Events
Upcoming Events
Startup Maryland Launch
Date: March 30th, 2012
Time: 10:00 am – Noon pm
Join fellow entrepreneurs, investors, and supporters as we launch a state-wide initiative to ignite entrepreneurship and bring together the incredible resources we have in our eco-system to drive greater outcomes for entrepreneurs.
HEAR what we’ve learned canvassing hundreds of entrepreneurs across the state about what they really need
MEET a lot of really cool people who share a passion for entrepreneurship and see its potential as an economic engine for Maryland
LEARN how you can get involved and make something happen
JOIN US and help us ignite the MARYLAND PRIDE!
We’ll be meeting at the Stamp Student Union (parking information below)
Prince George’s Room, #1210.
Following the event, spend your afternoon at the UMD Entrepreneurship Invitational from 12-4. The annual event includes a showcase of regional companies and entrepreneurship resource organizations, Cupid’s Cup business pitch competition for $25K in prizes, and keynotes from Governor O’Malley and Kevin Plank, Founder and CEO of Under Armour. Register to attend: ter.ps/invitational
Register here
Mid-Atlantic Marketing Summit
Date: April 20th, 2012
Time: 8:00 am – 5:30 pm EST
Welcome to the first annual Mid-Atlantic Marketing Summit – Intelligence & Insights on the Future of Communications. As the region’s premier event in marketing, technology, communications and media, this one-day event will bring together 300 advertising, marketing, communications and media executives to discuss high-level marketing and communications issues through a series of panels, keynotes, presentations and networking.
The event is co-produced by two of the most respected news organizations of their kind in the region: Potomac Tech Wire, the region’s source for technology news and co-producer of Digital Media Conference East, and Capitol Communicator, the region’s source for marketing and communications news. The conference will be held at the elegant and state-of-the art conference center at theGannett/USA Today’s headquarters centrally located in McLean, VA.
The themes will focus on emerging technologies and trends in marketing communications. Topics will include: metrics, mobile, social media, multi-platform campaigns, online video campaigns, experiential advertising, B2B, PR, and much more (see the agenda below).
This summit will explore the disruptive technologies that are creating a major shift in how communications professionals reach their audiences and decision makers. You should attend if you are a CMO, advertising, public relations or marketing executive, entrepreneur, investor, technologist, brand marketer, creative director, researcher, media planner or publisher.
Register here
MoDevUX
Date: April 19th-21st, 2012
SpeakerBox is a proud sponsor of MoDevUX. MoDevUX will bring together leading mobile developers, UX/UI designers, architects and managers to break the mold on user experience and design. Attendees will discover the latest in mobile UX/design methods and meet likeminded people at the edge of the mobile frontier. Be sure to check out the workshops available on the 19th and the hackathon on the 21st!
Register here
Past Events
Leveraging Strategic PR / Marketing to Enhance Value for Future Equity Capital Raise or M&A Transaction
Date: March 7th, 2012
Time: 1:00 pm EST
What should you consider if your business goals may include a capital raise, future acquisitions, or a successful exit?
Company brand and visibility plays a significant role in enhancing valuation and attracting the right Private Equity, Strategic Buyers or Acquisition Targets.
SpeakerBox Communications is teaming with investment bank Clearsight Advisors, to share insight and strategies on this rarely discussed, but critically important aspect of value enhancement for strategic financial transactions. Our experts will focus on how to maximize value by strategically leveraging your PR/Marketing plan well in advance of a transaction to raise your Company’s profile with the right targets to optimize your transaction success.
We’ll cover:
- How to land on the radar screen of the future investors and buyers of your business
- How to leverage communications to gain the most traction and exposure around a transaction
- What buyers seek in considering technologies and how your public persona can help put your best foot forward
- How PR is critical for capital raises, and when and when not to engage in PR
- What buyers look for when starting the due diligence process and how a company’s presence affects that process.
