All Young Professionals are invited to this professional development session to hear an overview of AI with a healthy discussion about governace and ethical use. Artificial Intelligence is permeating every aspect of our careers and personal lives. Come learn what it is, how to use, and how to get an advantage in many tools before you are left behind. This introductory talk on AI will give you the tools and frameworks to get started using AI today. This professional development workshop is led by Venture Asheville’s Director, Jeffrey Kaplan. Jeffrey speaks on AI reguraly, ranging from statewide audiences to local meetups. He was formerly Governor Roy Coopers appointee to the NC Board of Science, Technology, and Innovation and is a technology entrepreneur himself. Prior to a life in entrepreneurship, Jeffrey was a multi-media educator and built the Digital Media and New Technology Graduate Certificate Program at Indiana University.

Please register for this event in order to help us plan accordingly.

The Young Professionals of Asheville (YPA) provides outstanding professional leadership development opportunities through educational seminars, service opportunities and networking for Asheville professionals between the ages of 21 and 40. For more information or to join, please visit Young Professionals

All Young Professionals are invited to this professional development session to hear an overview of AI with a healthy discussion about governace and ethical use. Artificial Intelligence is permeating every aspect of our careers and personal lives. Come learn what it is, how to use, and how to get an advantage in many tools before you are left behind. This introductory talk on AI will give you the tools and frameworks to get started using AI today. This professional development workshop is led by Venture Asheville’s Director, Jeffrey Kaplan. Jeffrey speaks on AI regularly, ranging from statewide audiences to local meetups. He was formerly Governor Roy Coopers appointee to the NC Board of Science, Technology, and Innovation and is a technology entrepreneur himself. Prior to a life in entrepreneurship, Jeffrey was a multi-media educator and built the Digital Media and New Technology Graduate Certificate Program at Indiana University.

5:30-6:30 – Social Hour (snacks and beverages provided)

6:30-7:30 – PD Session

Please register for this event in order to help us plan accordingly.

The Young Professionals of Asheville (YPA) provides outstanding professional leadership development opportunities through educational seminars, service opportunities and networking for Asheville professionals between the ages of 21 and 40. For more information or to join, please visit Young Professionals

Hosted by Brian Lewis and Skye David, the dynamic duo behind the Do Politics Better podcast, the event will feature a conversation that delves into the intricate workings of the North Carolina legislature.

Speakers:

• Brian Lewis: A seasoned lobbyist and expert in state politics, Brian leads strategy and messaging at New Frame, a bipartisan lobbying and communications firm. His extensive experience will provide valuable insights into the legislative landscape.
• Skye David: With a background in policy, legal, and regulatory issues, Skye has become a trusted figure at New Frame. Her work has garnered attention in major media outlets, and her expertise will contribute to a comprehensive understanding of legislative matters.

The discussion will highlight key aspects such as a reflection on the 2023 NC General Assembly session and forward-thinking insights into the expectations for the 2024 short session.

Agenda:

• 8:15-8:45 a.m.: Registration & Networking (Enjoy light pastries and coffee)
• 8:45-10 a.m.: Program

Don’t miss this opportunity to gain first-hand insights, network and stay ahead of the legislative curve.

IT’S DUMB JUST COME HAVE FUN. WHO CARES. COOL IS DEAD.

Ages 18+

TFAC’s popular event, Chase Away the Blues, returns to January in 2024 to brighten up the winter nights! Get ready! The VIP Blues Lounge opens at 5:30 PM with live music open bar and food provided by Tryon Resort in the Pavilion. All are sure to get your feet stomping…

A Charlotte Comic Takeover!!!
It’s Another Great Comedy Show at Asheville Pizza & Brewing Co, Theater 2! Jan 21, 6:30p, 18+, Get Dinner, Drinks & Laughs with the areas best standup comics. Featured and Open Mic Comedy. [Performing comics get 3-5m, FREE entry and pizza. ]
Morgan Marie is guest hosting, in from Charlotte with some great comic features in tow!! Get Your Tickets Now! https://www.ashevillebrewing.com/buy-tickets/

The Collider is an event venue with co-working and private office space rentals centered in the middle of Downtown Asheville. Come celebrate The Collider’s Ribbon Cutting with hors d’oeuvres and drinks within a pleasant networking environment. Business After Hours to follow!!

