2014 Business Women's Forum (BWF) to Feature Six Professional Development Workshops Oct. 10th

WATERBURY, Conn. - Sept. 8, 2014 - PRLog -- The 2014 Business Women’s Forum (BWF) will feature six professional development workshops during the full day conference on October 10.Social media and sales, empowerment, designing and delivering presentations, encouraging supervisors to supervise, achieving goals, body language and non-verbal business practices are all topics that will be featured in the three morning and three afternoon workshops. “The Power of Self: Leading the Way” is the inspiring theme of the 32^nd annual BWF that will feature keynote addresses by Barbara Corcoran, real estate mogul, private investor and a “Shark” on ABC-TV’s popular “Shark Tank”, and international motivational speaker, Amanda Gore, CEO of The Joy Project.

The BWF is Connecticut’s longest-running full-day annual conference for women and the 32nd BWF (www.2014bwf.com) is expected to attract over 500 business professionals from throughout New England. The conference will be held at the Aqua Turf Club in Southington from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

In addition to the two keynote speakers and six workshops, the 2014 Business Women’s Forum will feature all-day networking, breakfast, lunch, and a closing reception. Celebrating 32 years of success, the BWF is a program of the Greater Waterbury Chamber of Commerce Foundation in Waterbury, Connecticut. The thriving organization is led by female executives dedicated to the professional and personal growth of working women. In addition to being sponsored annually by the U.S. Small Business Administration, the BWF is also supported by numerous Connecticut-based companies including Post University, Wells Fargo, Barker Specialty Company, CT Department of Economic and Community Affairs, Power Station Events, Republican American, Bank of America, Comcast Business Class, Diagnostic Radiology Associates, CT Small Business Development Center, Naugatuck Valley Radiology, Sarracco Mechanical Services, Waterbury Hospital, Webster Bank, and more.

The mission of the non-profit Business Women’s Forum’s is to raise scholarship funds for female Post University students pursuing a degree in business. “The BWF’s continual commitment has been to the equality of opportunity and advancement for women in business,” explained Lynn Ward, BWF member and president of the Waterbury Regional Chamber. “During the past 31 years, the BWF has generated in excess of $185,000 in scholarships.”

The “Social Media and Sales: How to generate measurable revenue from the top five social networks” morning workshop will be presented by award-winning social media specialist Lena West, founder of the Influence Expansion Academy. A repeat BWF presenter, Ms. West will cover why people use the top five social networks, why product and service-based companies need social media, the top mistakes companies make when trying to monetize social media marketing and a complete checklist of doable tasks for attendees to utilize.

High Impact Training Coach, Tracy Knofla, another repeat BWF workshop presenter, will help her “Empowerment and Initiative” workshop attendees understand how to take more control at work and how to create an environment where employees feel ownership and a high level of motivation to succeed. Debbie Fay of BeSpeak Presentations will host a workshop entitled, “Triumphant! Designing and Delivering Presentations that WOW and WIN”. She will help attendees explore beliefs around effective presentations including the need for humor, PowerPoint presentation, and ‘winging it’ tactics. She will provide attendees with tools for being a great presenter who is heard and earns positive results.

Ms. Knofla of High Impact Training will also conduct an afternoon workshop entitled, “Encouraging Your Supervisors to Supervise”. This session, Knofla explained, “Is designed for those who supervise department heads or other managerial employees. Strategies will be given for hiring, training, disciplining and coaching a staff to get an office to run in the most beneficial manner.”

New for 2014, one of the BWF afternoon workshop sessions will offer the opportunity for conference attendees to participate in a “Women’s Panel” with speakers Maria Soares of ESPN in Bristol, Connecticut and Jessica Cain of Northeast Utilities. The “Achieve Your Goals Without Losing Your Authenticity” panel will be moderated by attorney Mary Rosengrant-Chiappalone of Biondi & Rosengrant, LLC in Waterbury. Topics of discussion for this panel will include the best ways for attendees to present themselves in business scenarios, how to be influential and how to empower other people. The two top executives will provide insights into “how to communicate directly to ask for what you want and achieve your goals without losing your authenticity.”

A third afternoon workshop will be “Body Language and Non-Verbal Business Practices” to be presented by Mallory Mason aka Madame Thrift. Ms. Mason will describe the secrets of effective business etiquette and will explain how body language and non-verbal cues play a critical and inevitable role in an individual’s communication and relationships, and impact the long-lasting impression left with other people. She will provide insights into how to better manage these body language skills and transform common habits into intentional communication.

The $175/person admission price to the full-day 2014 BWF features a highly-informative and exciting day of dynamic and accomplished speakers, professional training workshops, day-long networking opportunities and a high-energy closing reception that features hors d’oeuvres, beverages, raffle and door prizes.

To learn more, and to register for the event at the Aqua Turf Club in Southington, Connecticut from 8:00 a.m. to 4 p.m., visit www.2014bwf.com, or call the Waterbury Regional Chamber at 203-757-0701.