PowerHER Austin 2022 – Friday, September 23

“JPMorgan Chase is dedicated to helping women grow, succeed and thrive. PowerHER represents the critical components to that mission, including improving women’s financial health and providing opportunities to expand women’s networks,” says Ashley Brueckner, executive director, J.P. Morgan Private Bank.“ It is our intention that attendees will leave PowerHER filled with practical advice, inspired ideas and empowered to take control of their financial health and overall well-being,”

One of the participants will be Amber Allen, CEO and founder of Austin-based Double A Labs. She is a leading expert on the metaverse and hybrid events. “When thinking about innovation, you have to take into consideration what came before and how to continually optimize moving forward. When the pandemic robbed us of in-person meetings, companies were forced to adopt new processes and ways to work,” Allen says. “The loss of human connection impacted productivity, employee retention and, of course, sales. People crave genuine human connection, and yet the research shows that the majority of workers still want a hybrid solution. It was the perfect opportunity to address those needs with a technology that was easily accessible and adoptable.” Double A Labs has developed a turnkey metaverse builder so that any organization can easily create a custom virtual environment for meetings, marketing, sales and employee training.

“Innovation isn’t just about 10 years down the road, but how you prepare your teams to get there,” Allen says.

Following a networking lunch, there will be a fireside chat with keynote speaker Melissa Bernstein, co-founder of Melissa & Doug, a successful toy company, and Lifelines, her new venture focusing on mental well-being products for adults.

She speaks frequently about the importance of mental well-being and her battle with depression during her 30-year career. “There is a common misconception and fear that if someone experiences a mental health challenge, they won’t be a good employee. But that is simply not true,” Bernstein says.“ Research overwhelmingly shows that sharing mental health challenges benefits both the individual and the organization. For the individual, being open about their struggles can actually decrease burnout and increase well-being—it also allows them to receive the support they need.” Leaders should learn to be open and empathetic, not only of their employees’ struggles, but also their own. “This openness decreases stigma and increases empathy and connectedness—not to mention retention and the success of teams,” Bernstein says. “This is what it takes to create a community of individuals who can work collectively to strengthen their well-being and unlock their full potential.”