Summit for entrepreneurial women slates an encore

The organizers of Rochester’s Elevate Women’s Business Summit expect its second year to be even bigger than its first. Some 300 people again are expected to attend the April 3 conference.

“This year we’ve added Elevate Community Day on April 2—a full day of programming free and open to the public! You just need to register,” says Nina Piccini, director of operations and business development at Embolden Your Brand, and an Elevate organizer.

Elevate Community Day features a spin class, chocolate tasting, a coffee meetup, shopping and styling, and a film screening, among other activities. 

At its core, Elevate is a platform for women in business to connect, offer support and learn from each other. This year’s theme is inspired by Chappell Roan’s hit “Femininomenon,” focusing on collective empowerment, innovative thought and creativity. The day-long conference agenda is packed with ways to maximize regional resources, sales closing techniques, legal tips, branding ideas and opportunities to hear from female founders.

The Rochester Beacon posed a few questions to Piccini. Her responses are below.

ROCHESTER BEACON: How would you term Elevate’s first year? How did you measure its impact?

NINA PICCINI: Elevate Women’s Business Summit had a successful inaugural year in 2024, with around 300 attendees gathering at Arbor Midtown to support and empower women-owned and -led businesses. The summit provided a platform for founders, investors, entrepreneurs and dreamers to connect, share insights and foster a supportive community. The Summit facilitated networking, knowledge sharing and community building among women in business.

ROCHESTER BEACON: What were some of the lessons learned?

PICCINI: The importance of creating spaces where entrepreneurs can connect and support one another. We emphasize community over competition highlighting the value of collaboration and mutual empowerment. Also, coffee. Lots of coffee!
ROCHESTER BEACON: As organizers, you expect 2025 to be even bigger. What does that mean?

PICCINI: We’re beyond excited to have V Spehar as our keynote speaker. If you’ve seen “Under the Desk News,” you know V has a way of breaking down big topics in a way that’s smart, engaging and incredibly real.

V has built a platform around making information accessible and amplifying voices that don’t always get heard, which aligns perfectly with what we’re building here.

We want to amplify as many voices as possible so we’ve partnered up some speakers to provide a range of workshops and panels to address important aspects of entrepreneurship.

We’ve also added Community Day on Wednesday, the day before the summit, which we’re really excited about. This will allow women, who may not be able to attend the event at Arbor Midtown, to plug into our Elevate community and learn about resources and women-owned businesses in the area. You can learn more about Elevate and Community Day on our website. 

ROCHESTER BEACON: Do you think the Rochester community does enough for female entrepreneurs and women in business? What does our ecosystem need?

PICCINI: The Rochester community has shown commitment to supporting female entrepreneurs and so long as we act like a community—collaboration over competition—there’s always room for growth. We are aiming to create a bridge between entrepreneurs and resources that are already available to them, they just might not know it yet. Enhancing access to funding, mentorship programs and creating more networking opportunities can further strengthen the ecosystem for women in business.

Smriti Jacob is Rochester Beacon managing editor. 

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