Today is August 15th, and what does that mean? The Pine Belt Women Business Owners Summit has officially kicked off! August 15th through August 16th marks the 2nd Annual Pine belt Women’s Business Owners Summit. This year’s summit will take place at PRCC’s Woodall Center in Hattiesburg. Event organizer and business owner extraordinaire, Jennifer Clark, is eager to bring women business owners from all over the state together to network, gain new ideas, and foster an environment where women feel more confident in their business ventures.
This year’s theme is “Better Together.” While working alone is many people’s favorite ways to work, collaboration is crucial to the success and overall development of a business. Clark states, “My goal is to surround women with connections, information and resources that can help them and their business grow and thrive.” Her goal for this summit is to enable women business owners to establish relationships with each other, impart useful information and insight, and to provide the attendees with resources to help them grow.
Since the onset of the summit, there have been sponsors who aid in bringing this incredible event together. This year, the silver sponsor is none other than Hancock Whitney.
In addition to the summit, the organization, Women Business Owners of the Pine Belt, meet twice a month to network and listen to guest speakers. If you’re a business owner— whether you have years of experience or if you’re a budding entrepreneur, you’ll want to make sure you join this organization.
Clark has been in business for eleven years and has no plans of slowing down soon. Understanding the statistics of business ownership is one of the many factors that motivates her to continue her passion for helping women entrepreneurs. Did you know that the US Bureau of Labor Statistics state that 20.4% of businesses fail within their first year of opening? It doesn’t stop here. 49.4% fail within the first five years of operation, and 65.3% fail within the first ten years. These statistics are troubling, and Clark wants to ensure that these statistics change, with the success rates going up for years to come.
What’s in store for the attendees? This is straight from Jennifer’s desk. Attendees can expect to:
- Get inspired by two days of impactful speakers
- Personal and professional development that can directly impact the business
- Enjoy a Meet & Greet reception, including complimentary chair massages, headshots and delicious food and beverages (all provided by women-owned businesses)
- Connect with fellow women business owners and find opportunities for collaboration
- Get new clients and customers through networking
- Get information and resources from our community partners
- Get practical takeaways that can be immediately implemented
- Find new ideas, inspiration and learn about new trends in business
- Get accountability and motivation
- Find answers to questions about running a business
- Enjoy catering by women-owned businesses, and a chance to hear their stories
- Enter to win prizes
Remember—this is a two day event. If you haven’t already purchased your tickets, you can click this link for your ticket! If you have any questions or if you’re interested in becoming a sponsor for future events, let Jennifer Clark know. She can be contacted by phone at 601-270-2756 or by email at [email protected]. What are you most excited about for this year’s event? Let us know on Our Mississippi Home’s Facebook page!
