Connections were made, networking was completed, and wine was tasted as the second annual POWERLUNCH event brought together nearly 300 businesswomen recently at the Eden Resort Inn & Conference Center in Lancaster.
Attendees from all over Central Pennsylvania gathered on October 18, 2007, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. to collect information and to commune with the region’s many successful women in business. For four hours, the hallways of the Eden Resort were filled with professional women exchanging business cards and handshakes, happily greeting familiar faces while eagerly introducing themselves to new potential colleagues and business connections.
“[PowerLunch is a] one-stop shop to see all potential customers in a variety of businesses,” noted an event participant.
Presented by BUSINESSWOMAN magazine and OBGYN of Lancaster, POWERLUNCH '07 enabled women in business to forge new relationships and to collectively spread the word about the extensive array of businesses in the area. About 30 select exhibitors set up their displays in one of two available exhibition areas. Diverse businesses occupied the exhibit space, ranging from law offices, financial organizations, and healthcare services to photographers, hotels, and cosmetologists. There were also a few senior-related businesses that provided caregiver information, as women often serve as the predominant caregivers for older loved ones.
“The representatives were very informative, but not pushy,” said one attendee.
Amidst all the casual, conversational networking, however, there was a more formalized opportunity for interaction available: speed networking! Two speed networking sessions allowed dozens of businesswomen the chance for some seated face-to-face time with other professionals and an opportunity to present what their business had to offer to interested potential clients … all within a friendly, time-structured setup.
“It was a great way to network under one roof,” commented one visitor.
About 12 women per session sat face-to-face down a long conference table, each using their clocked two and a half minutes introducing herself and describing her business to her counterpart. When the timer rang, it was “the listener’s” turn to switch roles and offer the same information. After the five total minutes were up, the partners shook hands, perhaps exchanged business cards, and one moved down the table to the next person to begin the process all over again.
Laurie Forster, The Wine Coach®, was also on hand offering two wine-related workshops geared toward simplifying the sometimes overwhelming world of wine. Don’t Drink, Taste and Decoding Wine Lists gave women a no-pressure environment in which to learn about wine, an element that has become so integral to business dinners and client meetings.
Under Forster’s friendly guidance, each seminar attendee sampled different types of wines—learning how to “chew” their wine and even to evaluate a wine’s “legs,” descriptions which the audience found amusing. Through a series of sensory experiments, several “a-ha” moments were had as the participants discovered how easily the taste of wine can be altered—for example, by holding one’s nose—and that truly smelling a wine before drinking leads to a richer olfactory experience. Forster also helped her audience figure out how to navigate wine lists and gave tips on pairing certain wines with certain foods.
A nonalcoholic approach to wine tasting was also accessible at this year’s POWERLUNCH in the form of a jelly bean wine bar, featuring jelly bean “shooters.” Special combinations of differently flavored jelly beans can actually simulate the taste of certain wines when chewed simultaneously—including some unusual varieties, such as pepper-flavored jelly beans! Many of POWERLUNCH ’s participants happily lined up to experiment with their tastebuds, their skepticism dissipating after 15 to 20 seconds of chewing, when the unique blend of candied flavors suddenly yielded the familiar wine aftertaste. And when the time came for some more substantial nourishment, attendees were welcomed to a lunch buffet in the Courtyard.
A collection of several giveaways and grand prizes added an element of excitement to the day. Through the generosity of its sponsors, POWERLUNCH '07 was able to award these prizes to the following lucky recipients: Kathy Chap, Joan Eshleman, JoAnn O’Connell, and Cleta Kwiatkowski received one $250 gift certificate each to Leaf of Eve; Lori Finegan and Lori Byrne each won an overnight getaway and spa package for two to the Netherlands Inn & Spa; and Bethany Tomassetti was the grand-prize winner of $1,000 from Transition Solutions for Seniors, LLC.
But for all they could receive, POWERLUNCH '07 also encouraged women in business to give back to one another, and this year’s attendees returned the goodwill in full. In honor of National Business Women’s Month, women brought in their gently worn suits to be donated to South-Central PA’s Dress for Success program, which assists disadvantaged women in taking control of their lives. By day’s end, bags full of suits were awaiting transport to the program’s headquarters.
“Wonderful, wonderful people—a great chance to see the wide array of local businesses,” said a participant.
BusinessWoman would like to extend its gratitude to our other sponsors for making POWERLUNCH '07 a success: BSI Exhibits, Eden Resort Inn & Conference Center, Rodgers & Associates, Shred-It, Simon Lever, and WROZ.
