South Tidewater News

Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce issued the following announcement on Aug. 17

"My mother always had a saying; you don’t stop learning until you're dead. We are always learning and growing no matter what age we are.” The Hampton Roads Chamber serves this region as an Impactful Advocate and Inspiring Ignitor. We continued our Chamber Education Series on September 14, focusing on breaking barriers and connecting through networking. We welcomed our key speaker Michelle Ward. Ward is a Virginia native from Nelson County, Virginia, and currently the Business Development/ Community Relations Manager for South Bay Communications & Security.

     Ward opened her presentation by sharing her background and her journey to Hampton Roads. She arrived with no prior correlations of anyone. Ward created great relationships and continues today to build her network while educating others on the importance and steps of networking. Once we establish the art of networking, Ward discussed the meaning of establishing a connection within your network; but cautions before that you must know who you are and your industry.

     “Know your history, know your story, know why your team/business is amazing.” Ward expressed to the audience, “It’s all about bridging those relationships.” Ward highlighted some key points to use when starting a discussion. 

1. What your company does.
2. Why your team/business is amazing.
3. What makes you unique?
4. Why should your networking circle support you?

     Ward talked about the importance of what confidence is, “Once you know who you are, what your role is, and the business and industry you work for, guess what you can have; you can have confidence.” Ward suggests following your company on social media to learn what your company supports and who they do business with. Those can be important topics of conversation when you discuss business. Ward concluded with wisdom quotes for the audience of her journey to where she is today:

- “My knowledge has been shaped out of my weaknesses & imperfections, not my strengths.”

- “To grow, you need others. Together we are better.”

- “Relationships; don’t compare, don’t condemn, don’t contradict.”

- “When you focus on the wrong things, you miss out on the good.”

     Our Chamber Education Series continues on September 14, 2021, with keynote speaker Kevin Daisey, a serial entrepreneur and founder of Array Digital, founder at Rival Digital, host of the journey to $100 Million Podcast host of the Managing Partners Podcast. For more information, visit hrchamber.com/events.

Original source can be found here.