The South Dakota Center for Enterprise Opportunity is holding its annual “Women in Leadership” series. As part of the programming participants are filming YouTube videos to learn to use social media as a tool to promote their business or other topics they feel passionate about.
The SD CEO is designed to help professional women across South Dakota start, strengthen, and expand businesses and develop effective leadership skills.
SD CEO Director Helen Merriman says using social media is a critical component in establishing and reaching audiences. She says having participants film YouTube videos helps them learn to embrace modern technology and polish their communication skills.
“So this gives them the opportunity to actually write the script, have the script edited by professionals, and then go through the process of filming the script,” says Merriman.
Merriman says some of the participants were apprehensive about getting in front of the camera.
Lorie Vega says she wasn’t nervous. Vega works in public service and says she wants to use her video to empower others.
“I think I’m going to try to use that as a way to mentor other women especially on how to present themselves on a video and also that they can make a difference in the work force but they don’t have to change who they are – which is a lesson it took me a long time to learn and so I want to share that. It doesn’t have to be about gender. It should always be about your abilities – that’s what shines through,” says Vega.
The theme of this year's annual women's business conference is "Team Building" and focuses on topics like emotional intelligence and business ethics.
The conference is this Friday in Deadwood. Organizers say they are expecting nearly three-hundred attendees.
