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\nPhoto: Tracy Autem & Lightly Photo | Local Profile <\/p>\n
More than 500 women gathered at Hilton Granite Park to share bold stories on leadership, resilience and purpose<\/p>\n
What do you get when you mix 500 of North Texas\u2019 most dynamic women, coffee, champagne and a stage full of fearless voices? At Local Profile\u2019s 24th Annual Women in Business Summit, presented by Bank of America, the answer was clear: a high-energy day overflowing with inspiration, empowerment and the kind of bold ideas that change lives.<\/p>\n
Held Sept. 12 at Hilton Granite Park, the summit was more than a conference. It was a gathering where women pushed each other to think bigger, lead differently and carve out paths defined not by titles or checklists but by intention, grit and joy. The conversations were candid, the lessons practical and the connections unforgettable.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\nPhoto: Tracy Autem & Lightly Photo | Local Profile
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Owning Your Path<\/p>\n
The first panel kicked off with stories of resilience and reinvention, setting the tone for the day. Jennifer Luney Bejtovi\u0107 of Bank of Texas, social impact leader Gabrielle Madison, Mpowered Journey founder Ann Sheu and Spring AI Studio founder Jabeen Ali Zaidi each spoke about how intentional choices and self-belief can shape not only careers but entire lives.<\/p>\n
\u201cI live by the idea of living by design, not by default,\u201d Sheu said, reminding the audience that intentionality shouldn\u2019t stop at work. \u201cA lot of times, we\u2019re deliberate about projects, building businesses and building teams \u2014 but it\u2019s just as important to apply that same level of intentionality to your personal life.\u201d<\/p>\n
Luney Bejtovi\u0107 added that success rarely follows a straight path. For some, it might mean starting a business; for others, building a family or advancing within a company. What matters, she said, is determination, support and the right community. Gesturing toward the hundreds of women in the room, she noted that gatherings like this summit prove how powerful it can be when people come together to uplift one another.<\/p>\n
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\nPhoto: Tracy Autem & Lightly Photo | Local Profile
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From Bankruptcy To Breakthrough<\/p>\n
Keynote speaker Suzy Batiz, the magnetic founder of Poo-Pourri, drew the audience in with her raw honesty and sharp humor. Her journey \u2014 from surviving abuse and bankruptcy to building a global brand \u2014 revolved around one radical practice: trusting herself.<\/p>\n
Batiz explained her philosophy of \u201cresonance,\u201d the deep alignment that happens when you say yes to what energizes you and no to what drains you. For her, the key has been building systems that handle the tasks she doesn\u2019t love, so she has the freedom to lean into her creativity. \u201cI don\u2019t have to worry about the storm, because the system I put around me helped me be the creative,\u201d she said. \u201cOtherwise, I\u2019d be stuck back in dissonance, doing things I don\u2019t want to do while my life force energy drains.\u201d<\/p>\n
She reminded the audience of how powerful words can be. When someone says, \u201cthis job is killing me\u201d or \u201cthis relationship is killing me,\u201d she noted, there\u2019s truth behind it. \u201cWhat they\u2019re really saying is, my life force energy is being reduced,\u201d Batiz said. Her advice? Pay attention to that language, confront dissonance directly and make the bold changes that allow you to thrive.<\/p>\n
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\nPhoto: Tracy Autem & Lightly Photo | Local Profile
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Bold Journeys, Big Impact<\/p>\n
The second panel, featuring Vanessa Ogle of Higher Hill Capital, Bank of America veteran Emily Ledet and Ezra Coffee founder Jessica Taylor, kept the momentum alive with stories of bold decisions and transformative leadership.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ledet, reflecting on 25 years at Bank of America, spoke about the balance of intuition and data, and the unwavering role of loyalty and integrity in her career. \u201cI\u2019ve done so many different things, and in every role, I lead with my personal values \u2014 loyalty, integrity and transparency \u2014 and I bring those into my work,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Ogle spoke about the power of saying no, stressing that not every opportunity is the right fit. Drawing from her own business experiences, she explained how discernment, guided by a trusted board of directors and team members, has been critical in making sound decisions. Whether it meant walking away from certain technologies or parting ways with team members, those difficult nos ultimately kept her business focused, resilient and on course.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Taylor\u2019s grounding affirmation \u2014 \u201cshow me how good it can get\u201d \u2014 captured the spirit of the panel perfectly.<\/p>\n
Energy In Motion<\/p>\n
By day\u2019s end, Hilton Granite Park felt transformed. The Women in Business Summit wasn\u2019t just a day of panels and keynotes; it was a living reminder that when women gather with courage and candor, they spark something bigger than themselves.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Attendees left not only with new contacts and fresh ideas but with the fire to say no when it matters, to trust their instincts and to lead with integrity. And yes, there was plenty of champagne. But the real bubbles came from the collective energy of 500 unstoppable women, ready to shape what comes next.<\/p>\n
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This article was originally published in Local Profile magazine \u2014 read more\u00a0here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n