I know these announcements are coming fast and furious. I did not expect the deluge of interest from IBN members who are excited about expanding their sphere of influence locally! I'm thrilled, and feel like I'm getting a mini tour of the country via informative conversations with my members about the small business climate in their towns. I hope you are enjoying these glimpses into life in other cities. I am sharing them with you as they occur so I don't get behind!
So far, I've introduced you to the new IBN leaders in Louisville, State College, Cincinnati, New York City, Louisville, Baltimore, Los Angeles and also in Northern New Jersey, Portland, Or, and Boston. Today, I'm thrilled to introduce you to Cynthia Johnston, IBN's Local Director in Gatlinburg, TN. Cynthia is CEO of Moonmaid Botanicals and has been a member of IBN since September 2007. She makes handmade aromatherapy creams and balms from the organic herbs she cultivates in her garden. I asked Cynthia to share a few words about what she hopes to experience as IBN's Gatlinburg Director. Here's what she said:
I am super excited about the opportunity to represent INDIE in my area. I have been helped, coddled and assisted in so many ways by this great organization!! Join me as I bring together the artisans from this area who are famous for candles, soaps, brooms and much much more. If you have traveled the ArtTrail in Gatlinburg or seen these beautiful Smokies, you know what a rich area this is!!!
I live in Charlotte, and Cynthia tells me that Gatlinburg is only an hour or two from Asheville. Asheville is just a few hours from Charlotte. That means I can probably easily get to a Gatlinburg event. Cynthia's already strongly considering hosting one in the fall when the leaves are so beautiful in the Smokey Mountain region. I'm stoked!
Connect Locally!
If you're in the Gatlinburg area, join Cynthia and other like-minded local small and independent business owners, including Angela Bowman Wales of Lillian Skincare and Ginger Moore of Neos Creations, are already getting to know each other in the Gatlinburg group at our social networking site!
And by the way, if you're in the Baltimore/DC/Northern VA area, we've scheduled a meetup for August 5 in Silver Spring, Maryland. Join Khadija Dawn Carryl in the Baltimore group or me in the DC group to find out more!
And speaking of those groups, they are exciting! I was just reading this morning that two INDIEs in California discovered in the group that they went to high school together. What fun is that!?
You can also connect in these cities:
Baltimore
Boston
Charlotte (guess who's the director there??!)
Cincinnati
Kansas City
Louisville
Los Angeles
Newark and Northern New Jersey
New York City
Portland, Oregon
State College, PA
Washington, DC
More are on the way!
I will announce additional Local Directors as they are added in the coming days. For now, join me in welcoming Cynthia by leaving a comment below. You can also connect with Cynthia at her website, on Twitter here, and on FaceBook.
Are you in any of the cities where we have local directors? Please click the link to join us, or tell a friend you know who might be interested!
