Charlotte Business Exchange (CBEX) Speaker Series

CBEX UPCOMING EVENTS | CBEX is building a series of breakfast events under the title “Growing Your Business in 2024” and is excited to announce our first event for Thursday, April 25th.

Join us for an exciting in-person event featuring a panel of speakers discussing their use of technology to grow their business.

Event Details

Time:

Location:

Speakers:

Mike Fitton
Jordan Ledwein
David Phillips

Moderator:

Emory Simmons- President – CMIT Solutions of Metrolina

Cost to Attend:

$35.00 – Includes full breakfast Menu: Smoke bacon, scrambled eggs, breakfast potatoes, toast with butter and jelly, coffee & juice. Join us for an engaging and informative session that will leave you motivated and inspired. Register now!

Past Events

Fall 2023 – November: CBEX Networking Event

“Join us and connect with fellow business folks in the greater Charlotte area.”

Fall 2023 – October: CBEX Fall Speaker Series : Matt Doherty

“Building Your Team: Creating a Championship Culture”

Fall 2023 – September: CBEX Networking Event….and YOU are invited!

Join us and connect with fellow business folks in the greater Charlotte area.

Summer 2023 – June: CBEX Networking Event….and YOU are invited!

Join us and connect with fellow business folks in the greater Charlotte area.

Spring 2023 – April: CBEX Speaker Series

The 2023 Workplace – Finding the Best Fit

Fall 2022 – September: CBEX Meeting & Social Event

Join us and connect with fellow business folks in the greater Charlotte area.

October: Overcoming Obstacles by Setting Goals and Achieving Them Authentically Without the Imposter Syndrome

Spring 2022 – Envisioning a Bold and Exciting Future for Charlotte’s Center City

Come hear Michael Smith of Charlotte Center City Partners and Jennifer Appleby of Wray Ward share highlights of the plan and how they believe the ideas will affect future economic development, talent attraction and improved quality of life for all.

Winter 2022 – Recruiting and Retention

Join CBEX for a virtual discussion on getting the most from today’s new workforce.
Topics of discussion: What are the insights that business leaders need to hear about recruiting and retention, even though they may not think that they do? Why can’t we treat today’s workforce the same as we did twenty (20) years ago? What are the differences? And more…

Summer 2021 – Resilience & Our Future Workspace

Join us on August 11, 2021 for our next CBEX Speaker Series: “Resilience & Our Future Workspace”
Join CBEX for a discussion on the future of the Charlotte workspace. We will take information from the Charlotte business community and share plans, and the impact on productivity and collaboration as we transition back to our offices.

Spring 2021 – The Importance of Diversity in the Workplace

Join us on April 28, 2021 for our next CBEX Speaker Series: “The Importance of Diversity in the Workplace”
The conversation about diversity, equity and inclusion is more important than ever. Businesses are making inclusive leadership a priority to create a culture of belonging. This often requires leaders to engage in difficult conversations around power, privilege and equity. During this event, we

Fall 2020 – Wellness in the Workplace: For Leaders and Our Teams

Join us on Thursday, October 22 at 7:30AM for our next CBEX Speaker Series: “Wellness In the Workplace”
The impact of the pandemic-induced changes in the work and home life of every person is undeniable. Work-from-home has blurred the ability to compartmentalize, people are not using their PTO for various reasons resulting in burnout, businesses leaders are stressed about keeping the doors open and the burden of their responsibility for the livelihood of many, and our teams may be fraying. We’re seeing more melt-downs of people who are usually even-keeled and people may be experiencing personal problems such as marital stress, substance abuse, and depression.

Fall 2020 – The upcoming election in NC.

Join us on Thursday, September 24 at 7:30AM for our next CBEX Speaker Series: “Decision 2020: How Will NC Businesses Be Affected by the Elections?”
We will have a “fireside chat” with the Executive Director of NC FreeEnterprise Foundation, Anna Beavon Gravely moderated by William McKee of Knowmad Digital Marketing.

Summer 2020 – Business Development in a Pandemic

Join us on Wednesday, August 19 at 7:30 am for a virtual coffee & discussion, Q&A and networking . The program begins at 7:30 am with a panel discussion until 8:15, then 15 minutes of Q&A
How can I get new business in today’s environment? The world has changed and everyone in business development must change. What no longer works? What does work? What strategies are effective when you cannot meet face-to-face? How can I build trust?

Summer 2020 – Dr. Rebecca Heiss, Become Fearless

Join us on Tuesday, July 21 at 7:30 am for a “Virtual coffee & breakfast” discussion, Q&A and networking. The program begins at 7:30 am and ends promptly at 8:15 am.

As leaders it’s imperative that we are self-aware. And yet research finds that nearly 90% of us…aren’t. We have to find new ways of understanding our fears, our strengths, our shortcomings, and all of the ways that our brains keep sabotaging us from being the most effective leaders we can be. That’s where Rebecca comes in by providing immediately applicable strategies to intervene with our self-limiting instincts.
Dr. Rebecca Heiss, Become Fearless

Summer 2020 – Adapting in Adversity, An Entrepreneur’s Perspective

Join us on Wednesday, June 24 at 7:30 am for a “Virtual coffee & breakfast” discussion, Q&A and networking . The program begins at 7:30 am and ends promptly at 8:15 am. Hang around after for 15 minutes of small group breakouts to share who you are! We will wrap up at 8:30am. We will have a candid conversation between a business owner and a strategic HR consultant about what has worked, what has not and how to surf the waves of change.
Kit M. Foreman, SPHR, MBA- Owner of Strategic Performance Solutions
Steve Thomson, President at Sweetwater Logistics
Moderator: Brandy Milazzo

Spring 2020 – Charlotte on the National Stage: the RNC in the Queen City

We are pleased to welcome our panelists from the RNC, Charlotte Emergency Management and the Secret Service. With a large event like this in the Queen City, we will be discussing the planning, logistical issues, cybersecurity and safety as well as the impact this event will have on our business community. From an event of this size, we’ll also discuss how business leaders can learn big-picture lessons to help manage their businesses.
John Lassiter, President of Carolina Legal Staffing
Elaney Katsafanas, Emergency Management Planner
Special Agent Gerd J. Ballner, Jr., FBI Charlotte RNC Coordinator
Moderator: Randy Mitchell

Spring 2019 – The Keys to Success of Multi-Generational Companies

Well run multi-generational businesses have learned business lessons the hard way, and you can learn from them.
Roddey Player, CEO of Queen City Audio Video Appliances.
Andres Gomez, Manager of Rivus Construction
Ben Powell, Director of CH Powell/Tandem.
Moderator: Randy Mitchell

Winter 2019 – Great Companies, Great People, Great Leaders – Panel Discussion

Our distinguished panelists engaged in a lively conversation on the subject of leadership and culture.
Donna Dunlap, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Carolinas.
Jose Costa, CEO North America of GrandVision NV, former President of Maaco and author.
Shannon Evans, Founder/Co-Owner of Nailed It DIY Studio
Moderator: Elizabeth McKee, Executive Director, Leadership CharlotteSummer 2018 – Proven Tactics to Retain Key People – Panel Discussion

Join us for an insightful discussion exploring how top employers retain their best talent. Our panel will answer the questions business leaders are asking every day as they seek to retain their best people.

Spring 2018 – Cranes for 60 people a day – A Panel Discussion

Charlotte Business Exchange is pleased to have Michael Smith, President and CEO of Charlotte Center City Partners facilitate a discussion with leading experts regarding commercial construction in Charlotte catering to our rapidly growing population.

Winter 2018 – How Entrepreneurship Changed Me

After 11 years of tech sales experience in the Bay Area, Mr. Moulton had the perfect startup journey with Jigsaw.com, which grew from two guys and a whiteboard to a $175MM exit in 2010 to Salesforce.com. Mr. Moulton ran sales, business development, client support and the customer community for Jigsaw.com. He shared his story with the CBEX community.

Fall 2017 – Does Culture Drive Value? The Mustang Story with Bill Higgs

Does culture really matter? Are successful businesses intentional about the culture they create? Come listen to a successful entrepreneur who with two partners and $15,000 built a business they sold twenty years later for $1 Billion.

