in new ways, as a superpower. Everyone has a "superpower," (I.e. a strength you do better than anyone) but it's up to you to find what it is, and channel that in your personal and professional life.
(And yes, we definitely got her book Gravitas, so expect to hear more from us on this!)
Shellye Archambeau
FORMER CEO, METRICSTREAM
Shellye was on an interview-style presentation and was asked a lot of amazing questions on how she set herself up for success. Shellye talked about how she studied CEOs and set her mark on becoming one. She became a CEO and went well beyond that with her accomplishments on the board of Veriosn.
Our Takeaways:
There were so many takeaways about setting your goals on something that we took away from, but I think my personal favorite takeaway is her conversation about work-life balance. She talked about how work-life "balance" doesn't exist in her mind, but rather work-life integration. She discussed how she managed motherhood, being a wife, and being a CEO and all the responsibilities with each of those intersecting. Taking things off your mental block and leaning on a partner/your supporters in life is essential.
Jamie Kern Lima
Founder, IT Cosmetics
The Founder of IT Cosmetics had anything but an easy journey to her success. She shared that 3 years in after many no's and one last shot before bankruptcy, she got someone to take a chance on her and her brand.
Our Takeaways:
Your "Yes" is out there somewhere. She is such a clear image of perseverance and standing behind your passion. She tried for 3 years to get her "yes" and she came out of it with a 1 billion dollar sale to L’Oréal, and the first female CEO of a brand in its history. She explained that no matter how many "no's" you get, doesn't mean that you aren't worthy to keep showing up and sitting at the table.
Taylor Villegas
COO of Sunny Collabs + Principal Strategist with Twelve Tables Consulting
Taylor started her presentation with the infamous jelly bean video, and talked about how hustle culture has gotten all of us. However, she explained how she is canceling hustle culture and instead embracing being unhustled.
Our Takeaways:
"Unhusting" isn't about being lazy or cutting out all the work on your plate, but rather finding ways to do it efficiently to where it doesn't take up all your time and you can still have that work-life balance we all crave. Instead of staying late at the office just to prove a point that you were there, you finish your work and head home to spend time with your family because that's a boundary you have — she used all kinds of examples in her personal life I think every woman could relate to!
Asha S. Collins, PhD x Deanna Leonard, MBA
These ladies discussed AI in a panel interview, while they each some from wildly different industries their main takeaway from AI was super similar: It's a resource, not a replacement!
Our Takeaways:
It's important to start learning AI now and harnessing it in our careers. AI isn't going to take over our roles if we continue to shape it into our roles and help it better us, rather than the other way around.
We can't wait to attend next year, and hopefully, we can see you there!
