The Sip N Shop Brunch turned out AMAZING!! It definitely exceeded my expectations in every way. If you read my previous blog post, you know I was a little hesitant/afraid to put this event on in such short notice because I don't really know many people in the Dallas area. I literally just woke up after Thanksgiving and was like "hm...I am going to have a Sip N Shop Brunch!" I knew I wanted to bring black entrepreneurs together to get to know each other and support one another, but what I got from the Sip N Shop was far greater than money.... I believe that the power of networking is definitely undervalued these days....how much you gain from genuinely supporting and encouraging other people. "How much money did you make?" "What was your take home?" "Did the vendors give you a percentage of their profits?" "So, what DID you get out of it?"
Truth be told, I came out of pocket for this event and I don't care one bit! It was worth every penny. I did not put this Sip N Shop together to make a profit and that is what people fail to realize. Everything is not always about money. I was encouraged and supported throughout the whole process, not to mention I met some really amazing people that I will remain close to for a very long time! The event was held at The Black Ivy here in Dallas, 2263 Valdina St.
From the moment I inquired about the space to the moment we left on Sunday afternoon, Jondra and Eric were amazing. This young black couple own the venue and rent it out for events of all kinds; parties, weddings, meetings, and Sip N Shops :) They were always prompt with responses and ready to help in any way they could. The booking process was so easy! They had an invoice that you could adjust yourself as far as the time needed for the space which worked out perfectly because I was able to add an additional 30 minutes to my time at the last minute without them having to send another invoice! They even made themselves available the week prior for me to come in and draw a layout of how I wanted things set up for the event. They had an event there Saturday night and did not leave the venue until 4am cleaning! They still were back at the venue on time for us to set up for the Sip N Shop! Talk about professionalism! The venue itself is beautiful but working with those two made everything that much better! It was just so smooth and easy and I am forever grateful!
Chef Ashonti aka Chef in Heelz, THREW DOWN for the Sip N Shop! Fruit platter, chicken n waffle bites, veggie frittatas, yogurt parfaits and the crowd favorite...shrimp n grits!! I will definitely have to get those shrimp n grits for the next event too, my co workers are still talking about it! LOL I also had an amazing photographer there, Unique Photography, who did an excellent job of capturing the essence of the day!
We as black women have a negative stigma that proceeds us. People seem to think we always have an attitude or that we are hating on the next woman's success, and this event proved that to be so wrong! I have been through all of the pictures (several times) and I cannot find one photo or even remember a moment at the event, where a woman was mean muggin' another woman or talking down about them. In those 3 hours there was so much love, support, fellowship, and elevation of one another, it was unreal! When I saw the day start to unfold, I was SO GLAD that I didn't let anything stop me from having this event!
So, What did I get out of this? I received confidence from this event. Yes, confidence in myself that I can do what I set my mind to, but more confidence in us as black women. I believe that we can come together in love and we can create a whole lot of dopeness! Along with that, I made some amazing connections with some even more amazing women! Black Girl Magic is real and it was shown at this Sip N Shop. Learning about all the ladies who were in attendance, what everyone does and how what we do can benefit each other....it was truly amazing. NETWORKING! If we did this more often and really promoted each other, Imagine how successful WE ALL could be! One thing to always remember is that there is enough for all of us!! And there is always something we can learn from each other. Lastly, what I got out of the Sip N Shop is that a little support goes a LONG way....and Dallas, you are full of love and support!! Women who didn't even know me supported my vision and idea, which in turn, turned into support for all the vendors and their businesses! I am truly grateful for this opportunity and for everything it turned out to be. I will always be a source of love and support for anyone who wants/needs it! Stay tuned, I have more ideas and I am already planning something for February! If you missed this event, make sure you don't miss the next one! Thank you, from the bottom of my heart!!! See you soon :)
Love,
Meek
