Last call!

It is time to make your plans, purchase your tickets and join me in Texas next month for The Southern C Retreat in Round Top.

It is a true gift for yourself that will help build your business and spirit. 

The Southern C magic comes from bringing people together to #connectcollaboratecreate. 

The Southern Coterie is a vibrant community of women in business – a resource for passionate female entrepreneurs in the South and beyond. The Southern C is a community of expert voices and familiar faces. Through thoughtfully tailored networking opportunities in the form of the monthly membership and empowering and energetic in person events like the annual #TSCSUMMIT and Fall events like #TSCRETREAT in Round Top next month, TSC moves you farther faster with a dose of fun.

Enjoy a conversation with co-founders Cheri Leavy and Whitney Long …

Why did you choose Round Top as a Retreat location in 2022 and again in 2024?

WHITNEY:

After hosting our first Round Top Retreat in 2022, we knew this was a place we hoped to return! It’s a quite magical locale – like the most chic Hallmark movie town – and there is inspiration all around! From the attendees, to the presenters to the venues, open fields, the town itself and all the charming shops, boutiques, restaurants, it’s hard not to be enamored by Round Top. TSC alums Katy Bader and Kristin Light have been excellent, and integral, partners as our local “boots on the ground” (no pun intended haha) and from their original thought  of “you should host a TSC event here”. After doing so in 2022 to great success, we felt it was time to do it again! 

How do you decide on panelists and presenters for your events? What are the topics that are of most interest to you?

WHITNEY:

So much thought and time goes into this process! We know our demographic so well as we have been putting on TSC Summits, Retreats and Workshops since 2013 and this is of great benefit as we thoughtfully craft the educational component of each event 

TSC Round Top Retreat will mark our 19th event, and this longevity has given us great insight into what our attendees want and need. We are very fortunate that we have gotten to the point where business leaders, editors, educators, and authors oftentimes reach out to us asking to present. And while this speaks to the caliber of what we are doing and who we are serving, we don’t always go for the “biggest names” as the presenter and content have to be relevant for attendees. Our top goal is to serve our attendees well so along with our advisory panel, we carefully craft the content and topics because each event offers a tailored agenda. 

As far as topics, our favorites are those that best serve our attendees! We really enjoy hearing what our attendees have to say and after every event, we send out a survey genuinely seeking feedback including speaker suggestions, topics of interest and pain points we can address. When building the agenda, we keep that top of mind.

TSC Roundtop is a moment to bring together some of the most inspiring female entrepreneurs. Who on the itinerary are you most excited to hear from this year?

CHERI:

I am so excited about all of the sessions but this one with our longtime presenter partner Lydia Fenet and Candace Nelson is high on the list for me. And it will be so fun to have one of Candace’s mentees joing us at the Retreat – Kristen Dunning of Gently. 

Entrepreneur and Guest Shark Candace Nelson chats with Lydia Fenet, Founder & CEO of the Lydia Fenet Agency and Claim Your Confidence Podcast – Serial entrepreneur and cupcake revolutionary Candace Nelson is sharing her expertise with fellow acclaimed author and high-spirited entrepreneur Lydia Fenet. She’ll share how she turned her passion into a profitable business as the founder of Sprinkles Cupcakes, writer of New York Times bestselling books and as one of the sharks on hit show Shark Tank. 

HOLLY: 

I am excited to hear Katie Kime share her growth story.  

I also really look forward to hearing the conversation featuring textile designer and shop curator Courtney Barton 

Talks, tacos, tequila and antiquing are all on the itinerary. Did you buy any antiques last year and if so what was your favorite piece that came home with you?

CHERI: 

I bought the most incredible Navajo turqoise belt buckle that I love to wear and remember my time in Round Top. I also bought table linens from Courtney Barton’s shop that I love!

HOLLY:  

I bought an incredible turquoise and amber giant quash blossom pendant on huge Navajo pearls. It is magical. I am already coveting a new custom cowboy hat.

What takeaways from the last retreat helped ignite your entrepreneurial spirit? 

CHERI:

Sandra Campos ended our day of sessions with a powerful message – “It’s a marathon not a sprint.” CEO, Founder, Board Member and CNBC Contributor, Sandra Campos shared her candid advice on planning for every leg of your entrepreneurial race.

HOLLY:

A few takeaways from Paloma Contreras that stuck with me…

Balance is a fallacy. Strive for presence instead of balance. Find the time and energy for creativity .

Take the time to have the hard conversation before adding to your business.

Work ON your business vs. in your business.

Take care of your team. “Hire slow and fire fast” Energy is integral to the day to day.

Normalize the pauses and the shifts. Own your path. Be open to evolution and adaptation.

Connect is a cornerstone of the Coterie and event experiences – any special connections that you remember from last year’s Round Top event that you witnessed or experienced yourself? Anyone you’ve met through the membership that you’re looking forward to meeting or hearing from for the first time?

CHERI:

I adore Sarah Branch from Thought & Bought! I met her at the last Round Top Retreat and was drawn to her joyful spirit. She will be back at this one and I can’t wait to see her again. I really enjoyed how thoughtful all of the presenters’ conversations were. It was great to hear the business banter of the founders at brunch with Molly Fienning of Red Clay and Hunter Bell. TSC Member Marcia Smart of Smart in the Kitchen is leaning into her magazine experience and interviewing MIRTH co-founder Katie McClure which is going to be a good one!

Katie McClure, Co-Founder & CEO of MIRTH interviewed by Marcia Smart of Smart in the Kitchen – Caftans that marry elegance with ease and other worldly ready to wear styles with resort roots is MIRTH, the spirited socially conscious brand brought to life by traveling sisters Katie McClure and Erin Breen.  Katie will share how they have grown the self-funded business by slowly outsourcing, letting go of perfectionism and navigating the operational challenges of a burgeoning business.

HOLLY: 

I am so looking forward to seeing serial entrepreneur Candace Nelson.

Lydia Fenet is a fellow Alum that always inspires me with her energy, enthusiasm and business acumen.

Katie Kime is also so cool and I am such a fan of her designs. 

There are limited tickets available so giddy up and join the fun – get your ticket here! Can’t wait to see you there!

       

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