Over 145 women gathered for lunch at Perry’s Steakhouse in LaCenterra on Tuesday, September 26th to hear from other successful women of Katy.

It was the first-ever “Women of Katy” event – jointly hosted by the Katy Business Association and the Katy Area Chamber of Commerce. Major corporate sponsors of the event included Goldman Sachs “10,000 Small Businesses,” Frost Bank, ER Katy, Memorial Hermann Katy and Houston Methodist West Hospital.

Attendees came to hear advice and business tips from local entrepreneurs and from Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones. In addition to Briones, panelists included Jamie McMartin, owner of The Jamie McMartin Group; Dr, Jacinta Anyaoku, physician and owner of Hibiscus Health & Wellness; Natalie Thomas, founder and owner of Katy Moms Network; and Jamie Retherford, president and CEO of Think All In, LLC.

“Each panelist was carefully selected for their exceptional leadership qualities in their respective fields or within our community,” said Stacy Jacobs, VP/Business Development for the Chamber. “We aimed to infuse this program with a fresh and inspiring perspective, believing that each of them possessed a unique and invaluable message that deserved to be shared with the Women of Katy,” added Olivia Martin, president of the Katy Business Association.

Each panelist explained what she did and why she did it; Briones responded that in her office “we get to drive change.” She spoke of the importance of creating structure and putting it in place “to guard your sanity.” Thomas talked about the founding of Katy Moms Network and how that had evolved from a platform to help local moms to a platform that also helps small businesses grow.

Panelists also described their most exciting current project. “COVID took away our ability to connect,” said Thomas as she described the special events she is launching in order to bring the “moms community” together. Briones talked about trying to build bridges among organizations to help them work together. “At the end of the day, the question is ‘did you fix the problem’,” she said. McMartin described her plan to help real estate agents in her firm to create a legacy program through which they could earn future passive income from all their past hard work. Dr. Anyaoku mentioned her participation in “Leadership Katy,” a program of the Katy Area Chamber of Commerce. Retherford discussed her plans for acquiring more government contracts through MBE programs.

Speakers also discussed their tips for digital marketing, consistent brand messaging and other marketing strategies, as well as systems that they had created for their companies in order to manage communication with employees and to stay on top of the growth of their businesses. Speakers also explored challenges they faced as entrepreneurs and discussed how they managed to stay motivated and how they each led their teams, as well as preventing personal burnout. Retherford talked about the importance of continuous learning. “You have to be methodical in your learning,” she said.

“It was a natural fit for these two established Katy-based member organizations -- Katy Area Chamber of Commerce and Katy Business Association -- to market and facilitate this type of program,” said Stacy Jacobs, VP/Business Development for the chamber. “We were able to put this program together so quickly because of the incredible and quick response of local sponsors and the existing infrastructure of the Katy Area Chamber and Katy Business Association.”

“We began researching and developing this program around February 2023. It wasn't until we gained the support from an executive at Goldman Sachs 10KSB program who saw our vision. We began planning in Summer 2023 and as partners on this program, our individual strengths complemented each other and we were able to execute a successful first inaugural event,” added Olivia Martin, president of the Katy Business Association.

Martin said that there are plans for “Women of Katy” to become a quarterly event. “Future ‘Women of Katy’ programs will continue to passionately focus on fostering support, inspiration, and unity among women,” said Martin. “We look forward to providing business resources, informational sessions, and connections among the Women of Katy. Whether you are an aspiring professional, established entrepreneur, a community leader, or simply someone looking to connect with influential women in the Katy area, the ‘Women of Katy’ program welcomes you with open arms.”

To learn more about future “Women of Katy” events, check the chamber website at katychamber.com and the Katy Business Association’s website at thekba.org.