- Strategic identification of select targets (investors and/or strategic buyers) and strategies for “creating buzz” within those segments
Speakers:
Gretchen Guandolo, Partner and Managing Director of Clearsight Advisors, a leading Merchant Banking firm providing world class M&A and capital raising solutions exclusively to high growth Business Services and Technology companies
Elizabeth Shea, CEO of SpeakerBox Communications, a PR firm and communications agency focused on building communication strategies to help high-growth technology companies meet their ultimate business objective, including financial transactions.
Register
2012 Apollo Awards Nominations Workshop
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
7:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
Crowne Plaza Hotel
1960 Chain Bridge Road
McLean, VA 22102
The Helios Apollo Awards recognize Washington, D.C. area organizations that promote and execute employee development initiatives within their cultures. In preparation for the 2012 awards, previous Apollo Award winners, including SpeakerBox’s Elizabeth Shea, will present their ideas and best practices for drafting a winning nomination at a free breakfast and networking event.
Panelists include:
• Eleni Antoniou, Director of HR, High Performance Technologies, Inc.
• David Makarsky, Vice President of Operations, B.F. Saul Company Hotel Division
• Lisa Throckmorton, Executive Vice President, SpeakerBox Communications
Register here: www.eventbrite.com/event/2556484514
UPCOMING WEBINAR: PR 101 for Startups
Are you an entrepreneur launching a new product, service or App? Are you racing against the clock to help bring visibility to your startup? Drive downloads? Raise money?
If so, please join us as we partner with Fortify.vc to present a free webinar on December 7, 2011 at 1:00pm EST focusing on PR for startups. Jonathon Perrelli and Lisa Throckmorton will share best practices for what entrepreneurs should consider when building their promotional and launch plan.
They will cover:
- Basic requirements before any promotional push.
- How to leverage social media in a productive way.
- Tips on working with the media.
- Budget versus results. What to expect.
- And more…
To learn more about the webinar and sign up, click here.
Digital Capital Week
November 4th through 11th, 2011
SpeakerBox is a sponsor of DC Week, a festival in the US capital focused on bringing together designers, developers, entrepreneurs, and social innovators of all kinds. It’s a series of 100s of distributed events powered by the community and complemented by core conferences, parties, and projects created by the festival organizersiStrategyLabs and Tech Cocktail.
Biz Talk With Josh Smith: Should Small Businesses YouTube, Tweet, Link In and Facebook?
October 6, 2011
9a.m.
Click here to listen: www.biztalkwithjosh.com/radio.html and select conversation 26 in the jukebox.
The term Social Media refers to forms of electronic communication through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content like photos and videos; but will engaging customers on social networks like YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter help increase customer loyalty and spread your small business message to a new audience? Can it help you expand your business, create jobs and increase sales?
For answers to these questions and much more about Social Media, tune in to Biz Talk on October 6 when Josh Smith’s guest will be Mr. Shashi Bellamkonda, Director, Social Media and Public Relations for Network Solutions, a company that provides domain names and online tools for small business customers. Mr. Bellamkonda is an adjunct professor at Georgetown University and his fellow employees have given him the title: “Social Media Swami.” Tune in to find out why…
Josh and Shashi will be joined by Ms. Elizabeth Shea, President and CEO, Speakerbox Public Relations. Ms. Shea’s firm specializes in PR for tech-based businesses, and she frequently speaks on topics such as social media for CEOs, content marketing and business-to-government (B2G) communication strategies, as well as social media return on investment (ROI).
SmartCEO Matrix Networking Luncheon
Marketing: How Creative, Clever and Effective Branding Will Lead to Growth
Thursday, September 8, 2011
11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Bethesda Marriott
5151 Pooks Hill Road, Bethesda, MD
Please RSVP to Molly Brown at (301) 577-3419 or molly@smartceo.com
Panelists:
Elizabeth Shea, President and CEO, SpeakerBox Communications
Mike Huber, CEO, Belfort Furniture
Jane Ottenberg, President, TMG Custom Media
Barry S. Redler, CMO, The Long & Foster Companies
Human Capital Rising
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
From 7:30-9:30 a.m.
