Ignite Your 2020!

Want to increase your value amid accelerating technology trends? Perhaps you’d also enjoy gleaning career insights from top industry executives. Need to move on after a recent failure or unexpected change? Learn how to shut the door on negative self-talk and get ready for what’s next. If any of these ideas resonate read on, because they’re just a few of the offerings on tap for “Igniting Your Future,” ELFA’s third annual Women’s Leadership Forum, sponsored by the ELFA Women’s Council and happening April 20–21 at the Hilton Palmer House in downtown Chicago.

Jennifer Fanz, Chair of the Forum Planning Subcommittee and Director of Sales, Healthcare, at DLL, talks about this year’s theme. “The Women’s Council wanted the 2020 Forum to appeal to a wide audience and felt that everyone in equipment finance, whether they’re just starting out, are a seasoned veteran or a professional whose career has taken a detour, needs tools to ignite their future,” she says. “This is a topic that applies at any point in your career.”

Fanz says men as well as women are encouraged to attend the Forum and that much of its content relates to everyone. “We hope men will say they can learn from this and can learn more about supporting their female leaders,” she says. “The more opinions, perspectives and experiences we can share, the more we can all benefit.”

Deb Baker, Chair of the ELFA Women Council and Head of Worldwide Leasing and Financing at HP Inc., says this year’s Forum offers more than ever. “Each year we’re able to fit in more content,” she says. “We’ll have an optional, pre-conference workshop on ‘Technology, Trends and the Future of You,’ and an optional working breakfast on ‘Self-Awareness: The Foundation of Emotional Intelligence.’ The entire two days will be filled with dynamic speakers and opportunities to network and connect with other industry professionals. We’ll also have dual learning tracks to create a more intimate setting for participating and sharing.” 

Because inclusion is critical to the future of the equipment finance industry and part of the Council’s mission, Baker also has a special message for men. “The Women’s Council is not an exclusive club—it’s the exact opposite,” she says. “We want and need the support of men, who are still the majority in our industry. There is so much we can learn from each other, and we hope to see more men at this year’s Forum and at other Women’s Council events.”

“[At the Women’s Leadership Forum] you’ll walk away with a mindset that says nothing is impossible—and that you really can be a force to ignite your future.” 

—Jennifer Fanz, DLL

Space for Everyone, and …

Unlike in previous years, the 2020 Women’s Leadership Forum will not sell out. Ample space at the four-star, downtown-Chicago hotel will accommodate all who register to attend. And, because the Forum takes place immediately before a host of ELFA activities at the same location—including the National Funding Conference (April 21-23), Best Practices Roundtables (April 21) and Emerging Talent Networking Event (April 21)—Forum-goers can attend multiple events in one trip. “Employees are often told to choose just one development event each year because travel dollars only go so far,” says Baker. “But by combining location and timing we can promote additional experiences for virtually the same expense, so everyone can benefit.”

“The Women’s Council is not an exclusive club—it’s the exact opposite. We want and need the support of men, who are still the majority in our industry.”

—Deb Baker, HP Inc.

On the Agenda

A dive into the Forum schedule reveals specifics. First up is the optional pre-conference workshop on understanding the implications of rapid technological change and crafting your future role in it. Deborah Reuben, Founder and President of TomorrowZone, will lead the session and sheds light on its content with a personal example. “I used to work for a software company, and I saw disruption on the horizon,” she relates. “I saw the first signs of a radical shift in technology that could make me less relevant. But instead of worrying about it, I widened my lens to imagine what the future could look like. I saw that through consulting, I could help not just one, but many companies apply long-term thinking to their technology strategies and road maps to prepare for the future.”

Reuben’s two-hour session will teach ways to develop your own lens on tomorrow. “It’s about understanding where things are going so you can think differently about today’s actions,” she explains. “By imaging the future, you can identify things to do now to get ahead. You might decide to follow a particular trend more closely or acquire a new skill that sparks your curiosity. You might look more outside the equipment finance industry for inspiration about your career. You may find you need to begin reinventing yourself today to prepare for tomorrow.”

In a keynote entitled, “Plan G: Where Confidence and Resilience Intersect,” Grace Killelea will present tools for responding to challenges and events beyond our control. “’G’ stands for ‘grit’ and is not gender-specific,” says Killelea, CEO of the GKC Group, author of The Confidence Effect and a TEDx presenter. “Grit is at the heart of resilience and confidence, and it’s what we need to get back up when we’ve been kicked to the curb.”

By learning to tap into the resilience reserve we all have, Killelea says we can dust ourselves off, self-evaluate and reach out to others for help when we need it. Applying grit after we fail or make a mistake “is a decision we have to make and remake throughout our careers and can mean the difference between surviving and thriving,” she says. Blending two decades of experience facilitating and teaching leadership skills with humor and straight talk in her presentation, Killelea says audience members will learn “how to stop running, drop your fear and roll with the punches.”

