CHARLOTTE, N.C. (PRWEB) July 31, 2016
On July 21, 2016, more than 140 Charlotte-area small business owners and entrepreneurs, as well as a few nonprofit founders and executive directors, gathered for the second annual b2bTRIBE LIVE Mini-Conference. Twice as big as the inaugural event, the event’s mission was the same as b2bTRIBE magazine’s: Help small business owners connect with each other, collaborate with potential partners and cultivate new opportunities.
The program focused on a series of round tables on topics ranging from marketing to cyber security. It was a time for business owners to meet one another in small groups and discuss real challenges and solutions. Based on feedback from attendees, the event high point was b2bTRIBE Publisher Fabi Preslar’s keynote address. She encouraged all members of Charlotte’s small business owner tribe to move out of the haze, that super-busy state of mind that prevents them from seeing opportunities right in front of them.
“Fabi delivered an inspiring and uplifting message of building a loyal tribe in our community,” said Mara Campolungo, executive director and co-founder of The Sandbox. “That message traveled throughout each of the sessions and in the fabric of the day.”
Rebecca Barnes-Hogg, founder and CEO of YOLO Insights, said, “My biggest takeaway was to move out of the haze and connect more often. As a small business owner, there is always something competing for my time and attention, and this event emphasized that you have to take time out to connect with other business owners and cultivate relationships.”
Other highlights from the event included a humorous start by Frank Schwartz of LEC Media, who claimed he was there as emcee of a rap battle between b2bTRIBE Publisher Fabi Preslar and special guest Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts, who were seated together on the stage. While an intriguing notion, a rap battle was not on the program. Instead, Schwartz introduced a new b2bTRIBE video that his company produced to explain b2bTRIBE’s vision. View it here.
Preslar also read the b2bTRIBE Manifesto, which the mayor called “the most inclusive mission statement” she’d ever heard. And Mayor Roberts emphasized the importance of small businesses in Charlotte’s economy. Small businesses account for more than half of our city’s employment.
About b2bTRIBE
b2bTRIBE magazine seeks to be the voice of diverse and engaged small business owners and entrepreneurs in the greater Charlotte area. Its mission is to help small business owners connect with each other, collaborate with potential partners and cultivate new opportunities. It is produced by SPARK Publications, a graphic design firm that specializes in custom-published magazines, books and catalogs, as well as marketing materials.
