Make It Big 2022: Everything You Need to Know About the Virtual BigCommerce Conference

Original Source: https://ecommerce-platforms.com/articles/make-it-big

Save the date for the “Make it Big” Conference, to connect with thought leaders, ecommerce industry experts, and other merchants interested in growing their online businesses. 

Hosted by the BigCommerce ecommerce platform, the Make it Big Conference is one of the must-attend events for entrepreneurs and ecommerce professionals from all backgrounds and experience levels. 

Read below for all the Make it Big Conference details for 2022, including:

What is Make it Big? Where is it? When is it? How much does it cost?Information about the host: BigCommerceWho’s invited to the Make it Big Conference?What can conference participants expect to learn this year? Workshops to expectThe lineup of guest speakersKeynote speakersHow to register for the 2022 Make it Big Conference

Check out each section below so that you don’t miss out on one of the most informative ecommerce conferences of the year. 

What is “Make it Big 2022”?

“Make it Big” is a yearly ecommerce conference hosted by BigCommerce, one of the most popular ecommerce platforms on the market. 

It’s a two-day virtual event where participants can network, learn about retail trends, and experience unique interactions with industry experts through things like live podcasts, fireside chats, and Q&A sessions. Past Make it Big conferences have seen keynote speakers like Mark Cuban, Mary Ellen Cole, and Bill Ready. 

The 2022 conference is packed even more with notable guests and keynote speakers, making it the ideal time to either learn about launching an ecommerce store or taking your current business to the next level. 

The conference, as mentioned, is hosted by BigCommerce, but there are plenty of other sponsors such as: 

TikTokBitpayKlaviyoCodalJamersan Ecommerce DevelopmentOmnisendStripeMetaAmazon PayContentstackTavanoteamPayPalAmazon Supply Chain

When is Make it Big 2022?

The 2-day conference runs from Tuesday, September 13 to Wednesday, September 14, 2022. 

The Tuesday session starts at 9 AM (CDT) and goes until 4:45 PM (CDT). 

On Wednesday, presentations begin at 8:55 AM (CDT) and end at 5:30 PM (CDT). 

There are several speakers, workshops, and Q&A sessions throughout each day; most segments range from 30 minutes to 1 hour. And, of course, there’s a midday lunch break on each day. 

Where is Make it Big 2022? 

The Make it Big Conference is a virtual event, meaning there’s no set locations. Speakers will videoconference in from their own computers and potentially be scattered all over the globe. 

The same goes for event participants. You can sign up for the event and sit at your computer to listen and participate. There’s no requirement for any travel, or to show up at a particular location!

How Much Does it Cost to Attend Make it Big 2022?

The Make it Big Conference is completely free, as it has always been. 

About the Make it Big Host: BigCommerce

BigCommerce is the host of Make it Big. This is their 5th consecutive year of hosting the conference. 

BigCommerce is a company that builds and sells what’s called an ecommerce platform, an online software for constructing an ecommerce website and selling product online. As one of the top ecommerce platforms on the market, it makes sense that BigCommerce hosts such a prominent event, where notable figures chime in and speak to all merchants. 

What’s great is that you don’t have to be a BigCommerce user to attend. BigCommerce offers the event for free to everyone who wants to learn more about ecommerce. So, it serves as somewhat of a user’s conference for them, but also a means of marketing, to get the word out to new users about their ecommerce platform. 

As for the ecommerce platform itself, here are some notes to give you an idea of what BigCommerce offers: 

BigCommerce offers an online control panel and app for designing an online store, managing orders, marketing, and finding products to sell. Its pricing plans start at $29.95 per month and go up to $299.95 per month for the advanced Pro version. There’s also an Enterprise plan for rapidly scaling businesses. 

Who’s Invited to Make it Big 2022?

Anyone!

You don’t have to be a BigCommerce user to attend the 2022 Make it Big Conference. In fact, they encourage all experience levels of ecommerce professionals, along with users from other ecommerce platforms to come mingle with experts and learn about what’s new in the ecommerce world. 

In general, the BigCommerce Make it Big Conference is most suitable for: 

Online retailersEntrepreneursEcommerce professionalsDevelopers and content creators who work in ecommerceBrick and mortar retailers interested in exploring the online retail worldSocial media experts with an ecommerce focusCryptocurrency professionalsAspiring ecommerce business founders

What Can Participants Expect to Learn at Make it Big 2022?

