A few weeks ago I had an opportunity to attend and be the Keynote Speaker at the Grow As We Go Power Brunch in Washington, DC. Needless to say I was over-the-top excited not only to have been asked but also because it was an in-person event, observing COVID 19 Protocol. It seemed like forever since I had traveled to actually take part in an event outside of Delaware, the last time was the Blogger Week Conference.
As an educator and professional speaker I’ve had many opportunities to present at conferences, seminars and workshops just never as a Keynote, therefore, I wanted my speech to not only cover the theme of Power Brunch which was for media and publishers; I also wanted to touch the heart and emotions of the attendees and I think my topic “Do What You Love…Love What Do…Success is inevitable” accomplished that mission.
I had never personally met the other two speakers, both are nationally known and widely recognized media personalities, Lynda Mallory and Lisa Dove Washington. However, once we we arrived at Cuba Libre Restaurant it was as if we’d known each other all of our lives and that is how the atmosphere remained throughout the day
I love how many women can get together to love on and support each other without any negative vibes or side eyes!
As we went around the table introducing ourselves, many of the ladies shared heart warming and some heartbreaking stories all of which we could relate to. The bonding was real as there were lots of picture taking and hugs before the event ended almost 2 hours past the scheduled time however, the employees at Cuba Libre were very accommodating and we appreciated it.
The Brunch Menu contained some amazing foods and I ordered the Crab Omelet which was served with salad greens. There were also decadent desserts of which I could not indulge because you know I am a Type 2 Diabetic.
Lynda, who considers herself “an accidental writer” is an author, blogger and podcast host and she presented 5 Steps to Your Book Marketing Strategy : Boost Your Marketing Strategy which contained a lot of useful information and she provided us each with a copy of her presentation.
Lisa is a best-selling author, magazine editor, host of “Lunchin’ with Lisa” and a movie star – yes, she has a part in a movie that is coming out soon. She spoke about how to connect with and deal with publishers as well as some of the challenges she had gone through in her life, being real and raw.
As this was a brunch geared for women who were looking to take their writing and speaking skills to the next level with a blog, book or podcast there were several published authors in attendance I received a copy of 2 books, “Letters From The Inside” sent to me and written by Sharon Lewis and “Seize A Moment” written by Michelle herself.
After my Keynote, I gave each attendee an autographed copy of “Basic Blogging Tips for Beginners” and we took a bunch of pictures before heading home. Michelle did an amazing job with this Power Brunch and she was also recent guest on my podcast, so check it out if you missed listening to it.
This was definitely a great way to kick off the new season and reap a harvest!
