Maybe you have seen her show A Chef’s Life on PBS or maybe you have been to her restaurant in Kinston. Either way, many have come to love chef Vivian Howard and will have the opportunity to hear her speak at an event sponsored in part by the Small Business Center at Sampson Community College.
In conjunction with the first WomenWhoInspire Conference to be held at SCC, Howard will be the guest speaker at the event, to be held Oct. 21. Tickets for this event will go on sale Monday, May 23, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. in the Small Business Center gathering area, located in the North Building.
“Sampson Community College is honored to host the first WomenWhoInspire event,” Janna Bass, coordinator of special projects with SCC, said. “Women wear so many different hats each day, from business professional, community involvement, family life and more, it is important we get together and ‘recharge’ as we are reminded that through each of these actions, we can inspire others and make an impact.”
According to Amanda Bradshaw, who is spearheading this event, the conference has been designed to motivate and empower women throughout Duplin and Sampson counties. Business owners and business professionals will lead the day of events with raw discussion about the many hats worn by women, starting with a panel discussion about each role women play in the community.
“We are very excited to be opening the doors for women to have such a candid conversation about the balance of life, business, work, and family time,” Bradshaw shared. “Our hope is that this conference fosters an environment of support and encouragement for women looking to start a business or to continue growing an existing business in Sampson County. All in all, we see the conference as a building block towards continued economic develop for our area.”
During the conference, breakout sessions have been designed to reach the needs of the female entrepreneur to the stay-at-home mom to help build engagement and further personal and economic development in our communities. The day’s events will be capped off with lunch provided by Southern Smoke BBQ and guest speaker Howard, of Chef and The Farmer restaurant in Kinston.
The purchase of a ticket includes access to all the conference activities, including the opening panel discussion, breakout sessions, lunch and Howard’s guest lecture. She will share stories of work, family and food. All participants will receive a signed copy of her book that will be newly released. Local businesses with female leadership will be on site that day for an Open Market to showcase their products.
“Vivian Howard has a lot of fans in Sampson County who are looking forward to hearing her speak and to reading her book,” SCC Foundation director Lisa Turlington said. “Her approach to cooking and raising a family mirrors that of many women in North Carolina. It will be fun to have her on campus.”
Turlington said in her 25 years living in Clinton, she has had the privilege to meet many incredible women through work, family, church and friends.
“We all juggle many roles and responsibilities and face varied challenges and setbacks, but sharing the experiences with other women helps make us all stronger and more creative,” Turlington said.
According to Bradshaw, for any women owned businesses that are not able to commit to the ticket cost, the organizers are offering an opportunity to apply for one of six scholarships that will cover the cost of the ticket. For an application, please contact Bradshaw at 910-592-8081, ext. 2032 or by email at [email protected]. The deadline to submit an application is Wednesday, May 18, at 5 p.m.