Join us for ICDC Insider Panel: The Final Preparation. Between ICDC Champions, an ICDC judge, our HS Division President, and @bowtieGOAT, these panelists know performance from every angle of ICDC. We will discuss stage-making insights before separating into breakout rooms for category-specific strategies and individualized Q&A.

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Meet your panelists:

• Mrs. Wendy Williams: ICDC judge, Ultimate Power Trip panelist, and former ICDC champion.

• Anirudh Puvvada: ICDC 1st place champion in Principles of Finance, 9th place in the Ethical Leadership Corporate Challenge, and Texas DECA Vice President

• Asher Leventhal: 2x Virtual Business Challenge Top-10 finalist and High School Division President

• Andrew Jiao: 7th place, International Business Plan, Utah DECA member

• Mr. Justin Staub (@BowtieGOAT): Founder of ClusterMaxx (6,000+ users) and DECA competition preparation creator with 5,000+ YouTube subscribers

 

Don't waste effort in uncertainty; these ICDC experts are excited to support you! 

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Date: April 14th, 7:00-8:00 PM EDT.
Zoom link: https://tinyurl.com/ICDCInsiderPanel

Join us on April 8th for our final speaker of the year! We are thrilled to host Olivia Zhang, a Virginia DECA alum, founder of Cancer Kids First, Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, and author of YOUth: the Young Person's Guide to Starting a Nonprofit.

From founding CancerKidsFirst at 14 to scaling a global nonprofit, Olivia has turned passion into global impact, and now she's sharing how we can do the same.
In this fireside chat-style session, she'll cover:

• Creating impact & scaling initiatives

• Leadership that lasts

• Personal branding

• Then you'll have the cha

• Q & A

Date: Wednesday, April 8th from 8:00-8:50 PM EDT
https://tinyurl.com/AprilGuestSpeaker

Abigail Goddard is the founder of Spikey and Film for a Cause. Spikey transforms discrete drink-spiking detection technology into accessible keychain products distributed through campuses and youth organizations internationally. 

Abigail is also one of DECA's most accomplished student entrepreneurs, earning 1st place in Independent Business Plan and 2nd place in a DECA Corporate Challenge. She has won multiple major international pitch competitions, including the Diamond Challenge, Launch AwardX, Uncharted Learning, and Blue Ocean Student Entrepreneur, securing $40,000 in funding for Spikey. She will attend the Wharton School this fall. In this session, Abigail will share:

• How she founded and scaled Spikey in high school

• Challenges and lessons from her journey

• DECA Competition Advice

This ICDC Insider Panel will help you take your prepared event to the next level. Featuring 4 ICDC finalists in prepared events, this panel will dive into every stage of the process. From leading your project, writing an exceptional manual, and delivering a standout presentation, the ICDC Finalists are here to help. Attendees will gain insider insights, participate in interactive prep activities, and have the opportunity to ask questions directly to top-performing finalists. You will leave this session confident, motivated, and ready to turn your goals into glass.  

 

Recorded Session available here.

This session will feature Adam Lukoskie, Senior Vice President of the National Retail Federation (NRF), Executive Director of the NRF Foundation, and President of DECA Inc.'s National Advisory Board.

 

As a national leader within the world's largest retail trade association, Adam oversees workforce development initiatives and leads the RISE Up credentialing program, which prepares students for careers in retail and business. During this session, members will gain insights into:

• Retail industry trends

• Competition strategy

• Career pathways in business and retail

• Leadership lessons from executive experience

This is an excellent opportunity for members, especially those competing in Retail & Merchandising, Apparel & Accessories, School-Based Enterprise, or Business Management, to gain a competitive edge and learn directly from a national industry leader.

​Recorded session available here.

Fred Diamond is the founder of the Institute for Professional Selling, a global organization that develops high-performing sales leaders for companies such as AWS, Adobe, Oracle, Dell, and Hilton. During this session, you’ll hear the same selling insights he shares with top professionals, get meaningful career advice, and have the chance to ask your own questions. This is an unparalleled opportunity to gain a competitive edge- especially if you’re competing in Professional Selling, Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Business Management, or Business Growth Plan.

With over 20,000 LinkedIn followers, Mr. Diamond is also the host of the Sales Game Changers Podcast and the author of Insights for Sales Game Changers.

 

Recorded session available here.

Dori Stewart is the founder and publisher of FXBG Neighbors, a platform dedicated to connecting great businesses with good neighbors through hyper-local magazines, a community-focused podcast, and the FXBG Neighbors Connect newsletter. She is also the author of Own the Block: Be the Brand Everyone Talks About, where she shares her expertise in helping small businesses build trust and visibility in their communities. Before launching FXBG Neighbors, Dori founded and scaled Engineering for Kids into a global franchise with more than 165 locations in 35 countries. Today, she uses that same entrepreneurial spirit to spotlight local businesses, celebrate community stories, and create meaningful connections between neighbors and the businesses that serve them. Fredericksburg Chamber Business Spotlight

Recorded session available here. 

This ICDC Insider Panel is designed to help you ace Testing and Performance Indicators.  ICDC finalists will share how they studied, aced their exams, and seamlessly integrated performance indicators in their role plays. You'll have the opportunity to learn insights, engage in interactive prep, and ask the finalists questions. This interactive session will leave you confident, inspired, and ready to turn your goals into glass. 

Recorded session available here.

The first ICDC Insider Panel—your inside access to turning your DECA goals into glass—is this Wednesday, October 22nd. Join us for a live Zoom panel featuring ICDC glass winners, including Virginia DECA members, your Region 4 VP, and an Executive Officer. They’ll share how they prepared, the strategies they used, and exclusive tips to help you achieve your own DECA goals. This session will equip you with insights and inspiration so you walk into your next competition with confidence. You can also ask questions and connect with the glass winners in interactive prep.​

Recorded session available here.

As the award-winning General Manager of Kalahari Resorts, Brian Shanle spent 16 years leading the Sandusky, Ohio, location, one of the largest indoor waterpark resorts in the country. Now he's bringing his experience to Virginia as GM of our brand-new Kalahari Resorts & Conventions. He will be speaking on his career journey, giving you industry insights to elevate your competition, and answering all your questions!​

Recorded session available here.