**Deadline to Enter the Lifetime Moms Contest 7/2/12**

Register today to take advantage of the EARLY BIRD rate – $77.00 for the one-day event (regularly $97.00).

PURCHASE EARLY BIRD TICKETS NOW

Or try our PERFECT PAIR. Save money and purchase two tickets to bring a friend, family member, partner, client, collaborator—or someone you’d like to thank or honor. Just $134.00 for two tickets (regularly $174.00).

PURCHASE A PERFECT PAIR OF TICKETS NOW

Here’s what you can expect:

• Ideas are a dime a dozen, so we’ll assess your action steps and execution plans so you know when to pause and when to pounce to make big things happen.
• There’s no time to get tripped up, so we’ll reveal powerful time management techniques and we’ll bust the real fears that may be preventing you from tackling all you want.
• Standing out among the cluttered masses is key, so we’ll plot branding, social media, marketing and traditional PR strategies that actually work to get you noticed by the right people.
• This isn’t a hobby, so we’ll talk openly about money—from readily available funding sources to pricing for profit to sales techniques that are anything but sleazy.
• Going it alone sucks, so we’ll introduce you to the best group of BBFs—business best friends—the people who’ll hold you accountable and fuel your success.

Date: Thursday, July 12, 2012

Time: Doors open at 8:15 AM for registration and the program will begin promptly at 9:00 AM. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis so make sure to be on time! The day will conclude at approximately 5:00 PM.

Event Schedule

• 8:15 AM – Registration Begins
• 9:00 AM – Welcome
• 10:00 AM – Morning Programs Begin
• 12:00 PM – Lunch and Activities
• 1:00 PM – Afternoon Programs Begin
• 5:00 PM – Event Ends

Want to Volunteer? At each event, we have a limited number of spots for volunteers to assist our staff. If you’re interested, you must be willing to arrive by 7am and stay until as late as 7pm. You will enjoy bits and pieces of the event, but you’ll also be assigned a designated role with various tasks that will prevent you from experiencing the program like a registered attendee. It’s a fast-paced day with lots to juggle. If you’ve worked in client-facing roles and aren’t afraid to roll up your sleeves to help execute an amazing event, send us an email to info@sparkandhustle.com telling us about yourself in 200 words or less. Explain why you’d be the perfect volunteer. Include your contact details too. Thanks!

Tory Johnson will moderate the full day, share her expertise and introduce attendees to our all-star line-up of experts who are running successful businesses and will explain how you can do it too.

BRANDING
Mica May, founder of May Books
Logo designer, Mica May was always a notebook junkie, but couldn’t find the perfect one. On a whim, she began designing them for herself, with patterns and insides she wanted. Clients and friends wanted them too, so she threw some patterns online and May Books was born nearly overnight.

• Ever want to throw in the towel?: “My current printer wasn’t able to handle the volume we were doing and my stitcher moved oversees. I was exhausted and was ready to give up. I had to find a large printing facility that I could trust that could meet my challenge. I flew all over the country and finally found an incredible printing partner that believed in me and was willing to produce from 1 to 100,000+ at a time. Whew!”
• Little known fact: “I have a 3 year old and a 2 year old. My oldest Jackson was born with Down syndrome and has forever changed my family. He has taught me the power of a smile, the simplicities of life, and makes me slow down. I’m a fast paced gal, and I love that my Jackson reminds me that there is nothing more important in the world than just loving those around you for exactly who they are. I hope I can show others how to love and respect all people, no matter what they look like or how they act.”

@maybooks @micammay

Heather McLeskey, Executive Vice President of Elaine Turner
Elaine Turner designs and sells handbags, shoes and accessories that exude refined elegance, dynamic engery, all-around fun. Along with their flagship stores in Houston’s Rice Village and CityCentre, Elaine’s collection is carried in Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and specialty boutiques worldwide. She and her signature designs have been featured on The Today Show, ABC’s Mirror/Mirror and in Glamour, InStyle, People, Lucky, Self, O The Oprah Magazine, Real Simple, Southern Living and many more.

