SPEED NETWORKING : 60 Seconds to Build a Connection with a Smile

We had re-locate to Zoe’s Café, Coffeehouse & Events, 715 10th St., Downtown Greeley 80631 for our SPEED NETWORKING 7:45-10 a.m. Catering by Corleone’s, Nick St. George & family.

LADIES: The only way this works successfully – is for everyone to arrive on time and get breakfast before 8 a.m. AND STAY until everyone has made it through all their rounds of face-to-face one-minute exchanges, that includes all present! You will sit in the same spot for 120 seconds, then we move in opposite directions to our next seat.

Bring plenty of business cards and/or promotional materials you wish to share so all those participating will leave knowing more about YOU… and you will know more about ALL present.  This is a good morning to wear a name badge just below your collarbone on the right side. Easy to see when shaking hands. You are in for a joy-filled experience!

If you have a tried and true one-minute elevator pitch, you feel is authentic and impactful – use it!

If not, here’s my suggestion – assemble and practice your one minute that represents your essence and personality. Practice it so you can do it in 60! Your pitch should include your *name & *business + *what you do, *who your ideal customer/client would be AND tell us *how we can help YOU / *what you need in the next 60 days!  Share it with a smile on your face and in your voice – using the Law of Attraction!  NOTE: You might vary what “help you ask for” depending on who you are talking to. Contingent on registrations, you might be re-telling your 1 minute over 60 times to 60+ different professional women.

Come ready to listen with both ears and your heart, as the woman sitting across from you shares her one minute. I generally encourage good eye contact…but I also often jot down a few notes. Honestly, this is an intense exchange of information, so strive to be memorable, it will pay off!

Some of our members have participated with Northern Colorado Women in Business since we launched in January of 2009. Some come and go as life allows. Some are our treasured NewBEES who are sharing their “light” and positive energy to create excitement within our TRIBE. We provide plenty of diverse opportunities to get involved and collaborate within our community. YOU can make a difference when you “show-up!”

Introverts and extroverts / women 20-something to 80-something / representing a vast variety of careers  have found a “home” with us. Come and “try us on for size” it can be an investment in your future…when you are strategic in your approach to relationship-building. We all have GIFTS to share.

We have volunteer opportunities and we thank all the women who make every -1st Wednesday morning monthly Workshop a success by signing-up for coordinated tasks. This is a great tool for folks who label themselves as introverts. Having a purpose…reduces stress.

Here’s some of the necessary volunteer slots you can sign-up to do:

Set-up DIVAS 4-5 p.m. Tuesday, 6/3 (4) Ciara Wortley, Envision-Creative Support for People with Developmental Disabilities; Laura Jones, Habitat for Humanity; Gena Wickes, Horse & Hound Chiropractic; Marie Warren, Maria Warren Homes-Coldwell Banker Realty; Barb Wasung, Community Grief Center/Weld Food Bank/Wrangler-Greeley Stampede; Verniece Thomas, Life Stories/Park Avenue Realty

Check-in Hostesses (2) arrive before 7:30 a.m. Margie Martinez, Kiwanis; Linda Winter, Accessories With a Flair!…and Hair

Greeter arrive by 7:30 a.m.: Megan Gervais, BEE Organized… will be signing-up women to volunteer.

Speakers Gifts – This month, since EVERYONE is a Speaker, we have something special for everyone, The Power of WE, a book collaboratively authored over the past 2 months by Kristi Helzer, Northern Colorado Women in Business; Vicki Conley, Laptop Lyfe; Susan Jewell Klema, Something With Pizzaz; Tara Rasmuson, Greeley Lifestyle; June Lemmings, June’s TEAM-Keller Williams 1st Realty Associates; and Linda Winter, Accessories With a Flair!…and Hair.  The book evolved quite naturally while networking at a UNC Volleyball game {GO BEARS!} when the idea started percolating. The six of us collaborated; opening up to openly   share our stories; provide success tips that have impacted our career success; plus some guided questions to help you find “common ground” with people when you are out NetWORKing.  NOTE: Photo shoot for the book and group shots in this post were by Taryn Ashlee Photography.

