Over 150 entrepreneurs and small business owners attended the inaugural, sold-out Excelerate Experience event at the North Carolina Biotechnology Center, Durham NC on October 14th. The event was hosted by members of a high performance women’s business mastermind as a give-back to the business community.
“The concept of leveraging a master mind to achieve greater success is vital for women in business,” according to Leslie Flowers, Excelerate Experience program manager and mastermind program leader. “Without our sponsors, partners, and community advocates, we would not have ‘hit it out of the park’. We truly had a village involved.” Flowers continued.
Event sponsors and community advocates stepped out on faith to be part of this inaugural event, not being certain of the results they might receive as this was a brand new business event for the Raleigh-Durham area. Sponsors included Executive Office Suites, Raleigh NC, Zebra Print Solutions of Morrisville, NC, Steven David Elliot, Wake Living Magazine, Halo Branded Solutions, David Williams Pro Photographer and Cinematographer, Fire Sisters Rising LLC, MaaS Pros, SMI Financial Coaching, Lifestyle Limousine Company, Total Spa Escape, Wine & Design Cary, and Travinia Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar.
Community and small business advocates followed by stepping up to actively participate. These included VieDeL’Art.com Raleigh NC; Ashley Furniture HomeStores, Burlington NC; Big Buzz Media, Tampa FL; Carolina Business Woman, Raleigh NC; SCORE of Raleigh; Thomas Schaffer Financial Solutions Raleigh NC and CareerPro Raleigh NC
Community non-profit partner, Dress for Success Triangle, sent ambassador attendees and received contributions for their mission during the day. “We are grateful to Dress for Success Triangle for filling the vital non-profit partner role and for their significant contributions to lift up and empower women in our State,” said Diana M. Needham, Excelerate project manager.
Olalah Njenga, award winning CEO and business strategy expert, delivered a very inspiring and motivating keynote presentation, “Overcome the Impossible to Achieve the Unimaginable.” Having the “always on” energy of Tony Robbins, the Christian-based philosophy of Dave Ramsey and the irreverent sense of humor of Steve Colbert, Njenga has the distinction of being a Braintrust Contributor® for Forbes Small Business and is a featured expert for the Washington Post. Njenga holds the Small Business Seat on the North Carolina Governor’s Advisory Council for Small & Historically Underutilized Businesses, chairs the Small Business Needs & Assessments Committee, and serves as Vice Chair of the NCWorks Commission and Chair of the Strategic Planning Committee.
Attendees are already asking about the next Excelerate Experience event. Flowers and Needham can only reply “Stay tuned for what is next.”
Get more information about the event, speakers, partners, and sponsors at ExcelerateExperience.com.