Valley Partners

?? A couple months ago, a friend told me about a program which assist businesses with business plan writing, and at the end of the program—you would receive $8,000 towards legal and accounting professional services. ????♂?To be honest, I wasn’t certain how to feel. Ego set in, just because I’ve been doing this nonprofit work with Game Changers for over a decade—and my mindset was, I should be so much further along. BUT the nugget of truth that I was reminded of—a business plan shouldn’t be an antiquated document that helps you launch; instead, it should be a working document that you wrestle with to make certain you’re focused on tackeling the work you set out to do, and creating systems for the betterment of the organization/business. And with 11 years of service to high school students, we are not the same organization which we started out as. It’s a good thing!! Takeaways: ? Stay humble in spirit and confident in your work.—Don’t allow your ego to block your blessings. ? Appreciate people who connect you with opportunities, and keep your name atop of mind.—People authentically advocating for your success is an honor. Keep good people around you who speaks your name in rooms you're not in. ? Stay in a posture of learning and growth. —I met some amazing people in my cohort and a few more who came to share professionally. I’m excited to mark a milestone in the life of Game Changers because of this experience! Thank you Valley Partners for this great program, and especially to our facilitators: K. Matthew Longmire, MBA, Tanay Hill, and Ayana Beulah! Special thanks to Tim Petrey, CPA, CGMA, Brittany Brantley and all the other professionals who came and shared their expertise and made these six weeks that much more engaging. WeAreGC.org

Our team had another fantastic experience at the 2nd Annual Women's LeadHERship Summit put on by our friends at Valley Partners! We all left feeling inspired by the panelists, the keynote speaker, and the hundreds of other women and supportive allies in the room ?? #LetHERLead

Can’t think of a better way to start off spring!?? I kicked off my Thursday with Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber at Good Morning, Youngstown! Then finished the day celebrating woman leaders in our valley at the Valley Partners Women’s LeadHERship Summit. We had the privilege of hearing from several impactful women and learning more about their journeys. For me, the most important takeaway and reminder was to simply be yourself. Authenticity is key to being a great leader and forming genuine connections. I’m always so grateful to be able to attend events like these and connect more with the community and great people in our valley!

Some of our team members had the pleasure of attending the Women's LeadHERship Summit put on by Valley Partners at the Eastwood Event Centre in Niles, OH yesterday! This event highlighted many successful women leaders who shared their insights and experiences via networking, a panel discussion, and a keynote speech. Our team left feeling incredibly empowered! #LetHERLead

I’m still buzzing with energy and inspiration after attending the Women's Leadership Conference presented by Valley Partners! The conference was a powerful celebration of women's worth in the workplace, with a dynamic Mayoral address, panel, and keynote speaker who shared their stories of breaking glass ceilings, overcoming setbacks, and rising with empathy, resilience, and confidence. ???? But what struck me most was the sense of community and connection that filled the room. We were reminded that we're not alone in our struggles and that together, we can lift each other up. ?? And to top it all off, we received a beautiful bouquet of flowers - a lovely reminder of our own worth and value! ?? DEI-Definitely Earned It! ?? Thank you, Valley Partners, for creating a safe space for us to connect, grow, and thrive. I'm so grateful to have been a part of this incredible event! #LetHERLead #WomensLeadership #Empowerment #Confidence #Resilience #WomenSupportingWomen

I don’t even have words to describe how wonderful this Leadership Summit was- and if you know me, that’s rare! Thank you Valley Partners for curating such a beautiful event and really lighting a fire within us women!??

Second annual #LeadHERship Summit at Eastwood Event Centre thanks to Valley Partners - another amazing success! 700 people present. I would not miss sitting in this room each year. The only thing I would change? Having this recorded each year so I could listen to the speakers again, because WOW. Thankful to JFS Wealth Advisors for their ongoing support, encouragement, and empowerment for us to be in attendance surrounded by incredible leaders, change makers in our community, visionaries of tomorrow. If you were not in this room tonight, make sure you are there next year! Ashley R. Cline, CFP? Rachel Balentine Casie Merchant, CFP?