Small Business Solutions - SBN Speed Networking

Alex Fees: At the 2007 conference in Las Vegas, SEMA Business Women's Network sponsored Speed Networking, 3 minutes of crash conversation, exchanged business cards, and move on to your next contact. Possible topics of conversation, women working in industries where most of the people they do business with are Men. Maria Gaeta: Sometimes I talk to men and they try to like stump me, and just try to get me on things where I can't answer it, or I don't know what they are talking about, but I hold my own and then they kind of respect me towards the end of the conversation. Michelle Waller: They will come to any one who is assisting me, they will come to me car show director, they will come to my husband, who will actually defer to me because it is my decision making process and so that's it. Who is in-charge here? And my response finally to one gentleman, who was quite a bit hot under the collar, was I write the checks. I don't know how much more in-charge, you are gonna get, it's me who is in-charge and it does deflate them a little, so that is to my advantage. But it's certainly -- they are looking for the guy in-charge. Alex Fees: Zan Martin, President of Martin Company Advertising in Tennessee is Past Chair of the SBN Select Committee. Zan Martin: 22 years ago was my first SEMA show and I came into this industry, young, in my 20s, pretty legs, everybody treated me sort of like Oh boy, fresh mate. And I had to share with them that my career goal was to make this place my home, and they needed to treat me with the utmost of respect and over time that has happened. Female Speaker: For all the hard work and dedication over the years, and bringing this organization to where it is today. Alex Fees: SEMA Business Women's Network also handed out 2007 Awards, the winner of the SBN Award for Person of the Year, Amy Faulk of Hypertech, Inc had advice for women who find themselves persecuted for their gender. Amy Faulk: I was faced with that a lot often. And I think that the best thing to do is to let your personality come through. Don't be aggressive to the person, let them know that you are there, and you appreciate the way they understand it. But they keep coming around and try to break that barrier. Alex Fees: The winner of the SBN Atheno Award is Luanne Brown of E-Tool Developers Internet marketing. Luanne Brown: I think more and more as time moves on, it does matter less and less, may be 20 years ago, it was more of an issue but I think today people recognize that talent is what counts, not whether you are male or female. Female Speaker: (Announcement) Your Networking will continue. Alex Fees: At the Speed Networking Exercise, one of those sharing his expertise is Mitch Williams, Former SEMA Chair. Mitch Williams: It has been mailed on to me for so long and we like having fresh ideas, we like being able to reach more of America, and women are responsible now for more than 50 percent of the wealth in North America and women are making more than 50 percent of the buying decisions in many hi-tech products. So we need them in our industry otherwise we run the risk of sort of becoming dinosaurs. Zan Martin: There is a lot of little sharky men out there and they need to just really hold on to who they are and what they represent for their company and for themselves. And if they do that, they will sky rocket in this industry. Female Speaker: (Announcement) This is the end of the SBN Networking. Alex Fees: Keep networking ladies, the conversation continues in Las Vegas at SEMA 2007, I am Alex Fees for SBTV dot com.