ConnectHER Brings Women Together in Vidalia
mrandolphadvance@gmail.com
Over 200 women came together for the annual Greater Vidalia Chamber ConnectHER Women’s Networking Dinner at the Dahlia on Thursday, March 27.
The event showcases the Chamber’s dedication to fostering connections and providing opportunities for professional growth among women in the community. Attendees are able to network with fellow business professionals, share experiences, and forge valuable relationships throughout the event, and also have the chance to peruse products from local businesses in a pop-up style shopping set-up.
After shopping, the women were treated to a gourmet meal, and listened to an inspirational message from Teri Smiley.
Smiley has been the Walton County Chamber of Commerce President for over 25 years, and began Starfish Partnerships – a company focused on helping to build robust communities and organizations through fostering leadership skills. The name for Smiley’s business came from a purchase of a bracelet which featured a starfish emblem. The card which came with the bracelet read, “The starfish is a resilient creature that constantly regenerates, intuitively navigates the sea and directly impacts its ecological community. A highly sensitive creature, the Starfish can help us sort our own feelings. It symbolizes guidance, intuition and vigilance. A good reminder that we are always guided.” The quote inspired Smiley to name her budding business after this concept.
“Leadership demands resilience, self-discovery, continuous personal and team development and growth. It is crucial for us to dedicate time to revitalize and reenergize ourselves. Just like the Starfish, we must have the intuition and attentiveness to lead ourselves and those around us,” she remarked.
Both Chamber members and nonchamber members attended the event, ensuring that women of all career stages had an opportunity to network, learn, and grow. Greater Vidalia Chamber Executive Vice President Debbie Evans spoke on the success of the event, saying, “We were delighted to host the ConnectHER Women’s Networking Dinner, bringing together dynamic women from various industries to connect, learn, and empower one another. With Teri as our keynote speaker, attendees experienced an enriching event that left them feeling inspired and empowered to make a difference in their personal and professional relationships.”
ConnectHER is one of the Chamber’s signature events, which is held annually each Spring. For more information on this event or other signature events, visit the Greater Vidalia Chamber website.
STARFISH MENTALITY – Starfish Partnerships Owner Teri Smiley said that she got the idea for the name of the business after learning about the significance of a starfish’s intuition and regeneration. Smiley spoke to the attendees of the Greater Vidalia Chamber ConnectHER event on Thursday, March 27.
