By Ashley Reyes
The SEMA Businesswomen's Network (SBN) has confirmed its
2024 Women's Leadership Forum for March 5-7 in Austin, Texas, building upon an already successful program that has helped empower and elevate women in the automotive aftermarket since the event's inception in 2021. Register for the 2024 SBN Women's Leadership Forum here.
The 2024 event, themed "EVOLVE: Advancing the Future of Women in Leadership," will help SBN members succeed by teaching them essential leadership skills through interactive education sessions, keynote speeches and engaging instruction from top-tier leadership experts.
The forum happens at a time when women have worked their way through the ranks of the professional world to represent 58.4% of the U.S. workforce. Yet, they continue to hold a vastly smaller percentage of leadership positions than men in various sectors. According to a recent study, as of 2023, only 35% of top management positions are held by women, and women represent only 10.4% of leadership positions at Fortune 500 companies*.
Reports also show women face unique challenges in the working world as they are often held to higher standards, and many businesses don't feel "ready" to hire women for top executive positions.* These challenges, which are tackled head-on during the SBN Women's Leadership Forum, are amplified in the traditionally male-dominated automotive industry.
"The SBN forum offers a safe space for women to come together to share their experiences and celebrate their wins," said SBN Director Nicole Bradle. "In addition to fostering connections with women who understand their industry inside and out, attendees will walk away with tangible action plans to maximize their professional impact and communicate their value."
Keynote sessions will focus on how to shift your mindset to live an intentional life and habits that hold you back from a raise. Panel discussions will delve into advancing women's leadership and include workshops to define one's individual roadmap. Past attendees have also noted their success with the program:
"The SBN Leadership Forum gave me the confidence and boost I needed to advance my career," said April Rogers of Dee Zee Inc. "There is nothing that is unattainable. SBN taught me leadership skills that were so beneficial, that not only will help me, but more importantly, help the teams that I lead!"
"The SBN's mission is to provide opportunities for professional women in the industry to enhance their careers and positively impact the growth of the entire automotive aftermarket. This forum is the place for SBN members to come together to give each other support and advice, and take part in an invaluable experience," Bradle added.
Registration for the SBN Women's Leadership Forum is now open at sema.org/sbn-wlf.