Check Out Our Website!

PWC is heading in a different direction with its online efforts. Effective immediately, we are discontinuing the blog but our website is alive and well and chalked full of great information! Please visit us at:

http://pwcjax.org/

It's grant time!!

One huge benefit of PWC is the grant program. Once a year, members may apply for up to $500 to enhance or improve their business. Appropriate uses include seminars, workshops, or other educational activities that apply to the business, chamber membership, marketing your business, equipment or technology, or finance and accounting.

In the past, members who have won a scholarship have been creative in their requests. One member asked for a scholarship to take a class on public speaking. Another, a personal chef, used her scholarship for a meat cutter.

An application and rules for grants may be downloaded by clicking on http://www.pwcjax.org/pwcjax/Downloads.aspx.

I’ve joined PWC…now what?

The first thing you should do is get involved! PWC offers lots of opportunities to showcase your talents allowing you to participate in areas that you enjoy. There are also several levels of involvement, from helping in various capacities at the meetings to really jumping in and making a difference. Below is a list of the committees currently underway:

Auction Committee
Community Involvement
EXCEL-erated Events Committee
Finance Committee
Get Involved Committee
Hospitality Committee
Marketing and Communications
Membership Committee
Programs
PWC University
Short Term Committees
Spotlight Speaker and Featured Business

If any of these look interesting, please visit http://www.pwcjax.org/pwcjax/Committees.aspx find out how to join!

Why should you join the Professional Women’s Council?

There are lots of reasons to join the Chamber of Commerce’s Professional Women’s Council…new friends, awesome networking and the opportunity to showcase your business. But in addition to that you’re entitled to many other benefits:


    -PWC’s nomination for Small Business Leader of the Year
    -Reduced lunch prices
    -A listing in our website directory, including a link to your company’s website
    -Scholarship programs and board positions
    -Participation in trade shows
    -Spotlight member and meeting Sponsor
    -Participation in the Military Appreciation Program
    -Representation at the Board of Governors

With the annual membership cost of only $35 per person, why wouldn’t you join?

How can I promote my business?

The PWC blog is going to focus on educating our members. On a regular basis, we’re going to cover common questions and issues that members ask on a regular basis.

In the Professional Women’s Council there is a number of ways to get your business’s name out there. Spotlight Speaker, Featured Business and EXCEL-erated Event Sponsors are all great ways to promote your business.

The Spotlight Speaker opportunity gives you five minutes to talk about your business at our bi-monthly meetings. Only the Spotlight Speakers can also display company information on the tables. Your bio and photo will appear on the website for two weeks and you’ll be promoted through the PWC social media efforts.

This unbelievable opportunity is just $75 and all proceeds go to the PWC Grant Fund. To sign up go to http://www.pwcjax.org/pwcjax/SignUp.aspx.

JA Girls

Tonight’s event for the JA Girl$ has been postponed. The girls are enjoying a field trip today.  

A later date will be announced.

PWC works with JA Girl$

It’s summertime and usually organizations start to slow down…but not PWC! 

In addition to our trade show next week, our Community Involvement Committee is hard at work and will be hosting JA Girl$ Career Share Community Connections on Wednesday, June 20^th from 5-6 p.m. This event will be held at the AL Lewis Center located at 3655 Ribault Scenic Drive.

For more information on the Community Involvement Committee, please visit http://pwcjax.org/pwcjax/Committees.aspx?id=11.

PWC’s Trade Show and EXCEL-erated Event

Talk about good networking! The Professional Women’s Council is known for its awesome networking, and this upcoming event will be no different.

Mark your calendars for PWC’s Trade Show and EXCEL-erated event on Tuesday, June 19 from 5:30-7 p.m. It will be held at the Jacksonville Public Library’s Pablo Creek Regional Branch located at 13295 Beach Blvd.

