Exclusive Interview with Darnell Sue, Founder of Girl Power Hour, Seattle, WA

Darnell Sue is a female power house that has a huge following in Seattle, WA and around the nation with her Girl About Town Blog in the Seattle Post Intelligencer. She also has many working women fans that attend her Girl Power Hour events which just completed its second anniversary. I had the privilege of interviewing her to find out how Girl Power Hour came to be.

Darnell my first question is how was the idea of Girl Power Hour conceived?

"Girl Power Hour is a stylish networking experience for women. The idea of Girl Power Hour was born when myself and my former business partner, Samantha Lawton, met at your typical networking event in February 2007. Feeling uninspired and bored, we realized there had to be a more stylish and, quite frankly, groovier way to meet new people, especially women. After toying with the idea of starting our own social networking events for many months, we realized that we both knew tons of creative, savvy, business-minded women from several social circles. We wondered what would happen if we brought them together in a non-threatening, fun and stylish environment to sip cocktails, connect, build relationships, learn about engaging businesses, hear from special guests and learn about local charities while receiving swag bags and door prizes? We had 100 women at our first event and currently average anywhere from 100-250 women at any given event.

Since being founded in 2007 we've produced 24 events, launched our Eastside Chapter, and featured local and national authors and a writer from the Huffington Post. We've featured many charities including Go Red for Women, The Ruby Room, The Goodwill and more and, we've hosted charity gift drives for local charities and consecutive shoe drives for Soles 4 Souls - collecting over 300 pairs to date. We've helped launch products, venues and services, been sponsored by Avelle - The New Bag, Borrow or Steal as seen in the Sex and the City Movie, we've cultivated strategic partnerships with local and national brands like Glamour Magazine, Pearl Vodka, Cirque de Soleil, The 5th Avenue Theatre, and we've held events at the hippest locations including The W, Hotel 1000, The Hyatt at Olive 8, Sole Repair Shop and more."

How do you decide on what events to sponsor and how do you get businesses to sponsor your events? Do companies contact you or do you go looking for them?

"Typically, we do not sponsor events, but sometimes partner with organizations to form strategic partnerships. We look for companies or brands that align with our goals and mission. Oftentimes companies or individuals will contact us for sponsorship information and sometimes, we seek out businesses that we would like to work with."

What benefits can a working gal get from networking at one of your events?

"We believe that women are natural networkers, especially in the kind of comfortable, non-threatening environment that a Girl Power Hour event provides. We also believe that everyone knows at least one person that you would like to know...you just don't know it yet! This is why we encourage guests to step out of their comfort zones (in their favorite heels) to increase their social circles by meeting new people and focusing on relationship-building. Our hope for our guests is that they will make at least one new friend or business contact, and come away with some great goodies and useful information. We believe that by setting the stage and creating a memorable, fun and sincere experience, that magic happens!"

What is next on the horizon for Darnell Sue?

"I am currently focusing on building the Girl Power Hour brand and expanding our events to other major cities. We're also working on a Membership Program and the formation of Girl Power Hour Productions - a full-scale event-planning service that will integrate the signature Girl Power Hour style and feature VIP DJ and photography services like "Shoot Your Party Like a Rock Star."

Tell me a little about your blog on the PI and what motivates you to do what you do and keep doing it?

"My Seattle PI Blog, Girl About Town, actually turns 3 years old this week. I'm planning on restructuring a bit to integrate it into my current endeavors....if I can find the time (laughing)."

Darnell Sue studied Marketing and International Business at Washington State University and the American Intercontinental University in London, graduating with a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration in 2002 from Washington State University. She's the Founder of a once a month women's networking event called Girl Power Hour, she's a DJ, a Glambassador for GLAMOUR Magazine, is featured in the latest CRAVE book, she's been writing the Girl About Town Blog since January 2007 and she holds a full time job as Events and Circulation Manager for WHERE Magazine Seattle.