Meeting for Women in Commercial Finance

Some of the topics that we will concentrate on are:

• How to manage staff.
• How to network in a male dominated industry.
• Issues attendees are dealing with.
• Addressing gender gap in pay and promotion.
• What women need in order to be successful.
• Get over the “have it all” mentality. Balance work and home.
• Flexibility and adaptability.
• Communicating in a professional environment.
• Negotiation skills and effective networking that make you look smart and not flirty. Redefining feminine charm.
• Dress for success.

Moderators:

• Robyn Barrett - Managing Member, FSW Funding
  A Phoenix native, Robyn Barrett has seen the landscape of the Valley’s business community fluctuate with the natural ebb and flow of the economy. As a managing member of Factors Southwest, LLC, (dba FSW Funding) an independently owned and operated factoring firm, she helps small to mid-sized business-to-business companies secure funding that may not otherwise be available. By giving them access to the capital needed to grow, she is helping to shape Arizona’s business community. With a knack for numbers, Barrett took her grandfather’s old adage that, “the two things people cannot avoid are dying and paying taxes,” to heart and chose a career in accounting. With a bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University and a CPA license, she embarked on what has been a 20-year journey through the world of finance. In 2001, Barrett founded Scottsdale-based Factors Southwest, LLC. With nine years of experience in factoring and commercial finance, she has the knowledge and know-how to help small businesses secure financing and be poised for success.
  
  
• Gail Reints - President, Sky Business Credit, LLC
  Gail Reints is President and Founder of Sky Business Credit, LLC, which launched December 1, 2010. Sky Business Credit is a factoring company solely committed to funding small businesses with funding needs under $750,000. With her entrepreneurial outlook, Gail wanted to be able to fill the cash flow gap for small businesses that have good business models, but are unable to get traditional funding. With a background in Operations and Credit, Gail’s expertise lies in structuring difficult transactions. Gail has over 15 years’ experience in the factoring industry with the most recent, prior to starting Sky Business Credit, as Managing Director of Bibby Financial Service (Midwest), Inc. for over 6 years and was responsible for overseeing the growth of the client portfolio fivefold. Prior to Bibby Financial Services, Gail worked for JD Factors and Prairie Business Credit. Gail has a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from DePaul University. She is also currently serving as a Subject Matter Expert for the International Factoring Association’s Account Executive Certification program.

Legal counsel will be provided by:

• Laurie Martin Montpaisir, Esq. - Partner, Schuyler, Roche & Crisham, P.C.
  Vice president of a multimillion-dollar commercial finance corporation before beginning her law career in 1997, Laurie Martin Montplaisir helped entrepreneurs and small-to-mid-market business owners solve cash-flow problems and arrange financing. In addition, she managed the business development and sales activities of five regional vice presidents. Reporting directly to the president, she coordinated and implemented strategies for participation with asset-based lenders and was responsible for conducting financial analyses of credits submitted and for the review and preparation of financing documents. This activity has informed her legal work today in structured finance and asset securitization.

Guest Speaker:

• Judy Hoberman - Selling In A Skirt
  After nearly 30 years in the sales side of business, Judy Hoberman has seen a variety of techniques come and go, delivering flash without substance and ultimately leaving adopters high and dry. After completing her position as an award-winning training director, Judy has taken her career on a new path as a successful speaker, consultant and entrepreneur, addressing the differences in sales techniques between men and women, and the advantages of a female-focused approach.
  Judy is a true entrepreneur at heart with experience both in the self-employed and corporate arenas, she was personally selected by the President and CEO of a large insurance company to bring her talents into the corporate office. Her task was to demystify the sales process for 3,000 field agents and resulted in being awarded the Character and Integrity award from the field for her contribution to their remarkable success. After creating a turn-key national training program for both managers and salespeople, she decided to develop on-site training for another one of her passions – the challenges faced by women in sales. Having been mentored by men her whole career, Judy has turned her training talents to the differences in sales techniques between men and women.