Location:
Crowne Plaza Hotel, Tysons Corner
The right people are a company’s most important organizational asset. They define its character, affect its capacity to perform, and combined with the sum total of their knowledge, skills, and experience, represent its human capital.
Join us as we share innovative employee development trends and practices as demonstrated by our Apollo Award winners and participants, and found within our recent white paper, Human Capital Rising. Breakfast is included.
Facilitator: Kathy Albarado, President & CEO, Helios HR
Panelists:
Becky Blasier, Vice President Corporate HR, Edelman
Ted Rose, President & CEO, Rose Financial Services
Elizabeth Shea, President & CEO, SpeakerBox Communications
Social Media for Small Businesses
June 21, 2011
CSC – Small Business Program
Lisa Throckmorton, Guest Lecturer
Digital Media Conference East
June 17, 2011
PANEL: Social Marketing: Techniques, ROI & Developments
(Social and Marketing/Advertising Track)
11:40-12:25
Panelists:
James Nichols, VP of Strategy & Product, Jess3
Vyqué White, Director of New Media, USO
Joe Chernov, VP of Content Marketing, Eloqua
Matt Spielman, GM Northeast/VP Strategic Partnerships, Eventful
Sonny Ganguly, Chief Marketing Officer, WeddingWire
Moderator: Elizabeth Shea, President & CEO, SpeakerBox Communications
Social Media Tools 101
Hunter College Alumni Association of the National Capital Area
March 12, 2011
Lisa Throckmorton, guest speaker
Success in the City: PowerUp your Brand!
February 24, 2011 – 4pm – 7pm
Elizabeth Shea, Panelist
Ameriprise Financial
8045 Leesburg Pike, Suite 500
Vienna, Virginia 22182
During this fast track session our three experts will spill the beans on how they have helped clients and businesses by: 1) divulging the secret to defining your brand essence and capturing it visually, 2) insight on presenting your business via the Web that will leave your customers engaged and happy to pull up a chair and stay awhile 3) and creating the buzz that tells your story and captures the interest of the media, your influencers and brand ambassadors.
This session will be broken into three categories of essential brand building:
CREATE: Jen Sterling, CEO and founder of RedThinking, a strategic branding and design firm that enables companies to deploy the most effective visual identity that maps directly to a company’s brand essence.
ENGAGE: Tracy Betts, CEO and founder of Balance Interactive, an integrated web development firm that helps companies craft the right engagement, interaction and measurement with one of their most important assets: their online presence.
VALIDATE: Elizabeth Shea, CEO and founder of SpeakerBox Communications, a public relations firm that leverages the power of traditional and social media strategies to create external validation from trusted influencers, peers and media outlets.
The format will include short presentations with high-level considerations alongside tactical “must-haves” for every CEO, marketer or business professional. We will then divide into 3-groups where you can ask the questions you are anxious to know from the expert and the opportunity to learn and understand best practices, trends and opportunities available for your business today that will help you stand apart, glow and grow.
Members $45
Non-members: $65
Click here for more info and to register.
Regional Entrepreneurship Support and Networking Resources
February 1, 2011
University of Maryland – Executive MBA Program
Lisa Throckmorton, Guest Lecturer
Branding, Communications and Content Marketing Strategies
President’s Forum
The Entrepreneur Institute
Elizabeth Shea, Panelist
CEO, SpeakerBox Communications
November 18, 2010
1:45-3:15 pm
Army / Navy Club
901 17th Street NW
Washington DC 20006
Marketing and Communication Strategies for Government Contractors
Fairfax County Economic Development Authority
The Procurement Academy
Elizabeth Shea, Panelist
CEO, SpeakerBox Communications
November 10, 2010
7:30-10:30 am
TeqCorner, 1616 Anderson Road, McLean, Va., 22102
fairfaxcountyeda.org/procurement-academy
The Fairfax County Economic Development Authority’s Procurement Academy is a series of comprehensive workshops focused on various aspects of the procurement process, from start to finish. The workshops will emphasize practical strategies for success and provide the essential elements you need to function effectively in today’s procurement arena. Each workshop will focus on a different topic.
