Valdosta – The Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber of Commerce hosted a Coffee & Commerce Event in partnership with Lucky Goat Coffee Company and Country Financial – Shannon Hauser. The event took place at Shannon Hauser's establishment, offering a fantastic networking opportunity for local businesses and community members.

At the event, attendees were treated to an engaging morning of networking, connecting, and exploring new business possibilities, all while enjoying the delightful coffee offerings provided by Lucky Goat Coffee Company and a variety of snacks thoughtfully arranged by the event organizers.

Shannon Hauser of Country Financial expressed her enthusiasm about hosting a Coffee & Commerce event with the Chamber and the motivation behind sponsoring the event together with Lucky Goat Coffee Company. "I was thrilled to learn that the chamber offered a smaller version of their Business After Hours event in the form of Coffee & Commerce," said Hauser. "Pairing with Lucky Goat was a natural fit due to the proximity of our locations and the desire to share our new businesses with the community."

Alonnea Napier, the Valdosta Café Leader for Lucky Goat Coffee, praised the hospitality shown by the Chamber and recommended the event for new businesses as a valuable opportunity to connect with a diverse group of people.

The overall experience of being a sponsor at the event was highly commended by Hauser, who praised the chamber team for their exceptional support and organization. "The chamber team made sponsoring Coffee & Commerce a wonderful experience," she stated.

"They provided clear and consistent communication from start to finish, from signing the contract to executing the event. They went above and beyond promoting the event on every platform possible and keeping both Alonnea and I updated on how many were registered so we could plan our food, beverage, and promotional items."

The event's impact was evident as it attracted an impressive turnout, with attendees appreciating the opportunity to network in the morning hours. Lizzy Streater, with Event Point, who attended the event, shared her positive experience, stating, "The experience was great! There were a lot more people there than I thought. I loved the raffles. I liked how many there were. It kept things moving and always something to talk about."

Several memorable interactions and connections were formed during the event, emphasizing the value of such networking opportunities for the local business community. Streater mentioned, "I made three new connections that I would not have made otherwise. We will be getting lunch soon to further our work partnership."

The success of the Coffee & Commerce Event was further amplified by Hauser commending the Chamber's efforts, saying, "Expectations [were] exceeded! The Chamber did a phenomenal job with advertising the event and supporting both of us during the event. Running the check-in table, keeping track of attendees, monitoring the fishbowl prize drawings, and providing the sound equipment elevated the event significantly."

The event's impact was not only felt among the attendees but also through the positive feedback received about the sponsors' contributions. Hauser shared, that she continuously heard "What a great way to kick-start the morning!’ at the event.

Based on the resounding success and positive feedback, Hauser encourages other companies to consider sponsoring similar networking events. "Any small business that is interested in sponsoring a networking event should consider hosting a Coffee & Commerce!" she said. "This can easily be done as a solo business by coordinating food & beverage from local restaurants that are Chamber members. If sponsoring solo is not feasible, partnering with other small businesses like Country Financial­­­ ­– Shannon Hauser Agency & Lucky Goat Coffee did is another great option!"

For more information, contact Hailey Wilkinson at (229) 262-7451, by email at HWilkinson@ValdostaChamber.com, or online at www.ValdostaChamber.com.