• When the going gets tough, I: “Get motivated. Bring it on!”
• Most daring thing I’ve ever done: “Skydiving in the Swiss Alps.”

@elaineturner

ENGAGEMENT MARKETING
Amy Olivieri, Reg. Dev. Dir. for Constant Contact
Amy Olivieri is an entrepreneur and small business expert with experience in business development, client relations, event planning, and nonprofit development. As a small business owner and marketing expert, she knows how important it is for businesses to stay in constant contact with their customer base through effective and affordable marketing technologies. As Constant Contact’s Houston-area Regional Development Director, Amy extends her knowledge and expertise to help local businesses maximize the power of relationship marketing through the use of email and social media marketing tools.

• Five fitting words: “Happy, reliable, creative, attentive, energetic, sparkling.”
• When the going gets tough, I: “Jump right in!”
• Little known fact: “I love belly dancing.”

@constantcontact

MUSCLE MARKETING
Adeline Rem, creator of CHOCbite
Adeline Rem founded CHOCbite which allows you to design your own custom gourmet chocolate bars. Adeline is a born entrepreneur, having created several businesses beginning in her early 20’s — from a nightclub in Bath, England to a construction company in Los Angeles, and now fulfilling her dream — a custom chocolate company in Austin. Adeline has a piece of chocolate each night before she goes to sleep!

@chocbite

Carrie Rocha, founder of PocketYourDollars.com

*This speaker was selected by LifetimeMoms.com.
In 2006 Carrie Rocha and her husband made a commitment: They decided to get out of debt and to stay out debt for the rest of their life. In November 2009 Carrie wrote a check that paid off the last of their $50,000 in debts. While working a full-time job she decided to start teaching others how to save money and eventually startedPocketYourDollars.com. Today they steward a community of more 1.3 million unique visitors annually. Carrie continues to do public speaking, make media appearances and is authoring her first book Pocket Your Dollars: 6 Attitude Changes That Will Help You Pay Down Debt, Avoid Financial Stress, and Keep More of What You Make (Bethany House, 2013).

• Almost threw in the towel when…: “I was offered a book contract. I doubted my ability to write an entire book and was not confident in the message I had to share. I’m glad I didn’t quit and stuck with it. The book will be released in January 2013.”
• Daring decision:  “In my late 20’s I sold and gave away everything I owned except my car and bedroom furniture and moved to the Peruvian Amazon to live and work amongst Peruvians. “

@carrierocha

HOW TO SECURE YOUR OWN PR
Ellie Scarborough, founder of Media Bombshell
Ellie Scarborough, former NBC reporter and founder/spokesperson of a popular website for women getting over heartbreak, launched Media Bombshell to help savvy business owners and bloggers master their message and ignite their brands through video and media. Ellie has attracted coverage in The TODAY Show, The New York Times, SHAPE Magazine, Forbes and more.

• I almost threw in the towel when: “I realized that starting a business was so much harder than I’d ever expected and I recognized how much I didn’t know about running & operating a business. Instead, I decided being a business owner was part of my journey for a reason and I made it my mission to learn as much as possible from people who knew more than me and were willing to help.”
• Five fitting words: “Curious, dynamic, effervescent, savvy and secretly goofy.”
• When the going gets tough, I: “Trust that I’ll figure it out and try to find a way to laugh at what’s happening. Laughter has healing power and I believe a lot of unnecessary stress comes from taking things too seriously. I ask myself, ‘What’s the worst that can happen? So what?”

@mediabombshell

SALES

Caroline Freedman and Lauren McCullough, co-founders of NuturMe Organic Baby Food

Caroline Freedman is the CEO and Co-Found of Nurturme Organic Baby Foods.  She thought of the concept for Nurturme when pregnant with her now 4-year-old daughter, Audrey, who is the company’s spokes toddler.  Prior to launching Nuturme, Caroline worked for over 10 years at Dell, which is headquartered in Austin, where Caroline lives with her husband and two daughters.  Lauren McCullough is the COO and Co-Founder of Nurturme.  Prior to co-founding the company, she worked as the Culinary Arts teacher at the Texas School for the Deaf, where she also ran the school’s catering business.  She holds a masters in Deaf Education and a B.A. from the University of Arizona.  Nurturme can be found in retailer like Whole Foods, Target and Babies”R”Us.

