In today's newsletter:

• Early Bird Registration Ends May 1 for WBENC Annual Conference
• Winning Strategies: Learn How to Turn Contacts into Contracts
• Coming Soon: Leading Through Change Without Breaking Trust
• WBEC FL Discount for WPO Conference in Hollywood, FL
• WBENC Session on Designing a Funding Readiness Strategy
• Ready to Do Business in Latin America? Try This First

Early Bird Pricing Ends May 1

See You in Salt Lake City

June 15-18, 2026

The countdown is on! Early bird registration for the 2026 WBENC National Conference ends May 1 ... yes, that's next week!

Join us June 15-18 in Salt Lake City and connect with leaders, spark new opportunities, and help shape what’s next. Besides being set in a cool place for a conference, the event includes new features you don't want to miss!

And our WBEC Florida team will be there to support you all the way, with introductions to the corporate and WBE leaders you want to meet. Plus we're bringing back the butterflies as our RPO's mascot, so how can you resist?

Secure your spot now. Get in on the business opportunities ... and the fun ... and the discount!

Why I'm Attending

From Ebony Smith

2026 Host Committee Member

"My very first conference was in 2018. I was encouraged to attend by another WBE. I have gone every year since. Ecosystems help all of us reset, connect, and scale."

Hear more in Ebony's own words in her video on LinkedIn

Tired of Collecting Contacts

that Don't Lead to Business?

Join Our April Winning Strategies Session

with WBEC FL WBE Jacqueline Whitmore

Mastering Your Mingle-Ability:

Turn Contacts Into Contracts

Guest: Jacqueline Whitmore, The Protocol School of Palm Beach

Date: Tuesday, April 28, 2026

Time: 10 to 11:30 a.m.

Price: Free for members and nonmembers

Location: Zoom

Bonus: Gain access to Jacqueline's e-book Master Your Mingle-Ability for tips beyond the webinar!

In this fast-paced WBEC webinar designed for successful business owners, national etiquette expert Jacqueline Whitmore will show you how to move beyond surface-level networking and build relationships that convert.

You’ll discover how to:

• Decide if networking is truly necessary and how to approach it with intention.
• Make a strong first impression and leave a lasting one.
• Use three key factors of successful communication to connect with confidence.
• Strengthen your presence with your six Presence Power Points.
• Avoid common body language blunders that can undermine your credibility.
• Understand how to overcome seven reasons most people dislike networking.
• Adopt effective pre-meeting strategies so you never walk in unprepared.
• Use the power of storytelling to make your conversations memorable.
• Master the essential mingle-ability dos and don’ts.
• Remember names with ease and confidence.
• Introduce yourself and others in a polished, natural way.
• Turn conversations into opportunities through strategic follow-up.

Register for this webinar today! And bring your sales and marketing leaders, too!

Connect. Collaborate. Shift.

Position your business for greater visibility, opportunity, and impact.

It's Not Too Early to Register for Our May Session

Readiness Before Reaction:

Leading Through Change Without Breaking Trust

In today’s environment, leaders are expected to move fast, through AI adoption, restructures, and constant change, often without time to pause.

This session explores why resilience breaks down when organizations react faster than people can process, and how leaders can create the clarity, shared expectations, and human space needed to navigate change without eroding trust.

Participants will walk away with a simple, repeatable framework for leading change in a way that stabilizes people and sustains performance.

About the Speaker

Lisa Rigoli | CEO | Element of Change

Lisa is the CEO of Element of Change, the leadership transition firm organizations turn to when the stakes are highest — restructuring, mergers and acquisitions, right-sizing, AI adoption, and C-suite succession.

Before founding EOC, Lisa spent 15+ years leading workforce transformations inside large organizations. When her own market of 5,000 employees was dissolved, she was asked to lead the transition, personally placing 42 of 50 displaced leaders using a systematic approach most organizations never see. That experience became the foundation of Element of Change.



Today, Element of Change partners with senior leaders to build the coaching, mentorship training, and transition systems that keep their best people through change, not in spite of it.

WPO Entrepreneurial Excellence Forum

Heads to South Florida May 7-9

Through our partnership with WPO, WBEC Florida is able to offer a discount to our members for the Entrepreneurial Excellence Forum. Use the code WBDCFL2026 for $150 off the WPO nonmember rate.

There's still time to register for the Women Presidents Organization annual Entrepreneurial Excellence Forum. The organization is for owners of businesses that generate $2 million or more in revenue ($1 million for a service business), and you don't have to be a member to attend.

Event: WPO annual conference

Dates: May 7-9, 2026

Location: The Diplomat Beach Resort, 3555 South Ocean Drive, Hollywood, Florida 33019

Cost: See WPO site for pricing

Are You Prepared with a Persuasive Capital Story? 

Learn what it takes to design a funding readiness strategy

Hosts: WBENC Lift CEO Catalyst Program and Entrepreneur Financial Readiness

Date: Wednesday, April 29, 2026

Time: 2 to 3:15 p.m. ET

Location: Virtual

Price: Free to WBENC members

REGIONAL OPPORTUNITY

Event: LATAM Trade Show 2026

This international expo features a chance to meet companies, government buyers, and investors from Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, and Mexico.

Host: Central Florida International Trade Organization (CFITO)

Dates: May 6-8, 2026

Locations: Tampa and Orlando



Price: Free; registration required

We’re Here to Make Recertification Easy

Thank You to Our Sponsors

WBEC Florida and WBENC Anti-Discrimination Policy

As a community of entrepreneurs, corporate executives, and economic development thought leaders, WBENC and the WBEC Florida Regional Partner Organization are committed to the elimination of discrimination in all areas of business and the provision of equal opportunity when accessing capital, contracts, and contacts. In compliance with state and federal laws and regulations, we do not discriminate on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status in any of our policies, procedures, or practices. This anti-discrimination policy covers admission and access to, and treatment, in all programs and activities.