The Society of Professional Women

What an unforgettable Women’s History Month SPW event! ?? Today, at the Philadelphia Country Club, a full house of attendees left feeling inspired and energized by an incredible fireside chat featuring Karla Trotman, MBA, CEO of Electro Soft, Incorporated - Electronics Contract Manufacturing (ECM), in conversation with Tracy Davidson of NBC10 Philadelphia and Lifting Your Voice! ?? We kicked off the morning spotlighting The Fund for Women and Girls, a nonprofit focused on advancing equity and opportunity for women and girls. A huge thank you to Comcast Business for donating $1,000 to support this mission! ?? Lisa Harmon, Comcast, presented the check to Cheryl Brubaker, Executive Director of The Fund. SPW Executive Director, Vibha Agrawal, spotlighted inspiring women through the ages who overcame obstacles to achieve extraordinary things and paved the way for future generations. Tania Sherrill, Firstrust Bank, Champion Sponsor, introduced our speakers. Karla shared her journey from e-commerce entrepreneur to CEO of her family’s manufacturing company. She discussed bold risks, leading in a male-dominated industry, and how she’s revolutionizing manufacturing with innovation and leadership. ?? Key takeaways from Karla’s conversation: ?? Navigating family business dynamics and finding her leadership style. ?? Adapting to industry changes and pushing through doubt. ?? Owning your narrative and trusting the process. ?? Clarity is imperative. ?? Build a network of people you trust. ?? Humility is key in leadership. ?? Know thyself. Spend time with yourself. ?? “Stop waiting for permission.” If you see an opportunity, take it. ?? “The future of manufacturing is diverse and innovative.” Women are at the forefront of this transformation. Karla also shared insights from her new book,?Dark, Dirty, Dangerous: Building the Vibrant Future of Manufacturing. Every attendee left with a signed copy—a perfect reminder to keep the motivation going! ?? Thank you to Karla and Tracy for the #realtalk—genuine, thoughtful, and vulnerable—which resonated deeply with attendees. A HUGE thank you to all our amazing speakers and sponsors, including Firstrust Bank, Comcast Business, My Benefit Advisor, LLC, My Benefit Advisor, LLC, B101/Audacy, Inc., Univest, Saint Joseph's University, our Gold and Silver sponsors, and our Event Sponsor, Accessible Home Health Care! Your support in uplifting women in business and leadership is invaluable. Up Next: April 30, 2025 —?Harness Fear as Your Superpower?with Cynthia Gouw, JD, the next SPW Trademark event! ??? Cynthia Gouw is an Emmy-winning journalist, influencer, entrepreneur, and Star Trek actress. She will share her journey of transforming paralyzing fear into a driving force for growth and success. This event is expected to sell out, so don’t wait to register! ??? SPWMainLine.com #SPW #Leadership #WomenInBusiness ?? Pictures By Todd

As we honor Women’s History Month, we want to celebrate the incredible women leaders who guide our work of accelerating the advancement of women – and the men who champion it. Thank you to SPW Advisory Council members, Vibha Agrawal, Deborah Ashton, Thecla Bene, Nanette Sciolla Carney, Rosemarie T Dempsey, Gina Ebersole, Heather Forgione, Melissa Grimm, Rachel Hall, Lisa Harmon, Dana Heiman, Ricki Jacobson, Jill Ruggiero, Ashley E. Shapiro, Tania Sherrill, Kathleen Sweeney, Bev Weinberg, OTD, Greg Basile, and Bernard Dagenais. We’re grateful for your support!? ? Don’t forget to register for our upcoming Women’s History Month Trademark Event “Dark, Dirty, Dangerous: A Vibrant Fireside Chat,” featuring trailblazing CEO Karla Trotman, MBA, of Electro Soft, Incorporated - Electronics Contract Manufacturing (ECM), in a dynamic conversation with NBC10 Philadelphia Anchor Tracy Davidson. You don’t want to miss this event. Space is limited, click here to save your seat: https://lnkd.in/gnsmPA2J ? We’re proud to spotlight The Fund for Women and Girls as our featured nonprofit at the event. The organization leads and unites the community through philanthropy and advocacy to ensure that women and girls have resources and opportunities to thrive. Congratulations?and thank you for all you do, Cheryl Brubaker and team! Interested in sponsoring this or other SPW events? Contact SPW Executive Director Vibha Agrawal at?[email protected]

Reminder: Join us on March 27 to celebrate Women's History Month! Don't miss "Dark, Dirty and Dangerous: A Vibrant Fireside Chat" with Karla Trotman, MBA, President and CEO of Electro Soft, Incorporated - Electronics Contract Manufacturing (ECM) in an engaging conversation with NBC10 Philadelphia Anchor Tracy Davidson. Karla will share her journey and how she's built a legacy of success. Registration is open now at: spwmainline.com

We’re excited to celebrate Women’s History Month and the trailblazing women who paved the way for future generations! We honor the resilience, strength, and brilliance of women who have shaped history and continue to inspire us. Their stories remind us of the power of perseverance, the importance of courage, and the impact of uplifting others. On March 27, we’re proud to present another such story of an extraordinary journey. Please join us for “Dark, Dirty and Dangerous: A Vibrant Fireside Chat,” featuring Electro Soft, Inc., President and CEO Karla Trotman, MBA in an engaging conversation with NBC 10 Philadelphia Anchor Tracy Davidson. Karla will discuss her Amazon's #1 best-seller book, Dark, Dirty, Dangerous: Building Manufacturing's Vibrant Future, filled with breadcrumbs for anyone looking to break into high-barrier-to-entry industries, create a legacy, and build generational wealth. She will also discuss her decision to leave corporate America for an industry where not many people look like her - electronics manufacturing - and how running her family business changed her life. You don’t want to miss this event! Registration is now open at spwmainline.com. The Main Line Chamber of Commerce, Bernard Dagenais, Vibha Agrawal, Laura Breslin, Kristin Di Lullo, IOM, Mackenzie Durkin, Chris DeAntonio, Margaret Maurer, Sheila Grubb #womenshistorymonth #womenleaders #womeninbusiness #mlcc #spw #makinghistory

Today’s The Society of Professional Women Trademark Event “Leveraging AI in Communications: Efficiency, Innovation & Human Touch” was a fascinating deep dive into how AI is reshaping communications, branding, and marketing. At the sold-out event at The Radnor Hotel Triple Crown, guest speaker Beth Brodovsky shared an insightful presentation, emphasizing that AI isn’t just an assistant—it’s a collaborator. Key takeaways: ?? Garbage in, garbage out – The quality of AI’s output depends on the quality of your input. ?? Honing your skills – Writing better prompts leads to better results. ?? Prompt Engineering: The RACE Framework ROLE: Define who AI is emulating. ACTION: Clearly state what you want it to do. CONTEXT: Provide relevant data or upload files. EXECUTE: Specify the expected outcome. ?? AI can support marketing in three key areas: analysis, research, and content creation. ?? The #1 thing to add to every prompt - Do you have any questions before you begin? Ultimately, AI is a powerful tool, but human intelligence remains essential to maximize its potential. When used strategically, AI can enhance efficiency, spark innovation, and elevate marketing efforts—without losing the human touch. As part of SPW’s commitment to giving back, Laurel House received a check for $1,000 through the generosity of SPW Communications sponsor Comcast Business, with Lisa Harmon introducing the organization and Danielle Gallagher sharing its impact. Thanks, Beth Packel, Champion Sponsor Firstrust Bank and Ricki Jacobson, Employee Benefits Sponsor My Benefit Advisor, LLC for sharing remarks and the amazing support! Women’s Health sponsor Main Line Health, Diamond Sponsor B101; Women Helping Women Sponsor Univest and Education Sponsor Saint Joseph's University - thank you. And thanks to all our Gold and Silver sponsors, who are featured in our sponsor collage photo! We had delicious centerpieces from Nothing Bundt Cakes, Kim Wright; a beautiful basket from Fearless Restaurants and a self-care swag bag with items donated by Closets By Design, Your Part-Time Controller, LLC, Main Line Health, Univest and Neumann University. Thank you to all these businesses for supporting our work! Don’t miss our Women’s History Month Trademark Event! “Dark, Dirty and Dangerous - A Vibrant Fireside Chat” will feature NBC10 Philadelphia Anchor Tracy Davidson in conversation with Electro Soft, Incorporated - Electronics Contract Manufacturing (ECM) CEO Karla Trotman, MBA. Register now at www.mlcc.org. Bernard Dagenais, Chris DeAntonio, Mackenzie Durkin, Laura Breslin, Margaret Maurer, Sheila Grubb, Kristin Di Lullo, IOM #AI #Marketing #Innovation #SPW #Communications #mlcc #business #leadership

Join us on February 27 at Triple Crown at The Radnor Hotel for the first SPW Trademark event of the year: Leveraging AI in Communications: Efficiency, Innovation, and Human Touch. Beth Brodovsky, President of Iris Creative, will share valuable insights on how to balance AI’s capabilities with human expertise for impactful marketing and communications strategies. Register today at: https://lnkd.in/gaxDe897

