January 10, 2023
The American Rental Association (ARA) Women in Rental and Young Professional Network (YPN) conferences, held concurrently at The Scott Resort & Spa in Scottsdale, Ariz., Nov. 29-30, offered just what attendees were looking for — valuable networking, inspiration and insight into how to bring their best selves to both their personal and professional lives.
The two conferences offered combined receptions, meals and optional social activities, including hiking up McDowell Mountain, taking a pedal bike tour of historic Scottsdale, having a yoga experience, shopping or taking part in a “giving back” project. Women in Rental Conference attendees were able to help a local women’s domestic abuse shelter and YPN Conference attendees assisted active military abroad.
Dynamic speakers led interactive sessions that offered thought-provoking perspectives and problem-solving skill sets:
- At the Women in Rental Conference, Sara Frasca presented “The 3 Core Mindsets of Innovation.” Her workshop armed attendees with new, practical tools and fresh ideas for tackling problems and seizing opportunities.
- At the YPN Conference, Galen Emanuele presented “Transforming Impact: Next Level Leadership, Culture & Feedback.” His workshop showed attendees how to be effective leaders and impact others.
Attendees from Region One left both conferences with new ideas, connections, resources and valuable tools:
“This has been a bittersweet conference as it’s my last one as a YP,” says T.J. McQuaid, president, TJM Rental & Supply, Canton, Mass. “It’s been awesome to see so many new faces mixed with those who have been coming with me to these events for the last 10 years. My favorite part is socializing and bouncing ideas around. We love to support each other and see how businesses have grown and changed since the last time we’ve seen each other. This year’s speaker [Galen Emanuele] was great — super engaging at getting us all participating in the activities and energized. I’m an introvert but this has been a lot of fun. I remember when I came back from my first conference, I felt like it was the best thing I had done for myself professionally, to take the step to become involved. My advice would be to spend the time and money to invest in yourself and your business to become a better employee through these experiences.”
“I’ve only been in the rental industry for a bit over a year, and I’ve really gotten involved headfirst,” says Women in Rental Conference attendee Toneisha Ramcharran, project manager, Handyboys Event Services, Lakeville, Conn., and an ARA of Connecticut board member. “After getting connected with some of my fellow women in rental, they invited me to ARA’s Leadership Conference and now the Women in Rental Conference, and it’s been a truly amazing experience. Meeting people and networking really shows that we aren’t alone — a lot of the challenges we face are so similar and it’s been a great learning experience. People here have been so supportive, giving ideas and recommendations that might work for us. I’ve learned so much from the other women here and have really enjoyed the one-on-one time to share experiences. It’s the best thing you can do! You get the opportunity to meet women who are leaders in the industry, and whether you’re new or have been in the industry for a long time, it’s a great way to get yourself involved.”
