When Networking Communities Come Together- A Night for the Books

Events
A handwritten thank-you note held in front of a Kilwins fudge box on the check-in table at Empire Burgers & Brews

Last night’s Oak Brook Business Network event at Empire Burgers & Brews in Lombard was a great reminder that networking doesn’t have to be about choosing one group over another. Sometimes the best connections happen when different business communities come together.

Along with our Oak Brook Business Network attendees, we welcomed professionals involved with other local referral organizations, including BNI and ProVisors. Our founder, Michel Sharritt, is also a ProVisors member, so it was especially nice to see these different circles come together under one roof.

At the end of the day, we’re all working toward the same thing: building relationships, helping one another grow, and connecting good people with good people.

Different Networks, One Business Community

We’ve always believed there is room for different types of networking.

Some professionals belong to structured referral groups. Others prefer larger open networking events. And many of the people who attend our events, including Michel, participate in several different business communities.

Last night brought those worlds together.

Having members of BNI, ProVisors, and the Oak Brook Business Network connecting in the same room created opportunities for people to expand beyond their usual circles and meet professionals they may not have encountered otherwise.

That is what networking is supposed to do.

A Very Sweet Thank You

We also received an unexpected surprise from one of our regular attendees, Swati Dayal.

Swati brought us a wonderful box of fudge from Kilwins as a thank-you for continuing to host these types of business networking events.

It was such a thoughtful gesture—and yes, a very sweet one. 😊

We put a lot of time into creating environments where people feel comfortable walking into the room, meeting someone new, and building genuine relationships. Having an attendee take the time to say thank you like that meant a lot to us.

Thank you, Swati!

Leadership Was Part of the Conversation Too

We were also happy to welcome Dr. James Chitwood and Eric Himes with The Inspired Culture.

They spent time talking with attendees about their upcoming Leadership Summit in Naperville and the opportunity for local leaders to come together, learn, and grow.

It was a natural fit for the evening. Our networking events are filled with business owners, executives, entrepreneurs, and other professionals who understand that growing a business also means continuing to grow as a leader.

Interested in attending the Leadership Summit? You can learn more and purchase tickets through The Inspired Culture Leadership Summit ticket page.

Networking Is Bigger Than One Group

One of our biggest takeaways from last night was that great networking doesn’t happen in a silo.

You can belong to ProVisors. You can participate in BNI. You can attend Oak Brook Business Network events. You can be involved in chambers, associations, and other professional communities.

Every room introduces you to different people.

What matters is what you do with those relationships once you meet them.

We love that the Oak Brook Business Network can be a place where all of those different communities overlap—without pressure, competition, or the feeling that you have to belong to only one.

Thank You, Oak Brook!

Thank you to everyone who joined us at Empire Burgers & Brews and helped make it another memorable evening.

Thank you to our regular attendees who continue to support what we’re building, to the new faces who gave us a try, and to the members of other networking organizations who joined us and expanded the conversation.

And another special thank you to Swati for the fudge. You definitely know the way to our hearts! ❤️

📸 Check out the photos from the evening, tag the people you met, and most importantly, follow up with those new connections.

Come Join Us at the Next One

If you haven’t experienced an Oak Brook Business Network event yet, come join us.

Bring your business cards, bring a friend, and most importantly, bring a willingness to meet someone outside your usual circle.

👉 Find our upcoming events at Windy City Business Network Events.

You never know which room—or which introduction—will lead to your next great opportunity.

Attendees talking in groups around high tables under the glass roof at Empire Burgers & Brews in Lombard
Four attendees with name badges pose together with drinks in front of the bar
Four attendees with name badges pose beside a wooden high table on the covered patio
Guests in conversation across the covered patio, with the bar and taps along the left wall
Wide view of the crowd filling the glass-roofed patio, beer taps in the foreground and patio umbrellas outside
Two attendees mid-conversation at the bar, with bottles and screens on the wall behind them
Attendees mingling at high tables with an Oak Brook Business Network banner at the back of the room
Three attendees with name badges pose at a table of Oak Brook Business Network cards
A tall storm cloud lit orange by the setting sun above the rooftops outside the venue

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