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How to Get Media Coverage for Your Small Business

How to Get Media Coverage for Your Small Business

Speakers
  • Leslie DeMott
    Leslie had two passions growing up, computers and television. Lucky for her, television has become computer based. Over her 19 year career with Nexstar Media Group she has served in Creative Production, Marketing Director, Webmaster, Digital Sales Manager and currently coaches a team of 14 Digital Marketing experts with one goal, to grow local businesses.
  • Mark Albert
    Mark Albert is the founder and CEO of Media Advisory Experts, a consulting firm providing media training, public speaking, crisis and leadership communications, and video production services. Mark is a Peabody and 12-time EMMY award-winning master storyteller with a 25-year on-air journalism career. He's traveled the world for CBS News; created a national investigative unit; taught journalists in newsrooms in the US, Vietnam, and Pakistan; and created a media database to drive news coverage for his clients. He’s the host of ‘Media Mastery Experts LIVE!’ – a media training, public speaking and leadership communications bootcamp, as well as an online course.
Summary
Every entrepreneur has a story – but many don’t know how to get free news coverage and use general targeting to capture visibility and ROI. This session will cover how small business owners can use ‘earned media’ and ‘paid media’ to get people to know you exist, talk about you, and become customers. Two pros with decades of experience in the media business will reveal the best tips and tricks, the biggest mistakes to avoid, and how to run an efficient campaign on any budget!

NGLCC LGBTBE Certification

LGBTBE Certification

Speakers
  • Sydney Harris
  • Kyra Stanley
Summary
Join The National LGBTQ+ & Allied Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) team for a session on the LGBT Business Enterprise® (LGBTBE®) certification process. This presentation will provide an overview of the National LGBTQ+ & Allied Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC), walk you through our new application platform: NGLCC Nexus: The Certification Hub, and explain each step of the certification process. We’ll also highlight the many benefits of certification, from increased visibility to opportunities to connect with NGLCC Corporate Partners and fellow certified businesses. Whether you’re just getting started or considering certification for your business, this session will equip you with the knowledge and resources you need to take the next step.

Driving Equity in Entrepreneurship: Supporting LGBTQ+ Entrepreneurs and Allies in the DMV

Driving Equity in Entrepreneurship: Supporting LGB

Speakers
  • Alex Held
    Alex Held is an adopted Arlingtonian originally hailing from Minneola, KS. A proud graduate of Wichita State University, Alex relocated to the DMV in 2014. A 40 Under 40 honoree by the Leadership Center for Excellence, Alex has connected small businesses to resources and opportunities for the last ten years. Through his role at BizLaunch, Arlington’s Small Business & Entrepreneurial Resource Center, Alex has helped hundreds of businesses start, grow and scale. Additionally, Alex has helped uplift two emergency small business grant programs totaling $4.8 million awarded to 468 businesses, BizLaunch’s SOAR grant program, and was integral to the inaugural SWaMmy Honors program in partnership with the Virginia Department of Small Business & Supplier Diversity.
  • Javier “Javi” Mulé
    Javier “Javi” Mulé is passionate about empowering entrepreneurs to achieve their business dreams and overcome challenges. He has extensive experience in the fashion and retail e-commerce private sector. Javi worked in marketing, product development, and business strategy areas as part of the founding team at Peter Manning NYC in New York, the first direct-to-consumer brand for men 5'8" and under, and later served as the e-commerce manager at George Washington's Mount Vernon. As a business coach at a leading Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), he helped small businesses grow, leading projects like the Resilient Business Corridor by J.P. Morgan Chase, focused on underserved areas in DC with the Latino Economic Development Corp (LEDC). Now, with DC Government at DC Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD), Javi coordinates programs to remove barriers to entrepreneurship and launched the ReFashion Initiative to promote and support sustainable fashion business in DC with access to capital and small business technical assistance. Javi also served in the U.S. Navy from 2000 to 2007 on the USS Enterprise and at US Joint Forces Command
  • Naddia Clute
Summary
Join us for an engaging and practical conversation with small business development leaders and advocates working across the DMV region. This panel explores the unique challenges and opportunities faced by LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs when launching and scaling their businesses — particularly in Arlington, DC, and Maryland. Panelists will share firsthand insights from working with hundreds of small businesses annually, discussing how the entrepreneurial landscape has evolved for underrepresented communities, and offering concrete advice on navigating resources, accessing support, and building sustainable enterprises. From financial literacy to cross-jurisdictional collaboration, this session is designed to equip aspiring and current LGBTQ+ business owners with the tools and knowledge to thrive. Speakers: Alex Held, Arlington Economic Development; Javier “Javi” Mulé, DC Department of Small and Local Business Development and Naddia Clute, Montgomery County Small Business Navigator
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