Clean-up DIVAS (4): Chris McDermott, Habitat for Humanity; Kristen Campbell, Weld Community Credit Union; Lyndsey Oates, UNC Volleyball; Julie Villumsen, Mary Kay

Sister-to-Sister Pay-it-Forward will be coordinated by: Celeste Ewert, Envision-Creative Support for People with Developmental Disabilities to benefit Life Stories where their invaluable services allow every child to feel safe, heard, and valued, which is exactly what they deserve!

At Life Stories, they walk alongside children who have experienced abuse and neglect, helping them find hope and healing through advocacy and support. Your donation doesn’t just help—it transforms. It gives a child the chance to tell their story in a safe environment. It gives them a voice in court, a caring adult to stand by their side, and the chance to rewrite their story! I can’t think of a more important service in our community than this one for children who have been through unimaginable trials! As women lifting each other up in business, imagine the power we have when we also lift-up the littlest among us. Your support can change a life.

You can make a meaningful impact by donating to help. Your gift makes a difference so you might want to bring $5 or $10 in cash! Here’s how it works: This is a Free-Will opportunity to donate $5 + 1 business card, or if you are passionate about the work Life Stories accomplishes you can donate up to $20 and put 4 business cards in the drawing. At the end of the Workshop 1 business card is drawn and that person splits the pot with the identified nonprofit organization.

This valued philanthropic effort has invested more than $30,000 back into our community while impacting lives.

Three key points you will gain through your participation on June 4th and can give back:

1. Prompts to track the who, why, and ‘what-if’ to your networking journey.
2. Set goals for every networking opportunity (I will make 3 connections at BAH). To be successful in turning contacts into connections – takes effort.
3. Follow-up with a “nice to meet you” message (by phone, text or hand-written note) and an introduction to someone in your “network” who could help your new acquaintance in some way.

Tips: mark off the first Wednesday morning of each month – if you want to make a commitment to getting to know the amazing women who comprise NorCoWIB.

BIG TIP: Put your phone away when networking!

Please Thank our member Volunteers for helping make this Workshop a powerful experience for YOU!  We all know the importance of having women as mentors – it lifts our confidence, diminishes our stress and raises our happiness, which helps keep us in the “Driver’s seat of our LIFE!” These volunteers reap the benefit of gaining more networking time with their peers.

Be sure to pick up one of the Networking Workshop Participation sheets printed each month as a “tool” for future coffee dates and outreach…thanks to the Sponsorship of Dignity Memorial/Stoddard Funeral Home/ Macy Chapel/Sunset Memorial Gardens.

Northern Colorado Women in Business wrapped-up our 16th year in December of 2024 as a Networking Leader for local women and we continue to provide collaborative opportunities for our members to shine through & by providing:

• Collaborative sponsored events (making it more affordable when sharing the cost)
• Volunteer opportunities to enjoy collaboration and community impact, such as a 2-hour volunteer work session at the Weld Food Bank or a Habitat for Humanity BUILD Day  – which provides additional NETWORKING time.
• Sharing our promotional materials for NewBEE Bags and Speaker Gifts to promote our businesses
• Stepping-up to take the Lead coordinating activities where we want community visibility like Compete to BEAT {{HUNGER}} for the Weld Food Bank – happening right now!
• Relay for Life in July
• UNC’s 17th Annual Women’s Walk to raise scholarship dollars – our NorCoWIB Wonder Walkers Team: participated in April and has hosted a team annually since 2009
• Make :30 announcements at the end of the Workshops to spread awareness about things you are hosting or passionate about
• Serve as Enlightening Conversation Leader/ Hostesses …and also accept invitations to be part of these magical small group Master Mind sessions that are a FREE Perk of Membership or cost $10 for Associate – Future Members (or $11 online)
• Sponsor a Training that will enrich your business skills and help members
• Participate with members in CELEBRATING YOUR WINS! …and so much more!