The 2023 Pennsylvania Conference for Women

I recently had the privilege of attending the 20th anniversary of the Pennsylvania Conference for Women, an incredible event that brought together over 8,000 women and men to celebrate and uplift one another.

This year, the conference featured some extraordinary keynote speakers, and I’m excited to share with you the impactful messages they delivered and the valuable takeaways I gained. The keynote speakers, Jacinda Arden and Tina Fey, were spot-on. Here are a few highlights from their heartfelt message.

I was extremely excited to see Dame Jacinda Arden, former prime minister of New Zealand, speak. She
has long been a hero of mine with her strong leadership skills, down-to-earth way of speaking with people, and the way she led her country and then resigned when she felt she had done what she could. Absolutely not a grain of being power hungry in this human. Her message at the Conference that no one alone succeeds resonated throughout the event. In this ever-changing world, we need a village to help us succeed in every part of our life. This seemingly simple yet profoundly insightful statement is a reminder that individual greatness is rarely attained on our own, without help and support. Jacinda said we must actively seek support, lean on our team, and collaborate to realize our goals. We should wholeheartedly
embrace the potential of collaboration and recognize the strength that arises from collective endeavors.

The presence of Tina Fey was undoubtedly another standout moment at the conference. Her message resonated deeply with the audience, emphasizing the significance of supporting one another and actively creating growth opportunities, personally and professionally. Tina shared several simple pivotal principles:
Staying calm is important— panicking is NOT the answer and won’t help. Life frequently throws unexpected challenges our way. Tina wisely spoke about falling into a panic when faced with adversity. She encouraged us to redirect our energy into finding solutions. Panicking, she reminded us, only depletes our resources without contributing positively to the situation, and I couldn’t agree more! Tina stressed that authentic leadership involves setting a positive example for one’s team. This entails demonstrating the way forward through one’s actions and attitude. Leading with integrity can inspire others to follow suit, fostering a collaborative and supportive environment. Building a solid and unified
team is pivotal to achieving success. I have seen this ring true over and over in my business.

Tina urged us to express respect and appreciation for our team, both in upper- and lower-level positions. She reminded us that our energy is a finite resource and should not be squandered on doubters who do not share our path to success. Build your group with like-minded people who are ready and willing to champion for you to succeed. When one wins, we all win. She also highlighted the value of openness, drawing from the world of improv. Embracing any idea presented, responding with a “yes,” and contributing meaningfully to the conversation can lead to innovative and collaborative solutions. Chef José Andrés, founder of the World Central Kitchen, also spoke. He emphasized the need to act to solve big problems. “Let’s make sure that, every time something happens, it’s a moment for us to rise above the issue we are trying to solve,” he said.

Other speakers included Philadelphia Mayor James Kenney and Olympian Gail Devers, along with many of the nation’s top experts on workplace and personal development issues in breakout sessions and mentoring. Throughout the conference, mentorship was a recurring theme. As mentors, we were encouraged to set high expectations for our mentees. Believing in their potential and giving them the flexibility to grow can profoundly impact them. No one is perfect, and being authentic and vulnerable is crucial, as it encourages those around us to do the same. When you lift up others and set the bar for growth, great things can happen for everyone! Focusing on mentorship and authenticity reinforces the importance of solid relationships in our personal and professional lives. Supporting one another and fostering growth in those we mentor can create a ripple effect of positive change. It’s always been important to foster a culture of respect and appreciation where we all work together in our team to provide top-notch virtual assistant services. Collaborating and nurturing strong relationships with our clients and team have always been a top priority. Each of our 5 divisions has a team leader, and each one of those team leaders has been with us from 12 to 15 years.

The Pennsylvania Conference for Women 2023 was a transformative experience. The wisdom shared by
the keynote speakers and other speakers, along with the supportive atmosphere among attendees, once again gave invaluable insights and tools to apply in my virtual assistant business. I’m excited to take these
lessons to heart and continue empowering myself and those I work with. Together, we can achieve greatness and support one another on our journeys to success.

Personal Touch Concierge Service® is a multi-virtual assistance company with 5 divisions: Admin, Social Media, Website, SEO, and Bookkeeping services. We are in our 17th year and enjoy working with business
owners to help them work ON their business, instead of IN it.