The Next BIG Thing presented by Fort Walton Beach Medical Center

Event Sponsors

Who is the Next BIG Thing? YOU ARE!
What business is the Next BIG Thing? YOURS IS!
An Event to inspire Business, Innovation and Growth

Thank you to our Presenting Sponsor:

Join the Walton Area Chamber of Commerce for The Next BIG Thing, presented by Fort Walton Beach Medical Center, on August 22, 2018 at Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort. At this event over 350 attendees will come together for a fun day of networking, professional development and inspiration.

The event will showcase dynamic speakers, addressing topics beneficial to empowering women professionally and personally, emerging and existing entrepreneurs and leadership development. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear two national keynote speakers and attend four TED Talk-style breakout sessions.

Enjoy a delectably tasteful breakfast and lunch as well as a cocktail hour to conclude the day. Cocktail hour will feature delicious appetizers from Fleming's SteakHouse, mini desserts from Sweet Henrietta's and beverages from Grayton Beer. An exhibitor showcase will be featured where you’ll have the opportunity to shop from local businesses. Barnes and Noble will be at the event selling some of the speakers’ books. There will be book signings going on throughout the day. All attendees will receive a business card folio to put business cards in. Make sure you are photo ready because Clean Juice will be sponsoring the headshot booth from Epic Photo. There will be a silent auction with over $5,000 in prizes. You don’t want to miss a chance to win a stay at The Beau Rivage, Harrah’s Gulf Coast & The Henderson.

Make sure you stay till the end for your chance to win a $1000 VIP door prize from Silver Sands.

Session Agenda

8:45 - 9:30 a.m. Keynote Speaker Quint Studer of Studer Community Institute- Building Vibrant Communities

10:15 - 10:50 a.m. Leadership Breakout Speaker Cory Fosdyck of Merrill Lynch- Would You Follow You?

10:15 - 10:50 a.m. Women in Business Breakout Speaker Laticia "Action" Jackson - Tapping Into Your Power From With-N

10:15 - 10:50 a.m. Entrepreneurship Breakout Speaker Bob Foster from the University of West Florida- Bootstrapping Your Way to Startup Success

10:55 - 11:30 a.m. Leadership Breakout Speaker Laticia "Action" Jackson - Thriving And Leading From Your "Why"

10:55 - 11:30 a.m. Women in Business Breakout Speaker Captain Martha LaGuardia-Kotite - US Coast Guard (RET) - Changing Tomorrow By Seizing Today

10:55 - 11:30 a.m. Entrepreneurship Breakout Panel Discussion featuring Magda Cooper (BOTE), Jeanne Dailey (Newman-Dailey Resort Properties, Inc.), Bryce Jarvis (Sunset Bay Cafe and Slick Lips Seafood & Oyster House) and Mike Ragsdale (The 30A Company)

1:00 - 1:35 p.m. Leadership Breakout Speaker Dr. Jeffrey Riemer of Riemer & Associates- Leadership Principles

1:00 - 1:35 p.m. Women in Business Breakout Speaker Leigh Grantham of Power South Energy Cooperative - Nice Girls Can Get The Corner Office: Winning Strategies To Power Your Career

1:00 - 1:35 p.m. Entrepreneurship Breakout Speaker Pamela Starr of Google - Using Data To Drive Growth (Part 1)

1:55 - 2:30 p.m. Leadership Breakout Speaker Daniel Pennington of Studer Community Institute - Definition Of The Authenticity Paradox

1:55 - 2:30 p.m. Women in Business Breakout Speaker Rachael Gillette of Studer Community Institute - Brave Leadership: The Courage To Be Your True Amazing Self

1:55 - 2:30 p.m. Entrepreneurship Breakout Speaker Pamela Starr of Google - Using Data To Drive Growth (Part 2)

2:40 - 3:30 p.m. Keynote Speaker Kevin Lacz - Complacency Kills: Combat's Most Important Lessons
Applied To The Business World

Event sponsors:
Event sponsor:

Join the Walton Area Chamber of Commerce?s for our Leadership Conference presented by Fort Walton Beach Medical Center. At this conference over 300 attendees will come together for a fun day of networking, enrichment courses, exhibitors showcases and entertainment.