Our speakers bring a wealth of knowledge, experience, and inspiration to the Women in Business Summit, each one a leader in her field and a testament to resilience, innovation, and empowerment. From industry pioneers to emerging change-makers, these women share their insights, stories, and strategies to help you thrive in your own journey. Get to know the trailblazers who will ignite new ideas, foster meaningful connections, and drive us all toward a stronger, more inclusive future.
At the tender age of 24, rookie recruiter Cat Breet asked a candidate “How much money do you wanna make?” His reply left her speechless: “That’s none of your business. Make me a fair offer, and I’ll consider it.” That was the day she realized - with absolute horror - that the toughest thing about recruiting wasn’t finding good candidates; it was learning how to face her own fears and insecurities. Facing her demons propelled her all the way to President’s Circle that year. Just two years later, she’d been promoted and tripled her income. So astonished at the power of facing her own fears, she became obsessed with helping others to do the same. Since 1997, Cat has taught over 203,000 people around the world how fear shows up at work … and what to do about. She’s negotiated salaries ranging from $20 an hour to $1M a year. She has hired, placed and coached top pros in the banking, healthcare, high-tech, manufacturing and retail industries. For fun, she loves diving with sharks and whales … but you’ll never catch her jumping out of a perfectly good airplane. Oh, and by the way … she owns a zebra. His name is Joe.
Princess Paula, as she is professionally and affectionately known, is a beacon of innovation and connection in the world of business development. With over 20 years of experience working alongside non-profits, networking groups and businesses of all sizes, Paula has mastered the art of networking and digital marketing, making her an indispensable ally in the digital age.
Born and raised in Ontario, Canada, this Italian Canadian brings a unique blend of professional insights and personal warmth to everything she does. A proud graduate of Lakehead University with degrees in the Humanities and Education, Paula is all about empowering businesses to bridge the gap between themselves and their customers. Whether she's optimizing your Google Business Profile, training on Generative AI, or sharing invaluable networking insights, Princess Paula's approach is infused with creativity and strategic brilliance.
When she steps away from her desk, you might find Paula creating charcuterie boards, working on a home renovation project, or bringing joy as Santa and Mrs. Claus alongside her husband of 15 years. A mother to three adult children and an incredible new daughter-in-law, she balances her professional ambitions with a rich family life as well as her passions for music and the great outdoors. As a professional musician, Paula can also be hired to sing and play piano for your wedding, funeral, or upcoming event.
With Paula, it's not just about business; it's about building lasting relationships and creating a community where everyone thrives. Working with princess Paula Will make you feel like royalty as well!
Danielle is a passionate speaker, coach, and trainer dedicated to empowering leaders to live with clarity, courage, and purpose. With a deep understanding of the Enneagram, Danielle helps individuals and teams unlock their true potential by exploring how their unique personality type influences their motivations, relationships, and leadership style.
Blending her faith with her expertise in the Enneagram, Danielle guides others on a transformative journey, encouraging them to step into the fullness of who they were created to be. Her approach fosters authentic life change, empowering individuals to lead from a place of deep self-awareness and confidence.
Danielle holds an MA in Theological Studies from Bethel Seminary, and was trained as an Enneagram coach and trainer at The Enneagram in Business. When not talking all things Enneagram, you can find her biking the trails of Minnesota, reading a good book, or grabbing coffee with friends.
Desiree is a best-selling author, keynote speaker, leadership development facilitator, and host of the Lead With Confidence podcast. She is the founder and CEO of Intentional Action, a leadership development company with a mission to help companies grow their leadership pipeline from within and guide teams to learn and grow together.
Transformative. Life-changing. Confidence-boosting. These are just a few ways to describe the power of color and style—something Holly Bernatz knows intimately.
With over two decades of experience as a graphic designer, Holly often jokingly called herself a "professional kindergartner," spending her days immersed in color and creativity. She advised clients on the complexities of color theory and psychology, yet found herself struggling to confidently choose her own outfits.
This disconnect between her professional expertise and personal style led to a lack of confidence. But everything changed when Holly discovered House of Colour. After undergoing her own color and style analysis, she unlocked the freedom to express herself authentically through bold, cool colors and a unique, unconventional style. She soon opened her own House of Colour franchise, eager to share this empowering experience with others.
Now, Holly helps clients embrace their true selves through personalized color analysis and comprehensive style consultations. Her mission is to guide others in making smart wardrobe investments, discovering the colors and styles that make them shine, and falling in love with their color season and clothing personality.
Based in the South Metro (Farmington) area, Holly offers appointments at her studio and various locations across Lakeville, Farmington, and Burnsville. Your journey to style and confidence begins with Holly—because everyone deserves to look and feel their best.
Holly Jackson is the General Manager of Marathon Petroleum Company’s St. Paul Park Refinery. She is a native of Louisiana and graduated from Louisiana State University with a degree in Chemical Engineering in 1997. Holly celebrated 25 years of service with MPC this year and held many roles before arriving in St. Paul Park in April 2023. She spent much of her career at the Garyville Refinery, located along the Mississippi River in southeastern Louisiana between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. In 2019, she joined the Galveston Bay Refinery as an Area Team Leader. In 2021, she was appointed the role of Operations Manager for the Mandan Refinery and Dickinson Renewable Diesel Facility in North Dakota. Holly and her husband, Tim, have 5 children ranging in age from 40 to 16 and in her time outside of the refinery, she enjoys traveling, hiking, and boating.
Esme is the dedicated founder and president of Squeaky Services, a thriving commercial and residential cleaning company renowned for its exceptional service across the Twin Cities area. With a commitment to quality, Esme has grown Squeaky Services from the ground up, obtaining all necessary certifications and expanding her business to include specialized divisions for carpet cleaning and painting. Her company has gained prestigious clients, including schools, counties, and mixed-use facilities, and was recently recognized as the ‘Large Business of the Year’ by the Cottage Grove Chamber of Commerce.
A true community advocate, Esme gives back by donating cleaning services to families with children on the autism spectrum .
Driven by a strong work ethic, Esme is also a proud mother of three. She values the opportunity to provide fair wages for her employees, making a meaningful difference in her community every day.
Say hello to Tiffany Walrack, the master planner of a 25-year saga in construction and contracting with the finesse of a maestro, all while running a lively household and raising a family. Tiffany is far more than a mere supporting player; she's the essential force working tirelessly behind the scenes, making sure everything runs without a hitch for a top-tier, high-volume sales wizard.
As the brain and organizational brawn behind an exterior restoration company for over a decade, Tiffany mastered everything from QuickBooks to grassroots marketing, to supplements and depreciation, and even the art of policy and procedure creation. Her pre-construction days were spent sharpening her skills in banking operations and residential mortgage lending, making her a formidable force in audit, compliance, loss drafts procedures and customer service.
The beauty of Tiffany's journey intertwines with Dan's expertise in insurance claims, creating a perfect symphony of skills. While Dan navigates the front lines with his 20+ years as a licensed insurance adjuster and general contractor, tiffany orchestrates the backstage with precision, ensuring every policy, procedure, and ledger entry is in place. Together, they're not just a team but a powerhouse duo, each's strengths perfectly complementing the other's, making them unstoppable in the sales and contracting world.