November 7-8, 2024 in Roanoke, VA


Are you a business owner looking to take your business to new heights or hoping to lay the groundwork for greater success?

Are you a nonprofit leader ready to double-down on your mission and connection with the community?

Elevate is a conference designed with the goal of providing local businesses and nonprofits with information, resources, and motivation to generate growth. We’re bringing you valuable content and engaging speakers. Learn new tactics to implement in your business or nonprofit and make valuable connections with other business owners and leaders in the community.

Elevate will offer general sessions for all and breakout sessions designed around Small Businesses, Nonprofits, and Women and Minority Owned Businesses.



Schedule Overview


Thursday, November 7th

Time Session Location
8:00 - 8:45 AM Registration & Breakfast from Schaals Catering Elmwood Room (1st Floor)
8:45 - 9:00 AM Introduction: Shon Aguero (Freedom First) Elmwood Room (1st Floor)
9:00 - 9:45 AM Keynote: Walter Virgil, Jr. (Walter Virgil & Associates LLC) Elmwood Room (1st Floor)
10:00 - 10:45 AM General Session: Future-Proof Your Business: People, Operations & Business Strategy with Michelle Dahl (Her Idea Collective) Elmwood Room (1st Floor)
11:00 - 11:45 AM
Breakouts:
  • Nonprofit: Finance & Operations for Nonprofits with Bonnie Chavez (Building Beloved Communities)
  • Small Business: Driving Value in Your Business with Tommy Battle, CEPA, CFP® (Financial Designs)
  • Minority & Women-Owned Business: Getting Your SWAM Designation with Amanda Forrester (Roanoke Regional SBDC)
Various
11:45 AM - 1:00 PM Networking Lunch from Schaals Catering Elmwood Room (1st Floor)
1:00 - 1:45 PM
Keynote: Kelli Lemon (Entrepreneur)
Elmwood Room (1st Floor)
2:00 - 2:45 PM
Breakouts:
  • Nonprofit: Development & Fundraising for Nonprofits with Shannon Watts, CFRE (Key Fundraising)
  • Small Business: Tax and Accounting Strategies for Your Business with Jeff Barbour, CPA (Brown Edwards CPAs)
  • Minority & Women-Owned Business: Leadership in the MWOB Space with Annette Patterson (The Advancement Foundation)
Various
3:00 - 3:45 PM General Session: Emerging Trends in Digital Marketing with Tony Pearman (Access Advertising & Public Relations) Elmwood Room (1st Floor)
3:45 - 5:30 PM Happy Hour + Heavy Hors D'oeuvres from Schaals Catering + Networking Elmwood Room (1st Floor)

Friday, November 8th

Time Session Location
8:00 - 8:45 AM Networking Breakfast from Schaals Catering Elmwood Room (1st Floor)
8:45 - 9:00 AM Introduction: Paul Phillips (Freedom First) Elmwood Room (1st Floor)
9:00 - 9:45 AM Keynote: Sheri Winesett (John Mattone Global) Elmwood Room (1st Floor)
10:00 - 10:45 AM
Breakouts:
  • Nonprofit: Recruit and Retain a Team that Reflects Your Community with Xavier Duckett (The Humble Hustle Company)
  • Small Business: Leadership and Management with Michelle Dahl (Her Idea Collective)
  • Minority & Women-Owned Business: Leveraging Your Resources as a Woman and/or Minority-Owned Business with Stephanie Keener (SBDC - Lynchburg Region)
Various
11:00 - 11:45 AM
Panel Discussion: Bringing it all Together: The Intersection Between Economic Development and Local Business
  • Moderator: Alisha Childress (Freedom First)
  • Pete Eshelman (Roanoke Regional Partnership)
  • Kevin Byrd, AICP (NRV Regional Commission)
  • Alisha Meador (Lynchburg Economic Development Authority)
Elmwood Room (1st Floor)
11:45 AM - 1:00 PM Boxed Lunch from Schaals Catering + Networking Elmwood Room (1st Floor)



Click the images below for details.

Location Information
(Directions, Parking, etc.)
Elevate: Location Info

About Keynote Sessions

Elevate: About Keynotes

About General Sessions

Elevate: About General Sessions

About Nonprofit Breakout Sessions

Elevate: Nonprofit breakouts

About Small Business Breakout Sessions
Elevate: Small business breakouts

About Minority & Women-Owned Business Breakout Sessions
Elevate: Minority and Women-Owned Business Breakouts

Jeff Barbour, CPA
Brown Edwards
White Freedom First star on gray background

Tommy Battle, CEPA, CFP®
Financial Designs
Tommy Battle

Kevin Byrd, AICP
NRV Regional Commission
Portrait of Kevin Byrd

Alisha Childress
Freedom First Credit Union
Alisha Childress

Bonnie Chavez
Building Beloved Communities
Bonnie Chavez

Michelle Dahl
Her Idea Collective
Michelle Dahl

Xavier Duckett
The Humble Hustle Company
Xavier Duckett

Pete Eshelman
Roanoke Regional Partnership
Pete Eshelman

Amanda Forrester
Roanoke SBDC
White Freedom First star on gray background

Stephanie Keener
SBDC - Lynchburg Region
Stephanie Keener

Kelli Lemon
Entrepreneur
Kelli Lemon

Alisha Meador
Lynchburg Econ. Dev. Authority
White Freedom First star on gray background

Annette Patterson
The Advancement Foundation
White Freedom First star on gray background
Tony Pearman
Access Advertising
Tony Pearman

Walter Virgil, Jr.
Walter Virgil and Associates LLC
Walter Virgil, Jr.

Shannon Watts, CFRE
Key Fundraising
White Freedom First star on gray background

Sheri Winesett
John Mattone Global
Sheri Winesett



Conference Pricing

Freedom First Business Banking Members:
$99.00
Attendees who are not Freedom First Business Banking Members:
$299.00






Questions about Elevate?