A new leadership development conference is coming to Chicago with a clear purpose: strengthen leadership standards across the Midwest’s direct sales and business-to-business industries by investing in the people responsible for guiding teams forward.
Mitchell Evans, Von Oben Solutions’ CEO, is spearheading the launch of a regional leadership conference to support direct sales and B2B organizations as they navigate growth, competition, and rising expectations for effective leadership.
The event is being curated with intention, bringing together operators, managers, and emerging leaders who are looking to elevate how they lead, not just how they perform.
A First-of-Its-Kind Focus for the Midwest
While leadership conferences are not new, this event is being positioned differently. It is the first of its kind in the Midwest with a dedicated focus on leadership development within direct sales and B2B environments.
These industries move quickly. They require leaders who can coach in real time, manage pressure, and build teams that perform consistently without sacrificing culture. Yet leadership training often lags behind operational growth. This conference aims to close that gap by creating a space where leadership skills are treated as core competencies rather than secondary topics.
The Chicago market was selected intentionally. As a central hub for business activity across the region, it offers accessibility for leaders traveling from multiple Midwest markets while reinforcing the goal of building a stronger, more connected industry. It also creates a natural meeting point for leaders to share best practices, compare challenges, and raise the standard together.
Designed for Scale, Built for Substance
The inaugural conference is targeting approximately 500 attendees, a size chosen to balance energy with engagement.
The goal is not to create an overwhelming experience, but a meaningful one. Sessions are being designed to prioritize clarity, relevance, and application, ensuring attendees leave with insights they can immediately bring back to their teams.
Rather than focusing on surface-level motivation, the conference is structured around real leadership challenges. Topics will address how leaders develop people, maintain standards during growth, and adapt to change without losing direction. The intent is to equip leaders with frameworks and perspectives that extend beyond the event itself.
A Long-Term Vision for Industry Growth
This Chicago conference is not a one-time initiative. It represents the beginning of a broader vision to host similar leadership development gatherings multiple times throughout the year.
By establishing a recurring forum, Evans aims to contribute to the long-term growth of the direct sales and B2B industries across the Midwest. The objective is to create continuity, where leaders can return, reconnect, and continue developing alongside peers who share similar challenges and responsibilities.
As these events grow, so does the opportunity to raise the overall standard of leadership across the region. When leaders are better equipped, teams become more resilient, organizations operate more effectively, and industries mature in healthier ways.
Mitchell Evans as Keynote and Host
Evans will serve as both the keynote speaker and one of the conference hosts, guiding the event’s tone and direction.
In addition to his keynote address, Evans is assembling a lineup of speakers from across the country, each selected for their experience leading teams through growth, transition, and competitive environments. The goal is to provide a range of perspectives while maintaining a consistent focus on practical leadership development.
By curating speakers rather than filling a schedule, the conference is designed to feel cohesive rather than fragmented. Each session is meant to contribute to a broader conversation about what effective leadership looks like today and what it must become as industries evolve.
Leadership Beyond the Stage
One of the defining principles of the conference is that leadership does not begin or end on a stage.
The event is structured to encourage dialogue, not just listening. Attendees will have opportunities to engage with speakers and peers, exchange insights, and build relationships that extend beyond the conference itself. These connections are often where the most meaningful growth occurs.
By bringing together leaders from different organizations and markets, the conference creates an environment where shared experience becomes a learning tool. Challenges are normalized, solutions are exchanged, and leadership becomes a collective effort rather than an isolated responsibility.
Why This Moment Matters
Across direct sales and B2B industries, expectations for leaders are rising. Teams are larger, markets are more competitive, and the pace of change continues to accelerate.
In this environment, leadership development cannot remain informal or inconsistent. It requires deliberate investment. This conference represents a step toward making leadership training more accessible, more relevant, and more aligned with the realities leaders face every day.
The Chicago conference is designed to meet leaders where they are, providing space to reflect, recalibrate, and recommit to the standards that drive sustainable success.
Setting the Tone for What Comes Next
As preparations continue, the focus remains clear: deliver a leadership conference that adds real value to the Midwest market. Evans’ conference aims to become a meaningful resource for leaders seeking to improve how they guide others.
The success of this first event will help shape what follows. With plans to expand and repeat the conference throughout the year, the initiative is positioned to contribute not just to individual development but to the strength of the industry as a whole.
About Von Oben Solutions
Von Oben Solutions supports leadership development and B2B growth by helping teams build structure, consistency, and long-term performance standards.
For more information, visit: https://www.vonobensolutions.com/