Saturday, February 22, 2025
Innovation Depot
1500 1st Ave N, Birmingham, AL 35203
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
Pre-Conference - Vendor Check-in
9:30 AM - 10:00 AM - Event Starts
Coffee & Welcome
Complimentary breakfast and coffee
10:00 - 10:30 AM
Opening Keynote - Rooted in Resilience: Community Care in a New Era
Amanda Keller
10:30 - 11:00 AM
Digital Marketing Strategies for Startups and Small Businesses
Taylor McCown
11:00 - 11:30 AM
Inclusive Economic Development: Strategies for Thriving LGBTQ+ Small Businesses
Dorothy George
11:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Panel Discussion: Protecting Your Craft - Contracts, Collaborations, and Industry Standards
Levi Levinson
​Manning Russell
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM - Lunch
Lunch
Complimentary lunch
1:00 - 1:45 PM
Panel Discussion: Bridging Ambition and Action - Leveraging AI to Overcome Barriers and Transform Business Operations
Keyona Meeks
Zack Shelton
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1:45 - 2:00 PM
Lightning Talk: International Commercialization - It's Easier Than You Think!
David Sides
Carolyn Turner
2:00 - 2:30 PM
Financing your Business: From Savings to Loans and the Money in Between
Megyn Rodriguez
2:30 - 2:45 PM - Break
Break
Complimentary snacks & beverages
2:45 - 3:15 PM
Rocket-Powered Web Design: Strategies to Launch Business Growth
Kelli Lucas
3:15 - 3:45 PM
Fireside Chat: Alabama's Legislative Landscape: Implications for LGBTQ+ Small Businesses
Neil Rafferty, Alabama State Representative
3:45 - 4:15 PM
The Spiritual Dimensions of Entrepreneurship: Leading with Purpose
Shad Graham
4:15 - 4:30 PM - Break
Break
Complimentary snacks & beverages
4:30 - 5:00 PM
Pitch Competition & Startup Spotlight
5:00 - 5:30 PM - Conference Close
Happy Hour
Pitch Competition Winner Announcements
Complimentary snacks & beverages (including non-alcoholic options)