Bet On Yourself Summit 2.0 Rundown
Inside the sellout Bet On Yourself Summit 2.0, a core message emerged: resilience and self-belief transcend age, background and experience. Nearly 450 people in the room, 17 speakers, six hours of inspiration, countless words of advice and one powerful suggestion: Bet On Yourself.
Founder Molly Grantham’s reflection on persistence underscored the theme—
“Success isn’t just about starting. It’s about continuing. When you have an idea and thing you launch, if you’re trying something new, it’s not whether you ‘succeed’ or ‘fail,’ it’s that you keep going.”
Summit 2.0 bridged generations with stories of courage and growth. From the fresh ambition of 18-year-old Kate Topham, who said “I’ve never been to anything with this kind of magic before,” to the seasoned wisdom of 82-year-old Jewell Ballard who took lots of notes and said, “Bet On Yourself still means something to me… you can never quit learning.”
“To grow and evolve is the best feeling in the world,” Molly said from stage in her open. “It’s a feeling inside I now know how to appreciate… but today is really about you finding that feeling and appreciating it within yourselves.”
The following is a rundown from presenters throughout the day.
Powerhouse Panel
Featuring on stage:
Michelle Tunno Buelow, owner of Bella Tunno
Milan Harris, owner of MILANO DI ROUGE
Sherry Deutschmann, owner of BrainTrust
How do you scale your skill, find your voice, earn a promotion, pivot a career or launch a business? This Powerhouse Panel dished out real-world wisdom with bite-sized gems. Things like, “Not all customers are created equal,” “Align your brand with your vision,” and “If you fail, fail fast and move on.” These three entrepreneurs didn’t just share winning stories and sage advice, they walked the audience through finding success in failure.
Michelle Tunno-Buelow, whose Charlotte-based baby and child product company is in 5,000 stores and connected to 20 key brands, is also committed to ending hunger. For every product sold, Bella Tunno gives one meal to a child. “If impact is the goal, then I’m successful,” she said, reflecting on how her daughters are now launching nonprofits inspired by their mom’s dedication to start something from scratch and give back.
Milan Harris, who launched MILANO DI ROUGE apparel brand with two sweatshirts—one to wear and one to sell—reinvested every dollar she made. That hustle has since grown into a thriving business making over $100-million in direct online sales. “Be vulnerable,” Milan said. “Transparency keeps your customers connected.” Her company is based in Atlanta, but has customers worldwide.
Sherry Deutschmann, out of Nashville, built a business to over $40-million, then sold it. She’s now the founder of BrainTrust, a business that helps other female entrepreneurs. Sherry offered this reality check: “Know your numbers.” She says an employee stole $200,000 from her once and it’s a lesson she never forgot. “Women build incredible business models,” she said, “but too many don’t understand the numbers behind them.”
Audience member Elise Holmes says she soaked in the words. “It really resonated with me,” she said. “I want to go do something. Even if small, who knows where it’ll lead.”
Conversation with Cathy Bessant
Cathy Bessant’s journey is a masterclass in grit, determination, and the power of betting on yourself. From cleaning rows at the Michigan International Speedway and working at McDonald’s as a teen, to a 40+ year career in banking and now leading Foundation For The Carolinas as CEO, Cathy is living every rung on the ladder.
Starting at the bottom doesn't define where you finish, she told Molly on stage.
“Nobody knows what it takes to show up every day but you,” she said.
In a room filled with professionals from a variety of industries and income levels, Cathy’s authenticity stood out. “I absolutely love how she speaks without barriers,” said Pang Vang, a financial risk management professional. “She’s unapologetically human. We often feel pressured to maintain a certain professional polish, but Cathy just reminded us it’s okay to be real.”
“Betting On Yourself isn’t a moment, it’s a mindset,” Cathy said. “You have to train yourself. It’s a skill you can develop. It takes confidence. It’s a posture that’s contagious. When you bet on yourself, you make it easier to bet on others—and trust others, too.”
What is Cathy’s definition of success?
“Hmmmmm,” Cathy paused before smiling.
“Whatever I do next.”
Personal Board of Directors
Dr. Dawn Chanland, Professor of Management at Queens University and an expert in women’s leadership and mentoring, says growth doesn’t happen alone.
“We’re at a summit that’s focused on stepping outside your comfort zone,” she said. “Now is a crucial time to remember that if you’re going to bet on yourself, you need a board of directors.”
Her advice is to assess the shape and strength of your network. Make sure you have a diverse circle of trusted advisors—people whose insights can challenge you, teach you, and help you grow—while knowing not everyone deserves a seat at your table.
“Be intentional,” Dr. Chanland urged. “Pinpoint your needs and goals, then build around them. When people build this kind of support system, they often experience more learning, promotions, job satisfaction, stronger compensation, and are more likely to become top performers. And because every journey is different, every board should be too. Design one that truly fits you.”
Seven Ingredients to Success
Featuring: Kim Henderson, Novant Health
Success doesn’t happen overnight. Kim Henderson, Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer at Novant Health, believes you have to be mindful of what you’re doing in order to get there.
