IPA 7th Annual VirtuCon: The Business of Your Indie Business

Join us as we celebrate the 7^th anniversary of our annual IPA VirtuCon on Wed., Sept. 27, Noon – 4:30 p.m. (Eastern).  We’re excited to have Peter Shankman, founder of HARO, noted author and PR advisor as our featured keynote speaker.  PRSA CEO Linda Thomas Brooks will be joining to help us kick off the conference!

In AI Productivity, Peter will share his insight and favorite AI tools for everything.  From creating a PowerPoint, to pitching the media, to writing killer sales letters, to creating your whole brand identity, there's a tool to do it for you and Peter will share his personal favorites!  He’ll also share his secrets to writing the best prompts for the maximum AI output!

Adaptive Negotiation Skills with Beverly Hills, CA-based mediator Lee Jay Berman, picks up where the basic negotiation course ends. There is a science and a strategy to negotiation, whether negotiating deals, or settling cases.  This session will cover both distributive bargaining, for the competitive side of the negotiation (used to claim value effectively) and integrative bargaining, sometimes called interest-based negotiation (used to collaborate and build relationships).  This will be a highly informative program, but we’ll also be having a lot of fun with a special interactive “game” Lee Jay is bringing to our virtual screen.

Art of the “Side-Hustle”: Launching Your PR Practice on the Side
If you are easing into going independent by taking a few "side gigs" in public relations while keeping your "day job” with a traditional employer, there are a few considerations to keep you ahead of complications. Employment attorney and fellow independent practitioner, Maggie Grover, shares ideas on how to keep both employers and clients satisfied. 

Moderated by IPA’s Professional Development and Programs Chair, Wendy Kurtz, APR, CPRC, Fellow PRSA, this virtual conference will include a mix of topics and member insights with plenty of opportunity to ask your most pressing questions about running a successful indie business while also networking with fellow indies.

Founded as a virtual event long before the COVID-19 pandemic made virtual the norm, VirtuCon was designed specifically for the busy indie!  Participants will spend the afternoon exploring “the business of the business” – working ON the business instead of IN it.  You’ll hear first-hand from experts who can answer your questions about running a business and provide you the tools to do so successfully.

Stay tuned for late-breaking additions to the lineup!

Registration is included as part of your dues for all IPA members.  Please note, we will begin charging a nominal fee next year, so come check us out this year and see why you’ll find it worth every penny when we do start charging!

Hosted by the Independent Practitioners Alliance Section. Paid registration for non-IPA Section members includes the live program and video playback for one month.