The kickoff speaker to the conference is Bonnie McElveen-Hunter – a former U.S. Ambassador to Finland, business owner and appointed Chairman of the American Red Cross, the first woman selected in the organization’s 126-year history. (More on Bonnie)
While McElveen-Hunter began by reflecting on the pearls of wisdom from her mother that still ground her today…
- Mediocrity is the greatest sin
- Work is the greatest privilege
- Failure is a comma, not a period
- Can’t is a word that doesn’t exist
…she quickly transitioned into a core belief that drives her daily, the belief that business and commerce are the most important forces in the world today.
1.2 billion jobs in the world. 3 billion are looking. That’s a 1.8 billion gap
McElveen-Hunter emphasized, “I believe that the most important philanthropy – the most critical philanthropists – are those who create dignity and purpose, those who create innovation and opportunities.” In other words… JOBS
She reiterated why the audience should care, stating that poverty rests on the shoulders of women and children. And if we aren’t going to help each other – who is?
“All of our success only matters when we share – and when we lift while we climb.”
The connections between and among women are the most feared, problematic and most potentially transformative force on the planet. But women are not always sisters. Sometimes we are our own worst enemies. If women will ever totally take hands and stop holding each other to a higher standard than we hold men, we can transform this world and make it an incredibly better place.