I can’t describe my appreciation for being granted the opportunity to be in the presence of such great energy here at the Women of Power Summit.
As you walk around and see so many clusters of women sharing and networking, you can’t help but appreciate how unique we as women of color are and how we can all benefit from one another. It
makes no sense to be alone in the trenches of corporate America or battling the angst of entrepreneurship solo, but we do it all the time. Gone are the days of climbing that ladder alone, we’ve got to work together.And the Women of Power Summit is the place to get the support necessary to not just make do but do better. In just the first day, I’ve met so many women from different walks of life, eager to connect and learn.
At the Power Networking Workshop led by Debra Langford, executive director of strategic sourcing at Time Warner, we learned how to put ourselves first–literally. Langford stressed the importance of knowing who you are not only as a professional but also as a person. With so much uncertainly floating around today during this recession, that’s probably going to be the one thing that you can be assured will remain constant.
Langford added, “What you do today could be different from what you did last week and what you do next week could be different from what you do this week.†And this week is one that we must hone in on, take advantage of, and use as fuel to propel us to the next level. The tools and knowledge we’ll receive at the Women of Power Summit will help us get through these challenging times.
The Women of Power Summit runs Feb. 11-14 at the Ritz-Carlton, Grande Lakes in Orlando, Florida.
Tennille M. Robinson is the small business editor at Black Enterprise magazine.