The Venice Area Chamber of Commerce’s 2026 Women Empowering Women Spring Luncheon at Plantation Golf & Country Club fostered an atmosphere of inspiration and community. Keynote speaker Simone Knego, author of The Extraordinary UnOrdinary You and REAL Confidence, revealed the staggeringly common ways women are conditioned to diminish their power—and how to recover it. Knego expertly balanced compelling statistics with humor and motivational insights with personal stories of trial and triumph.
From her bold choice to climb Africa’s highest mountain to her life-changing decisions to adopt three children, Knego demonstrated that life’s most important moments happen when self-worth wins against self-doubt. In 2015, Knego scaled Mount Kilimanjaro to raise funds for the Livestrong Foundation, a source of support for cancer survivors. Although she had never undertaken such a feat, Knego embraced the challenge and believed she could reach the summit. She describes the experience of making it to the top of the mountain as a major turning point in her life and one of her greatest accomplishments—the first being her six children, three of whom are adopted. On adopting her children from South Korea and Ethiopia, Knego recalled that some of the most impactful decisions happen at home, and changing the lives of others begins with believing in oneself.
Knego has since written two books, become a motivational speaker, performed two TEDx Talks, and more. Her keynote speech, delivered on the cusp of International Women’s Day, left the audience feeling seen and significant.