It was my pleasure to participate in Laurel Board of Trade’s (LBOT) Business Networking event this afternoon – In attendance were small business owners from around the Laurel area seeking to get to know each other better, create both business and personal connections, and also make a positive impact for our community here in Laurel.

Some of the folks I got to converse with included:

  • Reshma Bourne of 1-800-Water Damage of Laurel (and also LBOT’s Vice President).
  • Marce Vermeesch of Krafty Kre8tions - Beautiful handmade crafts of all kinds (including fun kid items for back-to-school).
  • Jimi Ayodele of Attical, providing CFO consulting services to help small businesses become more profitable by providing clear direction, focused goals, and observable results.
  • Tawana LaMar of Ell Events, who loves and has many years of expertise for the onsite logistics of events (such as conferences, parties, & more), and
  • Stephanie Roulett of Fish of Laurel, the long-standing Laurel non-profit behind the Elizabeth House providing meals to those in need (right now they’re looking to grow their corporate sponsors to help meet increased demand).

I also learned that “Mr. Laurel”, a.k.a. Jim Cross, is among his many volunteer roles, part of the Laurel Amateur Radio Club – We’re hoping to connect to see about a special presentation for our local Cub Scout Pack that I’m sure all the kids would enjoy!

If you’re a small business in the Laurel area, I strongly recommend you check the Laurel Board of Trade out – You don’t have to be a member to attend the networking events, which are a great way to connect with the supportive community they’ve built, and then you can take the next step to become a full member with all the accompanying benefits. Just visit the LBOT website for additional information, sign up links, calendars, and more.