At a scaled-down, masked-up event, attendees at the Chattanooga Women's Leadership Institute Impact dinner heard from a founder and CEO who knows what it means to scramble through unexpected challenges.
"If you understand your superpower, when tough times come you're able to pivot around a strong center," said Lisa Sun, CEO and founder of women's apparel brand Gravitas. "That core has to be as strong as possible."
This spring, when the institute's leaders were planning their annual Impact event at the Chattanooga Trade and Convention Center, they retooled to expand it to several days to include a symposium and a celebration of the organization's 25th anniversary.
But as the pandemic surged and worsened through the summer, they ultimately postponed the symposium, halved capacity at the dinner Thursday evening to 400 people, and required masks and social distancing.
"Also, we added multiple entry points to reduce crowding upon entry into the venue in addition to signage and upgraded sanitation stations," said Kim Shumpert, the institute's executive director.
The Impact leadership dinner was the first live event where she had spoken in 19 months, though she has had a steady stream of virtual speaking engagements, said Sun, who traveled from New York to give the keynote speech.
"It's a major milestone anniversary for the organization, and working women were the hardest hit segment during the pandemic," Sun said. "We're craving connection. Even with masks, there's still an opportunity to say 'I see you and remember I'm here.'"
Sun founded her business in 2012 after more than a decade with McKinsey & Company, where she advised leading luxury, fashion and beauty brands and retailers in the US, Asia, Europe and Latin America on strategic and operational issues.
She launched Gravitas as a "confidence company" that offers apparel and styling solutions for women. Two months after launch, her first collection was featured in O, The Oprah magazine, PEOPLE, and The TODAY Show in the same month.
But the pandemic upended her plans, Sun said.
"Women's workwear was one of the hardest hit categories in the pandemic," she said. "In late March 2020, when we were thinking about what to do, our theme was let's pivot with purpose and not with profit in mind."
Gravitas immediately set to work using its resources to make face masks and hospital gowns, Sun said.
"In moments of crisis, the most important thing is not to panic," Sun said. "As opposed to asking 'how can I help,' say 'here's how I can help.'"
The company didn't profit in 2020, but it covered its expenses and put people to work, Sun said.
"Sometimes you can't do what you originally intended to do," she said. 'As an entrepreneur, there is no light at the end of the tunnel. There are just skylights along the way to keep us going."
Contact Mary Fortune at mfortune@timesfreepress.com. Follow her on Twitter at @maryfortune.