PWC members who will be participating in this event include The Blood Alliance, Proof of Assets, Mary Kay Cosmetics, Sweet Repeats, Hometown Threads, WSI eAnswers, K9s for Warriors, Holy Hands Cleaning, Driftwood BBQ and Dagher Printing.

At the same time, the Blood Alliance will be holding a blood drive.

Bring plenty of business cards and prepare to meet several other professional businesses! You can rsvp online at www.pwcjax.org/pwcjax.

This is open to the public and is free!

Think back to your high school prom…the planning, the shopping and the pure pleasure of expectation and suspense. But for some girls it’s more of a worry than joy looking forward to prom. Where will they get the money for the gown, shoes, and accessories for the highly anticipated evening?

Over the past month, members of PWC have generously donated clothes, evening bags, jewelry, slips, foundational undergarments, hosiery and shoes to the PWC project, “Prom Accessory collection for PACE Center for Girls!”

One afternoon was set aside to organize and sort the clothes and the second was where the fun took place…delivering the goods to the girls.

Under the guidance of Community Involvement co-chairs, Elizabeth Paulson and Snowden McFall, several racks of gowns, dozens of shoes and a wide variety of accessories were given to the PACE Center girls in anticipation of their prom.  

Girls “shopped” for just the right outfit for their big night. They tried on gowns, shoes and picked out just the right bags and jewelry to get the total look.

The appreciation was evident in the girls’ smiles.

Thank you PWC for your generosity!

Women in Business Awards

Have you signed up for the Women In Business Awards?

This annual event is being held on April 2, at the Sawgrass Marriott Resort to honor exception business women in the area. The event will kickoff with a trade show at 10 a.m., followed by the luncheon and awards presentation at noon. A special treat is the author of “Navigating the Lipstick Jungle,” Jane Hight McMurry.  

PWC is delighted to have members in the running for Entrepreneur of the Year, Corporate Leader of the Year and Pioneer of the Year.

Tickets are $45 if you sign up now or $50 at the door. To reserve your spot, please visit wbonfl.org.

Get involved!!

The PWC Community Involvement Committee is busy  collecting donations for the PACE Center for Girls. There are lots of items that are needed including  costume jewelry, evening shoes, purses, shaws, etc.   Remember when you were a teenager and how important these things were to you? Bring your new or gently used items to the March meetings! You will make a girl very happy!


PWC also encourages it's members to GET INVOLVED! How do you do that? Check out our website and look at the list of committees (http://pwcjax.org/pwcjax/Committees.aspx). When you see one that appeals to you, call the chair and ask them what you can do to help! You'll be amazed at the friendships you'll form and the gratification you'll get out of helping the organization!

Buy Chamber

Besides the networking, PWC aims to educate its members. This was never more apparent that at the last luncheon meeting when Michael Dwyer of Dahger Printing, talked about the Buy Chamber website.

            Michael walked over 80 members through the site, screen-by-screen, to demonstrate the ease of the website. He set up an example deal using his own company and explained that the deals are between the chamber members and whatever money is collected is not routed through the chamber.

To get in and sign up, go to http://membertomemberdeals.com/ or call Kathy Bolesworth at 366-6633 for more information.

Leadership and the Entrepreneurial Spirit!

Are you starting a business? Trying to grow your business? Or just trying to manage day to day?

It’s that time of year, when we take a good hard look at our business and revisit everything we’ve accomplished, the mistakes we’ve made and think about what we’d do differently. We’re also looking at our goals for the New Year.

What better time to attend PWC University’s “Leadership and the Entrepreneurial Spirit!”

The event will be held at Brighton Bay (10061 Sweetwater Pkwy) on Wednesday, December 14 from 9-11 a.m.  The cost is only $15 if you register by December 12! Registration after that date will be $25.

Business leaders Lauren Little, owner of Edible Arrangements; Lynne Coggin, owner of The Referral Institute of Jacksonville; and Michele McManamon, vice president and co-owner of Sandler Training will lead a panel discussion. PWC has some questions on hot topics to get them started then questions will be open to attendees!

