The Maynard Group hosted a captive audience of 200 women business owners and entrepreneurs on March 28 at the Belmont University Inman Conference Center for the fourth annual Power of WE – Women Entrepreneurs Luncheon.

The luncheon was started four years ago as an educational and networking opportunity for women in business and particularly entrepreneurs. The speaker was Vivian Pickard, president/CEO of The Pickard Group, president/CEO (retired) General Motors Foundation and director of Corporate Relations.

Mayor David Briley of Nashville/Metropolitan Davidson County spoke to the crowd about his landmark Equal Business Opportunity legislation, highlighting the benefits it will have for minority- and women-owned businesses that work with Metro. Marilyn Robinson, executive director of the Nashville Minority Business Center, was the recipient of the inaugural Trailblazers Award for her life long achievements in the Nashville business community.

Pickard and Robinson joined Sarah Patton, entrepreneur owner of Social Bliss Events and founder of Creative Souls Tribe, and Courtenay Rogers, director of Pathway Women’s Business Center, to form a four-member panel. The panelists addressed questions from the audience and shared their personal stories of what it takes to achieve success through goal setting, overcoming adversity, and accessing personal and professional resources.

Sponsors included: Nashville Electric Service (NES), The Maynard Group, Belmont University, Nashville Voice, and Apex Financial Services et al. For an article about last year’s luncheon, click HERE. The website to The Maynard Group is <www.jmaynardgroup.com/>..

The luncheon was conceived as an exceptional opportunity to empower and inspire women business leaders and entrepreneurs across Middle Tennessee. Proceeds from the event benefit the educational programs and provide scholarships for women students at Belmont University.