Signature Events
Pride in Business EXPO & Career Fair
The Pride in Business EXPO & Career Fair is the signature event that allows you to take strategic action to immediately improve and grow your small business, expand your client list, and look at new careers!
What to expect:
- Exhibitor Hall- with vendors from a variety of industries and professional services
- Breakout Sessions led by industry experts
- Networking - to grow your professional base quickly & efficiently
- Industry Meetups to build relationships within your field and beyond
- EXPO After Hours - Cocktail Mixer with music and more networking
- Careers - Hiring & recruitment managers on site taking resumes
THRIVE Gala & Awards Ceremony
Each year the THRIVE Gala brings visibility to LGBT+ owned businesses and professionals throughout our region. With a focus on intersectionality within the LGBT+ community, it is our hope to increase their non-borrowed capital, capacity, and operations, the number of minority-owned LGBT+ businesses, and support the development of future LGBT+ entrepreneurs. In addition to the festivities, we honor community leaders, business owners, and professionals for their impact throughout the previous year.
Friends in Diversity Pride Soiree
A unique event highlighting our intersectionality within the business and professional community. This event highlights our partners in diversity such as the Latin American Chamber of Commerce of Charlotte, Charlotte Mecklenburg Black Chamber of Commerce, Carolinas Asian American Chamber of Commerce, Women’s Business Center of Charlotte, Charlotte Regional Business Alliance, and many more across the region. In addition to networking and entertainment, we highlight five unsung heroes within our region for our LGBT+ Icon Awards.
Non-Profit Bootcamp
Annually, boards and leadership across our region experience growth and change. Each year, we work to offer training, best practices, and clinicians for a four-part series to assist these non-profit leaders as they do the work on the ground.
Fierce Five
The Chamber’s annual Fierce Five Awards celebrate the achievements of young, small business owners, entrepreneurs, and professionals, honoring their contributions to our region’s economic growth.
The awards go to recipients aged 18 and 30, who have attained outstanding business and professional achievement.
Carolinas Supplier Diversity Summit & Matchmaking Event
A popular annual event, the summit introduces corporate partners to potential suppliers and an opportunity to network and learn what is needed to do business with their companies and organizations. This event provides educational seminars to support business growth and access to several Carolinas regional diversity councils and chambers of commerce, to further cultivate business development and gain access to their respective programs.
With a focus on certified LGBT Business Enterprise businesses, we work to include other minority certifications throughout the country. Businesses seeking to be certified may attend to learn more and connect with certifying agencies.