This was my third year to attend the Texas Conference for Women and as always it didn't disappoint! It's like going to camp surrounded by 7,500 women in business who are fired up about working on their career and making a difference! Today I'm sharing some key takeaways from the sessions I attended.


The first keynote session was with Nina Shaw, Renata Quinitini and Tyler Haney (founder of Outdoor Voices).

- "If you don't ask for you're not going to get it. The worse they can say is no." - Nina Shaw

- "It's about progress not perfection." Tyler Haney

- "The pay equality issue is the biggest issue facing women in the workplace. The money you lose out on will be subsidizing someone else's salary. If someone had their hand in your wallet you wouldn't be very happy. When you fight for equal pay you are fighting for your children, your parents, your retirement and your ability to start businesses." - Nina Shaw

- "Find the one guy who tells you what he makes and use it to your advantage." - Nina Shaw
I loved this because I think it's rare men will share their salary and women too for that matter. I know talking about how much you make is taboo, but I believe it's extremely important to discuss. Think about what you could be missing out on.


The second morning keynote featured Shawn Achor, Dallas native, who is the New York Times best-selling author of the Happiness Advantage and Before Happiness. In 2014, Oprah did a two-hour interview with Achor on the science of happiness and meaning.

Shawn was hilarious and spoke pretty fast so it was hard to write down all the nuggets of wisdom he had to share.

- "Negativity, stress and anxiety can be picked up like second hand smoke. Our brains are wirelessly connected through these mirror systems."

- "We can't pursue happiness alone."

- "Social connection is the greatest prediction of your long term success and health."

Basically he's researched the brain on happiness, and found we are greatly impacted by those around us. We are happier when we grow in community and in hard times like depression it's much easier to get through it when you are surrounded by positive people.


After the morning keynote I headed to my first breakout session with Tiffany Aliche aka The Budgenista!

She started off with a simple 4 Step Budget process;

Step 1: List everything you spend $ on.
Step 2: How much do those cost a month?
Step 3: Add up the expenses on your money list.
Step 4: Subtract what you spend a month from what you make each month.

This might be tough if you are spending more than you make. The bad news is it's YOU. The good news is it's YOU!

- "If you want a different financial life, you have to make different financial decisions."

Now to my FAVORITE part of her entire session; YOUR MONEY MINDSET

When it comes to something you are going to purchase first ask yourself, "Do I need it? Love it? Like it? Want it?"

Most people skip over the LOVES and go straight to the LIKES because they are less expensive. Y'all...my jaw dropped when she said this. She told a story of her friend who loves to travel but always complains about not having enough money to do it. Yet, that same friend will drop $5, $10, $15 here and there on random crap she doesn't need. She doesn't LOVE what she bought, but she likes it. Tiffany once added up what her friend had spent on those small items over the course of 6 months, and showed her she could have gone on a really nice vacation if she had saved that money. How many Target trips would it take for you to save for a vacation?

When it comes to teaching young kids and teenagers about money Tiffany advised as parents we need to normalize responsible spending behavior. If your kid makes money doing chores or your teenager has a job, they need to sit down with you after each paycheck and go over where the money needs to be allocated. 10% giving, 20% saving, 70% spending. By the time they are adults they will be much better off when it comes to budgeting.


After the morning sessions we headed to lunch for the keynote. This was my first time hearing Brené Brown speak in person and OMG she was AMAZING! She was hilarious and extremely insightful. I loved her brutal honesty, and she mainly spoke about leadership. Everything that came out of her mouth was a nugget of wisdom. Here are a few;

- "People are not having hard conversations. We're not having the uncomfortable, awkward, and tough conversations.

- "Choose discomfort over resentment." Oh my goodness....PREACH!

- When it comes to communication "Clear is kind, unclear is unkind."

- "If you aren't leading with empathy, you can NOT build trust."

- "To opt of of the tough conversations (race, gender, sexual orientation) is the definition of privilege." Ouch, that one definitely hit home. Even if it's uncomfortable we need to talk about it.

- "When hard things happen we make up stories in our head. The story is usually the scariest thing that could happen."

- "There is no courage without the vulnerability. Embrace the SUCK!"

I could have listened to Brené speak ALL day long. I haven't read any of her books, but want to immediately!


The last keynote of the day was Reese Witherspoon. I wasn't sure what to expect from Reese, but I was really blown away by her. She's not just an actress, she's an extremely intelligent business owner, mother, wife and is doing big things in Hollywood for women. In 2016, she established Hello Sunshine, a media brand and content company dedicated to female authorship and storytelling across all platforms. In 2015, she launched Draper James, a retail brand with a focus on fashion, accessories and home décor inspired by the American South.

- "Ambition is not a dirty word."

- "Women are natural leaders and organizers and most don't know it. Sometimes you need someone to show you a mirror."

- "We are powerful. We are leaders. We are who we need!"

- "Women have strong spines and open hearts. Men need us as leaders." Absolutely love this! It's OK to be strong and sensitive.

Reese said she tells her kids one positive thing that happened at work that day to encourage positivity around work.


If you've never attended this conference put it on your list for next year (it sells out quick)! It's one of the highlights of my year and an amazing networking opportunity. Take your business cards and connect with the speakers and people you meet via LinkedIn after the event. I can't wait to see what next year's line up will be!