Being a Part of The Southbay Conference for Women
“I got involved with the Manhattan Beach Chamber of Commerce immediately after opening my law firm, Lauzon & Euler, in 1996. The networking opportunities and connections that I made through that involvement helped me to grow my business right from the beginning!”
It was only three short years later that Lauzon added Founder of the Manhattan Beach Women in Business to her title list of accolades, a busy, impressive list that also includes Crown Jewel Club Board Member, Moms in Touch Leader, as well as involvement with numerous other local school committees and groups.
“I was one of only a few woman on the board of the Manhattan Beach Chamber of Commerce in 1999, and during our retreat there was a man from Arizona who told me their chamber had a group just for businesswomen. So I decided we needed something like that here. It started out as 10-20 of us meeting at Coco’s for lunch, and for the first few months it was all friends and colleagues I begged or threatened,” Debra reminisces with a laugh. “Later that same year I attended the Governor’s Conference for Women, and I knew that we needed something like that in the South Bay.”
What began as a dozen women lunching at Coco’s has grown into a committee and conference that has far surpassed Debra’s wildest expectations from those early days. From the beginning, Lauzon saw that there was a niche that needed to be filled, and her efforts gave local women that venue to share their inspirations and aspirations alike.
“I’m a firm believer in philanthropy and giving back, but I know that working moms just don’t have the time to spend networking, learning about their own businesses, pursuing philanthropic causes, all the while motivating themselves and finding time to relax! So the conference was really about offering all of that in one place. It gives us a place where we can accomplish all our needs at once.”
Watching as the conference successfully gained a strong foothold in the South Bay community and beyond, Lauzon is now proud to have passed the torch the current and future committee members, trusting that the legacy she built form the ground up is in good hands.
“I am surprised that it has become as big as it has, and it is so wonderful to watch other people ‘grow your baby’ in a way. You know, this is a volunteer group, and I think that it is so important that it should just keep going, and be passed on again and again to young people with fresh ideas…it is pretty amazing. These days I am more behind the scenes with the organizations I am involved with since I am helping my daughters with college. My oldest is a freshman at Baylor, my middle daughter graduates from RUHS this year and is in the heat of applications and touring, and my youngest is almost 13. So you can find me these days donating and sponsoring others who are in the front lines – I always participate in AIDS Walk LA, Cancer research, LOVE inc…and many others!”
For Lauzon, a shining and unforgettable personal moment of this journey was the presentation of the first Heart and Soul award, an honor bestowed upon a prominent South Bay local who has displayed outstanding contributions through charitable activities, to WNBA superstar Lisa Leslie.
“I will always remember giving the first Heart and Soul Award to Lisa Leslie. Meeting a woman like her who is a Gold Medalist and WNBA star was so cool. I was so excited to meet her and so were my kids! It was really fun! But there have been so many unforgettable speakers and guests I have met, I couldn’t’ even begin to say which were the best; they have all been incredible.”
And now, after twelve years of going strong and getting stronger, and South Bay Conference for Women has touched countless lives, shaped numerous businesses, and provided many students with scholarship opportunities that pave their way to future success.
“This conference is such an opportunity to network and develop your business, but it will also leave you inspired, motivated, and it will feed your soul. I would encourage all women, and men, who think that they might want to go to just GO. They will definitely get something out of the day. Even if it isn’t from a vendor or speaker, it might be from the person sitting next to you at your table. Somehow your lives will be touched and your business will grow. And if it’s not, you can call me!”
This years South Bay Conference for Women will be held on Friday, April 13, 2012, 7:30am – 3:00pm at Torrance Marriott South Bay, 3635 Fashion Way Torrance, CA 90503.
Debra Lauzon
Founder, Originator, and Friend of the South Bay Conference for Women
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