How To Succeed In The Beauty Business: Leaders Share Secrets To New Generation Of Entrepreneurs

Mary Kay Inc. will host its first Women's Entrepreneurship Summit on Friday, January 27, 2017 at the Fairmont Hotel Dallas.

The Dallas Entrepreneur Center is a non-profit which serves entrepreneurs through providing a location where they can receive training, education, mentorship, promotion and access to capital in order to encourage and equip the entrepreneurial community to start, build and grow their businesses. Facilitating a culture of entrepreneurship and giving before you get, the DEC connects new and old entrepreneurs with a vibrant, collaborative environment.

In partnership with The Dallas Entrepreneur Center (The DEC), Mary Kay will convene experts and thought leaders, with backgrounds in fashion, high technology, consumer-packaged goods and business services, for the inaugural summit specifically designed for women business owners.

"For 53 years Mary Kay has been empowering, mentoring and promoting women entrepreneurs. Our founder, Mary Kay Ash herself was one of the greatest business minds of all time and millions of women around the world have built successful businesses by following her proven leadership and sales techniques," said Sheryl Adkins-Green, Chief Marketing Officer for Mary Kay Inc.

Throughout the day, unprecedented mentorship opportunities and networking will help broaden participants' knowledge and expertise, and the first-ever "Pink Tank" will provide the opportunity for pre-selected participants to fast pitch their business ideas for seed funding from The DEC. The day will conclude with a "Champs and Candy" reception featuring sweets from Make Your Life Sweeter.

Confirmed breakout sessions and speakers include:

• Why Women Make Great Entrepreneurs: Amber Venz Box, RewardStyle; and Valerie Freeman, Imprimis Group
• 10 Questions You Need To Answer Before You Become An Entrepreneur: Shama Hyder, Marketing Zen; and Yasmeen Tadia, Make Your Life Sweeter
• How To Build the Best Team For Success: Sheryl Chamberlain, Cap Gemini; Kristi Libby, S.W.C./SoCu; and Jill Scigliano, Dallas Entrepreneur Center
• Customer Development: How To Find And Grow Customers: Melissa Youngblood, LCC Management Consulting
• Building Your Brand: Heather Capps, HCK2; Holly Mason, Mason Baronet; and Jessica Nunez, True Point
• Fundraising: How To Fund Your Business: Julia Taylor Cheek, Everly; Louise Kee, Golden Seeds; Cynthia Nevels, Integrality; and Cristin Thomas, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses

Pink Tank judges include Mary Kay Inc. Chief Marketing Officer Sheryl Adkins-Green; Abe Minkara, director of business development for Mark Cuban Companies; and, fashion designer and CEO Abi Ferrin.