She Creates Business 2019

2019 Speakers

Connect and grow your business with insights from leaders

Conference Host

Dara Barwick 

Dara Barwick Consulting

Dara Barwick founded She Creates Business (SCB) in 2016 as a way to bring inspiration, connections and business strategies to women entrepreneurs. At SCB annual conferences attendees hear from women entrepreneurs in various business sectors who have grown their businesses, often times from shoestring startups and kitchen tables, to highly successful businesses.

In 2008 Dara and her daughter, Jill Higgins, created the High Cotton card game and were delighted to appear in Southern Living’s Holiday Gift Guide, Southwest Georgia Living, and other regional publications. The game was sold in 20 states adding hysterical laughter to girlfriend nights and family get-togethers. Dara and Jill sold High Cotton in 2010 after learning they enjoyed creating and marketing a product, but got hives over long-term manufacturing and distribution.

In 2012 Dara founded Dara Barwick Consulting after a career in economic and community development with the Georgia Dept. of Economic Development. She was Director of Entrepreneur & Small Business, and Director of Existing Industry & Recruitment, leading a statewide team that  assisted companies and communities with business expansions and new locations.

Dara’s consulting expertise includes advising small businesses how to overcome challenges and recognize growth opportunities, facilitating strategic planning and business events, coaching startups and speaking on various business topics.

Dara is a graduate of Valdosta State University, a Certified Coach (Coach Training Alliance), DiSC Personality Style Trainer, Expert Facilitator (Leadership Strategies) and Speaker. She was named 2017 Brooks County Woman of the Year and 2018 Thomas County Woman of the Year. She doesn’t understand why.

She and husband, Randy, live on a farm in Brooks county, where they enjoy the quiet of being in the country, except when they are enjoying their three rambunctious grandsons and dog, Shelby.

Growing Your Business with Digital Marketing

Discover the high-level tips, tricks and secrets good digital marketers use to get results for their clients. Your social media, SEO and digital ad strategy should support your business goals and in this session, we will explore how you can ensure you see results.

Lauren Adele Vann

Founder, President

Adele Creative Marketing & Design

Mentored by the former Vice President of Walt Disney Entertainment, Lauren directed a state level cultural department in Brazil before founding Adele Creative Marketing & Design.

Adele Creative has quickly grown into one of the area’s top agencies. From New York Times bestselling authors to Georgia’s leading bank, to market leaders in business, clients rely on the company to craft their branding, marketing strategy, messaging and digital marketing presence. The company’s clients include the Georgia Citrus Association, the Georgia Association of Licensed Adoption Agencies, Imagine Thomasville: the Payroll Development Authority and Thomasville National Bank – one of the top five banks in the region.

Adele Creative’s clients typically perform better than 90% of competitors online with engagement rates well above the average 8%. In this session, she will explore how you can use digital marketing to see real-world results.

Building a Business with Courage, Heart, and Humor

Renee Moss

Founder

Farmers Daughter Vineyard

Part of a third-generation family farm, Renee Moss is the co-founder of Farmers Daughter Vineyard, together with her husband. The family farm grows mostly cotton and peanuts in Mitchell County. But across the highway, you’ll spot their French-American hybrid grapevines, peacefully growing in the blistering Georgia sunshine.

Renee began planting wine grapes in Spring 2014, with the help of the vineyard’s tiny namesake… the Farmer’s Daughter. Two years old at the time, she seemed to enjoy digging in the dirt and stomping around in her boots.

The initial planting featured Blanc duBois and LeNoir “Favorite” plants. In 2015, they added Lomanto to the mix.

Farmers Daughter Vineyard now includes a popular wine tasting room in historic Thomasville, GA and sells its line of award-winning wines across the country. In this session, you’ll hear from Renee and she recounts the founding, growth and courage it took to expand their business.

Growing & Leading in Your Market

Speaker

Montina Portis

CIA Media Group

Montina is the founder of CIA Media Group, a video marketing firm in Atlanta that has produced over 1,000 law firm videos and is one of the few minority-owned six-figure businesses in the Southeast. Montina’s life and work has led her to becoming the business leader, mentor and champion for others that we all strive to be. In this session you will learn Montina’s winning way of doing business and doing life!

Starting, Doing, Surviving, Thriving

Keira Moritz-Johnson

Steel Magnolias, Birdies Events & Catering

Keira is the founder of Steel Magnolias and Birdies – two popularly acclaimed businesses in the historic Valdosta corridor.

Steel Magnolias developed from Keira’s involvement with local farms and artisanal producers to take southern cuisine to a new level.  In Steel Magnolias first year of business it was been nominated for best new restaurant/special occasion restaurant and best live music venue by the Valdosta Daily Times and Small Business of the Year and Moritz young professional of the year by the Chamber of Commerce.  Nods have been given to the growth and involvement of Steel Magnolias in articles such as Valdosta CEO, Southwest Georgia Living Magazine, The Tifton Scene, The Tifton Gazette, the Valdosta Scene and Georgia Trend Magazine “Valdosta Valhalla” article.  Steel Magnolias was also honored with the Silver Spoon award in November 2014, and 2015 by Georgia Trend naming it as one of the top ten restaurants in Georgia.

After 5 years in Business in downtown Valdosta Keira purchased a second property or shell of a property consisting of 7900 square feet of 4 brick walls and a fully collapsed roof.

After 2 years of renovations emerged a second business of Keira’s commitment to her developing downtown, named Birdies Events & Catering.  The business opened in 2016.

The Secrets of Boosting Your Business

Deana Bibb

Batch Maker, Proper Pepper Pimento Cheese

Deana is the founder of Proper Pepper Pimento Cheese – a Georgia-based pimento cheese making business. In December, 2013, a happenstance conversation inspired Deana to market her pimento cheese. Within 15 months, she had a name, a beautiful vintage-inspired label and was a 2015 Flavor of Georgia award winner. She became a former stay-at-home mom turned professional batch maker.

Deana’s romance with southern culture and specialty food is now her job! In this session, she invites attendees to follow the birth of Proper Pepper Pimento Cheese… well bred with a pedigree of ingredients that have been carefully curated and are as impressive as its taste, including naturally aged white sharp Cabot cheddar cheese, Duke’s mayonnaise, and a unique micro-manufacturing blend of roasted red peppers with flavor permeating each bite. Deana will discuss the secrets that boosted her business to the next level.