Destiny’s Child’s “Independent Women” ushered hundreds of attendees into the League for Entrepreneurial Women’s 19th annual conference at Temple’s Fox School of Business on Tuesday. There was good reason for the gathering. According to data from the Women Business Owners Association, there are 11.6 million women-owned businesses in the U.S. These businesses employ nearly 9 million people and generate revenues of $1.7 trillion. However, only 17 percent of startups have a female founder, according to a 2017 study by Crunchbase.

At the League’s conference, women weren’t the only people encouraged to do better. For the women in attendance “Ask for what you want” was the event’s 2018 theme.

“Repeat after me,” said featured speaker Brandi Baldwin-Rana, the founder of Millennial Ventures Holdings. “I’m going to embrace my big ask.” Laughter filled the room as the audience shouted the phrase back. “Now say ‘Back that ask up,’” Baldwin-Rana joked. Juvenile would’ve been proud of his song’s creative re-use.

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