The Business Leaders Breakfast Forum

It's no secret that one in four of today's employees are struggling with mental strength.

These last few years, combined with the ever-increasing pace of change and turbo-charged disruptions, have left people - your team - burned out, overwhelmed, and completely stressed out.

As a leader, you need the skills to help them cope, building the skills and capacity to become mentally fit, powerfully resilient, and competitively strong.

This powerful presentation will provide what it takes to be the leader who is up to this level of challenge-the type of leader who shows empathy and connection and provides the skills your team needs to take their lives and your organization to the next level.

This is a much-needed, powerful, results-driven presentation is perfect for leaders, frontline personnel, and individual team members.

Key Takeaways:

• Understanding Mental Strength Challenges: What are the mental strength struggles in today's workforce, with 1 in 4 employees facing these challenges.
• Leadership's Role in Support: Recognize the impact of rapid changes and disruptions on employee well-being, and understand the need for leaders to equip themselves with skills to support their teams.
• Building Resilience in Teams: Learn strategies for fostering mental fitness and resilience within teams, essential for creating a healthy work environment./li>
• Effective Leadership Qualities: Understand the importance of empathy and connection and their role in effective leadership, along with providing the necessary skills to empower teams and drive organizational success.

Meridith Elliott Powell

Meridith is a sought-after business growth expert who worked her way up from entry-level to earn her position in the C-Suite. She has a passion for helping others learn the strategies they need to turn uncertainty into competitive advantage. Her cutting-edge message is rooted in real-life examples and knowledge.

Meridith is an award-winning author, presenter, and business strategist. With a background in corporate leadership, her career has expanded to several industries, including banking, healthcare, and finance. She is the author of nine books, has a podcast, and is regularly featured in publications such as Forbes, Fast Company, and Inc., among others.

MERIDITH ELLIOTT POWELL, CSP, CPAE, is a sought-after business growth expert who worked her way up from entry-level to earn her position in the C-Suite. She has a passion for helping others learn the strategies they need to turn uncertainty into competitive advantage. Her cutting-edge message is rooted in real-life examples and knowledge. Meridith is an award-winning author, presenter, and business strategist. With a background in corporate leadership, her career has expanded to several industries, including banking, healthcare, and finance. She is the author of nine books, has a podcast, and is regularly featured in publications such as Forbes, Fast Company, and Inc., among others. Learn more about Meridith at:www.meridithelliottpowell.com.

Our Story

Coming out the great recession in 2009 several local businesses, PI Midwest, Lurie LLP (today EisnerAmper) and Hillary's LLC, came together to create the Business Leaders Breakfast Forum. The forum was formed to bring business leaders together to learn, connect and create community. In that time, new acquaintances became old friends through their shared experiences. In March of 2020 the program was shut down by the pandemic.

Since 2022, emerging out of the pandemic, there have been ongoing requests to bring this community back together. Hillary Feder, quickly realized by talking with other business leaders in the community there was an interest to gather and create community together outside of direct work inside their organizations. Feder lead the way, putting together a group of sponsors to lead and in April 2024 The Business Leaders Breakfast Forum 2.0 was formed.

Past Programs

AI Mastery for Business, April 2024

Attendees of this program are ahead of the AI curve with key program takeaways:

• The 'AI Sales Framework': How to innovate the sales process for cutting-edge efficiency and profitability.
• Strategic Implementation: Hands-on tactics to turbocharge communications, sales, customer support, research, and operational efficiencies. Shifting your focus from mundane tasks to strategic customer value and growth.
• Strengthening Relationships: Innovative ways to provide value to prospects and clients and ensure differentiated relevance in your communications.
• Eight Pivotal Predictions: How to anticipate and prepare for the future of an AI-powered business and how it will impact your organization.
• Ethical GPT:Navigating the intricate ethical landscape and moral decisions that accompany AI adoption in a world that's still figuring it out.

