Conference Schedule - Day Two

+ 8:00 AM - BREAKFAST

+ 9:00 AM - WELCOME Ellen Bennett, CEO/Founder, Hedley & Bennett

AM Pep talk from Ellen Bennett, founder and CEO of Hedley & Bennett, who will talk about her experience with building a mission-driven company, and how her boundless enthusiasm for the business is the driving force behind her continued success.

+ 9:30 AM - KEYNOTE Erin Moran, Chief Culture Officer, Union Square Hospitality Group

As Union Square Hospitality Group’s first-ever Chief Culture Officer, Erin Moran is responsible for strengthening and growing USHG’s culture of Enlightened Hospitality, and overseeing all aspects of the employee experience. Erin will speak to the ways in which a strong company culture, whether in an organization of 2 or 200, signals core values to your clients and truly strengths your brand from the inside, out.

+ 10:30 AM - CONVERSATION Building A Strong Team With a Part-Time Workforce

Elizabeth Casey from Snagajob.com will join Krista Hazelwood of Quench Staffing in a conversation about how to hire the right people to build your team.

+ 10:30 AM - PANEL The Rundown on Rentals with Bright Event Rentals

Todd Krumpe from Bright Event Rentals will lead a conversation with his team about how to optimize your rentals-- from budget to revisions, these tips and insights will help you facilitate one of the most complicated aspects of many events.

+ 11:00 AM - WORKSHOP Working What You've Got

Robin Baab from RO & Co will lead a workshop on creating beautiful tablescapes for your clients and compelling content for your social media feeds when luxury rentals and decor are not in the cards…or in the budget. She'll also help provide styling advice for grabbing great tabletop shots with your phone to share on social media.

+ 11:30 AM - Q&A Common Compliance Concerns and HR Law Q&A With Sahara Pynes

Sahara Pynes will discuss some of the top challenges facing employers today, and will dedicate a large portion of the session to answering audience questions about issues they face day-to-day.

+ 11:30 AM - MASTERCLASS Building a Website that Works

Designer Ashling Loh-Doyle of Lotus and Ash will lead a talk on how to design a website to showcase your work and drive new business.

+ 12:15 PM - LUNCH

+ 1:45 PM - Hospitality Design and a Culture of Connection

Join AIA award winning restaurant designer, Alexis Readinger and Coolhaus founder Nastasha Case in a discussion of design thinking, the nature of hospitality, and the modern culture of connection. They will also discusses the practical realities of embarking on building a brick and mortar project.

+ 2:15 PM - ROUNDTABLE Industry Breakouts

  • CATERING, Moderated by Brooke Greer of Contigo Catering
  • VENUES, Moderated by Nealy Glenn, Chandra Watson and Leigh Watson of The Cordelle
  • PLANNIING, Moderated by Heather Hoesch of LVL Weddings

+ 3:30 PM - BREAK

+ 4:00 PM - PANEL What's Next: Growth, Acquisition, Expansion, and Pivot

A diverse panel of designers, caterers, and venue owners discuss their experiences of expanding their businesses, with advice on how to maintain the core values of your company as you grow.

+ Q&A Potluck's Ask Me Anything with our closing panel

The closing panel will take time to answer questions from the audience about a wide range topics, submitted in advance. Have anything you'd like to ask the folks on-stage? Email us at jointheparty@gotopotluck.com

+ 5:00 PM - Closing Cocktail Party