by Nancy E Williams
October 11, 2025

Melinda F. Emerson is the founder of SmallBizLadyUniversity.com and has been delivering practical education and training to help professionals start, grow, or buy small businesses for close to 20 years

Melinda F. Emerson is the founder of SmallBizLadyUniversity.com and has been delivering practical education and training to help professionals start, grow, or buy small businesses for close to 20 years. Known in the industry as America’s No. 1 Small Business Expert, Emerson is a speaker for the U.S. State Department, podcast host, and best-selling author of Fix Your Business: 90-Day Plan to Get Your Life Back and Reduce Chaos in Your Business. Emerson has assembled some of the top experts in the business and franchise world for her upcoming The Next ACT CEO Summit, a three-day virtual conference taking place Jan. 22–24, 2026.

The summit will guide senior women leaders age 45+ to become entrepreneurs through acquisition—buying an existing business or franchise. The program focuses on the practical know-how required to step into ownership with confidence on day one, including financing, legal, technology, training, and essential services. “Women with decades of leadership experience are decisive and creditworthy. They don’t need another job in corporate America—they need a clear path to wealth creation through entrepreneurship,” explains Emerson. “This event will demystify entrepreneurship through acquisition and provide the tools, partners, experts, and community to make ownership a reality.” The Next ACT CEO Summit is designed to meet this moment, providing direction, resources, and vetted partners. Organizers are targeting 350 qualified attendees from the U.S. and Canada.

Over the three days, conference attendees will learn how to:

Compare independent acquisitions vs. franchise ownership and choose the right lane based on budget, time, and skills.

Source and evaluate real listings (brokers, resales, franchise consultants, marketplaces) with red-flag checklists.

Navigate the financing matrix (e.g., SBA, seller financing, franchise lenders, CDFIs, ROBS) and assemble lender-ready packages.

Conduct due diligence on operations, people, and financials.

Build an ownership-ready tech stack (CRM, e-signature, invoicing, payroll) and understand legal and insurance basics.

Emerson shared with BLACK ENTERPRISE that now is the time for this summit because “A growing number of experienced women are actively seeking ‘what’s next’ beyond corporate roles. They want to own assets, not a job. They want systems, teams, and revenue that they can scale with their business skills. And they don’t have time to build a business from scratch.”

For Sponsorship opportunities, event details, and registration, visit the website at https://smallbizladyuniversity.com/nextactceosummit/

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