As the bank that is locally connected, we bring our clients together on a continual basis by making introductions, providing referrals, and helping them achieve greater business success through networking efforts and expansion.
Born of an idea from one of our staff members in 2009, a few women employees at The Bank of Tampa started to examine the differences between men and women professionals and business owners in our community. We began to question whether we were being as effective as we could be in meeting the needs of all of our clients. We started to recognize that perhaps the across-the-board approach we were taking with our clients was not the most effective way for us to be reaching out.
Over the next year, a group of women from different areas of the bank met to review their observations on these differences and to brainstorm, examine, and discuss the ways in which we could be more effective with our women clients. Next, we started speaking one-on-one with some of our women clients who were professionals and small business owners. We wanted to get their thoughts and feedback, the primary question being, "What can The Bank of Tampa do to personally help you be more successful in your business?"
Discovering that we were on to something, we began to formalize the roots of a program concentrating on a specific approach. We started by holding a series of intimate focus group luncheons that allowed us to have individual conversations with local business and professional women to find out more about what The Bank of Tampa could do for them. One of the things we heard was that it would be helpful if we could give these women something of value, such as hosting "Lunch and Learn" sessions. Such could be used as an intimate forum for these women to get together to discuss trends and timely subjects being seen in our business community while providing for diverse networking opportunities with other business and professional women in our area that could open new doors. Other points of interest were that these women were primarily concerned with building long-term business relationships, and that socializing at more convenient times during the day was preferred to breakfasts or after-hours events. We heard they would like to be introduced to some of the non-profits serving our area, as they were interested in learning more about what they do and how they each serve our community. Finally, we were advised to explore and find out what was important to our guest women individually.
What we learned at these focus group luncheons lent evidence to the theory that, generally speaking, women communicate differently and take a different approach to relationship building than men. Although generalizations, we recognized that men tend to thrive in competitive environments and women tend to thrive in collaborative, supportive environments. We paired that with our own understanding that, in order to flourish in the business world, The Bank of Tampa needs to be connecting with both women AND men, and that those women and men in turn need to be connecting with each other.
As a result of the focus group we sessions held, we decided that we would form a Women Connected Advisory Board made up of one or more of our women staff members and clients from different business / professional / non-profit sectors to discuss ideas relevant to women in the local business community and how The Bank of Tampa can further assist them.
We named this program Women Connected because what we strived to do was to build upon the connections we already have with business and professional women in our community. We want to help introduce our women clients and partners to other business owners and professionals in our community, people who in turn could help them achieve further business success.
Our purpose with Women Connected is to provide our women clients and partners with opportunities to connect and learn in an environment that is most comfortable for and suitable to them. And that is exactly what we are going to do. In fact, they are actually things that The Bank of Tampa already does, has been doing, and will continue doing for years to come.
The Bank of Tampa is a relationship bank. We place a very high value on the relationships we have with all of our clients. Through Women Connected, we hope to make the relationships our women clients have with us stronger, and add even more value to those relationships by further committing to our promise of being locally connected and personally committed. With the strong connections The Bank of Tampa has throughout the Tampa Bay area, we can act as partners and advisors when a client has questions about where they should go, whom they should call, or in what direction should they move, whether professionally, civically or socially. With the endless knowledge The Bank of Tampa has of our local community, we can use our deep understanding of the area to help clients further establish professional, civic and social ties that benefit their businesses, their families, and themselves.
No one can achieve business success without connecting with the rest of the population. We invite you to ask us to arrange individual introductions for you to whomever you need, be it a man, woman, attorney, CPA, civic group, social group, or any number of contacts that could be of value to you and help you further succeed in your business. We want to help all of our clients explore how they can better connect with others. We would love to make personal introductions for you to any other individuals or groups who can help you be successful in your business. If we can assist you in any way, do not hesitate to speak to your account officer.
For more information about Women Connected or to find out more about upcoming Women Connected events, contact Leslie McCabe-Holm at (813) 998-2621.
Following are some links to businesses and organizations that may be helpful for women business owners and professionals.
Upcoming Women's Series Luncheons and Pearls of Wisdom events 2011 Women of Influence Luncheon information
HAWL works to promote and recognize the contributions of women in the legal profession, as well as to advocate and lobby for equal treatment of lawyers, litigants & witnesses; improve leadership opportunities; provide educational programs; and facilitate fellowship within HAWL and other organizations.