Recap & Photos from My Women Entrepreneur Panel

I am pleased to share that my Women Entrepreneur Panel went well on Saturday. I’ll be honest, I was a little concered because it started off a little slow, but things morphed into an amazing blessing. Let me explain how.

First of all, I got to the library and the person I spoke with didn’t know what she was doing. She took me to the second floor and my room was switched from the conference room to a study room, which was a blessing. We were at the front of the library instead of way back in the building.

Secondly, I only had two attendees at 10 am. The event was scheduled to begin at 10! More people arrived around 10:15, which was great. Things got even better when Hurley Green, the manager editor of the Independent Bulletin newspaper, got there. He started taking photos for the paper. While he was doing that, two more people arrived (see the front page of the newspaper above).

The panel started at 10:30 on the dot. I asked my panelists, Rhea Steele, President of Blue Ocean Logic Group, and Dequiana Brooks-Jackson, Marketing Strategy Coach, Inspired Media Marketing, Inc. about their journey to entrepreneurship, which included challenges, advice and resources. We had a lively discussion for an hour. I then opened the floor to questions and introductions. And we closed with exchanging business cards and networking.

The attendees were very talented with great things going. I really feel that the people that don’t already have businesses will implement their ideas within the next five years. They have the desire but they needed something to move them forward. I hope the information they gained on Saturday gave them the push they needed.

Two things happened that were really cool. First, three of the ladies registered online Saturday morning and showed up. Two of them were from the neighborhood. Secondly, one of the young ladies that signed up and showed up that was from the Become Your Own CEO Facebook group, Dequiana’s group. She told me her government name but I knew her by her nickname.

Here’s the one thing I wish I had done differently: video recorded the event. I didn’t bring my camcorder because I didn’t have anyone to record it and I didn’t want to do that and moderate the panel. I’ll be more prepared for the next one.

Anyway, I want to thank Rhea Steele, Dequiana Brooks-Jackson, Woodson Regional Library, Hurley Green and all of the attendees on Saturday. You all made my first panel very memorable.

Overall, it was a great event. I’m looking forward to the next one. Also, Hurley created the following video clip of the event. Enjoy!