Women’s Forum, Austin Pro Swim, & Partnership Updates
Speaking at the United States of Women Empowerment Forum in Nashville, TN.
Hi Everyone,
Hope your 2017 is off to a great start! My new year has been filled with travel, speaking appearances, and new business opportunities. I recently moderated a panel for the United State of Women Forum in Nashville, TN - over 14,000 people watched the forum through Facebook and Facebook Live!
Last week, I hosted my first Instagram Live event with @swimming, and over 7,000 people tuned in to ask me questions about leadership, nutrition, mental preparation, and swimming. Both events helped me build business relationships and create some exciting new opportunities.
United State of Women Empowerment Forum and Play Like a Girl
On February 1, I celebrated National Girls and Women in Sports Day in Nashville, Tennessee at the United State of Women Empowerment Forum. As part of my role as Chair of the Executive Leadership Council for Play Like a Girl, I served as the moderator for a panel of speakers including Olympian Michelle Carter, track and field athlete Kennetra Searcy, and former Director of the Vanderbilt Opportunity Development Center Patricia Ann Pierce. We also heard from Mary O’Connor, President and CEO of the Dallas Wings, and Monica Abbott, a professional softball player and the first woman to sign a $1 million contract.
Doing anything “like a girl” is strong, and it’s powerful.
Here are my top three takeaways from the day:
1. “I wasn’t the top thrower, but I presented myself like I was.” I love that Michelle’s statement can be applied not just to sports, but to life in general. Whether it’s in sports, our careers, or our relationships, confidence is key, it’s important to pass that message on to girls and young women.
Interviewing Olympians Jacob Pebley and Matt Grevers in Austin, TX.
2. “Channel the negative to do something positive." Kennetra’s lesson was also something we can all relate to. When we are able to take something negative to light a fire and use it to do something positive for ourselves, we can take control of any situation.
3. “Know your history, and help other women along the way.”Pat’s words were a moving reminder that we need to know and appreciate the women who paved the way for us and keep the momentum going for future generations of girls.
Austin Pro Swim Series with FloSwimming
In January, I teamed up with FloSwimming to broadcast meet recaps and post-race interviews at the Arena Pro Swim Series in Austin. It’s always exciting to see such fast swimming early in the year, especially Matt Grevers and Jacob Pebley in the 100m backstroke. Check out our interview here!
Appearances & Partnerships
I recently paid a visit to the ESPN Headquarters in Bristol, CT for some business development meetings and introductions to their amazing team. It was a great opportunity, and I’m looking forward to continuing to build the relationship with ESPN.
At ESPN HQ in Bristol, CT
Surfiest Fitness class in NYC for the Jolyn dryland/activewear launch.
I joined the Jolyn team in New York City to celebrate the launch of their new line of activewear. Our workout for the day was at SurfSet Fitness, where we did a yoga class on surfboards - it was even harder than it sounds!
I also stopped by Green Blender while I was in New York. Founder Jenna Tanenbaum and I made delicious smoothies and talked about the diet of professional athletes. Check out the video here and follow @greenblender for more info!
New update on my website! You can now book me to speak at a future event for your company or team. Check out the Speaking page on my website for a portfolio of speech topics and video clips.
Thanks for taking the time to read! For more updates on my journey, you can follow along on Instagram (@karalynnjoyce), Twitter (@karalynnjoyce), or reach out to me directly.
Making a smoothie with Green Blender founder, Jenna Tanenbaum.
Sincerely,
KLJ