Social Media Marketing
www.digitalmediaconference.com/east/
Hilton McLean Tyson’s Corner
11:20 a.m. – 12:05 p.m.
Social media marketing is growing as brands and marketers embrace the social web as one of the most effective ways to create buzz, attention and loyal followers. What are some examples of successful social media marketing campaigns? What are some of the pitfalls and practices to avoid? What is the future for social media marketing? (Social Media Track, Marketing Track)
Moderator: Elizabeth Shea, President/CEO, SpeakerBox Communications
Panelists
- Mitch Arnowitz, Managing Director, Tuvel Communications LLC
- Hooman Radfar, CEO & Co-founder, Clearspring
- Matt Goddard, CEO, R2integrated
- Neal Sinno, VP Business Dev., Arkadium
Harness the Power of PR to Grow Your Business
Ready, Set, Grow…! has brought together some of the area’s leading experts on public relations to share with you how your business can be using some of the latest PR techniques and trends to boost its bottom line. Join us for this exciting and engaging breakfast panel and networking opportunity at the beautiful 2941 Restaurant. Network before and after the program with other local business executives and leaders. Full breakfast and complimentary parking included. Don’t miss out! Learn the latest on:
- The newest trends and techniques in PR, and deciding which are right for you
- Crafting a compelling PR message and developing a campaign suited to your business industry and size
- Using the latest Internet tools/services to maximize your budget
- And so much more…
Our panel of experts includes:
- Robert Deigh, Principal, RDC Communication/PR, www.rdccommunication.com
- Pauline Lewis, CEO, oovoo design, www.oovoodesign.com, 2007 Winner, American Express Make Mine a $Million
- Elizabeth Shea, President and CEO, SpeakerBox, www.speakerboxpr.com
- Jen Sterling, President, Red Thinking
Schedule: 7:30-8:00 am: Registration/Coffee/Networking
8:00-9:30 am: Panel Discussion and breakfast
9:30-10:00 am: Coffee/Networking
Registration Info: prtrends.eventbrite.com/
Executive Leaders Radio Show
Elizabeth Shea will be interviewed on the Executive Leader Radio show. The program will air on:
Saturday, February 20
10:00 am – 11:00 am WHFS 1580 AM
Wednesday, February 24
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
online: www.bigtalker1580.com and www.wbis1190.com
Meals with Millionaires
A quarterly luncheon featuring successful business owners who will share their stories, and offer advice about business issues. The first networking session of 2010 will feature two business owners – Marissa Levin of Information Experts and Elizabeth Shea of SpeakerBox Communications.
Date: Friday, January 29
Time: 9AM to 10:30AM
Location: 3900 Jermantown Road, Fairfax VA 22030
Content for Customers: Search, Content and Social
Hosted by Search Mojo
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Webinar
www.digitalmediaconference.com/east/
Hosted by The Entrepreneurship Institute (www.tei.net)
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Army and Navy Club in Washington, DC
Elizabeth Shea, President & CEO of SpeakerBox Communications will present the keynote address on The Social CEO: New Rules of Engagement. Elizabeth will discuss the three critical reasons a CEO should be engaged and social, including how to establish a CEO toolkit and dashboard for measurement and ROI.
Got Content? Get Government Customers.
Hosted by SpeakerBox
October 27, 2009
7:30-10:30 am
Tower Club, Tysons Corner
Cost: $50
Our last SpeakerBox seminar featuring Joe Pulizzi, speaker, content marketer, strategist and author of “Get Content. Get Customers.” sparked many conversations about the government marketplace.
More than half of our attendees at our last program said they’re effectively using white papers and authored articles to market their companies, but less than a third take advantage of Twitter, surveys, outside blogs or other tools to fully engage with their customers. The demand for content is indisputable–according to KnowledgeStorm, “84% of technology buyers said they want content that educates.” Yet, marketers continue to struggle with finding the time and resources to create custom content.
