Meet Our Business

Meet Our Business is (an invite-only) monthly gathering of entrepreneurs aimed at providing opportunities for new and seasoned entrepreneurs, guest speakers and professionals from a range of relevant fields to share experiences, ideas and tips. We feel that these three are among the top tactical business ingredients that can give one an edge for successful enterprise.

Format:
Each gathering is designed to provide some level of convenience and meaningful benefit to participants. The program uses two gathering formats: (a) Call-in conference or (b) Face-to-face gathering.

These two formats were agreed upon when we realized that most of those who own or operate some form of business reside unevenly across Metropolitan Chicago extending into a number of suburbs. Call-in conferences are an obvious and convenient choice. However, we also know and realize the power of face-to-face gatherings. Therefore, three-to-four face-to-face gatherings are scheduled within any given 12-month calendar year. Each session, call-ins or face-to-face gatherings are introduced by a moderator who also oversees the smooth execution of the program.

Schedule:
The 2008-09 Meet Our Business sessions are scheduled every third Saturday of the month. Call-in conferences are held between 10:00 am – 11:00 a.m. (CST). Guest speaker information is announced three to four weeks in advance. Thereafter, call-in and access numbers are e-mailed to invited participants three days prior to every publicized conference call.

Duration:
Call-in conferences are scheduled to last for one hour with 30-mins used toward presentation and toward 45-mins used for Q&A and wrap-up of the session. Call-in conferences are free.
Face-to-face gatherings are scheduled to last for 1½ to 2-hrs depending on whether it is a breakfast, straight-up meeting, reception or dinner. Any face-to-face gatherings that may involve cash-spending will be communicated in advance.

Participants will be informed 2-3 weeks in advance which format will be used in the next scheduled gathering.

Participation Decorum:
Meet Our Business sessions are geared toward open-minded folks willing to engagement and tolerant ideas. However, this willingness is subject to respect and adherence to every participant and the rules that governs both call-in conferences and face-to-gatherings. Anyone who disrespects or violates rules of engagement will be dismissed from future Meet Our Business activities. The rues of engagement will be spelled out at the beginning of every gathering.

History:
Meeting Our Business was conceived in 2007 by SEED Group, Inc., parent company of Mashariki Leo. The first session launched on Saturday, October 18, 2008. We hope to grow the program with a goal of building free downloadable audio podcasts.

Meet Our Business is produced by Mashariki Leo, publisher of Green Pages Business Directory and the African Harambee Restaurant, Chicago leading eatery for Ethiopian & African Cuisines. Mashariki Leo is a division of SEED Group, Inc. http://www.seedchicago.com.