Sarah Cooper delivers keynote at Kansas City Women’s Summit

“Writer. Comedian. Nodder.” So read the nametag worn by author Sarah Cooper, keynote speaker at the Kansas City Business Journal’s first-ever Women’s Summit held last Thursday. About 560 people gathered at the Sheraton Overland Park Hotel for the morning-long seminar, which included Cooper’s address along with three additional speakers and a Leadercast video.

Andrews McMeel Universal, one of the sponsors of the summit, proposed Sarah Cooper’s inclusion based on her recently released How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men’s Feelings, a parody advice book filled with “tips” for ways women can achieve their dreams, succeed in their careers and become leaders … without harming the fragile male ego. The book is filled with illustrations, charts and graphs that illuminate the double standards women often face in a business environment. Cooper is also the author of the bestselling 100 Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings (inspired by the viral sensation “10 Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings”).

All attendees received a copy of Cooper’s book, which she signed for fans prior to the event. AMU editor Patty Rice introduced Cooper, whose signature tongue-in-cheek humor and illustrations from the book evoked peals of laughter and nods of recognition from the crowd. But Cooper offered more than just laughs, as her talk concluded with sound advice on ways women — and men — can help re-shape the business landscape, primarily through personal authenticity as well as support and mentorship of one another.