Join us for a series of business-to-government (B2G) workshops to learn and share best practices in content marketing specifically for this unique vertical. This program is designed for PR and marketing professionals who want to hear from their peers about what’s working, and how to best apply the tools to their company’s government marketing initiatives.
Sessions and Speakers:
1: Twitter for Government Contractors
Speaker: Stephanie Stadler, SpeakerBox
Content will focus on establishing editorial guidelines, measurement, finding an audience and what content is most valuable.
2. Surveys and Outside Blogs
Speaker: Julia Lim, ScienceLogic
Julia will share a case study from their annual FOSE survey. Content will focus on best practices, generating media interest, and how blogs and surveys contribute to lead generation.
3. Content Syndication and SEO
Speakers: Janet Driscoll Miller, SearchMojo and Elizabeth Shea, SpeakerBox
Janet and Elizabeth will share strategies for optimizing content for SEO, syndicating content and how to use existing content to generate leads.
4. Market Connections Survey: “Social Media in the Public Sector: Perspectives and Practices”
Speaker: Lisa Dezzutti, Market Connections
If you’re interested in what’s working for your peers and how the government is using social media to informally evaluate their contractors, Lisa will present the findings of the Government Marketing benchmark survey. Your input is needed! Please take a minute to complete the survey: marketconnectionsinc.com/SocialMediasvy
PR Measurement Summit 2009
Hosted by Bulldog Reporter’s PR University
Date: June 29
Time: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Place: The Yale Club, New York, NY
Registration
Elizabeth Shea will be speaking on Measuring the ROI of Social Media PR Campaigns from 2:45-3:45
Blogging, viral marketing, Twitter, pickup on social networks, word of mouth — they’re all hot…but they take a great deal of time and can cost a substantial chunk of your company’s budget. Question is, do these new modalities really move the needle? Most PR practitioners believe it would be foolish to ignore social media, but they have trouble quantifying that belief. So how should you justify your investment in social media to management? Learn the latest methods for measuring the effectiveness of your new media campaigns and how to use them cost-effectively.
Travis Fore, Senior Vice President, Customer Service & Sales, Network Solutions
Elizabeth Shea, CEO, SpeakerBox Communications
Rob Key, CEO/Founder, Converseon
Myra Norton, CEO, Community Analytics
Social Media Roundtable
Hosted by Arlington Economic Development
Date: June 17, 2009 Time: 9:00-10:30 a.m.
Lisa Throckmorton will participate in a panel discussion on the changing communications landscape as part of a training day for county communications professionals.
Introduction to Facebook
Hosted by the Village of Friendship Heights
Date: June 19, 2009
Time: 3:00 p.m.
Lisa Throckmorton will provide an introduction to social networking for the Friendship Heights community.
Got Content? Get Customers.
Hosted by: SpeakerBox
Date: May 13th, 2009
Time: 7:30-9:30 a.m.
Place: Viget Labs (location sponsor)
400 S. Maple Ave., Suite 200, Falls Church, VA
Cost: $40
Event PPT
Event Photos (courtesy of Shashi Bellamkonda)
During this session you’ll get expert advice on how you can use content marketing to deliver relevant, valuable, and compelling information that turns prospects into buyers. So what the heck is Content Marketing?
Here’s what Joe Pulizzi, our featured speaker, has to say about it: ”Content Marketing is the art of understanding exactly what your customer needs to know and delivering it to them in a relevant and compelling way.” Here’s another perspective from KnowledgeStorm: ”84% of technology buyers said they want content that educates. They want content specific to their jobs and industry.” So what do we think? If you don’t have a Content Marketing strategy in 2009 you’re losing an important opportunity to drive revenue for your company.
Featured Speaker:
Joe Pulizzi – thought leader, speaker and evangelist for content marketing, Joe is founder and chief content officer for Junta42. All attendees receive a free copy of Joe’s book: Get Content. Get Customers.