Signature Procurement Event
Connecting WBEs and Corporations
Overview
Connections to Contracts is a procurement-focused event connecting women-owned businesses with corporations and each other. It features a networking breakfast, corporate roundtable procurement discussions, and a business development workshop on The Listening Experience. All are welcome to attend.
The goal of this event is to provide access to business opportunities between our members that eventually lead to contracts, therefore helping women-owned businesses achieve parity.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact WBCS Senior Director of Programs, Elizabeth Garner.
Venue
Norris Conference Center – Red Oak Ballroom
2525 W Anderson Ln. #365, Austin, TX 78757
Agenda
8:30 – 9:00am … Registration/Networking Breakfast
9:00 – 9:10am … Welcome Remarks & Announcements
9:10 – 9:30am … Corporate Roundtable Discussion - Round 1
9:30 – 9:35am … Transition
9:35 – 9:55am … Corporate Roundtable Discussion - Round 2
9:55 – 10:00am … Transition
10:00 – 10:20am … Corporate Roundtable Discussion - Round 3
10:20 – 10:30am … Networking Break
10:30 – 11:30am … Workshop on The Listening Experience
Corporate Roundtable Discussions (attendees choose 3 tables to visit)
A corporate representative leads WBEs in a discussion on his or her company’s procurement process and shares insights on how potential suppliers can differentiate themselves.
How It Works
There are roundtables of 5. One seat is for the corporate member host; the other seats are for WBEs interested in learning about that company’s procurement process. WBE seats are open on a first-come, first-served basis.
Corporate members stay at their table. WBEs rotate and have the opportunity to visit a total of three tables.
Timeline
Each discussion is 20 minutes followed by a 5 minute transition.
- 9:10 - 9:30 ... Discussion round 1
- 9:30 - 9:35 ... Transition
- 9:35 - 9:55 ... Discussion round 2
- 9:55 - 10:00 ... Transition
- 10:00 - 10:20 ... Discussion round 3
List of Roundtable Hosts (as of 8-27-24)
American Airlines
BNSF Railway
Capital One
Dallas College
Dell Technologies
JPMorgan Chase
Nokia of America Corporation
Oncor
Southwest Airlines
Toyota
Vistra
Workshop Description
The Listening Experience
We all like to think we're pretty good listeners. I mean, it's something we do naturally, right? Unfortunately, no. And, here's the deal: better listening can change your life. Yes, it's that big of a deal. Brenda Laguarta is a professional moderator who has been listening to people for over 20 years and has put together some tips and tricks for everyday use to focus on and improve your listening efforts. The more you listen, the more you learn. The more you learn, the more you grow... and the more effectively you can respond to the person on the other end of the conversation – be it a friend, co-worker, or customer. The workshop promises logical but huge benefits for your communication with others (and you don't even have to buy anything)!
 | Brenda Laguarta
Founder and Partner
On Your Mark Research
Brenda Laguarta is Founder and Partner of On Your Mark Research, a nationally recognized qualitative research consultancy firm, based in Austin, TX. With over a decade and a half of experience in focus groups, marketing to women, and consumer behavioral marketing studies, Brenda is a highly regarded women’s research expert.
Her firm, On Your Mark Research, continues to reinvent how women’s products are researched and marketed worldwide. Brenda moves easily between focus groups and the national stage, and talks to companies all over the country about women and their buying behaviors.
OYM methodology has evolved over the years to cultivate extraordinary intimacy with women. With a thriving office in Austin, Brenda and her partner, Jeanne Corrigan, have helped the success of HEB, Nestle, American Greetings, and more.
The consultancy also gives back to the community at large by speaking to numerous groups of women in business and women as entrepreneurs and helping empower women in business during the different life stages they face. Brenda and Jeanne have also fostered several pro-bono efforts including working with the Raise Your Hand Texas non-profit for better public educations, Junior Achievement in Texas, and Season of Caring and mentoring UT students through on-going seminars.
Brenda is a highly sought after speaker on qualitative research, marketing to women, branding and messaging, and consumer behavioral marketing studies.
| | |
This event is open to everyone.
The deadline for early bird pricing is Monday, September 16 at 3:00pm.
On-site registration is available for an additional fee.
What If I Register and Can’t Attend?
Cancellation and Refund Policy
All sales are final. In the event that the registrant can no longer attend, the unused registration is considered a donation to the Council.
Substitutions Welcome
If you have a conflict arise and can’t attend the event, another person may attend in your place at no charge.