“By imaging the future, you can identify things to do now to get ahead… You may find you need to begin reinventing yourself today to prepare for tomorrow.” 

—Deborah Reuben, TomorrowZone

“It Happened to Us”

Later on Day One, Fanz will moderate an Executive Leaders Panel in which a diverse group of industry professionals will share stories from their paths to success. Challenges encountered, lessons learned and advice on building a career in equipment finance will all be part of the discussion when panelists from multiple industry sectors and segments gather. Says Fanz, “I think we’ll all come away with insights we can apply to our own careers.” 

A highlight of Day Two is Kelly Accetta’s keynote, “How to Defuse the Landmines We Plant in Our Lives.” The author of a book bearing the same title and Founder and President of Dallas-based Truth.coach, Accetta explains the genesis of her message. “I’ve been training, speaking and coaching on female leadership on five continents for a little over 25 years now, and I found that whether I’m in Johannesburg, Sydney or Dallas, I hear the same things from women,” she says. “Life is hard enough, but we women do things that make it even harder, such as comparing ourselves to others, feeling mommy guilt, holding onto bitterness and lacking forgiveness.”

At the root of the problem, says Accetta, is negative self-talk that keeps individuals from moving forward. And because the negative-messaging habit is usually long-standing and extremely hard to break, Accetta teaches how to refocus using gratitude. “My whole existence is about helping women learn how to protect their joy,” she explains. “If we let negative self-talk get to us, we go backward. Being grateful moves us forward, from being problem-focused to problem-solving. And although we’re aware that we make our lives harder, sometimes we need a coach to point it out, explain what it’s doing to us, and show us how to stop it.”

After her keynote address Accetta will lead “Overcome the Overwhelm,” a breakout session designed for emerging talent. “This is about calming the chaos you’re likely to feel as you advance in your career and take on additional responsibilities,” she says. “The session will provide strategies to help you make time for everything in your life—most importantly yourself.” 

A second breakout, “Keep Your Career Fires Burning,” will address seasoned talent and feature a panel of industry executives who’ll lead a collaborative discussion on staying motivated when faced with any of the unexpected events and circumstances a career in equipment finance can offer. 

“Grit is at the heart of resilience and confidence, and it’s what we need to get back up when we’ve been kicked to the curb.”

—Grace Killelea, Author of The Confidence Effect 




Between the keynotes and breakout sessions will be numerous opportunities to network. A lunch on Day One is dedicated to the purpose, as is a later cocktail reception and dine-around dinner. Attendees who select “Dine Around” when registering for the Forum will be connected with a group and given the chance to meet new people and build relationships. Also on the schedule: an optional morning yoga class. With two days of stirring sessions and activities designed for emerging talent as well as seasoned professionals, this year’s Women’s Leadership Forum is sure to have take-aways for all who attend.

Coming Soon from the Women’s Council 

Along with the Forum, the Council has five additional areas of focus in 2020. One is a pilot mentoring program that will launch at the Forum. Says Baker, “We’ve spent a lot of time talking about this, examining best practices and interviewing people about how they’d like to participate.”

Another focus is a breakout session the Council will propose for ELFA’s 59th Annual Convention in October. “We’ve been very fortunate in the past three years that the sessions we proposed were accepted and well attended,” Baker says. “We hope to extend our streak to a fourth year with a compelling topic and take-aways for all who attend.”

Other projects now in planning for the Convention are a Women’s Council reception and a Buddy Program for first-time convention-goers. “We’re proud that our reception last year was one of the best attended and one of the most diverse,” says Baker. “It’s not exclusively for women; we invite everyone to attend. This is another opportunity to learn more about the Council and participate in the events we offer.” 

“If we let negative self-talk get to us, we go backward. Being grateful moves us forward, from being problem-focused to problem-solving.” 

—Kelly Accetta, Author of How to Defuse the Landmines We Plant in Our Lives 



Of the Buddy Program Baker says, “A big conference can be intimidating the first time, especially if you’re going by yourself. We’re planning a proactive welcome by reaching out to contact all newcomers in advance. Then we’ll meet them on the first day and accompany them to their first event. We’ll also check in with them now and then to see how it’s going.” 

Finally for 2020, the Council will begin to explore the creation on the ELFA website of a resource library on women’s leadership. “First we’ll investigate to see if it’s feasible and if people would find it useful,” says Baker. “Then we’ll consider the best way to operate and maintain it.” 

Now, however, final preparations are underway for the Women’s Leadership Forum, and Fanz exudes enthusiasm: “You’re going to meet new people and hear inspiring speakers,” she promises. “You’ll get new tools to help you move forward after big changes and you’ll walk away with a mindset that says nothing is impossible—and that you really can be a force to ignite your future.”