THRIVE Small Business Summit & Matchmaker

Description

THRIVE SMALL BUSINESS SUMMIT & MATCHMAKER 
January 31, 2024  |  8AM – 5PM
Hilton Garden Inn / Home 2 Suites  |  6840 Almeda Road Houston

Are you ready for your small business to THRIVE? Are you eager to unlock new opportunities, expand your network, and elevate your business game? Join the Chamber for the inaugural THRIVE Small Business Summit & Matchmaker. The one-day event will equip small business owners with helpful knowledge and connections to thrive in an ever-changing business environment.

THRIVE is designed to provide the resources, tools, and inspiration to help entrepreneurs grow their businesses and connect with Chamber Impact Partners and other members through the B2C, B2B and B2E Matchmaker. 

Lunch and Breakfast will be provided.

PROGRAM

Summit Sessions include:

• Morning Session - Thriving - Best Practices for Small Business Success
• Mid-Morning Session - Your Business Pitch (Elevator, Value Proposition & First Impression)
• Lunch Session - Understanding Your WHY to Help Your Business THRIVE

Plus the Matchmaker Sessions!  

Be sure and attend for the full day to learn, connect and network.  We'll have Resource Partners on hand as well to support your biz!

OPEN TO SMALL BUSINESSES LIKE YOU! 

Small businesses are invited to participate in the Summit to hear from experts and panelists sharing their knowledge to help small businesses grow.

All certification-eligible or certified businesses such as LGBTBE® Certified/LGBTQ+ owned, minority, women-owned, minority-owned, disabled-owned and/or Veteran-owned are invited to participate in the Matchmaker.  All businesses with diverse business certifications are welcome to participate in this connection opportunity.

THRIVE MATCHMAKER

Participate in one-on-one matchmaking connecting Chamber small businesses to Impact Partners, including supplier diversity and LGBTQ+ employee resource group leaders, through rounds of speed meetings.

THE THREE MATCHMAKER FORMATS 

	Brings together certified suppliers with local Chamber Impact Partners for procurement opportunities.	Impact Partner Registration
	Brings together certified suppliers with other suppliers to learn about opportunities to work and partner together, perhaps on tiered contract opportunities or other types of partnerships.	Small Business Registration
	Connects small business members with Chamber Impact Partner LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) leaders. This is an opportunity for LGBTQ+-owned businesses to share their products or services that support ERG Pride Month activities (and throughout the year!).	ERG/BRG Registration

Certified members are invited to participate in either B-2-C or B-2-ERG
Certified and non-certified members can participate in the B-2-ERG

Businesses wishing to participate in the Matchmaker must complete the Supplier Form. 
Upon registration, the form link will be emailed to you.

MATCHMAKER BENEFITS

Community Connections
Connect with fellow community members, industry leaders,employee resource groups, and potential partners who are all invested in seeing your business succeed.

New Market Knowledge
Discover untapped markets and gain insights into emerging opportunities. This event is your gateway to expanding your reach and connecting with prospects.

Business Growth
Explore potential partnerships potentially boosting your business’ bottom line.

Efficiency
Opportunity to meet multiple prospects in one location, saving you time and resources.

Brand Elevation
Showcase your products or services to a captive audience and solidify your brand.

Long-lasting Relationships
The connections you make at this event will extend beyond the day. Build long-term partnerships and collaborations that will continue to benefit your business.

Participating in Matchmaker is an investment in your business’ success. We can't wait to see you there forging connections that support YOUR biz!

Check out the confirmed Panelists, Buyers and Resource Partners with more being added all the time. Check back soon for more great additions to the Summit line-up!

CONFIRMED PANELISTS & MODERATORS

Alicia Greene (she/her) Senior Director, Programs and Stakeholder Engagement National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC)	James Harris (he/him) Senior Director, Diversity & Inclusion and Supplier Diversity H-E-B	Julie Irvin Hartman, EMBA, CF, APMP (she/her) Co-Founder B2G Victory	Lianne Lami, PE, CEM, CEA (she/her) CEO & President Bocci Engineering & Construction
Kevin Rankin (he/him) VP, Small Business Financial Health & Branch Tools Leader Small Business Growth & Execution Wells Fargo	Susan Repka (she/her) Co-Founder B2G Victory	Dr. Roy Rivera (he/him) CEO Elation Physical Therapy	Miguel Ruiz (he/him) Team Leader, Senior Subject Matter Expert and Senior Staff Mentor U.S. Small Business Administration - Houston District
	Linda C. Toyota (she/her) Market Executive LiftFund	Tracy Y. Upton (she/her) Supply Chain Advisor | US Supplier Diversity Shell USA, Inc.

BUYERS

RESOURCE PARTNERS

SPONSORS 

Presenting Sponsor

Matchmaker Sponsor

Host Sponsor

Leader Sponsor

Supporting Sponsors