Substitutions may be submitted in two ways:
1. via the link and reference # that are provided in your confirmation email
2. via email request to WBCS Senior Director of Programs, Elizabeth Garner Member
$50
Available through September 16 at 3:00pm
$10 more on-site
Register Now
Sponsor
$
Last day to sponsor is September 6
Each sponsorship level includes event admissions and branding. Contact Lindsay Pittard at lpittard@wbcsouthwest.org to secure a sponsorship. Review options in our 2024 sponsorship catalog
Non-member
$60
Available through September 16 at 3:00pm
$10 more on-site
Register Now| Company |
First Name |
Last Name |
| A [ Back to top ] | | Absolute Facility Solutions, LLC | Michelle | Ray | | Alejandra Mielke, PhD Coaching & Consulting, LLC | Alejandra | Mielke, PhD | | Alterity Solutions | Kim | Papes | | Alterity Solutions | Chris | Porier | | American Airlines | Preeti | Harder | | AutoMate Label Solutions, LLC | Tony | Tamburrano | | B [ Back to top ] | | Bank of America Merrill Lynch | Nina | Nelms | | BCS | Dareious | Scott | | Beacon Industries | Karen | Holloway | | Better Sour | Isabella | Hughes | | Blue Cross Blue Shield | Kimberly | Suber | | Blueprint Marketing Group | Jenica | Oliver | | BNSF Railway | Leigh Ann | Vernon | | C [ Back to top ] | | C&L Inspection | Laina | Hanaghan | | Camille Walker Consulting | Camille | Walker | | Capital One | Tama | McLean | | CBRE | Eboni | Edwards | | CFJ Manufacturing | Sharon | Evans | | CFJ Manufacturing | Victoria | Reneau | | CFJ Manufacturing | Kim | Sissen | | Chase | Francine | Bucio | | Clandestine Events & Experiences | Kelley | Troia | | Clarity Coaching | Sarah | Latham | | CM Productions, Inc. | Carrie | Martinez | | CrewFacilities.com | Curtis | Mohler | | D [ Back to top ] | | Dallas College | Crystal | Alba | | Davis Davis & Harmon LLC | Chanel | Davis | | Dell Technologies | Rosamy | Albornoz | | Dell Technologies | Meredith | Melecki | | Dell Technologies | Karen | Wilkolak | | Digital Realty | Melanie | Handy | | Dougherty Sprague Enterprises. Inc (dse) | Cathy | Dougherty | | DUTECH SYSTEMS, INC. | Vinay | Kumar | | DUTECH SYSTEMS, INC. | SWETA | PANDEY | | E [ Back to top ] | | Empathy Uprise, LLC | Alicia Kae | Miller | | F [ Back to top ] | | First Business Bank | Lana | Fidelscaia | | G [ Back to top ] | | Growth Acceleration Partners | Teresa | Bressi | | Growth Acceleration Partners | Jocelyn | Sexton | | H [ Back to top ] | | Hot Dog Marketing | Jessica | Scanlon | | Hunt, Gather | Leslie | Crosby | | Hunt, Gather | Allison | Shannon | | I [ Back to top ] | | in2edge | Lisa | Scott | | Independent Financial | Holly | Phariss | | Independent Financial | Michelle | Smith | | Intuitive Brand Solutions | Sarah | Drescher | | isolved HCM | Patrice | Beiswanger | | ISP Creative | Margie | Aguilar | | iTalent Digital | Renee | LaLonde | | iTalent Digital | Cecilia | Landeros | | J [ Back to top ] | | JPMorgan Chase | Danielle | Davis | | JPMorgan Chase | Jackie | Stoker | | JPMorganChase | Peter | Baez | | L [ Back to top ] | | Laguna Media Group | Silvana | Rosero | | M [ Back to top ] | | Mind Over Grind | Sharon | Edmond | | MOD: Architecture | Heather | Donahue | | N [ Back to top ] | | Nokia | Nick | Suleiman | | Nokia of America Corporation | Paul | Troy | | O [ Back to top ] | | On Your Mark Research | Brenda | Laguarta | | Oncor | Elizabeth | Barrett | | Oncor | Grace | Hastings | | Oncor | Ivan | Velasquez | | P [ Back to top ] | | Painters USA | Eryn | Greene | | Painters USA | Laura | Schulz | | Parkland Health | Pam | Bryant | | Personalized Payroll Services, Inc. | Kathleen | Hunt | | PGL - Perimeter Global Logistics | Natalie | Cannon | | PKN | Laura | Shenkar | | Prestige Maintenance USA | Rachel | Sanchez | | Principal Financial | Miranda | Barcena | | pugnacious LLC | Crystal | Cardwell | | pugnacious LLC | Serene | Fletcher-Tobeh | | R [ Back to top ] | | Reach Partners | Crystal | Tidmore | | Ricochet Fuel Distributors | JD | Holland | | Ricochet Fuel Distributors | Alex | Maxwell | | Rosa Yupari | Rosa | Yupari | | S [ Back to top ] | | S2RS | Suzette | Cole | | Siero Media | Sissy | Siero | | Southwest Airlines Co. | Pamela | Glover | | Soutien Administrative Group | Nicole | Lelli | | Specialized Security Services, Inc. | Melanie | Johnson | | Specialized Security Services, Inc. | Terra | Troia | | Sunland Group | Brandy | Waters | | Sunrise Group Inc. | Neetu | Sadhwani | | T [ Back to top ] | | Think Group | Selicia | Sanchez-Adame | | Toyota North America | Joe | Mossinger | | Toyota North America | Tim | Yamada | | U [ Back to top ] | | UT | Gary | Hampton | | V [ Back to top ] | | Varstaff | Marlene | Williams | | Vistra Corp | Luis | Jenkins | | W [ Back to top ] | | Winstanley Consultants | Patti | Winstanley | | www.thebrainperformancecenter.com | Dr. Leigh | Richardson | | Z [ Back to top ] | | Zarr Consulting Services, LLC | Randy | Harrison | | Zarr Consulting Services, LLC | Mark | Vanatta | | Zarr Consulting Services, LLC | Liza | Zarr |
Sponsors
Companies that support us |