Come join us for Business After Hours at The Collider!  The Collider is an event venue with co-working and private office space rentals centered in the middle of Downtown Asheville. Come celebrate with hors d’oeuvres and drinks within a pleasant networking environment. Don’t miss the Ribbon Cutting at 4:30 to kick off the evening!!

Feel free to bring a gift to be raffled off as door prizes towards the end of the evening. Bring your business cards for networking and a chance to win prizes!

Please take a look below at our members who have renewed for another year!

All Souls Counseling Center

Big Brothers Big Sisiters of WNC

Embrew Tea

Five Star Bath Solutions

Gemelli

Get Lifted Tire and Alignment, LLC

Hydrate Medical

Insight Recovery Center

Sage and Spice Catering

South Slope Acupuncture and Wellness

Tralala Interiors

Well Roots Counseling

Chris Dwyer Painting

American IRA, LLC

Fioreously Delicious

Avena Bodywork

CarMax

FormPiper

This event is offered as a benefit for Chamber membership. We welcome you to come and check us out! Please contact Jessica Kanupp, our Member Development Specialist, at [email protected] if you’re considering a Chamber membership.

Standup Comedy at Pulp featuring Cody Hughes
Stand up Comedy at The Orange Peel’s Pulp Lounge
When: Thursday December 25, 2024.
7p-9p, doors at 6:30p
Where:
The Orange Peel’s Comedy Basement, Pulp Lounge, 103 Hilliard Ave, Downtown Asheville
Tickets: $15 (available at door or The Orange Peel website https://theorangepeel.net/event/slice-of-life-comedy-open-mic-24/ )
Cocktails available while you laugh the night away to some of the area’s best Stand Up Comics in a ridiculously fun adult environment!! Free snacks while availability lasts!
Hosted by Hilliary Begley, featuring Cody Hughes
Comedy open mic is 3-5m each, comics get in free with free snacks!
Host Hilliary Begley-
Hilliary will make you cry with laughter. With her larger that life personality!! Voted repeatedly Asheville’s Favorite comic in the Mountain Xpress. Film debut in the Netflix original Dumplin’ as Aunt Lucy, or “Jennifer Anniston’s fat sister,” In Austin Film Festival winning movie When We Last Spoke with Cloris Leachman, now streaming on Amazon Prime.
https ://youtu.be/legRwEg4j-o
Feature Cody Hughes is a comedian from Asheville NC. He’s lived in a few different big cities and a lot of comedians like him and a lot of other comedians have heard good things about him from the comedians who like him. A few comedians don’t like him and he can’t do anything about that. Oh well. He has opened for Lewis Black, John Oliver, Maria Bamford, and many others.
Watch his new comedy special:

Beginner’s workshop lesson at 7:30 P.M., then 8-11 P.M. Contra Dance with Country Waltzing at the break and the final dance. This is a partner dance but it’s not necessary to come with a partner. We have different live bands and callers.

Recommended grades: 4-12
Performance duration: 60 min

With athleticism, grace, and unparalleled innovation, Parsons Dance creates unforgettable contemporary performances that amaze audiences.

Connect with the artists in a post-show Q&A.

Reservations for individuals (10 people or less): $12 each. To reserve, complete the Student Series Reservation Form, call the box office at 828-257-4530 ext. 1, or email [email protected].

Reservations for groups (11 people or more): $11 each. To reserve, complete the Student Series Reservation Form. Please note that all group reservations require a deposit of $1 per ticket. Please contact the box office if you have questions.

As one of the world’s premier contemporary dance companies, this talented troupe showcases a dynamic fusion of styles that combines athleticism, grace and unparalleled innovation. Through endless creativity and self-expression, striking choreography and powerful music, Parsons Dance creates unforgettable performances that push the boundaries of dance and bring life-affirming artistry to audiences across the globe.

Connect with the art and artists

• Dance workshop — details forthcoming
• Pre-show discussions: January 26 & 27 at 7 p.m.

As one of the world’s premier contemporary dance companies, this talented troupe showcases a dynamic fusion of styles that combines athleticism, grace and unparalleled innovation. Through endless creativity and self-expression, striking choreography and powerful music, Parsons Dance creates unforgettable performances that push the boundaries of dance and bring life-affirming artistry to audiences across the globe.

Connect with the art and artists

• Dance workshop — details forthcoming
• Pre-show discussions: January 26 & 27 at 7 p.m.

