Embracing Women’s Empowerment with iFLOURISH Women’s Conference at The Leta Hotel in Goleta

How can we celebrate women’s empowerment?

For iFLOURISH — a women’s conference coming to Santa Barbara on Saturday, January 20 — empowerment flourishes when women gather together and encourage growth through motivational speaking. At the center of the conference lies important and life-changing conversations on topics that are seldom acknowledged. “The goal of iFLOURISH is to grow in those areas of life that can often be the most challenging for us: our relationship to our bodies, our food, our finances, and our community,” said iFLOURISH creator Amy Eddy in a statement.

Set against the backdrop of The Leta Hotel from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the conference boasts an impressive lineup of notable speakers. Among them is Robyn O’Brien — an award-winning non-fiction author and keynote speaker known for her work questioning the integrity of the food industry — who believes that women’s empowerment shines through mutual support, acknowledging shared experiences, and embracing authenticity. “The world really needs women shining … in their brightest light,” said O’Brien.

Nearly two decades ago, her journey into the realm of the food industry commenced when one of her four children experienced an allergic reaction to scrambled eggs. Motivated by this pivotal moment, she delved into extensive research and wholeheartedly plunged into the uncertain terrain of food, pondering the potential correlation between harmful ingredients in our diets and allergic reactions. O’Brien encountered skeptics when she shared her views with the public in various interviews. Despite this, she adhered strongly to her claims and research on our foods’ harmful chemicals and additives and their possible impact on our health. “I was such an unlikely person to challenge the food industry,” she said. While taxing, the criticism ultimately strengthened her. “It really was as much learning how to clean the junk out of the kitchen as it was cleaning the junk out of my head.” 

O’Brien wrote her first book, The Unhealthy Truth, with Rachel Kranz, and it was published by Random House in May 2009. The book is O’Brien’s account of challenging the food industry and revealing the shocking truth behind America’s food supply. As the founder of the financial services firm Sirona Ventures and co-founder of rePlant Capital, O’Brien is now focused on facilitating climate solutions in the food industry and on the farm.

When I asked her how she dealt with the criticism early on in her career, she said she learned the importance of maintaining her authenticity and surrounding herself with supportive people in difficult times. “I had a lot of impostor syndrome,” she said. “A lot of naysayers. I had to figure out, ‘how do I actually move forward here [and learn] how to surround myself with the right people?'” 

At the root of her message is addressing the critic inside your head, who tells you that you’re an imposter and aren’t good enough. “What’s going on between your ears is everything,” said O’Brien. Imposter syndrome creeps in like a persistent parasite. It’s the nagging feeling that, despite evidence of your competence, there’s an underlying fear of being unmasked as a fraud. Not only is imposter syndrome rarely talked about, but when it is, it’s almost always in a negative light. O’Brien views the feeling as a necessary chapter of our lives rather than a shameful setback. “This is something that’s just part of growth and leadership,” she said.

Throughout our conversation, O’Brien highlighted the recent shift toward supporting women’s empowerment. She believes promoting empowerment is crucial as more women take on leadership roles. Last year O’Brien co-created the conference “Women Transforming Food and Finance.” Women are experiencing an incredible economic and educational strength, she said. “I mean, you look at Taylor Swift and her concert, and you look at Beyoncé and her concert. And you look at [the] Barbie movie being the highest-grossing film for Warner Brothers of all time,” she said. A critical step towards inspiring women to take on leadership roles is embracing confidence. She encourages women to ask themselves, “Where is the opportunity here? Where can you create something … a product line, or expand something that really captures this energy?”

In her new book Seeding Innovation: The Path to Profit and Purpose in The 21st Century, coming out April 30, O’Brien offers guidance to navigating business in the 21st century. She includes action items at the end of each chapter to engage the reader. For example, she instructs people to list their fears — a fears inventory, as she calls it. She hopes that by encouraging people to address their insecurities and fears, they will confront them instead of being held back by them. For example, fear of superiors or questioning one’s ability can lead to unintentional conformity in a business setting. But O’Brien discourages this. “Do not try to be anyone other than yourself. Your greatest strength is when you’re operating completely, authentically you.”

Asked about her hopes for the iFLOURISH conference, O’Brien said, “I … hope that people [will] leave feeling totally inspired and totally supported as if they have resources and places to turn. And that they know they’re not alone, that we’re all sort of moving through this together.”  

iFLOURISH welcomes women of all ages and backgrounds. Additional speakers and topics included in the conference are Andrea Gurney, PhD, who is a licensed clinical psychologist and will focus on fostering healthy relationships. Natalie Taylor is a certified financial planner who will speak on managing finances. Jessica Encell will speak on human connection. And Jenny Schatzle, a public speaker, author, and business owner will speak on body positivity and health. It’s not only about the impressive speakers but about coming together and inspiring one another. “It’s the best way to spend a day,” declared O’Brien optimistically.

iFLOURISH takes place at the Leta Hotel (5650 Calle Real, Goleta) on Saturday, January 20, from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit, tickettailor.com/events/iflourish/1000876#.