| This month, dozens of women from the area as well as beyond the region are expected to get away to Gig Harbor for an inspirational weekend highlighted by keynote speaker Kathy Ireland. The second annual “Steppin Up” conference at Best Western Wesley Inn of Gig Harbor is a chance for women to “take time, get refreshed and go back encouraged and inspired,” according to organizers.
Sue Braaten, owner of Wesley Inn, said the idea came up last year because her business is comprised mostly of women, and they have hosted so many other companies’ retreats and conferences that they decided to create their own. Last year, about 80 women attended from as far as Texas and Florida, and this year, Ireland is expected to draw even better attendance due to her popularity.
“I wanted to cater to women in all walks of life and Kathy’s someone I’ve admired because of the way she’s lived her life as a model, business woman, mom and wife,” Braaten said. “It’s so exciting she’s coming to Gig Harbor in person.”
Ireland’s contributions range from being a Sunday school teacher to a chief designer and CEO of Kathy Ireland Worldwide, a design empire with an estimated $1.4 billion in annual sales. The conference will focus on the topics in her book, “Powerful Inspirations: Eight Lessons that Will Change Your Life.”
Trisha Novotny, a Gig Harbor writer, speaker and mother of five, is among the speakers. She said her workshop will focus on families, and while she has presented on the topics of leadership and family before, this is the first opportunity for her to combine the two topics in one presentation. “If you’re not successful at home in your family, you’ll be struggling with success in other areas,” she said. “The goal of the workshop is to talk about the importance of family time and raising children in a (leadership) family.”
International singer and speaker Carrie Kay, also a Gig Harbor resident, was one of last year’s presenters and is coming back. “I love women who are pursuing becoming better and stepping up — we’re stepping up a notch from where we were a year ago,” she said.
The conference is not in the “attend a workshop, come back the next day” format. It’s a true retreat. Kathy Heerema, a sales representative at Wesley Inn, said if women had to divide their attention between the speakers and the chores at home afterwards, they would miss the benefits of absorbing and learning. “If you take care of yourself, you’ll be able to take better care of your family, and women tend to put themselves last,” she said. “We’re very excited about bringing this to Gig Harbor.”
The Steppin Up Women’s Leadership Conference is Jan. 25-27. For details, visit www.wesleyinn.com.
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