BLACK ENTERPRISE and Walmart Host Forum on Women in Business on Wednesday, October 16, in National Harbor, MD

20/20 Vision Supplier Diversity Series to Explore How Women Entrepreneurs Can Access Capital, Form Strategic Alliances and Grow Their Ventures to the Next Level

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BLACK ENTERPRISE

Oct 10, 2013, 07:53 ET

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md., Oct. 10, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

WHO:	BLACK ENTERPRISE, the premier business, investment, and wealth building resource for African Americans, along with Walmart, the nation's leading retailer and one of the nation's largest private employers of African Americans.

WHAT:	*20/20 Vision: Women In Business,* a forum designed to explore how women entrepreneurs can prepare themselves and their ventures to access capital, form strategic alliances to do business with large corporations, turn a business crisis into an opportunity, and leverage resources to propel their enterprises to the next level.

WHERE:	The Sunset Room National Harbor
	137 National Plaza, National Harbor, MD 20745

WHEN:	Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Speaker and Event Highlights

8:00 a.m.	Registration/Networking/Continental Breakfast

9:00 a.m.	Remarks
	- Caroline V. Clarke, Host, Black Enterprise Business Report; Executive Editor, Black Enterprise; Co-Editorial Director, Women of Power Summit
	- Beth Harrison, Director, Global Women's Economic Empowerment, Walmart
	- Anthony Brown, Lt. Governor, the State of Maryland
	- Marie C. Johns, former Deputy Administrator, U.S. Small Business Administration; President, L&L Consulting

9:15 a.m.	One-on-One Conversation: It's A Woman's World: Making It In A Male Dominated Industry
	- Necole Parker, CEO, The Elocen Group, L.L.C. with Caroline V. Clarke

9:45 a.m.	Session 1: Strategic Planning and Partnering for Long-Term Growth
	As your business grows and experiences challenges along the way, new strategies are warranted. Having a strategic plan provides guidance during each stage of business development. This panel of experts will share how to form strategic partnerships to enter new markets.
	- Arsha Jones, Co-Owner, Capital City Mumbo Sauce
	- Amy Hilliard, Founder and CEO, Comfort Cake Co.
	- Lisa Williams, CEO, World of EPI

Moderator:	Sonia Alleyne, Editorial Director, BLACK ENTERPRISE and Co-Editorial Director, Women of Power Summit

11:05 a.m.	One-on-One Conversation: Get On The Shelf: Perfecting Your Product and Your Pitch
	- Lisa Ascolese, Founder and CEO, Inventing A to Z with Sonia Alleyne

11:35 a.m.	Session 2: Art of the Turnaround: Hurdling Obstacles and Taking Risks
	This panel of tenacious entrepreneurs will share their experiences, showing how to master the tools and skills necessary to turn adversity into hope and challenge into achievement.
	- Monique Greenwood, President and CEO, Akwaaba Bed & Breakfast Inns
	- Nadine Thompson, Founder and CEO, Soul Purpose Lifestyle Company
	- Jessica Johnson, President, Johnson Security Bureau, Inc.

Moderator:	Carolyn M. Brown, Senior Multimedia Content Producer, BLACK ENTERPRISE

1:00 p.m. –	Networking
3:00 p.m.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Interested press should contact Alfred Edmond Jr. at 212-886-9585 or via e-mail at [email protected].

SOCIAL MEDIA NOTE: For information and updates shared from this event on Twitter and other social media platforms, follow @blackenterprise and @WalmartAction or search the hash tag #BESUPPDIV

BLACK ENTERPRISE, your ultimate source of Wealth For Life, is the premier business, investing, and wealth-building resource for African Americans. Since 1970, BE has provided essential business information and advice to professionals, corporate executives, entrepreneurs, and decision makers. Every month, BLACK ENTERPRISE magazine provides 4 million readers with information on entrepreneurship, careers, and financial management. A multimedia company, BE also produces radio and television programming, business and lifestyle events, Web content, and digital media. BLACK ENTERPRISE is the definitive source of information for and about African American business markets and leaders, and the authority on black business news and trends.

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