For the last twelve years, Emerge Events owner, Jennifer Clark, has put together the annual Pine Belt Women’s Expo. This was my first time going, and I attended the event on both days— Friday, March 1 and Saturday, March 2. The expo was held at the Train Depot in Hattiesburg. I decided to take you all on a recap of this one of a kind experience!
Fun Fact
First, let’s take a look at a fun fact about Mississippi: Did you know that Mississippi has roughly 104,274 women owned businesses in the state? This number has more than likely grown, as this figure was reported in 2019.
Friday, March 1
I was so excited to attend this event. I arrived roughly fifteen minutes early. I had the opportunity to speak with Jennifer Clark. She is truly phenomenal! As time progressed and the evening went by, other people began showing up, and the Train Depot was bustling with people visiting the vendors. During this night, I grabbed girl scout cookies, cupcakes from Lashawn Johnson (owner of Baked with Love), and a book called Simply Begin from counselor and yoga instructor, and author Anna Marie Valentine. She practices out of March Christian Counseling. I also bought an adorable Ole Miss keychain from Twin Threads.
Photo credit: Pine Belt Women’s Expo
Saturday, March 2
Saturday, I arrived a bit later. Upon entering, I noticed there were even more vendors than the evening before, which was exciting! Although I didn’t have time to stop at each vendor, I revisited the cupcake vendor, Baked with Love, and bought two of her famous strawberry crunch cupcakes and two banana pudding ones. Although I tried my darndest to make them last for the next couple of days, I ate them all the same day! As a lover of all things that smell good, I decided to purchase two room sprays— one from Scentsy (Cashmere and Corduroy) and the other from Glowing Embers (Fig Tree). I’ve been using these since I purchased them. As I continued to scroll around visiting other vendors, I came across one that had popcorn. With all of the delicious flavors, it was a bit difficult to choose which one I wanted. I decided to go with the cheddar cheese flavor, and I do not regret it at all. The popcorn was bursting with flavor, and my only regret is that I did not get two packs. The name of this vendor was Pop and Co.
What to Expect?
If you’re interested in attending the Pine Belt Women’s Expo, here are some things that you can expect: firstly, expect to be greeted by beautiful smiles and friendly faces. The expo is full of phenomenal business owners, and people who work locally who are eager to help you with any issues that you may have including very specific issues. For example, when I went on Friday, March 1 I met a representative from Beltone Hearing Care Centers (Ron Hancock) who gave me a peek into my ears. Thankfully, my ears are pretty healthy; however, it was very cool to be able to see the inside of my ear and to get tips on how to ensure that they remain healthy. Other establishments who were there included Home Instead, EZ Move Crate Rentals, Senior Helpers, Sunbelt Credit Union, Hands Up Coaching Services, Vein Institute, 5 X 2 Marketing, and many more!
The Amazing Business Owners
The event’s organizer, Jennifer Clark, is the person to thank for organizing this phenomenal event. Additionally, the other collaborators, vendors, attendees, and everyone who donated helped make this event special. It was absolutely incredible meeting so many trailblazing women business owners at the Pine Belt Women’s Expo. I can’t think of a better way to kick off Women’s History Month!
Until Next Time
Let’s chat. Did you attend the Pinebelt’s 12th Annual Women’s Expo this year? Were you a vendor? What stood out to you this year and what are you looking forward to next year? Let us know on Our Mississippi Home’s Facebook page!
