It’s been almost a week since the close of the fifth annual Women in Retail Leadership Summit (WIRLS), and we here at the Inner Circle are still on cloud nine! Jen and I have been flooded with lovely thank-you emails and messages from attendees, speakers and sponsors, and we’ve read and responded to each and every one of them. I thought I would share some of the sentiments we received here. They included the following:

  • “Congrats on an amazing event! I was so inspired by some of the leading female speakers … “
  • “Thank you so much for an incredible conference!! I absolutely loved the sessions and, as always, the networking was the best of any conference.”
  • “I was brought to tears (packing waterproof mascara next time) and in stitches from laughter throughout the week, and came home spoiled rotten with gifts. You have no idea the impact that your event had on me, and I was so honored to be part of this experience.”
  • “I loved the Summit and am so grateful to have had the opportunity to be a part of such an amazing event! A giant thank you to you and your team for such a successful Summit!”
  • “Thank you again for such an wonderful event!!!!! I can’t even tell you how much impact I’ve felt on a personal level, and I can only imagine what the collective group of attendees are feeling today as we get back at it feeling energized and strengthened.”
  • “[The Women in Retail Leadership Summit] was inspiring, invigorating, educational and so much more. It truly exceeded my expectations on every level, and I’m so very impressed with the entire production. I made wonderful contacts and learned from so many individuals. The caliber and breadth of experience of both the participants and the presenters was exceptional.“

You get the idea … it was simply an amazing experience for everyone. And I truly believe the reason WIRLS is so successful each year is because of the inspiring women who attend, speak and sponsor it. We’re blessed by having an amazingly talented collection of attendees who come from across the industry and the country each year to support each other to be their best selves.

So, I want to say THANK YOU to all!

And one other thing: Let’s work to keep the inspiration going. Too often, after attending an inspiring conference, attendees go back to their desks and regular routines, and that magical feeling they experienced slowly starts to dissipate. How should you keep it going (whether or not you attended the Summit)? There are many ways. Maybe pay it forward by offering to mentor a junior colleague. Pick up the phone and call someone you admire and ask to have a coffee or a quick chat. Research the process for forming a women’s group at your company.

Drop us a note here at the Inner Circle and tell us about an inspiring goal — no matter how big or small — you’ve met recently that we can share with our readers. The important thing is to stay inspired!

With Love,

Melissa Campanelli
Co-Founder
Women in Retail Leadership Circle