From Monday, June 22 through Friday, June 26, local residents will have the opportunity to enjoy expert-led panels, keynote conversations, happy hours and other interactive activities hosted by more than a dozen local industry leaders—all virtually from the comfort of your couch.
The five-day event, titled Smart Influence Reinvent, was created by Arlington resident Zarah Burstein, a content creator and founder of DC-based marketing and events company ZB-MKTG, in an effort to connect and grow the community through the uncertainty of the global pandemic. While ZB-MKTG had several in-person events planned for the rest of 2020, Burstein and her team decided to shift their efforts toward shared, virtual experiences until it is completely safe to gather together in large groups.
According to Burstein, the event is meant to inspire and motivate local residents to think in terms of collaboration versus competition as the effects of the pandemic continue to linger.
“We based the programming on being relevant and with speakers who can provide their diverse insight and advice, discussing topics such as what COVID-19 means for a small business, reinventing marketing strategies and bringing together digital content creators to help us transition to the post-pandemic world,” says Burstein.
The various events consist of a Q&A sessions with members of Fashion Group International, a conversation on the importance of building a brand, a lecture on what it’s like to be a business owner right now and a panel discussion on the business of blogging and content creation. The final day will consist of an evening happy hour and DJ performance hosted by Tierney Plumb of Eater DC.
Among the talented lineup of speakers are Baille Benemelis, director of Fashion Group International, DC-based content creator Caroline Crowder, Svetlana Legetic, founder of Brightest Young Things and many more. The best part? All of the proceeds from registering for the event will go toward DC Central Kitchen’s COVID-19 response, including the supply of to-go meals, mobile feeding stations, deliveries to local shelters and feeding those on the front lines of the crisis.
For a full schedule and more information on the upcoming event, click here. // $15
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