Networking Essay

Event: The Greensboro Chamber of Commerce after Hours Networking Event
Date: February 17, 2011
Word Count: 536

The Greensboro Chamber of Commerce host networking events for the small businesses of the Greensboro area ranging from bankers to jewelry designers. A great opportunity to meet other local companies in the area, the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce does a great job of changing up their monthly networking events. Invited to attend by my boss at my internship Shermin Ata Architect, this was my first time really going to any event like this. Held at the Ashte’ Galleria on South Eugene St, I was very nervous.

Unlike the second event that I attended, the High Point Furniture Market, this event included professionals from all aspects of the professional field. I never realized how important it was to network outside of your field until this event. Especially in a time when the economy is not at its strongest, word of mouth is what can get you in front of your next client. Lesson learned: Network not only in your field out outside of your field as well.

While there I met several small business professionals and representative of the companies. This first was Drew Genco of Charles Schwab located in Friendly Shopping Center. An assistant financial consultant, he had great advice on starting a diversified portfolio that will help you to save money in the future.

Another small business professional I met was R. Michael Lyons, Lifestyle Coach. He has created his own chewable dietary supplement. While there he had several samples which tasted very good. The supplements are from such fruits as the goji berry, noni fruit, mangosteen fruit, and acai berry. Taken from the brochure “Chew-4-Health is a delicious-tasting, doctor-formulated, natural chewable dietary supplement derived from the most nutrient-rich sources from around the world.

Another small business that I really enjoyed talking to was A Sweet Success Bakery located 518 N. Elm St. An entity of Sanctuary House, A sweet Success Bakery gives all of its proceeds to the Sanctuary House. Taken from A Sweet Success Bakery Brochure, “the mission of Sanctuary House is to facilitate the recovery and rehabilitation of adults with serious mental illness in Guilford County so that they can achieve and sustain satisfying meaningful roles and lives in the community.” A sweet Success Bakery specializes in cookies, muffins, dessert bars, cakes, baby cakes, and specialty cupcakes.

One of the many other companies in attendance there was RAM Fitness for Women (Realistic Attainable Manageable Fitness for Women). Located here in Greensboro, RAM Fitness is a gym for women founded by Rae Anne Mullins. Not your typical large gym, RAM Fitness offers your cardio and strength classes, but also group fitness programs such as fit camps, running camps, and etc. I really enjoyed talking to the representatives from RA M Fitness. They were very nice and outgoing.

Although this was not your standard networking event hosted by design professionals, I found this to be a great opportunity as my first experience into the world of networking. Everyone was very nice. Many of the professionals could tell that I was in school. They were very interested to hear about my major. I was also able to show them my leave behinds which they were very impressed with.


Event: High Point Furniture Market
Date: Thursday, April 7th
Word Count: 665

Since 1909, the High Point Furniture Market has hosted the leading names in the furniture design world. The largest market of its kind, the furniture market allows design companies to host showrooms displaying their newest product lines. This year the market took place in downtown High Point, North Carolina from the last week in March until April 7th. The market not only attracted designers but local design students and citizens of the surrounding areas. For the furniture market’s showroom setup and display was attractive to even the non-design eye.
I along with two other interior architecture design students went to the furniture market on April 7th. As we made our way into downtown, the whole look of the city changed. No longer did you feel like you were in High Point. Although some of the vendors and designers had already left since April 7th was the last day, many were still there. The show rooms that we saw were gorgeous. From the colors, to furniture layout, to the actual furniture being displayed, everything was well designed and thought out.
While there I was able to visit three showrooms: Lane Venture, and Currey and Company. When visiting the Lane Venture Showroom I was able to see their newest collections the Cameroon Collection, Palamar Collection, St. Simons Collection, and the Shangri-La Collection, which are all a part of their Weather Master 2011 Collection. I met sales representative Teresa Beulin. She took us on very thorough tour of the showroom breaking down the signature qualities of Lane Venture. Furniture company that specializing in outdoor furniture (mostly patios and enclosed outdoor areas), their furniture is designed with a residential furniture approach outside. They make sure that their furniture is able to be used both inside and outside. Taken from the Lane Venture brochure “Like many of today’s high tech products the Weather Master Ultimate Cushion is a composite of layers and materials. Our cushion is created from a unique blend of a polyester fiber inner core encased by state of the art polyester fiber wrap layered with dry polyester fiber top and bottom. These layers include slick fiber, dry fiber, hollow fiber all combined to create the optimum durability, comfort, and drain ability. The cushion is wrapped up neatly in a polyethylene outer netting to provide airflow and encase the layers.”

The second showroom that I visited was Currey and Company, a lighting company based out of Atlanta, GA. I really enjoyed the creativity and the material choices of their products. Their chandeliers and lighting fixtures possessed various characteristics. Some were conservative while others were very funky. I would definitely recommend their fixtures to be used in restaurants and hospitality settings. I met Timothy K. Shelton, sales representative for Curry and Company. He explained their quick ship program and also gave me a catalog of their products.

The last showroom that I visited was from the Veneman Collection of Veneman Furniture. A company located in California. They specialize in beach outdoor furniture. According to sales representative Mollie Edwards, they have had contracts with the Bellagio Hotel, Wynn Hotel, and the Encore Hotel. All three of these are very well known hotels. What I loved most about this company’s furniture were the colors and use of form. I am actually considering using them for my school project!!

My first time at the furniture market I really enjoyed seeing the various design firms and hearing about their products. As I would like to go into hospitality, restaurant, and retail design, a lot of the companies that we saw would be great contacts to have, especially since the serve that kind of clientele. One of the concepts that I learned while at the furniture market is that furniture should break the mold. A lot of what I saw I was unable to tell that it was outdoor furniture or have certain features because they were designed into the product so well.