Network to Net Worth: Strategic Relationship Building for Entrepreneurs

Date and Time

Wednesday Jul 22, 2026
3:00 PM - 4:30 PM CDT

Location

Zoom

Fees/Admission

Free

Website

SCORE Registration

Contact Information

SCORE Chicago
Send Email

Description

For small business owners and founders, networking is much more than card-swapping. It is a critical driver for capital, corporate partnerships, and client acquisition.

In this high-energy, 60-minute masterclass hosted by SCORE and the National Black MBA Association Chicago Chapter you will learn how to shift your mindset from casual socializing to revenue-generating strategy.

Whether you are looking to secure city contracts, pitch a new business partner, or navigate a virtual mixer, this session gives you a step-by-step entrepreneurial playbook.

What You Will Learn:

Craft Your Founder Brand: Discover how to align your personal brand framework (Vision, Values, Visuals, and Voice) to instantly build trust and credibility with potential partners.
Master Every Environment: Learn tactical nuances to stand out in virtual workspaces and command physical rooms like local business expos.
The 30-Second Power Intro: Practice delivering a clear, confident business introduction that leaves a lasting impression.
Build a Strategic Follow-Up Blueprint: Walk away with a tangible, executable plan to turn brief initial introductions into long-term profit.

Stop collecting business cards and start building strategic asset networks. Secure your spot today!

Meet Our Presenter - Melinda Jordan

Melinda Jordan is a high-performing strategist, civic leader, and global real estate advisor who has dedicated her career to building, protecting, and empowering communities. She currently serves as the Vice President of Operations and Director of Entrepreneurship for the National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA) Chicago Chapter, where she passionately guides minority-owned enterprises toward sustainable scale and structural growth.

Known throughout the Chicagoland market as MJtheCloser®, Melinda is a global real estate advisor with Sotheby’s International Realty. For Melinda, real estate isn’t just about property transactions, it’s an intentional wealth-building advisory. Combining her deep market expertise with a global reach, she guides her clients through high-tier wealth accumulation locally while seamlessly facilitating professional real estate introductions and referrals anywhere around the world.

Fueled by a deep belief in resourcefulness and conscious leadership, Melinda is also the Founder & CEO of ReBloom Global, an innovative education and community platform dedicated to helping consumers and businesses navigate the circular fashion, resale, and sustainable living economy.

Whether she is advising a luxury real estate client, mentoring an emerging entrepreneur, or hosting an intimate community salon, Melinda brings her trademark warmth, strategic financial insight, and an unyielding commitment to her clients' peace of mind. She holds an MBA and balances her multi-industry portfolio with a passion for helping the people she cares about design a secure, thriving future.

Printed courtesy of www.lflbchamber.com – Contact the Lake Forest/Lake Bluff Chamber of Commerce for more information.
PO Box 29, Lake Forest, IL 60045 – (847) 234-4282 – info@LFLBchamber.com