Women in business summit comes to Guam

2 days ago

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Stacie Mario Lopez on set EXTRA TV .jpeg

What: Hightide, women’s creative summit
When: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 17
Where: Dusit Thani Guam Resort
More information: guamwcc.com

A Guam-bred public relations manager has teamed up with the Guam Women’s Chamber of Commerce to bring a summit for women in business to Guam.

Stacie Krajchir-Tom on set for Extra TV with host, Mario Lopez.

Lifestyle curator and owner of a Los Angeles-based public relations firm, Stacie Krajchir-Tom, is hosting “Hightide,” a one-day women’s creative summit in February, with the GWCC.

Hightide is geared toward women in business: entrepreneurs, mothers and the next generation of women who are set to make their mark. Attendees will have access to a highly curated and impactful program of workshops, speaker panels and mentor sessions.

The goal of Hightide is to inspire, educate and elevate the women who attend, and to connect them with new people.

Stacie Krajchir-Tom, center, on set of "Good Day LA!"

Siska Hutapea, past president of the GWCC, said in previous years, the chamber has invited local speakers to their leadership retreats.

“Our vision is to have Guam as a community that is driven and influenced by equal participation of women in business,” Hutapea said. “Through this women’s summit, we are trying to empower and advance women’s leadership, facilitate networking opportunities and partnerships, provide mentorship for business startups and enhance professional development and growth.”

The event will host workshops on building confidence, harnessing the power of social media to maximize your business, and an introduction to blogging. Hightide will also have a business incubator on how to create and market your handmade products locally and globally, copyright, sales, packaging, pricing, trademark and retail contacts.

Hutapea said the summit isn’t only catered toward business women, but women at large on Guam. Their volunteers are students from the St. John’s School soroptimist club.

“We want to inspire young women on Guam to come and see the event, even if they’re not at the job level yet, but this is something we think can inspire them.”

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‘Connecting and elevating women’

Krajchir-Tom said early in her business career, she chose to focus on working with women-owned and emerging companies. She’s produced women-focused events over the past 10 years in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Hawaii, and is excited to bring this female empowerment event back home to Guam.

“This is a bucket list thing for me,” she said. “I’ve been trying to do this for 10 years, but the timing wasn’t right.”

She’s had the opportunity to mentor many women and young girls through her business’ internship program. She’s also guided new entrepreneurs through the process of launching products and elevated brand awareness through media campaigns.

“Connecting and elevating women and girls personally and professionally has always been my passion and I wanted to continue that thread by doing an event like this on Guam,” she said.

Krajchir-Tom aims to bring women together, moving away from seeing each other as competition. “There’s always been this desire to connect and elevate other women,” she said. “Women are incubators — we love to share information; we always want to share. That’s the kind of culture that I try to cultivate around myself.”

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Professional and personal development

Hightide will mix business with pleasure, with plenty of fun activities for attendees for both professional and personal development.

“This is really one day from top to bottom that is truly all about you,” she said. “Getting pretty and even creativity get put on the back burner for moms and women. This is at least one day when you can have access to nurturing all sides of you.”

Hightide will have a beauty lounge where guests can receive Los Angeles-style pampering, and get their hair and makeup done. The event will also have a photographer and station for attendees to get headshots taken.

“I want everyone to be pampered and feel beautiful,” Krajchir-Tom said. “Even if you don’t have a business, get a headshot and get a photo of yourself where you feel beautiful and can use it.”

The event will also feature fun do-it-yourself workshops. Krajchir-Tom said the makeover and activity stations will give opportunities for attendees to talk to each other in a creative and therapeutic environment, and cultivate new friendships and network in a more casual space.