• Ever almost throw in the towel?: “We had designed everything for our new line of baby food – packaging, website and all – and then learned that we couldn’t get the rights to the trademark! It was a lesson in figuring out the appropriate order in which to do things.” (Caroline)  ”When Caroline left for maternity leave ” (Lauren)
• Little known fact: “I know every idiom in the English language (according to Lauren, who knows none of them)” (Caroline)
• The most daring thing I’ve ever done: “Learn two languages by total immersion (American Sign Language and Spanish).” (Lauren)

@nurturme

Sandra Jonas Desguin, founder of Maiden Stone Inc.
Before starting Maiden Stone, Inc. in 2003, Sandra Jonas Desguin’s diverse business career spanned major industry markets from technology-based corporate services to bespoke high-fashion houses. Since its independent start-up almost a decade ago, Maiden Stone, Inc. has emerged as a supplier of highly customized architectural stone products with a reputation for customer service excellence. Maiden Stone, Inc. affords its clients access to a global variety of personalized stone materials tailored to deliver custom one-of-a-kind stone solutions for legacy residences.

• I almost threw in the towel when: “A large commercial stone order that I had taken special pains to “expedite” arrived on site in a million broken pieces. This resulted in significant pressure to deliver under extreme conditions with serious financial implications (a lawyer suggested that bankruptcy was a viable solution). In the end, I was able to negotiate a solution that met the project’s requirements without putting my company out of business.”
• The most daring thing I’ve ever done: “Climbing to the top of Tikal in Guatemala (easy!) but climbing down was scary. On the descent, I discovered how small the Mayans feet were as I climbed step by precarious step down the ruin (580 ft). And by the way, I am afraid of heights!”

 
TABLE HOSTS FOR INFORMAL LUNCH DISCUSSIONS ON SPECIFIC TOPICS:

Maximizing Your Marketing Results aka Getting Clients and Cash
Terri Craig, Founder of MYMResults
Terri Craig is the Founder and Marketing Strategist Extraordinaire at MYMResults (Maximize Your Marketing Results), Creator of K.I.S.S. For Clients and Cash and Talk Show Host of The Terri Craig Show: Real Women – Real Results. She is dedicated to helping women business owners and entrepreneurs to get exactly what they want and need for their businesses by empowering them with strategies and laser-focused actions that will ensure their desired results!
@terri_craig

BONUS EXPERTS: Benefit from the expertise of lunchtime table hosts who will share deep knowledge on specific topics with attendees. You’ll have the option to choose the table of your choice.

Meet directly with our sponsors and vendors at this event!

National Sponsors:

Vendors:

If you’d like to become a sponsor or vendor, contact us today.

Location: The Bayou City Event Center is Houston’s newest event venue, located south of 610 off Almeda Road, just minutes from Downtown and the Texas Medical Center. Spark & Hustle will be held in the Grand Ballroom on the first floor.

Bayou City Event Center
9401 Knight Road
Houston, TX 77045
(713) 796-2680

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Parking: There is ample complimentary parking on site.

Partner Hotel: SpringHill Suites by Marriott Medical Center/Reliant Park Houston

1400 Old Spanish Trail
Houston, TX 77054
(713)796-1000

Click here to visit the SpringHill Suites by Marriott Medical Center/Reliant Park Houston.

We’ve negotiated super low rates just for you!

King Suite single/double $89.00 per night.
Doucle Queen Suite single/double $99.00 per night.

These rates are available until June 15, 2012 or until all rooms are filled.

To reserve your room, call (888) 236-2427 or (713) 796-1000. Don’t forget to mention our group name – SPARK & HUSTLE – to receive the exclusive rate.

Register today to reserve your room. Space is limited.

Customer Service
Call: 212-290-2600
Email: info@sparkandhustle.com

How long will tickets be available?
Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis and space is limited in each location. We cannot guarantee that tickets will be available until a certain date.

Will food be provided?
Lunch, light snacks and beverages will be provided. Be sure to have breakfast prior to arriving to the conference as it will not be served.

What should I wear?
Our event is business casual. No sweats, sneakers or sloppy attire! Check Accuweather.com the night before you pack.

What should I bring?
We suggest you bring business cards and/or any other marketing materials that might be helpful when networking with the other attendees. You never know who you’ll meet, but we know incredible connections are always made. If you have a laptop, you’re welcome to bring it, but it’s by no means necessary.

Is early check-in available?
No, registration will open at 8:15 AM. Entry is not permitted prior to that time.

What if I’m late?
The conference will begin promptly at 9:00 AM and we strongly recommend that you arrive on time so as not to miss any of the sessions! However, if you do arrive late, (these things happen!) don’t worry, registration will remain open from 8:15 AM – 5:00 PM.

Will the conference be available on DVD?
No, the conference will not be available on DVD. Designed to be highly interactive, Spark & Hustle conferences are in-person events only. We’ve selected 20 cities around the country to make it easy for everyone to experience the Spark & Hustle energy!

Will I be able to re-enter the event if I need to step out for a moment?
Yes, just make sure your name badge is visible. This will allow conference staff to confirm that you are a registered attendee of the event.

Are cameras allowed?
Yes, but we have one rule around here about cameras – and we’re pretty strict about it. You may only post photos of us that look good! No half-closed eyes, no double-chins, you get the idea. And we’ll do the same for you. Our staff will share photos of you looking your absolute best. Deal? Deal.

Are cell phones allowed?
Yes, but we ask that you kindly turn your phone to silent before entering the event out of respect for our speakers and for your fellow attendees.

Are laptops allowed?
Yes, but we cannot guarantee that the venue will have wireless internet. Please contact a Spark & Hustle team member at (212) 290-2600 for questions on internet availability in a specific location.

Can men attend?
Men are welcome and encouraged to attend Spark & Hustle!

Will the event have wheelchair access?
Yes, all event spaces have wheelchair access. For questions about accommodations for the impaired, contact the Spark & Hustle team at (212) 290-2600.

Can I cancel my ticket if I’ve already paid?
Since space is limited at each of our events, we do not offer refunds if you opt not to attend. You may transfer your fully paid ticket to another person as long as it’s prior to five days before the event start.To make any kind of transfer, you must notify the Spark & Hustle event management team by phone at 212.290.2600 or email at info@sparkandhustle.com. Your request is not confirmed until you receive an acknowledgment of receipt from our staff. By registering for an event, you acknowledge that you understand and agree to these terms.

Can I purchase tickets on site?
No, tickets must be purchased online.

Spark & Hustle draws on community and builds camaraderie unlike any other conference series. The attendees Tory Johnson attracts to her events are a rare breed. Yes, they’re serious about small business and they’re eager to expand their influence and boost their bottom line. But there’s a whole lot more. These are kind, curious, nice, fun, quirky, candid, determined, loyal, big-hearted, really good women—plus a handful of great men. They’re the people you want to hang out with and do business with. You don’t find that everywhere.

If this describes people you know, then we’d love for you to join the Spark & Hustle Host Committee and become one of Tory’s Top 20 at the event in your area.

It’s pretty simple: register yourself for at least one event and then refer registrants by reaching out to the people you know and believe would benefit from attending. (We’ll gladly send you tips on how to easily accomplish this.)

As a token of our appreciation, we’ve created a sensational benefits package to honor your support.

If you’re interested and ready to rock, please send an email to host@sparkandhustle.com letting us know which event(s) you’ve registered for and include your name, email, phone, location, a bit about you personally and professionally. Also tell us why you’re an ideal Spark & Hustle host to join Tory’s Top 20. You’ll hear back within 24 hours tops.