At the 2nd annual Females and Business workshop

We’re feeling fab, as the FAB (Females and Business) workshop geared to women in hospitality returns to Charleston for the second consecutive year next month.

Randi Weinstein, FAB founder. Lowcountry resident, + previous Director of Events for the Charleston Wine + Food Festival, developed “48 hours of educational + inspirational workshops created for women, by women”– promoting the idea of being “brave, baller, + badass.”

With Charleston’s booming hospitality + tourism industries, which generated an economic impact of $7.37 billion in 2017, with approximately 7,700 workers (just on the peninsula alone), FAB provides the resources for forward movement– bringing together industry workers + experts, both in Charleston + around the country, for honest, open conversations + networking receptions– stocked with champagne of course. 🥂 A few selected (based on applications submitted in March) even have a once in a lifetime opportunity to privately pitch a business idea to a panel of industry professionals.

The event is set up to be one large networking opportunity with receptions, workshops, + lunches to rub elbows with some of the best women in the industry.

Two separate workshop tracks are specifically designed to allow participants to attend the content most applicable to their career goals, with topic areas focused on: guidance + mentoring for women entrepreneurs, leadership, empowering the next generation, + more.

Track 101 is a series of panels focusing on topics from starting a business to building culture, understanding HR, + choosing the right technology.
Track 202 is designed with a salon-style discussion. Topics include PR strategy, sustainability, + expansion.

Forty-five speakers from cities such as New York, Boston, Louisville, San Francisco, Nashville, Asheville, Chicago, Atlanta, + Charleston form panels that engage in meaningful conversations with the audience– no boring Q&A here.

For Charleston women looking for local mentors, eight speakers from the area will be there to provide knowledge in a multitude of backgrounds.

This year’s local speakers are:

- Jen Ferrebee - Founder/Co-Owner, Verde
- Margaret Furniss - Co-Owner/Partner, Caviar & Bananas
- Jen Boulware - Director of Engineering, Snagjob
- Molly Cherry HR Attorney, Nexsen Pruet
- Trudi Wagner - Founder/Co-Owner, Goat.Sheep.Cow
- Tina Heath-Schuttenberg - Director of Merchandising, Caviar & Bananas
- April Robinson - Chef, (former) Butter Tapas
- Germaine Jenkins - Co-founder, Fresh Future Farms, Inc.

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The cost to attend the workshop is $500 - $700, however, those who attend place the value on their future + investing in themselves.

If the expense isn’t in your budget, FAB gives away full-ride scholarships each year to applicants who are serious about their career as part of their mission to provide all women the opportunity to join. Suzanne, one of last year’s scholarship winners, said:

“I left FAB feeling knowledgeable + inspired. I was even able to secure a phone conference with the brilliant Sarah Robbins after which she reviewed my business plan.”

The workshop is the also a perfect opportunity for businesses to send their employees for a fresh shot of enthusiasm.

If you’re feeling inspired, tickets are still available. The workshop will be Sun., June 10– Tue., June 12 at The CofC Beatty Center.

Having attended national and international conferences in the U.S. + Canada, I don’t think there is anything more inspiring than being surrounded by hundreds of people in support of my dreams.

Attending the workshop next month? Which speakers are you most excited about? We hope to see some of our hard-working Charleston women out there looking FAB. – Justine