Impressed with West Niagara Partners

Once every quarter, Cheryl Scott at West Niagara Community Care hosts a luncheon networking meeting for community partners to come together to share information. The food is always interesting, usually made by one of the volunteers. And the information sharing and networking is always valuable.

There were about a dozen of us at the meeting today and we went around the table, announcing our affiliation and special events, news and needs of our organizations. I was so impressed with the women there. All were so passionate about their work, whether it be with young offenders, abused women, or seniors needing palliative care.

I was there as the Chair of the West Niagara WrapAround Initiative and I talked about the progress we have made so far. We have had a fundraiser and so we have some startup money in the bank. We have a dedicated committee and two partnering organizations that meet regularly (except in the last month.) And we have started to work with a family in the community.

Many of the women spoke about the growth in services over the last several years but also the challenges and continuing need in the growing communities in West Niagara.

At Home with Entrepreneurs

This morning I spoke to about 60 inspiring women entrepreneurs, all members of the Niagara Area Women's Network (NABWN). It felt like going home being surrounded by all of that enterprising, positive, creative, (and female) energy. The event started off with breakfast at the St. Catharines Golf and Country Club and I sat with a group of eight vibrant women who were eager to network with each other and tell me about their businesses. I recognized many of the women from my work at Niagara College's Business Development Centre. It felt so good to see them there thriving in their business success.

When I was introduced and took the podium, I spoke about taking networking one step beyond and encouraged them to establish personal advisory groups. I told them about my success in business that I attribute to the "consultants" who were part of my Small Business Resource Group in Toronto, and the model of the Personal Advisory Group employed by the Canadian Association of Family Enterprise (CAFE). There were lots of good questions and comments.

At the end of the meeting, each woman stood up and introduced themselves and their businesses. Some of them delivered "raves," testimonials about fellow NABWN friends. After the meeting, the room got very busy with women chatting it up and handing out their business cards. The networking really seems to work at NABWN.

It was a wonderful way to start the day and I hope they invite me back. I love that entrepreneurial energy and it fed my soul.