BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//ChamberMaster//Event Calendar 2.0//EN METHOD:PUBLISH X-PUBLISHED-TTL:P1H REFRESH-INTERVAL:P1H CALSCALE:GREGORIAN BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/New_York BEGIN:DAYLIGHT RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY;BYMONTH=3;BYDAY=2SU DTSTART:20070101T000000 TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:Eastern Daylight Time END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY;BYMONTH=11;BYDAY=1SU DTSTART:20070101T000000 TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:Eastern Standard Time END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260508T103000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260508T120000 X-MICROSOFT-CDO-ALLDAYEVENT:FALSE SUMMARY:Leadership Live 2026 DESCRIPTION:Annual Signature Keynote PresentationIn Celebration of National Small Business WeekLeadership Inspiration Meaningful ConnectionsWe're Gonna Need Cake: Celebrating Authentic Leadership in a Messy WorldLeadership Live brings together business and community leaders who are passionate about growing not just as leaders\, but as people and investing that growth back into their teams and organizations. Each year\, leaders from across the Lakeshore gather to kick off Leadership Month and celebrate National Small Business Week with fresh ideas\, meaningful connections\, and renewed inspiration.\nAbout This Year's TopicLife is messy. You know it and your team does too. Yet many workplaces still expect people to separate their lives from their work\, push through at all costs\, and "fake it till they make it".In this keynote based on her bestselling book We're Gonna Need Cake\, Valerie Garcia challenges that thinking and explores how embracing authenticity can actually make us strong\, more effective leaders. With honesty\, humor\, and real-world insight\, Valerie shares how showing up as your real self can create stronger teams\, deeper trust\, and healthier workplaces. What You'll Walk Away WithHow to turn emotions into leadership superpowersThree ways to transform fear into bravery and reluctance into riskWhat great leaders are and are not responsible for \nAbout Valerie GarciaAuthor Global Keynote Speaker Authenticity CoachValerie is an authenticity and leadership coach\, global keynote speaker\, and bestselling author who helps leaders lead with confidence and create extraordinary experiences.With more than 20 years of corporate leadership and entrepreneurial experience\, she combines storytelling\, humor\, and practical strategies audiences can immediately apply.valeriegarcia.com | @valeriegarciaspeaks\nProgram Questions? Email The Chamber Here. X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:
Wake Up West Coast Banner
Annual Signature Keynote Presentation
In Celebration of National Small Business Week
Leadership &bull\; Inspiration &bull\; Meaningful Connections
We'\;re Gonna Need Cake: Celebrating Authentic Leadership in a Messy World
Leadership Live brings together business and community leaders who are passionate about growing&mdash\;not just as leaders\, but as people&mdash\;and investing that growth back into their teams and organizations. \;

Each year\, leaders from across the Lakeshore gather to kick off Leadership Month and celebrate National Small Business Week with fresh ideas\, meaningful connections\, and renewed inspiration.


About This Year'\;s Topic

Life is messy. You know it and your team does too. Yet many workplaces still expect people to separate their lives from their work\, push through at all costs\, and "\;fake it till they make it"\;.

In this keynote based on her bestselling book We&rsquo\;re Gonna Need Cake\, Valerie Garcia challenges that thinking and explores how embracing authenticity can actually make us strong\, more effective leaders. \;

With honesty\, humor\, and real-world insight\, Valerie shares how showing up as your real self can create stronger teams\, deeper trust\, and healthier workplaces. \;

What You'\;ll Walk Away With


About Valerie Garcia
Author &bull\; Global Keynote Speaker &bull\; \;Authenticity Coach

Valerie is an authenticity and leadership coach\, global keynote speaker\, and bestselling author who helps leaders lead with confidence and create extraordinary experiences.

With more than 20 years of corporate leadership and entrepreneurial experience\, she combines storytelling\, humor\, and practical strategies audiences can immediately apply.

valeriegarcia.com | @valeriegarciaspeaks


Program Questions? Email \;The Chamber Here.


LOCATION:710 Chicago Dr Ste 300 Holland MI 49423 UID:e.1521.1413079 SEQUENCE:3 DTSTAMP:20260403T181426Z URL:https://michiganwestcoastchamberofcommerce.growthzoneapp.com/community-event-calendar/Details/leadership-live-2026-1669958?sourceTypeId=Hub END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR