The focal point of our discussion centers on the Entrepreneur Connect Charlotte networking event, which serves as a pivotal platform for both current and aspiring entrepreneurs. I had the distinct pleasure of engaging with Brittany, the event's organizer and the founder of the Souls on Fire Network, which aims to empower individuals who feel a divine calling towards entrepreneurship. Brittany elaborated on the importance of fostering genuine connections among participants, emphasizing the event's unique feature, the Entrepreneur Hot Seat, where entrepreneurs share their challenges and solicit insights from the audience. Additionally, we explored Brittany's broader vision for expanding this initiative nationwide, highlighting her commitment to nurturing entrepreneurial spirits across various cities. Our conversation also touched upon the forthcoming podcast, "The Upper Flame," which seeks to inspire listeners to deepen their faith and entrepreneurial pursuits. The Entrepreneur Connect Charlotte networking event serves as a pivotal gathering for both current and aspiring entrepreneurs, designed to foster connections, share insights, and cultivate a sense of community among business-minded individuals. Brittany, the founder and CEO of Entrepreneurs Connect CLT, eloquently articulates her vision behind the initiative, which is intricately woven into her overarching enterprise, Souls on Fire Network. This faith-based organization aims to empower individuals who feel a divine calling towards entrepreneurship, particularly those discontented with the traditional 9-to-5 employment model. The event features a unique segment known as the Entrepreneur Hot Seat, wherein selected entrepreneurs present their business challenges and solicit feedback and guidance from the audience, thereby enhancing the collaborative spirit of the gathering. Through a detailed exploration of her journey, Brittany emphasizes the importance of community and mentorship in the entrepreneurial landscape. She reflects on her own experiences of feeling isolated and lacking resources during her initial forays into entrepreneurship, which now fuels her desire to assist others who find themselves in similar predicaments. Her commitment to helping aspiring entrepreneurs is evident, as she passionately advocates for the notion that everyone possesses the potential to thrive as an entrepreneur, provided they receive the appropriate support and encouragement. This ethos not only underpins the Entrepreneurs Connect initiative but also inspires attendees to seek clarity and direction in their respective business pursuits, fostering an atmosphere of hope and empowerment. Brittany's aspirations extend beyond Charlotte, as she envisions a nationwide expansion of Entrepreneurs Connect, with plans to establish events in major cities across the United States. Her drive is rooted in a profound belief that divine guidance plays a crucial role in her endeavors, as she expresses gratitude for the turnout and engagement at the event. The synergy created during such gatherings serves as a testament to the power of connection, where individuals can share their stories, seek advice, and ultimately, help one another navigate the entrepreneurial journey. The event stands not merely as a networking occasion but as a transformative experience that cultivates a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem, rooted in faith and community.

Takeaways:

1. The Entrepreneurs Connect Charlotte event serves as a pivotal networking opportunity for aspiring entrepreneurs.
2. Brittany, the organizer, emphasizes a faith-based approach to entrepreneurship through her initiative called Souls on Fire Network.
3. The Entrepreneur Hot Seat segment allows entrepreneurs to discuss their challenges and receive valuable feedback from the audience.
4. Brittany aims to inspire individuals to pursue entrepreneurship despite financial or resource limitations.
5. The podcast, The Upper Flame, focuses on personal growth and deepening one's relationship with God.
6. Brittany's vision includes expanding Entrepreneurs Connect to every major city across America by 2026.

Companies mentioned in this episode:

1. Entrepreneurs Connect Charlotte
2. Souls on Fire Network
3. Upper Flame

All right, I'm C.J.

Williams.

We have Entrepreneur Connect Charlotte networking event right here in the heart of uptown.

I'm joined by the organizer of this event.

This is Brittany.

I want to first thank you for allowing me to come out here and bring this.

Absolutely.

What are we doing here?

Yeah, absolutely.

So my name is Brittany.

I am the founder and the CEO of Entrepreneurs Connect clt.

Where is where, where is where?

It is where we are tonight.

Word vomit here.

But it is a networking event for current and for aspiring entrepreneurs.

I have an overarching business above this that is called Souls on Fire Network.

And Souls on Fire Network is a faith based business and it is specifically for a professional corporate person.

Maybe, maybe you're looking for more in your life.

Maybe you're like, hey, there's a tug on my heart.

And I don't think the 9 to 5 is for me anymore.

I think that God has called me to something greater.

So that's what Souls on Fire Network was founded under.

It's helping those aspiring entrepreneurs become entrepreneurs.

And under an umbrella under Souls on Fire Network is Entrepreneurs Connect, which is where we are here tonight.

So that is if you're a current entrepreneur or if you're an aspiring entrepreneur, you're definitely welcome to this event.

And we have a signature event here called the Entrepreneur Hot Seat, where we bring up a few entrepreneurs to talk about their business, talk about a specific struggle in their business, and they're able to phone a friend and ask the audience different questions that they may struggle in their business, and they're able to get just a lot of clarity from those different questions.

Yeah, that was great too.

That was something I haven't seen in networking events.

Next time I come, we're gonna have to film that 100%.

That would be great content.

Yeah, absolutely.

Be helpful for people.

Yeah, Yeah, I think that was.

That was dope.

Yeah.

So you're an entrepreneur.

Yes.

Talk about what you do as an entrepreneur.

Yeah, absolutely.

