2 Latina Executives Built 700-Woman Summit in 100 Days After Sponsors Said No
Two Latina executives successfully organized the Thrive & Lead conference in under 100 days, bringing together nearly 700 women. They self-funded the event after traditional sponsors declined.
Las Vegas, NV – Patty Arvielo, co-founder of New American Funding, and Vanessa Santos, former co-CEO of #WeAllGrow Latina, successfully organized the Thrive & Lead conference in less than 100 days. The event convened close to 700 Latina professionals from across the country.
The conference was established amidst financial challenges, as numerous conventional corporate sponsors reportedly withdrew funding, citing lack of available capital. Arvielo and Santos ultimately decided to self-fund the majority of the conference's expenses.
The initiative aimed to cultivate an environment for women to share insights and foster meaningful professional connections. The opening evening featured a dinner at Carbone restaurant, where attendees engaged in candid discussions about their career challenges and support needs.
Prominent speakers, including Beautyblender founder Rea Ann Silva and Cuyana co-founder Karla Gallardo, shared their experiences in entrepreneurship and business development. The conference sought to empower women to proactively build their networks and advance their careers.