CELEBRATING WOMEN’S
HiSTORY MONTH
By Jeweliana Curtis
LAKE CITY • COLUMBIA COUNTY
Did you know that in 2020, despite the emerging global pandemic, over 40 percent of new businesses in the United States were founded by women? From a woman’s natural nurturing ability to her strong sense of self and confident creativity, it may come as no surprise that women are able to reframe and pivot when needed, which is exactly what all business owners had to do in 2020 to stay afloat. As women continue to step up and fill in the gaps both locally and nationally, it’s clear to see that women hold a valuable space in our world, and that is worth celebrating. Read on to learn more about the Lake City-Columbia County Chamber of Commerce’s stance on creating a diverse community for women and men to thrive in.
Joey O’Hern Lake City Chamber of Commerce Executive Director joey@lakecitychamber.com
“When I first came on as a chamber team member, my goal was to fill any gaps in services, which I quickly realized that at that time was programming specifically for women,” Joey O’Hern, Chamber Director, shares. “At the time, the chamber did not do much for specifically women in business, and as someone with three sisters, it was important to me to do something to bridge that gap.” From this local need, the annual Celebration of Women was created in 2021. The celebration included three events: a kick-off Women’s Leadership Breakfast featuring a panel of four local
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women leaders, a virtual Women’s Leadcast and a Little Black Dress Mixer to conclude the series. This series was entirely executed using women-owned businesses, from catering companies to the sound technicians and everything in between. The kick-off breakfast was designed to create an atmosphere for growth, with women learning from other women in similar stages of life. With that in mind, the 2021 panel included four women from different generations, all offering a unique perspective and background on the questions asked. The panel featured Laurie Giebeig of The Skin Fix, Joy Lutz of Aligned CPA, Lauri Adams of Multi-Specialty Research Associates, and Jill Adams of the Lake City Medical Center, with Jill Adams serving as moderator of the event. With completely sold-out tickets, the attendees enjoyed dialoguing about all topics surrounding women in business, from balancing their workload to embracing creativity and adapting your business as times change. The Women’s Leadercast, a mid-month event, featured speakers such as Abby Wambach, Randi Zuckerburg and Bonnie St. John. The chamber hired Bob Ganzak,
a Dale Carnegie speaker, to facilitate the day. It offered a great opportunity for the women involved to soak in valuable information from great leaders in the business world, then take those lessons and apply them directly to their businesses. Joey explains that in the future, this event will hopefully be held in person with a live speaker to continue to hone in on those skills and provide a great discussion for the attendees. Lastly, the Little Black Dress Mixer concluded the celebration. This event offered attendees the chance to get dressed up and enjoy an evening out with their girlfriends, all while supporting local women in business. The Florida Gateway Fairgrounds venue was transformed into a pop-up shop with goods ranging from skincare and beauty to fashion and treats. “This offered an opportunity for the attendees to shop and support each other,
Missy Hartley Lake City Chamber of Commerce Director of Member Services missy@lakecitychamber.com