So I am a faith based entrepreneur and I'm just really a community builder.

Okay.

You know, I had a business, Souls on Fire, about five years ago, and now God has called me to rebrand and relaunch that business.

And that is really something with where we're standing in today, just helping those aspiring entrepreneurs become entrepreneurs.

You know, I've heard from a few different entrepreneurs that you are most qualified to help the person that you used to be.

And I used to be that person that didn't have the connections, didn't have the finances, didn't have the coaching or the mentorship to step into that thing that got has called them to do.

And I want to be able to help that person now because I think I believe everyone deserves to be an entrepreneur if that's something that they have been called to do.

And just because you don't have the finances or the resources or the connections to be able to do that.

Like souls on fire, network entrepreneurs connect, we can help you do that.

Cool.

What do you get out of this?

Just seeing people connect, that's really the heart of everything, is I love, I love people being able to make genuine connections.

I was interviewed a few months ago for a faith based leadership page and I talked about myself being an entrepreneur and you can look this up.

One of my exact wording was I don't even care if people know that I'm the CEO of it.

I want God to be exalted in everything that I do.

He is the center of every single thing that I do.

And whether I can bring people to Christ, talk about God on the stage, or if I can set one person free in this room and just give them clarity on their business and what God has called them to do, then I know it's the right thing.

So the day that you plant the fruit is not the day that.

Or, excuse me, the day that you plant the seed is not the day that you eat the fruit.

So really just planting different seeds and you know, do not grow weary, for in due season you will reap a harvest if you do not give up.

Okay.

Did you get the turnout you expected?

Yeah, it was great.

You know, I just, I knew God was going to send the people and he sent the right people.

So glory and honor to.

Glory and honor to God for all that.

Okay, cool.

So you, you traveled here to Charlotte?

I did from where I live in Orlando, Florida and have a very successful networking event here in Queen City, Charlotte, North Carolina.

So you come here just to do this?

I do.

Why here?

I used to live in Charlotte.

I lived here for about three and a half years and God called me back to Florida about four months ago and he just pulled on my heart to, to keep the networking event running.

So I have been extremely blessed with a fantastic leadership team here, a couple, a couple other co hosts and event hosts here in Charlotte and, and what you've seen in this room tonight, with people connecting and entrepreneur hot seat and people just being able to make connections, potentially find mentorship and, and get clarity.

Entrepreneurs Connect will be in every major city in America and it will be nationwide as well.

So Orlando, Florida Is the next place that we're going.

Orlando?

You're next.

Yes.

Yep.

So okay on that.

Like, how often are you going to.

Doing these events here in Charlotte?

When can I expect to come back?

Yeah.

So these events, Entrepreneurs Connect clt, will be once a month, typically the, the second Wednesday of every month here in the Legacy Union Building next to the bank of America Tower.

Okay, cool.

So talk about the platform.

I talked to Karisha.

You guys are building something.

Yeah.

Talk about it.

Yeah.

So outside of building Souls on Fire Network and Entrepreneurs Connect, I'm still a corporate woman, by the way as well.

So I have, I have a 9 to 5 and, you know, work 100% remote there.

But Karisha and I are co hosts of a podcast called the Upper Flame, based on Acts 2 in the Bible.

Where is the.

The Holy Spirit is raining down and we really just kind of call people out.

You know, if you're a lukewarm Christian, you probably don't want to listen to it because you're going to get challenged.

It's going to help you be a better Christian, a better wife, a better mother, a better husband, a better father, and it's going to challenge you to just grow deeper in your relationship with God, but also, you know, just to help you gain, gain clarity in your life as well.

What makes you the person to be calling somebody out?

Who are you to call somebody else out on their Christianity?

Yeah, well, I, I think to, to go back to my point before you are most qualified to, to help the person that you once were.

And I, I have, I have had the call on my heart for a while to just grow deeper in my relationship with God.

And I think that there are a lot of things standing in my way with that.

So I wish that I had someone who was maybe a little hard on me and just tell me straight up facts, you know, tell me things that I don't want to hear, but, but tell me things that I need to hear.

So I believe, you know, everyone, you know, wants to grow deeper in their relationship with God, at least they should.

So that's kind of why I feel qualified to do that.

I wasn't trying to put you.

No, no, you're good.

No, you're good.

Okay, cool.

Anything else you want to get out to?

The people say God is good, Jesus Christ is king.

That's, that's, that's it.

But I appreciate you coming.

I appreciate you reaching out and who knows, you know, maybe, maybe we'll continue to connect and collaborate, but hopefully, we'll see.

Oh, this brought a little something to the event, like a little extra.

Oh, yeah, yeah, it was great.

Yeah.

Pew had, like.

He had lines up here, y'.

All.

Y' all gotta come to an Entrepreneurs Connect event.

You want to come to Orlando?

You can come to Orlando.

You gonna fly me out?

Yeah.

Okay.

We'll put it on the tab.

All right, so I know you said the podcast is coming up.

You guys haven't released it yet, right?

No.

Okay, so how can people connect with you and find out more about you and then get in line to watch that or to tune into the podcast?

Yeah.

So the Upper Flame podcast, our Instagram and threads is the Upper Flame Facebook, also the upper fl.

Upper flame.

Then you can find us@upper flame.com.

Cool.

Thank you.

Yeah, absolutely.

Thank you.

I appreciate it.