What an incredible start to the 2025 Women Helping Women Peer Mentoring Circle!??? Last night at Rosalie in Wayne, we kicked off The Society of Professional Women 2025 WHW program—a space where women from all backgrounds come together to share experiences, gain mentorship, support one another in career growth, and develop both personally and professionally. We’re so excited that the 2025 cohort is at capacity with 16 participants from organizations including?The Good Calling LLC, Closets By Design, Firstrust Bank, UnitedHealthcare, Comcast Business, Univest, Saint Joseph's University, Haverford Quality Trust, Vertex Inc., City Ave District, M&T Bank, Gladwyne Montessori, American Cancer Society, Lifefire Weight & Wellness, and Avenue Beauty Science. The group shared a range of reasons for joining the program: ???"I want to gain other people’s perspectives on getting ahead and furthering careers." ???"I want to learn from strong women—hear their ideas, develop my communication and leadership skills, and support other women." ???"I want to empower my employees and be a great leader.” ???"I want to connect with people—you never know what your next opportunity could be!" ???"I want to meet more women to bounce ideas off of as a new entrepreneur." ???"I want to network and learn how to better collaborate." The discussion then focused on overcoming workplace fears and building confidence. The group determined topics that were important to them in navigating their workplaces and creating a path to success, which will be addressed during the next?eight?sessions through facilitated conversations led by subject matter experts. We wrapped up the night with a fun icebreaker—discovering that our group includes marathon runners, artists, movie lovers, violinists, karaoke singers, podcast listeners, and Philly sports fans! Congratulations, Elizabeth Aguilera, Deborah Ashton, Natalie Cameron, Carly English, Leah Fitzgerald, Taylor Lombardo, Jessica McKenna, Erin O'Boyle, Eniola O., Briana Paschall, Denise Selvaggio, Sonja Shivpuri, Niki Thompson, Katie Thompson-Mayes, and Jill Dzien on joining the 2025 cohort. We’re excited to work with you and can’t wait for our next meeting in March!??? A special thank you to Debbie McCabe for facilitating the program this year! And we’re so grateful to Univest for their generous sponsorship of this important program. Want more information about Women Helping Women and The Society of Professional Women – contact Vibha Agrawal at?[email protected]?or Mackenzie Durkin?at [email protected] #WomenHelpingWomen #Mentorship #Leadership #Networking #SPW

Being Your Authentic Self ?? ? At the year’s first SPW Lunch & Share, a packed room of 120 attendees learnt strategies and tips to build an authentic personal brand! Emmy award-winning journalist Jessica Kartalija of 6abc WPVI-TV Philadelphia and Storyology Media, and communications strategist Melissa Grimm, Principal of Grimm & Grove Communications, shared game-changing insights on building a personal brand that creates opportunities and builds trust. In a world where people carefully shape their online image, being genuine is the key to success!? ? ?? Key takeaways:? ? ?? Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good? ?? Be intentional and adapt to your audience? ?? Know who you are and own it? ?? You can be more than one authentic self? ?? Ask for help when building your brand? ?? Figure out who you are and do it?on purpose ? A big thank you to everyone who joined us at Radnor Valley Country Club for this inspiring discussion!? ? We’re incredibly grateful to our Champion Sponsor, Firstrust Bank, and special thanks to Tania Sherrill, VP Relationship Manager, Commercial Banking at Firstrust, for introducing our speakers. Thanks also to our Diamond and Category sponsors Comcast Business, My Benefit Advisor, LLC, Main Line Health, B101, Univest, Saint Joseph's University; event sponsor Barsz Gowie Amon & Fultz, LLC (BGA&F); and all our Gold and Silver sponsors for their generous support! ? Up next: SPW’s Trademark Event—Leveraging AI in Communications: Efficiency, Innovation, and Human Touch? ?? February 27, 2025 | ?? The Radnor Hotel? Join Beth Brodovsky, President of Iris Creative Group, Inc., as she discusses how AI can help with marketing while still keeping the human touch.? ? Questions? Contact Vibha Agrawal, Executive Director, SPW at [email protected] #PersonalBranding #WomenInLeadership #SPW #Networking #Leadership #Innovation

We’re kicking off the year with a terrific Lunch & Share event on personal branding! Brand gurus Melissa Grimm, Grimm & Grove Communications and Jessica Kartalija, Storyology will share strategies for developing a genuine and unique brand to help fuel your success. Don’t miss The Society of Professional Women’s exciting first 2025 event!