“Here are seven ingredients we all need to get to where we want to go,” she encouraged.
You got this: Words of affirmation give you fuel.
A feeling of empowerment: The strength to keep going when you want to stop.
Opportunity: Seize them… and make them.
Belief: Write down 10 goals and focus on the top four.
Confidence: Smile. Let others see your projection.
Owe it: Everyone had someone who gave them a chance.
Support: Find and create professional/personal support.
“You should have a variety of people in different seasons of life,” Kim said. “People who are younger, the same age, and retired who tell the unvarnished truth and have strong friendships with you.”
Hometown Hero
Featuring: Cierra Burdick, Olympic Medalist
There are basketball players who enjoy the game, understand the rules, and show up for the occasional pickup. Hoopers? They live it. They play with instinct and hunger. They find a way to stay on the court, no matter what.
Cierra Burdick is a hooper. Last summer, she left Paris with an Olympic bronze medal as part of the U.S. 3X3 National Team.
“It was beyond my wildest dreams,” she said, remembering the nonstop half-court action. “Beyond my wildest imagination.”
The road to get there wasn’t smooth.
Cierra fell in love with basketball as a kid. Every shot, pass, rebound, and dribble deepened that love. She played college ball at the University of Tennessee and set her sights on the pros. Drafted in the second round by the Los Angeles Sparks, her WNBA journey turned into what she calls a “rollercoaster”—eight teams, multiple cuts, and constant uphill battles.
When 3X3 basketball began gaining momentum, Cierra shifted gears. She didn’t make the national team on her first try, but she kept pushing—and made it.
Then came another setback: debilitating hip pain. Doctors said her career was over.
She got a second opinion. And a third. Eventually, a surgeon performed a cutting-edge procedure that not only stopped the pain—it saved her professional career.
“Passion, perseverance and persistance aren’t just talking points,” said Cierra. “They’re survival tactics.”
Cierra’s message is simple: “Bet on yourself. Over and over again. When failure shows up, so do you.”
Betting On Community
Featuring: Amanda Watts
When Hurricane Helene slammed into western North Carolina on September 27th, 2024, Amanda Watts was having a relatively ordinary day.
Nothing about her life has been ordinary since.
Within 48 hours of the storm’s destruction, Amanda—a local nurse—helped transform the Burnsville Fire Department into a makeshift field hospital.
“I instinctively did what I was trained to do,” she told journalist Sarah-Blake Morgan on stage at the Bet On Yourself Summit 2.0. “Help people. Helene devastated my community. Yancey County doesn’t even have its own hospital, and with downed trees, washed-out roads, and impassable debris, access to care was almost nonexistent.”
Amanda described how emergency calls quadrupled overnight. Ambulance response times stretched to hours. Medical facilities in the region were either flooded or shut down. With word spreading through social media and first responders, people started arriving at the fire station.
What started with a skeleton crew and few supplies became something larger. Over the next several weeks, Amanda and a growing team worked to relieve pressure on overwhelmed ERs.
Her onstage conversation with Sarah-Blake resonated deeply.
“We have to help each other,” Amanda said. “I’m still running the hospital every Saturday. We offer free care, free medicine. Donations keep us going because the need hasn’t gone away. For over four months, we operated 24/7. I barely saw my kids. It took weeks before I even made it back home after the storm. But people needed help. Please, don’t forget Western North Carolina. We still need it.”
To support Amanda’s continued efforts, or learn more about the local nonprofit making it possible, visit www.mountainstrong828.com.
“I instinctively did what I was trained to do,” she told journalist Sarah-Blake Morgan on stage at the Bet On Yourself Summit 2.0. “Help people.”
Finale: Bet On Yourself
Featuring: Molly Grantham
Founder Molly Grantham closed out Bet On Yourself Summit 2.0 with no notes, just heart.
“The phrase ‘Bet On Yourself’ is deeply personal to me,” she told the crowd from center stage. “Fourteen months ago, I walked through total career upheaval. Since then, I’ve learned five core strategies that helped navigate the unknown. I want to share them with you because change is coming for all of us. Whether it's planned or blindsiding, the ability to transform positively in the face of it is what defines long-term success.”
Molly’s talk wove together real-life lessons, data-backed insights, and moments of vulnerability. A guide on how to bet on yourself, built from both her missteps and wins. She encouraged everyone to jot down whatever resonated.
When the strategies wrapped, the keynote shifted to connection.
“Ask me anything,” Molly said, opening the floor for live Q&A. “I’m grateful you’re here. We’re in this together.”
WCCB’s lead anchor Morgan Fogarty helped moderate the 30-minute conversation, guiding questions that ranged from professional pivots to personal revelations.
At the end, the two longtime friends raised champagne flutes in a celebratory toast to the audience.
“I’m proud of you, Molly,” Morgan said. “I think most of us in this room are being helped by your honesty.”
“Then here’s to all of us,” Molly replied. “Walk back into your life knowing the next move is yours. Just don’t forget to take it. Bet On Yourself.”
