AAHOA's third annual HerOwnership Conference, held at the Sonesta Redondo Beach & Marina Sept. 12-13 in Redondo Beach, Calif., focused on providing women in hospitality with the tools, knowledge and connections they need to succeed in hotel ownership. The event drew almost 300 attendees and provided energy, insights and inspiration from keynote speakers, masterclasses, engaging panels, and breakout sessions over two days of programming.
Following a uniquely California welcome—an early-morning earthquake measuring a magnitude of 4.7 just over five miles away from the hotel—AAHOA President and CEO Laura Lee Blake offered opening remarks.
“We carefully crafted this whole conference so that we have a lineup of dynamic speakers, thought-provoking sessions and collaboration opportunities for you all to engage together, to be inspired, elevated, to be empowered as women, as owners and as trailblazers in this industry. We look forward to giving each of you an opportunity to really come together, and I encourage you to be bold in your opportunities to share and ask each other questions, seek advice, really open up, because we can then lift each other up as women, as leaders in this industry, to do continue to be trailblazers as we move forward,” she said. “The HerOwnership conference is designed to give you all the resources and the tools that you need.”
The event was centered around the empowering themes of executive presence, hotel ownership, and mental health and wellness, and the conference inspired attendees to connect, lead and thrive in an industry where their voices and leadership are more important than ever.
“This event is very close to my heart,” said Heather Carnes, AAHOA EVP, communications and chief strategy officer. “It's just been amazing to see it grow and to see the momentum that we created behind the HerOwnership initiative. Last year after I left this event, it completely filled my cup with the sisterhood that is AAHOA, the women of AAHOA… I've been to some women events, and they're all amazing, and I know I’m a little biased, but I do think that the women of AAHOA and the sisterhood that is HerOwnership is so incredibly unique and so special. It cannot be found anywhere else in the world, and that is something that I think all of us should celebrate.”
After a networking breakfast, the event kicked off with two substantial pre-conference masterclasses. Cindy Estis Green of Kalibri Labs gave a commercial strategy masterclass that offered an overview of a training program that introduces the discipline of commercial strategy as a technique for customer acquisition and retention with the objective of maximizing profit contribution and enhancing hotel asset value. The “Insurance Essentials” masterclass was presented by attorneys at Gauthier, Murphy & Houghtaling, outlining the top five things every hotelier must know when buying or using insurance.
A networking lunch and general education session led to three concurrent breakout sessions covering topics including navigating hotel ownership with brand alignment; personal branding for women hoteliers; and overcoming doubt, cultivating self-love and pursuing your dreams. Additional learning sessions included fireside chats on managing workplace pressure in the hotel industry and thriving in business while working with your spouse; panels; and a headshot lounge.
In her keynote speech, “Mindset Makeover: Personal and Business Growth Strategies of Leading Women Hoteliers,” author, speaker and CEO Neeti Dewan emphasized the importance of mindset, particularly for women, in achieving success and career growth. She highlighted three key rules: dropping ego, maintaining a fabulous attitude and being authentic. She stressed the importance of self-affirmation, supporting one other and making a difference in others' lives.
“Your ideas matter, your thoughts matter. And you matter because you have something amazing to contribute to this world, to your business, to your hotel industry,” Dewan said. “...If you know who you are and you stand steadfast in your values every day, you show up as you are. That's your anchor. And when you have anchors in your life, no matter what comes in life, the boat's going to sway a bit. Guess what? It's anchored. It's anchored in your values. You will not be adrift. You will always come back as sisters. Here. We need to be the anchors for each other.”
Day two’s keynote speaker, Raji Brar, co-founder of the Bakersfield Sikh Women’s Association and COO of Countryside, explored the power of politically engaged women.