Meet our 2024 Business Leaders Breakfast Forum speakers:

SAM RICHTER, CSP, CPAE, stands among the elite as a Professional Hall of Fame speaker and a bestselling author on the convergence of technology and sales. Sam delivers keynote presentations around the globe, and he is the creator of the Intel Engine and SearchLink, AI-powered tools that are pivotal resources for professionals across various industries. Acknowledged as one of the World’s Top 100 Speakers, Sam’s thought leadership is regularly showcased in articles and programs, including USA Today, Forbes, Fortune, and CNN. He has been recognized with a Gold Award at the International Film Festival and a Codie Award, the ‘Oscars’ of the software industry. www.samrichter.com. Email: sam@samrichter.com

VICTOR ANTONIO’S journey is one of remarkable triumph over adversity. His roots, set in one of Chicago’s toughest neighborhoods, provided a strong foundation for a career defined by perseverance and excellence. Victor’s academic achievements, marked by a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and an MBA, were the springboard into a 20-year career that saw him rise to the pinnacle of sales leadership as the President of Global Sales and Marketing for a $420M company. His transformative approach to business and sales has been recognized at the highest levels, including his selection to the prestigious President’s Advisory Council for a Fortune 500 corporation. www.victorantonio.com. Email: victor@sellingergroup.com

Sponsors and Partners

Diamond Sponsors

For more than 30 years, Hillary’s has lived the idea of making the people who matter feel like they matter. Visit Ask Hillary's for more information.

The Minneapolis Regional Chamber is the largest and most diverse local business association in the Minneapolis/St. Paul region. Visit Minneapolis Chamber for more information.

Gold Sponsors

3M Promotional Markets is the sole source for Custom Printed Post-it® Notes in North America. Visit 3M Promotional Markets for more information.

Silver Sponsors

BMO is the 8th largest bank in North America and one of the country’s most-respected banks. Visit BMO for more information.

Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses helps entrepreneurs create jobs and economic opportunity. Visit Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses for more information.

Friend Sponsors

Robert Half is the world’s first and largest specialized talent solutions firm. Visit Robert Half for more information.

SRF’s engineers, planners, and designers collaborate with clients to develop lasting solutions. Visit SRF Consulting Group for more information.

Minnesota Retailers is a purpose-driven membership organization striving to enrich our communities. Visit Minnesota Retailers for more information.

Skol Marketing specializes in amplifying your business online presence. Visit Skol Marketing for more information.

Minnesota Sales Institute works with business owners to adapt their selling skills. Visit Minnesota Sales Institute for more information.

Scale Bank, formerly Fidelity Bank, meets the needs of business owners and leaders. Visit Scale Bank for more information.

Alerus provides proactive advice and technology that supports people in their daily lives. Visit Alerus for more information.

Ittrium believes content management should be powerful, flexible, and accessible to everyone. Visit Ittrium for more information.

BKBM Engineers strives to enhance the built environment with creativity and collaboration. Visit BKBM Engineers for more information.

Omodt & Associates is dedicated to telling your story when communications are critical. Visit Omodt & Associates for more information.

Marketing Partners

The Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal provides the latest breaking business news. Visit Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal for more information.

The National Speakers Association, Minnesota Chapter, is the premier organization for professional speakers. Visit National Speakers Association, Minnesota Chapter for more information.

Brandpoint syndicates your content to the best media sites. Visit Brandpoint for more information.

EO Minnesota presents the Entrepreneurs’ Rally XII, built by Entrepreneurs for Entrepreneurs. Visit EO Minnesota for more information.

The Upper Midwest Association of Promotional Professionals connects industry professionals. Visit Upper Midwest Association of Promotional Professionals for more information.

The Hopkins Business and Civic Association fosters community spirit and supports local businesses in Hopkins. Visit Hopkins Business and Civic Association for more information.

The Hopkins Center for the Arts provides a welcoming environment for the arts to thrive. Visit Hopkins Center for the Arts for more information.