Prepare yourself for three power-packed hours of inspiration and insight. You will be amazed at the caliber of Asheville area’s professional speaking community. NSA-WNC will showcase a series of inspirational and interactive presentations that will kickstart your year with insights and tools to help you achieve the changes you wish to make in the year ahead.

Whether you are a leader seeking ways to develop your team or a student of self-improvement, this event promises to point you in a new and positive direction.

Proceeds benefit the Asheville Breakfast Rotary Foundation. Those who bring a hygiene product for donation will also be entered into a door prize drawing at the close of the event.

The Lazy Tiger is a traveler’s hostel focused on serving as a launchpad for adventure and allowing strangers to become friends!

Come celebebrate their ribbon cutting that will allow other local business owners a chance to see their new space and network with others! Take a tour of the space and ask any questions you may have! There will be drinks and light snacks provided.

The YMCA of Western North Carolina’s Community Health team delivers fresh, healthy food at no charge to hundreds of families in a five-county area. Their mobile food markets are set up like free farmers markets at dozens of locations each month. They ask no questions and place no limits on the amount of food each person chooses. In addition to food, they share tasty recipes, practical cooking demonstrations, and valuable nutrition information that’s easy to understand. The Y is also part of the statewide Healthy Opportunity Pilot (HOP) to address food insecurity for managed Medicaid participants. We prepare and deliver meal boxes that contain a week’s worth of nutritious food, simple recipes, and tips for food storage and cooking. The Nutrition Outreach Hub is their home base for food donation, sorting, and packing.

The YMCA of Western North Carolina is celebrating 10 years of delivering fresh, healthy food at no charge to the community. This work is centered at their Nutrition Outreach Hub, which recently moved into its new home on Riverside Drive. Elected officials, community members, and the media are invited to attend the space’s grand opening and ribbon cutting to learn more about how the Y is improving access to healthy local food. Light refreshments will be served.

Please join us for the next Goodwill Business Advisory Council (BAC) meeting to be held on Thursday, February 1, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. We’ll be meeting at The Omni Grove Park Inn located at 290 Macon Avenue, Asheville.

Networking and Lunch: 11:30 a.m.
Meeting: Noon – 1 p.m.
Location: Omni Grove Park Inn
Meeting Room: The Skyline Meeting Room.
Arrival Directions: Park in the Sammons parking garage and take the guest elevator to the lobby level. Upon exiting the elevators, turn right and walk towards the lobby. The Skyline Meeting Room entrance is across from the patio entrance to the Edison Restaurant.

Join us to discover the diverse opportunities that The Omni Grove Park Inn offers, gain insight into its leadership development initiatives, and learn about its community engagement strategies as we showcase our current leaders’ impactful work.

Featured Speakers:
Sasha James – Recruiting Sourcing Specialist
Kathleen Perez – Director of Human Resources
Elizabeth Jordan – Current Leader in Development
Paige McCoy – Current Leader in Development
Emily Moore – Assistant Front Office Manager, past Leader in Development
Janie Hicks – CIA Pro Chef Program Participant
Amari Kidd – CIA Pro Chef Program Participant
Melissa McKnight – Executive Banquet Chef and Food Connection Board Member

Career Quest: Grove Park Inn with Sasha James Sasha is the recruiting sourcing specialist for The Omni Grove Park Inn. She’s joining us to talk about customer service in the hospitality industry. Watch the video to learn more. Want to feature your organization and job opportunities? Contact Career Quest for more information.

Impending Joy

The absolutely unfettered energy of Asheville’s psych/garage band Impending Joy begs to be heard live. The driving surf punk-esque sound has to be enjoyed communally. It has the unifying spirit that solidifies what it means to be young or young at heart. It gleefully slams the point home, it rocks no matter what sub-genre you want to call it, somewhere between Surf Curse and OSEES is close enough. Impending Joy’s debut, self titled album is a journey through time carrying a twinge of nostalgic familiarity. The album is a collection of tracks that invites the listener to break free from the mundane and immerse oneself in more. Where truth is not just music; it’s a gateway to joy.

Tongues of Fire

Most bands fit cleanly within a genre but Tongues of Fire don’t. At their heart they are a punk band, their shows are unhinged, the music is straightforward and hard hitting, there is no trace of excessiveness but they are accessible and there is a well crafted feel to what they do.

