|
From:TheBahamasWeekly.com Grand Bahama
Freeport, Grand Bahama - Over 100 women gathered at The Grand Lucayan for last month's Coco Chanel Principles of Business for Women event, their hopes set on learning the fundamentals of succeeding in business. President and CEO of Benchmark Consulting Services Billie Bowe delivered on that expectation, providing the 125 women in attendance with an extensive guide to turning their passion into prosperity through her first women's empowerment event. Mrs Bowe explained that the business empowerment conference was intended for women aspiring to take their small businesses to the next level, young women interested in launching their own enterprises, and women feeling unfulfilled in their current jobs. Mrs Bowe said she was motivated to host this conference because it was necessary to show that their dreams are valid and the community needs their ideas. "I have a very soft spot for women, from a business perspective," Mrs Bowe said. "A lot of times, we are not taken seriously by our friends and family, but there are women that are really doing great things in our community. A lot of us keep ourselves back with limiting belief systems or because we're not looking at business in the right context. This event was created to teach women how to approach business practically and prove that their passions are more than just a hobby." Based on feedback from attendees, Mrs Bowe said her event struck a chord with many women who were previously afraid of following their dreams or were simply unsure of how to launch their own business ventures. Through Coco Chanel Principles of Business for Women, attendees were able to learn about developing a business plan, building a brand, professional marketing, networking, and financial responsibility among other key business values. Mrs Bowe provided the women with five principles of business, encouraging them to determine personal reasons for starting a business, avoid negative thinking, increase productivity, maintain focus, and share their success with others. Additionally, the event featured a question and answer segment with a panel of local businesswomen who gave personal accounts of managing their own companies and offered tips on how to navigate in business. Attendees also learned about marketing their businesses online from guest speaker Janet Switzer, a best-selling author and consultant from California. "One exciting part of the event was the 'hot seat'," Mrs Bowe recalled. "I invited someone from the audience on stage and helped her to come up with a business plan on the spot. I asked her a series of questions and we came up with how she would launch her business right there on the stage. That was totally unscripted and so amazing." Mrs Bowe said she was thrilled with the event, which was six years in the making, and the opportunity to launch her 'Passion to Prosperity' system for attendees. She noted that women who attended the conference were able to go home with her step-by-step system to achieving success in business by pursuing your passion. "My ultimate desire is to empower women and business owners who are feeling stuck or trapped in their jobs and to help them unlock their full potential," she said. "Through my system, I want to enable women to transform their lives and better their communities and the world. The number of female entrepreneurs around the world is growing rapidly; I want to incite a movement right at home. I want to see more women taking charge in our community, and that's my reason for doing what I'm doing." Mrs Bowe said she is looking forward to hosting the event annually on Grand Bahama, and expects to take her event to other islands. She expressed her hope that the women's empowerment conference would become an event that continues to attract ambitious women over the years. She extended gratitude to the people who helped to make the event a success, including presenting sponsors Keen i Media; event coordinator Tamika Allen; event MC Ruth Cadet; panelists Charlene Carey, Davina Rutherford, Dania Thompson, and Alexandria Beckles; Lynne Fraino and guest speaker Janet Switzer. Partial proceeds from the event were donated to the Warrior Campaign in support of breast cancer research and treatment.
|
