Business Connect Brunch: Why you should be in the room

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We are dishing on the event you must attend to level up and lean into the professional or entrepreneur you want to become. The Business Connect Brunch is a one-day experience that puts you directly in the center of investors, community, and the strategic relationships you have been seeking. Hosted by Mt. Zion Nashville and held in the Billion Dollar Room at the JW Marriott, it is a space you want to immerse yourself in and be intentional about how you navigate the day. We know stepping into new spaces can be daunting, especially when you are carrying a vision for your professional and/or business life, so we connected with a few past Business Connect Brunch attendees to learn about their experience and how it helped them make an impact over the year.

Jasmine Y. Lafayette

Ministry Support Manager & Leadership Consultant

Why did you attend last year’s Business Connect Brunch?

I attended the Business Connect Brunch last year because it offered a meaningful opportunity to connect with aspiring and growing entrepreneurs for program recruitment, guest speaking, and intentional networking. It was a dynamic space to engage directly with individuals who were actively building, refining, and exploring their entrepreneurial pathways. Beyond the connections, the brunch provided an excellent opportunity to keep a pulse on the entrepreneurial atmosphere across the Nashville community and to discern how we could meaningfully contribute to its growth while building aligned and impactful relationships.

What key professional milestone did you accomplish after attending the brunch?

Being in that room is truly impactful! It sharpens perspective, sparks authentic collaboration, and reinforces how our expertise and skill sets can be stewarded into viable businesses and meaningful partnership opportunities. Dr. Sonja, Brittany Nicole, along with the other phenomenal guests from right here in Nashville, created a space that invited people like me, leaders serving in various capacities, to permit ourselves to think bigger and expand our reach across sectors. It affirmed that our knowledge, experience, and lived expertise are not only valuable but transferable, and can be explored in ways that are both joyful and thriving.

I left the Business Connect Brunch with tangible next steps and renewed clarity around my personal and professional goals. It helped me envision pathways where I could go deeper in coaching, consulting, and operational leadership support across nonprofit, academic, and ministry contexts. I expanded my network, gained fresh insight on connecting with my audience through my own story, and walked away encouraged and equipped, benefiting both my career growth and my emerging entrepreneurial pursuits in leadership support without sacrificing my authenticity!

mt-zion-business-connect-brunch-nashville3 — Amber Martin, Martin Automotive and Bishop Joseph Walker, Senior Pastor, Mt. Zion Baptist Church

Chandra Norman Lipscomb

Watch Me Soar Enterprises

Why did you attend last year’s Business Connect Brunch?

After hearing Bishop Walker’s regular announcement at church about the Business Connect Brunch, I knew I needed to be in that room to take in the positivity, insight, and expertise from like-minded individuals and leaders in the entrepreneurial space. I have always had the desire to start a business and wanted to learn directly from those who have become successful, accomplishing what I aspire to do.

What key professional milestone did you accomplish after attending the brunch?

Following the Business Connect Brunch, I was inspired to pursue my business ventures with intentionality. Soon after, I signed up for the 12-week intensive program, EntreSchool, that Mt. Zion Baptist Church offers, as well as sessions offered by conference speakers, Brittany N. Cole and Dr. Sonja Stribling. Between the knowledge gained from those leaders and my EntreSchool mentors and colleagues, I was able to develop a framework for my business, Watch Me Soar Enterprises. Now, a year later, I can say that I have a purposeful plan forward and have made new connections to support and guide me through the process. I also won first place in my EntreSchool cohort’s pitch contest! All of this was accomplished because of attending the Business Connect Brunch, and I would highly recommend it for aspiring entrepreneurs.