Military spouses with an at-home business showcased their products to active-duty servicemembers, retirees, spouses and local community members at the USO Metro and The Major Group Women in Business and Community event Saturday at the USO Warrior and Family Center -- Fort Belvoir.
Spouses displayed at-home businesses like Pampered Chef, Simply Panache Products, Organo Gold Gourmet Coffee, Tupperware products and independent travel companies.
"It went very well," said Bethany Howell, The Major Group career development specialist who organized the showcase. "It was steady throughout the day, so the vendors said they had more than enough time to talk to people."
Around 330 people attended the event which gave each business owner plenty of opportunity to build relationships and business contacts. Howell said spouses told her they were able to increase their clientele during the event.
"A lot of spouses sold a few items and gained clients," said Howell. "They were booking parties at people's houses to come and showcase their products in a more intimate setting."
Jennifer Warren, Vernondale Village resident promoted her "Up in Knots" blanket business. Warren's business is two months old, so she appreciated having this kind of event to come to and is pleased with the progress she was able to make.
"I've seen a lot of the other business owners on Facebook," said Warren. "This was a great chance to actually meet them and make new friends. Plus, it's always good when my business card is being handed out."
One goal for the event was to help create relationships within the military community, according to Howell. Warren said she was able to do that and is excited about the benefit of meeting other military spouses.
"It's nice to have the extra support," said Warren. "Plus, it's always nice to be able to lean on another person besides the people you usually rely on."
Jillianne Chavez, Woodbridge resident, enjoyed meeting new spouses since she feels it can be hard to do so at times. Chavez promoted her Scentsy business at the event.
"Events like this bring people together who have common interests," said Chavez. "You can learn different ways to promote your business and create new friendships at the same time."
Spouses like Wendy Simmons enjoyed the event because it gave her a chance to relax in between her children's on-post activities. Simmons is a USO volunteer and liked the variety of products she was able to learn about.
"There were a lot of business opportunities here," Simmons said. "There's something for everyone to enjoy."
Howell said many of the vendors told her they appreciated how organized the event was, how the organization helps them set up their tables easier and allowed them to network better.
Howell added she and her coworkers elicited suggestions from the vendors on how they can improve the event, and she plans to incorporate those ideas for the next event in June.
"We will probably talk to the local units and see if they want to get involved to make it more of a community event," said Howell. "We want to look at different areas and see what we can do to make it more community and child friendly. That way we can have more activities for children to do, so it's not just shopping."
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