2025 Keynote Speaker

    • Discover how to lead with purpose by creating a business culture that connects employees, customers, and community—driving loyalty and long-term success.

    • Learn the Actionable Affinity framework, a powerful leadership approach for building trust, inspiring teams, and crafting meaningful customer experiences.

    • Walk away with real strategies to turn everyday transactions into lasting relationships that fuel retention, referrals, and revenue.

    • Be inspired to rekindle the joy of small business ownership while leading in a way that makes people fall in love with your brand.

      KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Lauren Teague / LaurenTeague.com

9:00AM-9:30AM

SESSION 1 Workshops

Choose a Session

    • Get clear on what AI can do for your business—without the tech jargon. Learn how to spot the right opportunities and build a realistic, step-by-step roadmap for using AI to work smarter, not harder.

    • Hear real-world success stories from businesses like yours who are using AI to improve operations, save time, and grow—no massive budgets or big teams required.

    • Learn how to get your data ready for AI so you’re not overwhelmed later. Discover simple ways to organize and use the data you already have to unlock powerful results.

      WORKSHOP PRESENTERS: Stephen Sklarew & Diane Haines / Synaptiq.ai

    • Strengthen cross-generational communication with practical tools that enhance clarity, reduce friction, and build trust across age groups in your workplace.

    • Discover strategies to boost engagement and retention among all team members—especially newer generations—without increasing overhead costs.

    • Walk away with actionable insights and a game plan to transform generational diversity into a powerful advantage for your small business.

      WORKSHOP PRESENTER: Marcia Homer & Ellen Raim / Adoy

10:00AM-11:00AM

SESSION 2 Workshops

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    • Hear real stories from funding insiders on what works (and what doesn’t) when it comes to securing the right financing for your business.

    • Learn how to evaluate if a loan is the right move, understand the best options available, and get clear on the paperwork that helps your application stand out.

    • Walk away with lender-ready tips—from thinking like a funder to building a solid application strategy that sets your business up for long-term success.

      WORKSHOP PANEL: Nicole Nelson / WaFd Bank, Aldo Medina Martinez / Craft3, Reggie Gaines / OnPoint Community Credit Union, and Eric Deisler / Oregon Pacific Bank

    • Discover an easy-to-use framework designed for small businesses to identify which sales and marketing tasks can be improved with automation and AI.

    • Watch a live demo in action, showing real-world examples of how AI tools can streamline operations and boost results across industries.

    • See how automation and AI work together, with practical examples of how this powerful combo can drive smarter, more effective sales and marketing strategies.

      WORKSHOP PRESENTER: Ryan Mark / Winship Labs

11:30AM-12:30PM