“I started my own business in February 2022,” said Kristin Derus Dore, owner of Eden Biofeedback. “Back then I had zero clients, and not many more professional connections to speak of. That all began to change once I joined the Eden Prairie Chamber of Commerce Women's Committee. It’s where I met so many great women who became my clients, introduced me to their own clients, mentored me, and helped me grow and achieve. Today my business is successful, and I owe so much of it to the friends I’ve made over the past two years!”
“No offense to any women who feel that they aren’t,” said Marcia LeVoir, independent associate with LegalShield, “but for the most part, I think we’re fairly social beings. We have a certain energy that only comes out when we share time together. The Women’s Committee creates that positive, uplifting energy, and then turns it into meaningful, rewarding relationships.”
The quarterly Women’s PowHER Up Networking Breakfast, a smash hit thanks in no small part to The Original Pancake House. The Ladies in Leadership Luncheon, the latest of which featured guest speaker and certified mental performance coach Dr. Cindra Kamphoff. The Purse Bingo fundraiser, which is even better than its name indicates because it also involves drinking at Fat Pants. The Women’s Committee of the Eden Prairie Chamber of Commerce invites everyone to their regular events, and especially encourages your attendance at Purse Bingo even if you don’t give a fig about business.
“Men are also welcome at Purse Bingo, and there are other prizes, too,” said Kristin. “But it is mostly women. And purses.”
At its heart, the Women’s Committee is about elevating Eden Prairie. Successful businesses, be they women-owned or otherwise, chum the waters of mercantilism in ways that benefit us all. But committee members aren’t merely networking. They’re also selflessly giving of themselves to worthy causes.
“Raising money for training, programs and scholarships has always been central to our mission,” said Kristin. “Many of our networking events focus on giving, like the Derby Warm-Up Happy Hour we hosted at Flying Dutchman Spirits last spring. We wore fun hats, drank good mint juleps, and raised money for several local non-profits such as PROP Food Shelf and Eden Prairie Schools.”
“Before 2020, the Women’s Committee also focused on community outreach,” said Marcia. “For example, a few of us had come together to sow a beautiful vegetable garden that helped feed many of PROP’s clients. The events of 2020 sadly undid all that great work – but at the rate we’re rebuilding, I expect it won’t be long until our group resumes doing good for the community we're so proudly part of.”
“I speak from experience when I say how isolating entrepreneurship can feel,” said Kristin. “Our group gives many women a community they never knew existed, let alone experienced before. Here they find their peers, who can give them objective insight into their goals, ideas that revolutionize their marketing, and referrals that help them achieve success faster.”
“It’s one of the most powerful things in the world,” added Marcia. “Women connecting with other women!”
Please reach out to Kirsten Barott at kirsten.barott@epchamber.org or (952) 944-2830 for more information about the Women’s Committee or chamber membership. Visit epchamber.org to discover the Eden Prairie Chamber of Commerce.
