Heart of Rhode Island Networking Serves the State by Mark Berger
An idea created last spring has turned into a state-wide phenomenon bringing business professionals together to meet and expand their businesses. That is the backdrop to Heart of Rhode Island. This monthly event takes place at Plant City in Downtown Providence and enables people to find new customers. Heart of Rhode Island Co-Founder Debra Honor said the idea came from wanting to provide professionals with an outlet to succeed. “I have always been someone who likes to put on events,” said Honor. “The Heart of Rhode Island just came to me as a result of good timing and a need for people to meet and connect. It started small and had exploded into something wonderful.” Honor said the program began at Insperity with Co-Founder Natalie Delmage as a test site. They wanted to test its viability. The initial event drew a dozen people, so there was interest, Honor said. From there, a meeting with Plant City owner Kim Anderson provided Honor with the venue that currently resides the event. Delmage agreed the idea had plenty of potential.
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“Our goal is for members to make new connections each month as they gain a deeper understanding of each other’s businesses. This group includes people from various industries and functions. We are seeking to add value for each other,” she said. The event’s name comes from someone who said Honor is, “the Heart of Rhode Island” in reference to her hosting such meetings. That was her hope going into this, Honor said. “I live by the adage, ‘if you build it, they will come’ from the movie ‘Field of Dreams’. The Heart of Rhode Island has become a community for business referral partners to connect and grow. Several clients and deals have happened from people attending. Not only have we had a bunch of people come from all over the state, we have also had people coming from Massachusetts and Connecticut attending. It has been a wonderful few months for this group,” she said. The Heart of Rhode Island logo came from a local vendor, according to Honor. She tapped Creative Director Mark DaPonte and Owner Lynette Allaire of Mirage Design to create the piece. Their work was what they envisioned to make their message seen, she said. For those who have not yet attended this event, meetings are held upstairs with a large room ready with snacks and beverages. People sign in and meet other guests. Midway through the meeting, everyone gathers in a circle and gets the chance to introduce themselves. They can explain who they are, what they do and how people can help them. Business cards and contact information are then disbursed.