The Sego Awards is the first awards event to celebrate Utah women founders and CEOs.
→ 2018 – 2020
→ My role: co-founding, marketing, PR, event production, brand ideation, cross-functional collaboration, sponsorship and partnership sales
→ Photos by: Trevor Christensen, Jenna Evans, Jeff Wiggins, & Sego Community Members
→ My role: co-founding, marketing, PR, event production, brand ideation, cross-functional collaboration, sponsorship and partnership sales
→ Photos by: Trevor Christensen, Jenna Evans, Jeff Wiggins, & Sego Community Members
Utah ranks in the lowest third in the nation for women’s median income while its women founders and CEOs generate $14B annually in revenue for the state. I read those numbers and realized that when Utah women are able to be in control of their work (as founders and CEOs), they are able to excel economically. Since identifying this opportunity in entrepreneurship and business where Utah women defy the odds, I’ve started and run several iniatives (including the Sego Awards) in support.
In early 2018, a community partner invited me to co-found an awards for Utah female founders and CEOs because of my work with Braid, a community for women entrepreneurs. The awards ran for 3 years, from 2018 to 2020, amplifying the economic success stories of Utah women founders and CEOs.
Sales, Marketing, and PR
Our team sold $80K+ in sponsorships and partnerships (including Sundance Resort & Google Fiber) and hosted 200+ attendees (including top women founders and CEOs, prominent politicians, VCs, and business leaders) each gala year.
To promote the event, I managed the Sego Awards social media and email marketing campaigns during the call for nominations and gala ticket sales. I also gave interviews to print publications, podcasts and live panels to promote the Awards.
To promote the event, I managed the Sego Awards social media and email marketing campaigns during the call for nominations and gala ticket sales. I also gave interviews to print publications, podcasts and live panels to promote the Awards.
Media Reach
→ 2.2M impressions from 113 posts
→ 12 articles written about the event with a combined readership of 23.5M
→ 12 articles written about the event with a combined readership of 23.5M
Brand Ideation
I organized a brand ideation session with my co-founders where I pitched the name Sego Awards. The symbolism behind the name is that the Sego Lily as Utah’s state flower thrives specifically in desert conditions, just like Utah women founders and CEOs.
Event Launch
My co-founders and I ran a hackathon with cross-functional community volunteers (product designers, brand designers, web designers, and marketing experts). Deliverables from the hackathon were a logo, an intro video, and a user journey map for the awards website. From there, we launched a campaign for community members to nominate women founders and CEOs as well as buy tickets to attend the awards gala.
Event Production
I was responsible for both high level and boots on the ground work, including:
→ Recruiting volunteer talent.
→ Developing award categories.
→ Selling sponsorships and partnerships.
→ Co-emceeing the awards gala.
→ Laser cutting a large scale logo for the stage backdrop and acrylic keychains for gala swag.
→ Organizing the post gala retreat for awards winners.
→ Brainstorming look and feel of the awards gala including “funky formal” dress code.
→ Recruiting volunteer talent.
→ Developing award categories.
→ Selling sponsorships and partnerships.
→ Co-emceeing the awards gala.
→ Laser cutting a large scale logo for the stage backdrop and acrylic keychains for gala swag.
→ Organizing the post gala retreat for awards winners.
→ Brainstorming look and feel of the awards gala including “funky formal” dress code.