The Make big schedule in 2022 is jam-packed with workshops, Q&A sessions, and even fireside chats, all of which have their own topics. Besides the general ecommerce discussions, Make it Big speakers tend to dive deeper into niche topics, ranging from social media interactions to omnichannel transactions. 

Take a look at the section below for the entire schedule of Make it Big for this year. 

Workshops and Topics at Make it Big 2022

BigCommerce has stated that Make it Big participants can expect two full days of interviews, panels, and workshops about: 

Web3CryptocurrencyOmnichannel sellingB2B sellingReaching Gen Z with your online storeNFTsThe Metaverse

As for the specific topics, here’s what you can look forward to:

Day 1 

Welcome to the Future of EcommerceCultivating a Lasting, Mission, Driven BusinessIs Your Business Future Ready?Tapping Into Gen Z and the Next Generation of ConsumersThe Secret to Scaling an Enterprise BrandThe Future of Retail in the MetaverseWorkshop: Overcoming B2B Challenges in the Digital AgeThe Omnichannel Imperative: Meeting Shoppers Where They AreA First-class Customer Experience: Why Ecommerce is Going Headless

Day 2

Customer Awards Winners CelebrationModern Marketing: Engaging Your Audience with IntentionDemystifying Crypto, Web3 and NFTsWorkshop: How to Sell More on TikTokSmall Business, Big Gains: The Online OpportunityInvite-Only Roundtable: From Monolith to MACH: Composing a Modern Commerce Tech StackLeading the Change: Women Empowering the Next Era of Entrepreneurs and LeadersLive Podcast: Crafting Unforgettable Content ExperiencesWorkshop: Unlocking a Growth-Driven MindsetRetail Trends and Predictions for 2022 and Beyond

The Lineup of Guest Speakers (and their topics) at Make it Big 2022 

Known for its high-profile speakers, industry experts, and thought leaders, the Make it Big Conference in 2022 does not disappoint with its lineup of guest speakers. Every hour, you have a chance to hear from someone who’s either built a successful ecommerce business of their own or guided people in the industry. 

Here’s the entire lineup of speakers and the topics in which they’ll explore:

Brent Bellm (CEO of BigCommerce)—Topic: Welcome to the Future of EcommerceJohn Mackey (Co-Founder of Whole Foods Market)—Topic: Keynote: Cultivating a Lasting, Mission-Driven BusinessMartha Welsh (Director, Strategy, Operations and GTM at Google Commerce)—Topic: Is Your Business Future Ready?Hana Ben-Shabat (Founder of Gen Z Planet) and Melissa Yang (Global Head of Ecosystem Partnerships at TikTok)—Topic: Tapping Into Gen Z and the Next Generation of ConsumersJohn Merris (CEO of Solo Stove)—Topic: The Secret to Scaling an Enterprise BrandKate Ancketill (Founder and CEO of GDR Creative Intelligence)—Topic: Keynote: The Future of Retail in the MetaverseTJ Gamble (CEO and Founder of Jamerson) and Diego Praderi (Growth and Innovation Partner at Tavano Team)—Workshop: Overcoming B2B Challenges in the Digital AgeGopal Pillai ( Vice President of Amazon Distribution and Fulfillment Solutions) and Omar Soudodi (Director of Amazon Pay in the Americas)—Topic: The Omnichannel Imperative: Meeting Shoppers Where They AreNeha Sampat (CEO and Founder of Contentstack)—Topic: A First-class Customer Experience: Why Ecommerce is Going HeadlessCetiera Carmona (Manager of Customer Growth at BigCommerce)—Topic: Customer Awards Winners CelebrationSeth Godin (Best-selling Author)—Keynote: Modern Marketing: Engaging Your Audience with IntentionTy Haney (Cofounder and CEO of Try Your Best) and Merrick Theobald (Vice President of Marketing at BitPay)—Topic: Demystifying Crypto, Web 3, and NFTsGabriel Nicolau (Global Head of Product Strategy and Operations for Commerce and Gaming Ads at TikTok)—Workshop: How to Sell More on TikTokMelinda Emerson (@SmallBizLady)—Topic: Small Business, Big Gains: The Online OpportunityKeval Baxi (CEO of Codal) and Ryan Bloms (Associate Director of Partnerships at Codal)—Invite-Only Roundtable: From Monolith to MACH: Composing a Modern Commerce Tech StackSevetri Wilson (Founder and CEO of Resilia) and Tara Syed (Director of Commerce Ecosystems at Meta)—Leading the Change: Women Empowering the Next Era of Entrepreneurs and LeadersMichael Mitchell (Senior Director of Brand and Studios at Mailchimp)—Live Podcast: Crafting Unforgettable Content ExperiencesAndrew Bialecki (CEO of Klaviyo) and Ethan Giffin (CEO and Founder of Groove Commerce)—Workshop: Unlocking a Growth-driven MindsetJenny Fleiss (Cofounder of Rent the Runway and Venture Partner at Volition Capital)—Keynote: Retail Trends and Predictions for 2022 and Beyond

