What Is Schmooze?

People do business with, promote, and refer people they’ve gotten to know, like and trust.

That’s why, in business, relationships are everything.

Schmooze wants to help women to build the network of business relationships they need to succeed.

What Schmooze Does?

Maybe networking doesn’t come naturally to you. It feels fake or forced.

Maybe you have 1,000 connections on LinkedIn but you’re wondering how to turn them into real relationships.

Maybe you’re trying to figure out how to build your internal network, especially if you’re an introvert or work from home.

Schmooze mini master classes will show you how to build your network of business relationships. Our experts give you actionable advice in classes like:

  • Targeting the Network You Need for the Role You Want
  • Turn LinkedIn Contacts Into Relationships
  • Develop Your Elevator Pitch for a Career Pivot
  • How to Build Your Internal Network

Men have always used shared experiences, like golf and sports tickets, in order to network.

Schmooze also hosts in-person and virtual events that are an alternative to the sports tickets and golf trips that men use. You can invite clients, potential clients, contacts, or colleagues to Schmooze events like:

  • Manicures, Massages & Margaritas
  • Coffee and Spirit Tastings
  • Virtual Poker Lessons
  • Panels on “How to Invest in Women’s Sports”, “Investing in Start Ups That Can Change the World”, and more.

How Schmooze Works?

Schmooze mini master classes are available to Schmooze members. Click here for details on Schmooze membership.

You don’t have to be a Schmooze member to come to Schmooze events; but members get discounted tickets. Click here to see a list of upcoming events.

Our Story

Shelly Lombard spent 35 years on Wall Street as a junk bond analyst. In one of her last roles, she covered the automotive industry during a period when General Motors and the rest of the overall auto sector were in deep trouble. At one point, she was the most quoted auto analyst on Wall Street.

It was an extremely demanding job. Shelly had taken the job because she was able to work from home which made it easier to be a working mom. When she was downsized, she was ready for a career change.

However, the combination of long hours, kids, and working from home meant she hadn't invested any time in maintaining her business contacts. She realized her network had grown stale, and then disappeared.

Shelly realized that headhunters and former colleagues will call you about jobs doing what you've always done before. But they can't call you about opportunities they don't even know you're interested in. That's when you need a network of contacts you can call.

That experience taught Shelly the importance of having a broad network of business relationships. That lesson hit home again after she started serving on corporate boards. About 80% of corporate board seats are filled through relationships.

That's why Shelly launched Schmooze...so people, especially women, can leverage the Schmooze newsletter, mini master classes, and events to build their own network of business relationships.