There are plenty of ways to network in South Florida. Cocktail hours, coffee meetups, speed networking events where you exchange twelve business cards in forty minutes and remember none of the conversations. The Weston Chamber of Commerce’s monthly membership lunch isn’t that.
Membership Lunch happens every third Wednesday of the month, from 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. at The Park at Weston (formerly Bonaventure 19). It’s the Chamber’s anchor event — the one that members are encouraged to put on the calendar every month, not just when the topic looks interesting or a friend is attending. The consistency is the point.
WHAT HAPPENS IN THE ROOM
Every Membership Lunch follows a format that’s been refined around one goal: making sure everyone in the room knows who else is in the room.
When you walk in, you’re not handed a name tag and pointed toward a cocktail table. The lunch opens with introductions; everyone gets a moment at the mic to say who they are and what they do. It sounds simple (and it is) but it changes the dynamic of the entire event. By the time the meal is underway, you already have a sense of who’s there and who you want to find before you leave.
Each month, a local business sponsor takes the spotlight with a brief presentation as an opportunity to share what they do with a roomful of engaged, attentive peers rather than a scrolling social media feed. Elected officials are a regular presence at each lunch as well, offering legislative updates and news that directly affects Weston businesses. These are the kinds of updates that help business owners stay informed on the issues the Chamber advocates for on their behalf.
New members are welcomed personally. Elected officials shake hands with each one as they’re introduced to the room. It’s a gesture that reflects how seriously the Chamber takes the idea that every member matters from day one.
The session also includes business tips, community information, and intentional connection-making. If you’re looking to meet someone in a particular industry or connect with a specific type of partner, the Chamber staff works to make those introductions happen in the room rather than leaving it to chance.
RELATIONSHIPS OVER ROLODEXES
The Chamber is direct about what Membership Lunch is and isn’t. It isn’t a business card exchange. The goal isn’t to leave with a stack of contacts you’ll never follow up with. The goal is to become someone that the other people in that room trust enough to refer to their own networks. And that kind of trust doesn’t come from a single event; it comes from showing up consistently, being known, and knowing others.
The Chamber hosts events throughout the month at varying times and formats, making it easier for members with different schedules to stay engaged. But the Membership Lunch is the one they come back to as the foundation. It’s where relationships start, and where they deepen over time.
JOIN US
The Membership Lunch is held every third Wednesday from 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. at The Park at Weston. To register for an upcoming lunch or learn more about chamber membership, visit westonflchamber.com or reach out to the Chamber office directly at (954) 432-9808.
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