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Name: Networking Club: What It Really Takes To Own a Brick and Mortar
Start: 2025-04-08T19:00:00-04:00
End: 2025-04-08T20:30:00-04:00

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Networking Club: What It Really Takes To Own a Brick and Mortar

April 8 @ 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Free – $20.00

This community is made up of so many small businesses that we all love and adore – stores that we can’t wait to pop into and check out what’s new and wander around!

On April 8, we’re bringing together a few of these shop owners to give us a peek behind the curtain to understand what really goes into running a brick and mortar business – the unique challenges, opportunities and exciting moments!

An engaging evening for entrepreneurs, aspiring business owners or any women from the community who support these (or any) small business!

This event is FREE for Yellow Studio Members and $20 for non-members.

Please register below.

Panelists:

Gretchen Menzies from Katonah Reading Room

Gretchen Menzies has lived in the Westchester area for over twenty-eight years. She began her career as a social worker in the Bronx working with teenagers. From 2002 – 2013 she ran a parenting website, EssentialMom.com, with online resources and a newsletter full of parenting tips, local happenings and small business support services. In 2010 she founded a family volunteer group (FaVoRS) which created events for kids and parents to give back in the community. In 2013 Gretchen and her husband purchased Little Joe’s Coffee & Books, and in 2015 they opened the cafe at Katonah Reading Room. She currently manages the Katonah Reading Room as a coffee shop and bookstore. Gretchen has spent many years actively volunteering on the boards of numerous non-profits, hosted galas, created fundraisers, run speaker series and more in an effort to give back to the community and to causes near to her heart.

Casey Lynam from Our North

Casey Lynam moved from Brooklyn to Katonah in April, 2021 and instantly felt at home in this sweet, nature-loving community- but also instantly missed NYC shopping. With a background in styling and fashion, she felt inspired to open a women’s clothing store right in the heart of town. Our North launched in June 2023 to serve the influx of recent city transplants and long-time residents who appreciate in-person access to under-the-radar brands, and who value a sense of community and connection when shopping. Casey lives in Katonah with her husband Sean and two sons, Van (5) and Jamie (5 months).

Dawn Manwaring from Beehive Designer Collective

Trinidadian native and Bedford Corners resident, Dawn Manwaring is the founder of Beehive Designer Collective in Mount Kisco, a beloved local shop that has been part of the community for 17 years. Passionate about supporting and collaborating with designers, Beehive works with over 80 artisans, primarily from the region but also from across the U.S. and internationally.

Before opening Beehive, Manwaring launched and ran a wholesale company for 7 years that worked with artisans from Kenya, Argentina, and the Caribbean.

Her appreciation for the balance of function and aesthetics in everyday objects is central to her curation process.

Her journey from political science and environmental studies to retail has been an unexpected and rewarding one.

Nichole Wilder from WildFig Floral

Nichole Wilder is the owner and creative director of WildFig Floral. Her journey to creating WildFig Floral has been shaped by colorful travels, a solid business foundation, a love for design, the unwavering support of her family, and an ever-present connection to fresh blooms. Originally from South Florida, she now calls Katonah, NY home. Over the years, Nichole discovered that flowers have always been the core of her creative energy—whether it was the shape of the stems, the textures and colors of the petals, or the art of blending them in a way that feels effortless, organic, and full of surprise. WildFig Floral is a garden style, nature inspired floral experience providing everyday flowers and florals for special events.

Moderator:

Lauren Schwarzfeld

Lauren is the Chief Marketing Officer for Rise Literary, a hybrid publisher and book coaching company. She has spent the past 25 years working in sales, fundraising, and marketing through various industries, realizing that the most powerful part of a storied work history is the wide variety of human connection. In 2025 Lauren was the co-producer of TEDxOjai, featuring 12 speakers through the daylong event in Ojai, CA. She is endlessly curious, a lover of books, travel, and new adventures. Lauren lives in Mt. Kisco, NY.

photo by Angela Strassheim

artwork by Carol Bouyoucos and Tina Scepanovic

Details

Date:: April 8
Time:: 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Cost:: Free – $20.00
Event Categories:: Business, Community, Networking