Summer 2017 – Why Charlotte?

Why do business leaders choose the Charlotte region when locating their operations? Hear from a panel of newly arrived companies moderated by Ronnie Bryant, President and CEO of the Charlotte Regional Partnership.

Spring 2017 – The Great State of Mecklenburg’s Entrepreneurial Culture

What’s our community doing right – and wrong – to nurture start-ups? Are we leaving non-tech companies or lifestyle small businesses in the dust in our zeal to be Silicon Valley-esque? Do we have the intellectual talent and educational resources to attract, nurture and support the up-and-coming “best and brightest?” What ingredient or ingredients are missing in our ‘secret sauce’ (capital?) to accelerate these companies to create jobs – and wealth?

Winter 2017 – Election Results 2016: The economic impact in 2017 . . . and beyond

Joe Stewart, Executive Director of the North Carolina Free Enterprise Foundation has been on both sides of the desk (business and government) – and now serves and supports business leaders as they work “between” the aisles of elected officials, running this non-partisan Foundation. An objective look at the reasons and results of last year’s elections.

Fall 2016 – Leadership Lessons from the Mountains

From Santiago Chile, Rodrigo Jordán is the Founder and President of Vertical S.A. He is widely recognized in the development of leadership, innovation and social development. His work includes the Wharton Leadership Ventures program, the McColl School of Business’ BB&T Leadership Challenge and the National Geographic Society expedition to Antarctica.

Spring 2016 – Lessons from 10,000 Small Businesses

Three local alumni of Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program shared ways they have applied the learnings to take their business to the next level. Fabi Preslar with Spark Publications, Lawrence Cruiciana with Corporation Information Technologies, and Matt Galimi with Best Tek Support.

Fall 2015 – Accelerating Sales in Today’s Economy

Three top sales trainers and consultants shared their pro tips to increase sales in proven, scalable, and repeatable ways. Our distinguished panel included Tamara Bunte, Bob Henricks and Randy Johnson.

Spring 2015 – Signature Series: Competition or Collaboration?

Danny Morrison, President of the Carolina Panthers, and Sheila Mullen, Executive Director of the Innovation Institute at McColl Center for Art & Innovation, discussed leading a team of top performers in today’s environment of intense competition and constant innovation.

Winter 2015 – Human Capital Innovation

Tom Killen, Elizabeth Persson and Kelly Rogers shared their innovative practices for attracting, developing, and engaging the talent their organizations need to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment.

Fall 2014 – Privacy in the Age of Big Data

Ted Claypoole, Senior Partner at Womble Carlyle, highlighted some of the pros and cons of Big Data collection, both for individuals and businesses. He also shared some tools and behaviors we can adopt to regain data and identity security.

Spring 2014 – Transforming Business

Successful entrepreneur, corporate executive, and award winning author, August Turak shared his stories of life with the monks at Mepkin Abbey and the business lessons learned from their values and disciplines.

Winter 2014 – Productivity Practices That Work

Our 2014 speaker series opened with Carson Tate, founder of Working Simply and creator of the Productivity Styles system. Our second speaker was outsourcing authority Russ Hammond — a manager, developer, road warrior, speaker, and entrepreneur.

Fall 2013 – Transformation By Design

This sold out event featured a panel discussion with three business and non-­profit leaders to learn how you can leverage innovation and human­‐centered design practices to spark individual, organizational, and/or social transformation.

Spring 2013 – Learning Series³

Learning Series³ takes one topic, breaks it down in three expert sessions in three back-to-back months. We featured sessions with Tamara Bunte, The Institute for Advanced Results, Bill Whitley, The Bill Whitley Company and Jim Dunn, Dunn Enterprises.

October 10, 2012 – Dr. Dan Murrey

Charlotte Host Committee chair for the Democratic National Convention shared a candid discussion on what went well in hosting the DNC, what could have been done differently, and where Charlotte goes from here!

May 23, 2012 — Rob Slee

Internationally acclaimed author, speaker, and business executive shared how the Value Renaissance is creating a paradigm shift in privately held businesses.