Wednesday, October 22nd

Breakfast Event Open to All Attendeees

10:45 AM - Noon

Track V: Ballroom Terrace - Live Webcast from this Room

Women Entrepreneurs: Sharing Experience - Real Life Stories - Building the Brand, the Personal and the Company Identity

Debra Fine, CEO, I Have A Dream, Board of Directors Maple Center

Kirsty Spraggon, Author, Motivational Expert, Kirsty Spraggon TV

Kate Neligan, Founder, Synergytv Network.com

Julie Spira, CEO, Cyber-Dating Expert and Social Media and More

Dawn Nadeau, co-founder, IAmElemental Toys

Liz Heller, CEO and co-founder, Buzztone Inc.

Linda Sherman, Co-Founder, The Courage Group, Moderator

Kirsty Spraggon, Author, Motivational Expert, Kirsty Spraggon TV: Kirsty Spraggon attacks life like it's a chocolate cake. She is the Executive Producer & Host of KirstyTV. An international speaker, author & entrepreneur based in Los Angeles. With 21 years experience in every facet of the sales industry. Her outstanding career saw her ranked in the top 1 percent of individuals in RE/MAX's global network of 121,000 sales agents worldwide. She has continued her success in speaking, being awarded the 2011 Breakthrough Speaker of the Year, at the National Speakers Association. Kirsty hosts an online talkshow called Kirsty TV where people share their personal stories, the lessons, struggles and growth they have experienced. The show focuses on sharing inspirational and empowering stories. The Today Show recently referred to her as 'The Next Oprah'. Her online show has hit 100,000 views & she recently spoke at TEDx.

 

Kate Neligan, Founder, Synergytv Network.com; On 11-11-11, Kate Neligan officially launched Synergy TV, an online channel for stories that that entertain, enlighten, and inspire. Mindful Media Entertainment LLC, the parent company, is a conscious media studio with the intention to be the leading source of mindful movies and transformational television that uplift humanity. Kate is the Founder & CEO of MME & Synergy TV where she brings a unique mix of digital distribution and marketing expertise, enthusiasm for uplifting content, and spiritual wisdom to her venture. Previously, Kate ran Lionsgate’s On Demand & Digital Marketing department as Vice President. She brought 10 years of experience to the promotion of the Digital Sales & Distribution group’s large slate of new release and catalog movies and television shows. Kate handled all marketing campaigns, media buying, and partner relationships for the studio’s Video On Demand and Digital Download business. She successfully launched the first-ever national 3D HD VOD campaign as well as some of the largest pre-theatrical and pre-DVD VOD releases. Kate also developed lucrative, creative merchandising and marketing plans with iTunes, Xbox, PlayStation, Comcast, Time Warner, DIRECTV, and many others. She is most proud of the six charity promotions she conceptualized and executed, including an “Inner PRECIOUSness” cable tour for the film PRECIOUS with Dress for Success and WICT. Kate received excellent training in interactive TV & technology at the prestigious American Film Institute where she was the Marketing Manager for their Digital Content Lab. At AFI she handled all of the marketing, publicity and event planning for the Lab whose primary function was to bring together technology mentors and content creators to prototype next-generation entertainment. Before AFI, Kate worked at iN Demand in New York City where she built relationships with VOD/PPV sales representatives, cable systems, and studios while also being the point person for Video On Demand during the product’s initial launch. Kate has been blessed to be on the cutting edge of entertainment in entrepreneurial roles surrounding visionary technology and content launches. Kate Neligan is both a graduate of Lafayette College in Pennsylvania and the University of Santa Monica where she earned her Master’s degree in Spiritual Psychology. Kate is an empowerment career and life coach under her coaching brand, Conscious Rockstar(TM), with the Style Network as one of her previous clients. Neligan is a published author with an essay on trailblazing in the book “Women Will Save the World”. She is also the proud recipient of the 2011 Advocate Leader LEA Award from Women in Cable Telecommunications and was nominated for a Gusty Gals Inspire Me award in 2013. She is also a proud advisory board member of the non-profit TrueSpark whose mission is to engage America’s youth on issues of character through watching inspiring movies.  Neligan is also a mentor to filmmakers and production companies as part of the first film accelerator company, Dogfish.

 

