Annual Events | Women's Business Network (WBN)

Laurel Highlands Sept 2015

Annual Events

In addition to regular Chapter meetings, WBN hosts a variety of educational and social activities throughout the year. Each event gives members an opportunity to network with and meet the entire organization. Annual events are:

Annual Retreat–This is an overnight event to foster personal and professional growth for attendees as well as enhance relationships with one another. (January or February)

Regional Focus Events – These networking events are to promote interaction among members and guests and generate referrals. Events are held regionally and usually in the spring and fall.

Annual Dinner – The primary scope of this event is the Presidential Address, award presentations, naming of current Board members and introduction of the board nominees for the upcoming year. (1st Thursday in May)

All Chapter Networking – Spend an evening networking with members from all chapters. Met someone at an event and want to find out more about their business and what they do? Need assistance from a member not in your chapter? Looking to recruit new members? This is the event for you! (Spring)

Holiday Breakfast– The primary focus of this event is to recognize achievements throughout the year. We announce the Jean Walsh Scholarship winner as well as recognize the winners of the Chapter Challenge. We also announce the organization that will be our community service project for the upcoming year. (1st Thursday in December)

Please click here to view all events and register to attend.

Upcoming Annual Event Schedule/Sponsors

Date	What	Hosting Chapter
Fall 2018	North Fall Regional	Beaver
Fall 2018	East I Fall Regional	Murrysville
Fall 2018	South Fall Regional	McMurray
Fall 2018	East II Fall Regional	Norwin
December 6, 2018	Holiday Breakfast	Laurel Highlands
TBA	2019 WBN Annual Retreat	Click Here to Host
TBA	2019 WBN All Chapter Event	Click Here to Host
May 2, 2019	2019 WBN Annual Dinner	Click Here to Host
Fall 2019	North Fall Regional	Click Here to Host
Fall 2019	East I Fall Regional	Click Here to Host
Fall 2019	South Fall Regional	Click Here to Host
Fall 2019	East II Fall Regional	Click Here to Host
December 5, 2019	2019 Holiday Breakfast	Click Here to Host

In February 1990, I was selling business checks and forms for a national company and my boss suggested I join a networking organization. Shortly after the suggestion, a woman client phoned and asked me to join a new organization just getting started called Women’s Business Network. They had one chapter and about fifteen members. I thought that 8 AM in Robinson Township (a 45 minute commute) was a bit early and I would go to one meeting and bow out… eighteen years later, I have missed very few meetings.

While getting business was the criteria for joining, business is not what has kept me an active member for all of these years. I have formed many important friendships. Many personal and business services that I utilize, from my dentist and eye doctor to financial planner, are from WBN. Being a member of WBN is like having a “friend” in every type of business whom you can call and ask questions without feeling foolish or having to make an appointment just to get an answer. Whatever question I have had, there is someone in WBN I can phone who either knows the answer or who knows someone who knows the answer. I carry my WBN Directory with me wherever I go….just in case I need to phone someone.

I have done things I never dreamed I would do… going on two cruises (discounted, of course). One of the cruises was with another WBN friend for “girls only” to celebrate a mutually important milestone birthday!

Emotional support in times of trouble has been an extremely important factor. For a period of time I felt like the biblical character Job (who met with so much hardship) had nothing on me, but my WBN friends and supporters saw me through the worst of times and cheered me on through the best of times.

I have received a tremendous education over the years not only from the informative table topics and business presentations, but also from knowing and meeting such a diverse group of helpful women. This “education” helps me to supply better business services to my clients and makes me a more valuable resource to them.

A lifelong friend started a business in Fort Wayne, Indiana. When we discussed her business she would confide in me that she could only wish that there were an organization like WBN where she lived. I saw through her eyes what it was like to have no support, no confidants, no quick answers to questions, and no source for getting business when you are just starting.

I now own a service business that requires a lot of trust on the part of my clients. Advertising is most often by word of mouth. In 2005, 45% of my business was from WBN referrals and 25% from previous customers… who may have been WBN referrals. These referrals come from many members outside of my chapter.

The best advice to new members is to go to every event. Be a participator, join committees, be the Chapter Chairperson, the Chapter Rep, run for the Board of Directors. I have learned so much from volunteering to help with things… leadership from being a Board member for 4 years, getting group cooperation from being a committee chairperson, event planning, dealing with government bureaucracy from completing the first application for the not-for-profit status, organization and so much more. My first volunteer effort at WBN was to be on the committee that chose the WBN logo. I guess we did a good job, the logo has not changed in 18 years.

If the only thing you do is to give your one minute self-marketing at your chapter meetings and wonder why you are not getting anything out of “networking,” you are missing the boat! Be sure when you do your one minute self-marketing if your business has “visual” things that you do “show and tell” at every meeting. Offer a tidbit of “advice” if your business is a service business. Before long, the other chapter members will think of you as an “expert” in your field. Tell your chapter members what type of customer would make a good referral for your business. Be sure to pay attention in all of your conversations wherever you are to “listen” for someone who could use help from one of your chapter members. Networking is give and take!
Karen McCrory, South Hills Chapter

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