Bigger, better Lip Gloss and Leadership Saturday at Massay Theater

PALMER — Last year’s inaugural Lip Gloss and Leadership Event at the Menard Center was “just practice,” according to organizer Tammy Gray. The 2017 version, which starts at 9 a.m. Saturday at the Glenn Massay Theater, is the next big thing in local business expos.

“We were just kind of playing with the format to see how it might work, but this year we really stepped it up with different and distinct segements,” Gray said. “This is becoming what will become the signature event in the Alaska business network. It’s a way of showcasing talent in business, and the second part is about networking.”

The purpose of the event is to showcase local women business leaders, allow them to impart their wisdom and accommodate businesses that want to reach out to customers and sell their products, not to mention a fashion show.

The morning session and luncheon — already sold out, Gray said — gets started at 9 a.m. with Antiqua Lisha speaking on her subject, “I’m too busy: Three ways to put yourself first without feeling selfish”.

At 10 a.m., Misty VanderWeele speaks on “Flowers for full bloom living.” She’s followed at 11 a.m. by Hillary Saffran’s presentation entitled “Don’t let your dreams die,” at 11:30 by Elizabeth Maxson discussing, “Sorting taxes sucks: Three strategies to make it not,” and at noon, Winona Benson closes the morning session with “Connecting the mind, body and soul: Six components of wellness in the quest for optimal health.”

From 12:30 to 2 there is lunch and networking, and a chance to visit with sponsors and vendors, of which at least 30 are signed up.

The event is open to the public from 2 to 5 p.m., with a fashion show coinciding with networking and visiting vendors’ tables.

“We set this up to be a series of talks, which is a feature many of our business events don’t have,” Gray said. “There are opportunities for vendor-type business shows, but not every business fits into that environment with pop-up tables, and fliers to meet with customers.”

Gray said Lip Gloss and Leadership began four years ago as a small networking group of women in business that wanted to expand its horizons.

“It’s evolved every year. It’s really unique and different and really very self-directed,” Gray said. “The ladies provide a lot of the feedback as far as what they’re looking for as they grow and develop their professional skills and their businesses.”

From there, a vendor show was the next logical step.

“That was the genesis,” Gray said. “They wanted a vendor show and wanted one unlike any other… We wanted a way where we could constantly grow in public speaking, leadership and developing business skills.”