THE second annual King Island Chamber of Commerce Women In Business luncheon was held in the Boomerang By the Sea Restaurant last Sunday.
This is evolving into a unique, intimate, and inspiring event which is more than a networking of local women in business lunch, but a sharing and gathering for women’s business. About 50 King Island women attended the lunch.
The faces were well known or at least familiar to each other. Long-term business owners joined women involved in local fledgling and newer businesses and those in between. As with last year’s event, which was in the King Island Regional Development’s Business Week, the guest speakers were locals – Andrea Bowden, Beth Vellecoop, Kate Mauric, Millie and Donna Whitehouse Summers, and Sonia Vokes.
They all had a unique story to tell, had different influences and ways to get established and to get where they are now. While all speakers were different, there was commonality and agreement – adapt, work out what’s needed, what do you have to do, and get skilled; there will be choices to make between fear and love and this provides opportunity; saying no is necessary; you can teach an old dog new tricks; plans can and will change and you must have a plan for that. Each woman demonstrated courage and generosity.
The speakers’ honesty and lived experience resonated with everyone listening. With open hearts, in trust and familiarity, they meaningfully connected and shared their authentic intimate stories to assist other women on King Island.