Don’t Be So Quick To Attend That Women’s Empowerment Event

Happy Tuesday, my lovely ASSASSINS! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and are checking those goals off of your list for this week! On Saturday I attended an event called “Talk and Tea” that was presented by Sade Solomon of Conversations Beyond the Pulpit. If you don’t remember her, click here to read Sade’s feature so you can see what she’s all about! I’m so happy that she invited me because it really opened my eyes to the type of events that I feel we all need to attend. After leaving Talk and Tea, I felt rejuvenated, empowered and genuinely connected to all of the women there. I now have certain expectations on the events that I will be attending more of and the others I’ll attend in small doses.
 

How Big is the Guest List?

When I received Sade’s invite, the very first thing I noticed was the maximum number of people that could attend. She had around 25 slots and this let me know that the event would be very intimate. This told me that we would all have better odds of truly connecting with one another. I don’t know about you but I really enjoy smaller events for that simple reason! It takes the whole “networking” awkwardness out of it and makes it feel more like a small fun gathering. With only 25 women in the room, how could we not listen to and connect with one another? Which brings me to another point.
 

Non-Formal Open Discussions

When I walked into the space, I instantly felt the “Talk and Tea” vibe! It took me back to the days of when I used to have sleepovers with my girlfriends. . . and that’s exactly how Talk and Tea was! There were no formal seating arrangements or a strict itinerary that we had to follow. Instead, Sade set up various forms of seating from a couch to even floor pillows which women used! Everything just flowed naturally, which made our open discussions even easier. There were no time limits on how long a person could speak and anyone was free to add on their viewpoint or story. Whenever someone was talking, you could feel/see that everyone was actively listening and taking it in. To me, events with over 100 people proves itself to be more difficult to actively listen and interject. Most people aren’t comfortable voicing their opinion while in a large crowd, and that’s if they can hear over the side conversations that always tend to happen in larger events.
 

How Much is it to Attend?

I have no problem paying to attend an event however, I will not spend massive amounts of money for one. It’s quite alarming how many events I’ve came across where they want close to $100 per person. Personally, if I’m going to pay that much I need to KNOW that the information I’m going to receive isn’t something general that I could’ve Googled. It’s a shame how bigger bloggers are profiting from every means necessary and in return aren’t providing their viewers any true value. I feel that most events should be free and if not, no more than $40 although that’s kind of pushing it as well! By the way, Sade’s event cost me zero dollars to attend so big kudos to her for that!
 

But. . . What About Your Spirit?

Have you ever attended an event where you could freely speak out on your faith and beliefs? Before attending Talk and Tea, I wondered if we would really touch on the topic of religion. Considering for most people religion falls under being a “touchy” subject. While most people stay far away from it, Sade made it a point to start with it. We all gathered around and held hands while she thanked Him for all He has done. For some people this might’ve made them feel awkward, but for me I felt right at home. As I mentioned before in Sade’s feature post, she has a great way of combining everyday issues with faith. I didn’t feel like I was in a Bible study session however, it felt great to discuss our faith considering it’s a main factor in our lives!
 

NO UP-SELLING!

We all know that blogger event where you had to pay to get in, pay for a sponsored gift bag and at the end, the host tries to pitch their $300 webinar lesson. PLEASE. . . STOP THE MADNESS! – in my Mr. Wonderful’s voice. Does anyone care about providing free value anymore?? Does money have to be the center of everything?? At Talk and Tea, I got fabulous food (seriously the food looked like decorations lol) for free and a sponsored tote bag with goodies inside for free. Why are we not supporting more events like this?? Sade provided value to every single of one us; so in return if she has a fee for her next event I’d pay for it!
 
I’m happy to see so many blogger, natural hair, women’s empowerment and any other positive events that gets women together. However, we need to keep in mind on what these events are REALLY giving us. Think about what you plan to takeaway from attending and then do your research. If you’re looking to attend a networking event with a strict time schedule, then maybe a brunch and mimosas event isn’t for you! Without doing our research beforehand, we may leave feeling uninspired and like it was a waste of time! I’m so happy I attended Talk and Tea, because I now have an entirely new perception on the events I’ll be attending in the future. Has an event changed your perception?? Let me know in the comments and please make sure to subscribe!
 

Until Next Time ASSASSINS. . . Stay Disciplined!

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