Julie Spira, CEO, Cyber-Dating Expert and Social Media and More Julie Spira was an early adopter of the Internet and began her digital career three decades ago. She’s presently the CEO of Cyber-Dating Expert, an online dating coaching and advice site and founder of Social Media and More, a social media strategy and branding company. Julie’s a top Online Dating Expert, media personality, and bestselling author. She writes about the marriage of love and technology and is the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief at CyberDatingExpert.com. Julie’s passionate about social media. She’s received numerous honors and held positions including one of the "Top 10 Columnists to Follow on Twitter,” was named “One of America’s Ultimate Experts” by Woman’s World magazine, and ranks in the “Top 10 Most Influential People in Dating” on social media influence site, Klout. Julie’s branding has resulted in her becoming a Spokesperson for Clorox, Cupid.com, Spokeo, and a relationship expert for special events for Bloomingdales, Match.com, and JDate. Julie started her career in broadcasting as the first female radio show host and voice-over announcer at WAAL in Binghamton, NY. Her digital career began when she was the youngest female executive at RKO Radio Networks, the country’s first digital-delivered satellite radio network. She later went on to become an executive at IDB Communications, a global satellite and telecom provider serving the broadcast industry where she provided satellite services to sporting teams in the MLB, NBA, NFL, and NHL. She also helped create the Coca-Cola Radio Network for the Olympics in Barcelona, Albertville, and Lillehammer. Julie went on to become Executive Vice President of Sales/Marketing at InterPacket Networks, providing high-speed satellite services to Third World and emerging countries. The company was sold in 2001 to American Tower (NYSE:AMT). As a regular featured guest in the media, Julie’s dating and relationship advice have been featured over 500 times including in/on ABC, CBS, CNN, FOX, Hallmark Channel, NBC, NPR, Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Psychology Today, Washington Post, and Woman’s Day. Julie was called “The Pioneer of Online Dating” by Cosmo and is the author of the bestseller, “The Perils of Cyber-Dating: Confessions of a Hopeful Romantic Looking for Love Online.”  She’s the host of “Online Dating BootCamp” and “Mobile Dating BootCamp” and is the creator of “Facebook Love Stories.” Julie’s presently developing several television and film projects and is writing her second book, “The Rules of Netiquette: How to Mind Your Digital Manners.”

 

Dawn Nadeau has worked on all sides of the business development equation. As one of the original team members at Fast Company magazine she helped design, develop and oversee their incredibly successful Live Events group. In this role, she and her team brought the brand to life in more ways than one and was part of that magazine’s incredible growth story.  While at Fortune magazine, Dawn was the Director of Content and Development, and worked closely with the editorial team to develop the magazine's content into such successful programs and products. At Goldman Sachs she was a Vice President in the Office of the Chairman and worked in the Partner Practices area developing and executing specific development programs for the Partners of the firm.   Since leaving the suits and four walls of corporate life behind she has worked on a vast variety of marketing and branding programs, for companies from Time magazine, to MasterCard International, to the non-profit organization Women Moving Millions. Dawn began her career (too long ago to share in polite company) as a management consultant at Renaissance Solutions and at Nextera Enterprises where she supported mergers and acquisitions efforts.  A graduate of Wellesley College, Magna Cum Laude, with a B.A. in American Studies and a certified instructor in Krav Maga, an Israeli form of self-defense - she feels she is mastering the fine art of both giving and taking punches gracefully, metaphorically speaking of course. Unless you take her cab. All bets are off then.

 

Liz Heller, CEO and co-founder, Buzztone Inc.:  As CEO and co-founder of Buzztone Inc Liz works to facilitate community building on behalf of brands in the cause, entertainment, media, and product industries. As chief visionary in charge of creative content, strategy, operations and funding her role on projects includes everything from shaping go-to-market brand and marketing strategy down to managing the details of technical execution.  The most recent example of her influence in this arena includes her work on initiatives like the launch of the Stop Global Warming’s Virtual March. “Consumers today are sophisticated. They care about what they buy and they can fall in love with a product or a cause because of the story behind the brand. Our job is to bring that story to the surface in a way that resonates and builds engagement,” Heller says.  Buzztone’s success in telling brand stories has also resonated with clients like Microsoft, AOL, Sony Pictures and Bacardi.  Prior to founding Buzztone Heller served as Executive Vice President of Capital Records and led the charge in developing award winning websites such as Hollywoodandvine.com and Bluenote.com. Liz also oversaw Capital’s soundtrack department, executive producing hit records such as Hope Floats, Good Will Hunting and There’s Something about Mary. Liz began her career as VP of Artist Development for MCA Records.

 

Linda Sherman, co-founder, The Courage Group: International, multicultural marketing pro, Linda brings a distinguished background of international subsidiary CEO/CMO to her Social Marketing expertise. These include CEO Club Med Japan, Barilla Japan and CMO Wal-Mart Japan. Linda Sherman has been featured and quoted in Forbes, The New York Times, Christian Monitor and other leading publications. She devised and implemented an innovative guerilla marketing plan for ZIMA in Japan that produced a lasting, profitable success. She has hands-on technical skills in building and search optimizing WordPress websites. Linda has an influential on-line presence. You can find her social profiles at LindaSherman.me including Twitter @LindaSherman. Her company, The Courage Group, provides websites, digital film, branding and social marketing strategy and training.

 

 

 

 

 

Internet Summit - Branding Day

Debra Fine has been the CEO of children’s educational media companies and been an executive at outstanding companies such as The Walt Disney Company and Small World Toys. She is an angel investor, was a venture capital director for Entertainment Media Ventures and is now very active in mentoring women through the “Lean In” movement with Young President’s Organization and “WIN,” Women in YPO (CEO’s of top companies worldwide).  Debra Fine‘s business background, combined with her personal non-profit work, has made her an empowered individual who has chosen to use this background to help communities become safer, mental health resources to become more available and to author, speak and report on issues that affect our physical and mental health.