The Keynote Speakers

The keynote, or featured, speakers, are the ones that headline the entire Make it Big event. They’re there to speak about the big picture topics and deliver actionable, hard-hitting advice for ecommerce merchants to improve their brands. 

They’re also some of the more famous people that BigCommerce landed, so you may recognize some of the names. 

Here’s a look at the keynote speakers from the Make it Big 2022 Conference:

John Mackey 

John Mackey is mainly known as the Cofounder of Whole Foods, where he grew the one-location organic grocer into a Fortune 500 company. Eventually, he sold the company to Amazon. Mackey’s accolades include Esquire’s “Most Inspiring CEO,” Fortune’s “World’s 50 Greatest Leaders,” and MarketWatch’s “CEO of the Year.” 

He’ll be speaking about cultivating a lasting, mission-driven business, since much of his experience comes from cofounding the Conscious Capitalism Movement, and writing books about having a mission when you build a business, as opposed to only seeking monetary gains. 

Kate Ancketill

Kate Ancketill, the Founder and CEO of CDR Creative Intelligence, comes to the Make it Big Conference as a keynote speaker to discuss the Metaverse and how retail fits into that future. She’ll discuss how it could become a third channel for modern retail, and that some retailers are already exploring the potential for virtual worlds. 

Seth Godin

Known for business bestsellers like Purple Cow, The Dip, and Linchpin, Seth Godin boasts a resume of 20 books that have helped business owners improve their marketing, leadership skills, and ideas. 

He’s the founder of other companies as well, including Squidoo and Yoyodyne, and he’ll be speaking about modern marketing and engaging your ecommerce audiences with intention. 

Jenny Fleiss

The Cofounder of Rent the Runway comes to Make it Big this year to discuss retail trends and predictions for 2022 and beyond. She’s a notable ecommerce success story with Rent the Runway, and a Venture Partner at Volition Capital. 

Jenny is also known for starting the company Jetblack, a brand that disrupted the ecommerce world with personal shopping services over voice and text message. Her accolades include Fortune Magazine’s “40 Under 40” and Fast Company’s “Most Influential Women in Technology.”

How to Register for Make it Big Conference 2022

You can register on the BigCommerce website for the 2022 Make it Big Conference. 

As discussed, registration is free, and it’s open to all ecommerce professionals and people interested in learning about the industry. 

While registering, keep in mind that you don’t actually have to make it to the live events. If you’re unable to attend, we encourage you to still register, seeing as how you receive access to on-demand recordings of the Make it Big Conference. 

The registration page is powered by Bizzabo, so there’s no need to leave the BigCommerce website. You’re given about 15 minutes to sign up for the event; if it times out, simply refresh your window to start over. 

To register, BigCommerce asks for the following information: 

First nameLast nameJob titleCompany nameBusiness emailProjected annual revenueCountryState

You can then sign up for marketing and partners communications, but you can leave those unchecked if you’d like. It’s also okay to fill in blank information if you haven’t yet started a business, or don’t have any revenue. There’s even a quick LinkedIn button to import all of your login information from there, instead of filling in the form. 

With that said, we hope to see you at the virtual Make it Big Conference this year. It appears to be one of the best schedules yet!

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