All The Unusual Places

After a day at the office, more than 40 men and women gathered at an unconventional place to network. In June, for example, members of the Shawano Chamber of Commerce met at The Cottages on Golden Pond, an assisted living apartment complex on the east side of the city for the chamber’s monthly Business Connection networking event.

Some members showed up right at 5 p.m.; others trickled in over the next 20 minutes. All came dressed in their everyday work attire – business casual or in a suit and tie. Attendance was taken inside the door. A chamber ambassador greeted members and accepted entries for the evening’s Pot of Gold drawing.

The friendly buzz heard from those already checked in was accompanied by a cellist playing music from the corner of the room. “The evening’s conversation is often complemented by some kind of entertainment,” says Nancy Smith, executive director of the Shawano Chamber of Commerce.
Attendees picked up a glass of wine or cup of coffee. Many filled a plate from the host’s spread – wraps, salad, cheese and crackers and irresistible, yet messy, cream puffs. Some juggled their food while mingling; others grabbed a seat and joined in a more intimate conversation.

The 90-minute event was unstructured. Members were invited to make their own connections with those in the room, although veteran members assisted with introductions. The majority of the attendees disappeared at some point throughout the evening to tour the apartment complex – an event feature that attracts curious members.

“We draw out the largest number of our members when our meetings are held at businesses you typically don’t or can’t tour,” says Smith. The more obscure locations attract as many as 100 of the Chamber’s 440 members.

The Shawano Chamber of Commerce hosts the Business Connection networking events the third Tuesday of every month. “Approximately 80 percent of our new members say they join to be part of our networking events, including our Business Connections,” says Smith.

Stacey Cicero from the Safe Haven Domestic Abuse Support Center in Shawano appreciates the opportunity to get face-to-face with local business owners. Cicero has been involved in the Shawano Chamber of Commerce for more than 10 years and has found it a valuable resource for making connections and securing donations for her center. She says her involvement has allowed her to bring countless people together.

Carrie Verkuilen, owner of Verkuilen Family Chiropractic and president of the Shawano Chamber of Commerce, also finds the networking events beneficial to her business. “It is helpful to make connections and build relationships with area business leaders,” she says. “You may not always get a direct referral but by talking to someone, your name may be passed through two or three people and end into a situation to where you are able to fill a need.”

Member businesses interested in sponsoring a monthly Business Connection event can expect to wait up to a year for the next opening. Business Connection events start at 5 p.m. and end at 6:30 p.m. Members are notified of the next location by reading their e-mail alerts, checking the chamber’s newsletter, “The Bottom Line,” or by visiting the chamber website’s calendar of events page.

Ambassador members scatter around the room to ensure attendees get the most out of the evening. They run the popular Pot of Gold drawing, a 50/50 raffle. Most attendees play their odds and get in on the $2 entry fee. The winner gets 50 percent of the cash; the other 50 percent goes to the ambassadors to cover costs incurred throughout the year.

Fresh and familiar faces are seen at each Business Connection. Ambassador president Scott Parsons jokes, “The day I come to a Business Connection and am not able to tell someone new what I do I’ll probably stop coming. I doubt that day will ever come.”