Rob Robinson

Rob Robinson creates vocal driven electronica, house, and vaporwave sounds inspired by 90s educational aesthetics on his upcoming debut record, “The Worldhouse Collection,” which is imbued with the “rompler” sample-synth sounds of the Roland D-50 and Korg M1 synthesizers.

Ribbon Cutting Advanced Dermatology + Skin Surgery

The foundation of personal and professional success lies in understanding yourself, understanding others, and realizing the impact of personal behavior on others. For nearly thirty years, more than 30 million people have unlocked the door to productive communication and increased performance through the DiSC® of Behavior & Communication Styles learning approach.

This workshop offers small business owners, sales professionals, and managers a dynamic and personalized learning experience, engineered to increase awareness of customer & sales interactions and increase results, generating lasting connections that bolster your bottom line.

Program Benefits:

• Practical Application: Learn actionable strategies to apply DiSC Sales knowledge in real-world scenarios.
• Enhanced Communication with customers.
• Increased Sales Effectiveness: Understand and adapt to different customer communication styles to boost sales success.
• Deeper Customer Connections: Forge stronger relationships with customers by understanding their unique communication preferences.
• Improved Customer Service: Deliver tailored service based on customer communication styles and needs.
• Enhanced Sales Team Collaboration: Foster better teamwork and communication within the sales team.

About the Presenter:

E.G. Sebastian, co-founder of LOYCAL – Loyal to Local, is a Business-Development & Performance Consultant, and an international speaker. He’s been helping management and sales teams improve their performance since 2004.

He is the author of Communication Skills Magic – used in several college courses in the US and Canada – and is the co-author of multiple books, including “Back Off! – Your Kick-Ass Guide to Ending Bullying at Work,” and “Bushido Business” – co-authored with Brian Tracy and Steven MR Covey.

Sebastian believes in delivering content through Eduteinment – Education + Entertainment – using humor and interaction with the audience. His presentations often are among the highest rated at professional events.

Connect with him on LinkedIn, at www.linkedin.com/in/egSebastian and on Alignable: www.alignable.com/hendersonville-nc/loycal-loyal-to-local

Registration is required so we may plan accordingly.

This event is offered as a benefit for Chamber membership. We also believe these are important topics for everyone, so we are opening this event to non-members for $15. We welcome you to come and check us out! Please contact Jessica Kanupp, our Member Development Specialist, at [email protected] if you’re considering a Chamber membership.

Help us relaunch the Westie scene in a premier venue showcasing spacious dance floors, high ceilings, and a vintage vibe. If you are new to West Coast Swing, come check out for yourself the popular dance style that can be done to a wide variety of music, including pop, country, blues, and contemporary music! For those looking to advance their skills, the Hendersonville WCS community is excited to welcome Pro Instructor Ryan Pflumm to Continuum!

As always, the dress is casual and no partner is needed. Join us for an incredible night of connecting and dancing with our MONTHLY event every FIRST Wednesday!

PRIVATE LESSONS
If you would like to book a private lesson with Ryan for $75 per hour, please message Continuum with the following:

1. Which timeslot(s)
2. number of people attending
   Times:
   3:30-4:30pm
   4:30-5:30pm
   5:30-6:30pm
   first come, first served

CLASSES
7:00-8:00pm Intermediate w/ Ryan Pflumm!
7:00-8:00pm Beginner w/ Rachel Harris
8:00-10:00pm Social Dance

Each class is $10 and includes a pass to the social dance. The social dance is $7 without a lesson. Music will be DJ’d by Pro Instructor Ryan Pflumm.

Bring your own beer/wine. Liquor and other beverages above 16% alcohol content are strictly prohibited.

Masks are encouraged but, not required.

Cash, cards, Venmo, PayPal, and Cash app are accepted.

Everyday Orthodontics is a unique orthodontic practice with a focus on honest and affordable personalized care for all ages. Smiling is one of their highest personal art forms and we want everyone to have the confidence to flaunt it! Their services include braces, aligners, special needs care, TMJ treatment, sleep apnea treatment, jaw surgery, and complex orthodontics. They appreciate this community so much and it has always been their goal to create something that offers fantastic services built on trust, honesty and genuine relationships. A place that involves theirr patients in their treatment every step of the way and listens to them carefully. A place they truly love to visit.

Come join them at their practice to meet Dr. Liz and enjoy some food, drinks, and live music! Special discount cards off of comprehensive treatment will be available to all attendees!