In today's digital age, networking, and online presence have become essential for personal and professional success. To stand out, it's crucial to develop a clear, credible, and powerful personal brand. In this interactive workshop, led by branding expert Aaron Estabrook, participants will learn how to apply branding principles to create a magnetic and visible personal brand. Through hands-on exercises and group discussions, participants will discover how to turn their personal brand into a mission that inspires and engages others. They will also learn how to effectively communicate their brand through social media and in-person interactions, with ready-to-use tactics that will set them up for success. By the end of the workshop, participants will have a clear understanding of how to present themselves as a powerful and impactful brand in the design industry and how to leverage their personal brand that is built for success to unlock new opportunities in their career and life.

Rhea (Ray-ah) Vaflor thrives on building meaningful relationships in all realms. Her design curiosity is grounded in how community, purpose and creativity interweave with each other. Professionally, she serves the dual roles of the Director of Hickok Cole Lifestyle, an award-winning boutique interior design studio and also as the firm’s Director of Trendcasting, a role that focuses on the analysis of cultural/economic movements and design trends. Her design work her work has been recognized by the IIDA MAC, Design Milk, Hospitality Snapshots, and Multi-Housing News, In her civic life, Rhea’s is an active member of the IIDA Equity Council , serves as the current Washington DC Chair of Urban Land Institute's Women’s Leadership Institute, and the Founder and Chief Co-Creator of Ligaya League, a design trust for joy-based creativity.

"Brand New You" is a personal branding workshop designed specifically for emerging professionals who want to establish a strong and memorable personal brand. In today's competitive job market, it's more important than ever to stand out and make a lasting impression on potential employers and clients. Through interactive exercises and group discussions, this workshop will guide participants through the process of identifying their unique strengths, values, and goals, and help them create a personal brand that authentically reflects who they are and what they want to achieve in their careers. Participants will learn how to communicate their personal brand effectively through social media, in-person, and networking opportunities. By the end of the workshop, participants will have the tools and confidence they need to present themselves as a "brand new" and highly visible candidate in the design industry.

Kick off NeoCon week with a special tour of Salesforce Tower Chicago, Pelli Clarke Pelli’s latest project at the edge of the Chicago River, just steps away from THE MART.

Take a guided tour inside the first phase of Salesforce’s next-generation workplace, known as Design 2.0, hosted by Salesforce and their design partner, IA Interior Architects. The pandemic provided an opportunity to build on a rich foundation of global design standards, a unique culture and years of pandemic-accelerated discoveries. See how Salesforce has adapted their spaces to meet the needs of employees today through a number of targeted design strategies. Hear more about the unique challenges and solutions the team embraced (on an in-flight project no less) in this new world of work to prioritize flexibility and choice as primary motivators while maximizing collaboration, the opportunities for connection and even ‘focus’ as a destination.

*Registration is required.

Kick off NeoCon week with a special tour of Salesforce Tower Chicago, Pelli Clarke Pelli’s latest project at the edge of the Chicago River, just steps away from THE MART.

Take a guided tour inside the first phase of Salesforce’s next-generation workplace, known as Design 2.0, hosted by Salesforce and their design partner, IA Interior Architects. The pandemic provided an opportunity to build on a rich foundation of global design standards, a unique culture and years of pandemic-accelerated discoveries. See how Salesforce has adapted their spaces to meet the needs of employees today through a number of targeted design strategies. Hear more about the unique challenges and solutions the team embraced (on an in-flight project no less) in this new world of work to prioritize flexibility and choice as primary motivators while maximizing collaboration, the opportunities for connection and even ‘focus’ as a destination.

*Registration is required.