Check Out Our Essential Planning Checklist For The Cultivate Summit

By: Brianna Rhodes

Our second annual Cultivate Summit is two days away, and we can’t wait to meet the women entrepreneurs who are ready to take their businesses to the next level. 

We have been working very hard over the past few months to cultivate a space for our attendees to receive the support, recognition, and resources they need to thrive in their respective entrepreneurial careers.

Our day-long conference will focus on sharing valuable wisdom from our trailblazing speakers to help business owners across the DMV transition from day-to-day operations to strategic and intentional leadership roles.

This year’s theme, Leading with Intention, encapsulates our effort to foster an inclusive environment where women founders can invest in all areas of their lives. And, there’s no better way to lead with intention than to ensure our attendees are equipped with the right tools to thrive at the Cultivate Summit. 

Check out our essential planning checklist below. 

1. Business Cards

Summits and conferences are perfect places for attendees to promote their businesses to their peers. Entrepreneurs should always have a physical or virtual business card available to share with attendees, speakers, or experts so they can connect with them after the event. You never know who will be your next customer, client, or investor. 

2. A Laptop

Although they can be a hassle to carry around, a laptop is an essential item to have at a summit to take notes or record panels, especially if you don’t like to write. A laptop will be especially convenient for those who signed up for Expert Open Hours. 

If you decide to bring your laptop, remember to bring your charger!

3. A Notebook

The Cultivate Summit will offer valuable information from our trailblazing speakers, and we will provide a notebook and pen for every attendee. We recommend our attendees keep their notebooks and pens handy to take plenty of notes during our sessions. These are also great backup items to have available if you have technical issues with your laptop. 

4. Samples of Your Product or Work 

Attending summits can be the perfect opportunity to market your product or services. Whether you sell beauty products or art, it is important to have samples of your items available for your peers to purchase or review.

5. A Resume or Portfolio 

People not only want to know about you, but they’re also interested in your professional background. Resumes or portfolios are the perfect resources for providing an overview of your business experience and examples of your work.

6. A Networking Strategy 

Being at an event can be an overwhelming experience, especially if you go alone or don’t know anyone, so it’s always a great idea to have an elevator pitch readily available when you meet someone new. Many changemakers and innovators will be at the summit, so we want to challenge everyone to network with at least five people.

We also suggest our participants review the list of speakers and experts who will attend our summit and develop a strategy to effectively engage with them about their business goals during certain times of the day, like lunchtime, technical assistance, or happy hour. 

7. Questions 

Attendees stand out the most when they show their inquisitive side by having questions readily available for our advisors and speakers. We suggest everyone have a list of three to five questions relating to subjects like accounting, legal matters, and certification at the technical assistance and breakout sessions.

8. Your Confidence

There’s no better way for our attendees to show up to our summit than with their confidence and beautiful smiles. A positive, friendly attitude can position the whole experience in your favor. So, make sure you attend the conference with an open mind, and we can guarantee you’ll have a great time.

We believe these tools will set all women founders up for success at any event. For more information about the summit, such as our detailed agenda and list of speakers, please visit here. We can’t wait to see you soon!