Light refreshments will be served.

Sponsored by Camille Clement Gregg, owner of Outside the Box Consulting, LLC.

Congratulations to the PWC 2012 Board of Directors!

Front left: Jane Scofield, Amber Brill, Secretary Kirsten Schneider, Program Director Renee English, Pam Woodworth andTreasurer Eva Greenfield. Back left: Richard Scherzer, Grace McCord, Jeanne Peterson, Connie Robinson, Deb Eveson, Aleta Walker, President Jeanne Caussin, Snowden McFall, Rod Borom, Florinda Lopes and Vice President Tanya Guydos.

The 2012 PWC Board of Directors were introduced at the October 5th meeting. The group will be lead by incoming President Jeanne Caussin of Regions Bank. Planning will begin shortly for the upcoming year. Watch the PWC blog, Facebook, Twitter and Linked In pages for ongoing information!

Congratulations, Kirsten!!!

Kirsten Schneider was recently voted PWC’s Small Business Leader of the Year! With over 20 years of experience in the culinary industry, Kirsten is the chef and owner of Dinners Direct, a delivery-only prepared meal service.

“I have a real desire to help all those busy working Moms, like myself, who barely have enough time to take care of themselves to at least prepare a nutritious meal for their family. Dinners Direct makes it so easy and eliminates the stress of ‘What’s for Dinner?’” said Kirsten.

Kirsten is a member of the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce, Chair for the Community Involvement Committee of the Professional Women’s Council, a member of the Women in Business Network, and of The Culinary Institute of America Alumni Association. She is married to her husband, Chris, of 15 years and has two beautiful children 9 year-old Christian, and Grace, who is 2 1/2.

Congratulations, Kirsten!

EXCEL-erated [May Recap]

Once again, we had a great turnout for the May EXCEL-erated event Hosted by Kathryn Brown Photography and Latitude 30! We mixed, mingled, networked and sampled some delicious menu items.

Our topic of the evening is how do you entertain your clients. We all shared the different approaches that we take in making our clients feel special and know how much we appreciate their business. The overwhelming response that we all felt made the best impression was simply a hand written note. Though so simple in concept the effort and thoughtfulness that it communicates to the recipient goes above and beyond and can do nothing but solidify a wonderful client relationship for years to come!

A very special thanks to our sponsors!

Ribbon Cutting [Friday June 17th]

Please join us for a Ribbon Cutting and support fellow PWC Member Jessica Thomas with the Grand Opening of Thomas Marketing Consulting

9250 Baymeadows Road
Suite 430
8:30am

PWC University [Social Media Recap]

What do you get with you combine 8 panelists, over 30 attendees and wifi? Social Media Magic!

PWC University's second session brought together local social media gurus and business professionals eager to take the next step in expanding or incorporating a new plan of action in the largest growing social phenomenon in the 21st Century.

Facebook, Twitter, Blogs, LinkedIn, YouTube and various sites have changed the way our world communicates and connects. Offering a huge opportunity for future business and marketing, the web offers a more intimate marketing arena whose cost is simply the investment of time.

PWC-U ignited a fire of inspiration and has continued to receive positive feedback. We are so thankful to all who participated and made this hands on workshop a complete success! Stay tuned for news on our next PWC University in August!

images courtesy Kathryn Brown Photography

Spotlight Speaker Openings [August]

We have two Spotlight Speaker openings for August:

August 3rd and August 17th
if you are interested in booking these dates please contact Paris Hurley or Elizabeth Paulson.

EXCEL-erated Event: Tuesday May 24th

Please join us for the Excel-erated event on 
Tuesday May 24<sup>th
Hosted by Kathryn Brown Photography and Latitude 30


Latitude 30</sup>
10370 Phillips Highway

Jacksonville, FL 32256


Bring plenty of business cards and door prizes for more exposure!