Vermont Works for Women to host free ‘Sisterhood of the Dreaded Elevator Pitch’ workshop

Many women in business have experienced a crisis of confidence and wondered if they had the right idea at the right time. If this applies to you, you’ll find out you’re not alone by attending the Sisterhood of the Dreaded Elevator Pitch, a free, interactive workshop for anyone who identifies as women to help them navigate some of the most intimidating aspects of running a business.

The first-time event will take place from 12 to 2 p.m. Friday at the O’Brien Community Center. Participants can register online, but the coordinators said they welcome all who are interested to show up.

Attendees will get the guidance of knowledgeable and experienced leaders within each of the four local organizations coordinating the event. They include Paige Ruffner from Vermont Works for Women; Faye Longo from the Center for Women and Enterprise; Rachel Goldstein from Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity; and Claire Wheeler from Mercy Connections. Each group is centered on small business development and career support for communities throughout the region and state.

“We see there’s a need for new and small business owners to network and talk about their services,” said Ruffner, a career coach and program manager for employment and career services at Vermont Works for Women.

“It’s an opportunity to really understand how to network in a business environment and feel more confident doing that,” she continued. “It’s really an empowering event.”

So many business events are catered to white, heterosexual men, said Longo, project manager of the Vermont Community Navigators pilot program at the Center for Women and Enterprise. Vermont Community Navigators reduces barriers that small business owners often face.

“Women learn differently, and we engage differently,” she said. “So all these workshops catered directly to women, BIPOC, LGBTQ+, those affinity-based spaces, are really cool.”

The workshop will have a brief introduction and presentation on writing and carrying out an elevator pitch, with most of the time set aside for small group learning and application. The organizers want to challenge the participants to think through the unique characteristics that their businesses and services bring to customers, the benefits that only they can provide, when crafting an elevator pitch.

In addition to learning from professionals, brainstorming business strategies, and connecting with like-minded women, workshop attendees will also have the opportunity to practice their newly formed pitches and get feedback from the coordinating leaders.

Oh, and just as important: There will also be cake.

And not just any cake from any baker. The coordinators made a point of promoting two local women entrepreneurs for the event’s all-important menu. Tara Haskoor, owner of Taste of Traditions in Bennington, will provide lunch. Sundus Al Tameemi, a microbusiness client of Goldstein’s coaching team will bring cake.

Sundus, an Iraqi baker out of her home in Essex Junction, has wanted to build a wedding cake business for years, Goldstein said. “So when this event came up, we thought, ‘what an opportunity for a women-supporting-women event.’ I love that she’s going to get her business out there.”

For Goldstein and her fellow coordinators, those are the connections that drive not only the Sisterhood event but also their work for women entrepreneurs. “It’s been our passion and purpose.”

For more information about Sisterhood of the Dreaded Elevator Pitch, visit

https://cwewbc.ecenterdirect.com/events/979046