Emily Gore
Woman thinking with lightbulbs drawn around her and the words "boldly rising"

We're thrilled to present a special Q&A interview with Debra Schuler, the powerhouse behind the Boldly Rising Conference and Retreat for Women Leaders. Discover Debra's inspiring journey from corporate leadership to women's empowerment facilitation and get a glimpse into the vision behind Boldly Rising.

Introduction:

Q: Tell us about your journey to becoming a women's leadership development facilitator.

A: "I started out as a graphic designer. In my early twenties I landed at a prestigious male-dominated consulting firm in Boston where I experienced a profound lack of self-confidence. Determined to overcome these hurdles, I immersed myself in women-specific workshops and conferences which is how I stumbled upon the world of professional development and training.

This ignited what would become an amazing 20-year corporate leadership development career, predominantly in large, global, male-dominated high technology companies. A year or two before turning 50, I began feeling increasingly unfulfilled and started to question whether this was how I wanted to spend the next 20 years. I knew the answer was “no” but the answers to “what?” and “how?” I did not know. So, I made a bold move, took a leap of faith and left the corporate world to give myself time and space to figure all this out. After a year or so, without intending to start my own business, ENSO Life by Design was born and one of my primary areas of focus is girl and women empowerment.”


Conference Overview:

Q: What inspired you to create the Boldly Rising Conference and Retreat for Women Leaders??

A: "For 2024, we wanted to take our UNH PD&T women’s leadership development offering to the next level by creating the conditions for deepening connections with other like-minded women leaders, expanding the learning experiences and maximizing the benefits of unplugging, refreshing and renewing. “Boldly Rising” is our first two-day women’s leadership program that combines all the benefits of a conference for networking, skill-building workshops for learning and a venue that offers the retreat experience.”

Q: What are the key goals of the Boldly Rising Conference and Retreat?

A: “The theme of this unique program is ‘Resonate – Elevate – Accelerate’ which speaks to the key goals. To resonate with other women leaders through meaningful conversations and story sharing. To elevate self-limiting thinking and behavior to a higher state of consciousness. To accelerate on your path to greater fulfillment, achievement and joy.”


Holistic Approach:

Q: What sets Boldly Rising apart from other leadership development events?

A: "Boldly Rising distinguishes itself through a holistic approach to women's leadership development. Achieving transformational change requires a deeper whole-person approach and set of experiences. For example, the balanced blend of a conference for networking, skill-building workshops for learning and the retreat experience for unplugging and going within. Incorporating the evidence-based science of positive psychology and neuroscience for understanding the physiological connections between human thoughts, feelings, and behavior. And through self-assessment and reflection, peer coaching circles and skillfully guided practices such as meditation and gentle physical movement to engage deeply on a mind-body level.”

 


Key Topic Areas:

Q: Can you highlight some of the key topics that will be explored at Boldly Rising?

A: "We will delve into topics that are essential for effective leadership and specifically for women leaders. These include reconnecting with one's authentic self, exploring the mind-body connection, cultivating emotional intelligence, fostering compassion in business, effective communication and connection, projecting a positive presence, prioritizing self-care, stress management, leveraging the power of community, and making career decisions with confidence.


Practical Application:

Q: How does Boldly Rising help women leaders translate their learnings and experiences into practical steps for professional advancement?

A: "Coming from the business world, I know that measurable results matter and leaders have a responsibility to deliver. For all my transformational workshops and retreats, I help participants draft and leave with an actionable development plan and strategy for where they want to go and a path to get there.”


Overall Conference Impact:

Q: What impact do you hope Boldly Rising will have on participants?

A: "Our ultimate goal for Boldly Rising is to effect paradigm shifts, foster self-empowerment, and inspire positive action among participants. We aim for attendees to emerge from the conference with a renewed sense of purpose, equipped with the tools and mindset necessary to lead authentically and make meaningful contributions to their work, their lives and the world.”


To learn more about the program and to register, please visit the course page . We hope to see you there!