emPower Breakfast International – Helping Business
The US Small Business Administration formed the Omaha Empowerment Breakfast in 2001 to provide local businesses with networking opportunities, speakers and a non-commercial meeting.The event is focused on community development and building relationships. During Covid (2020), the organizers decided to end the breakfast.
Michael McKee, a longtime fan of the Empowerment Breakfast had the vision of reviving the event and enlisted Jim Barger as a partner. By focusing on value for attendees and sponsors, the Breakfast returned to its former level.
Having rebuilt attendance and revived growth, they began offering events in other cities. Renamed the emPower Breakfast, Michael and Jim began by staying true to the principles the Breakfast was founded on: Access for everyone, a culture with no hidden agenda, and the best speakers in the community. They have made it possible for almost anyone to bring an emPower Breakfast to their community by developing a proprietary automated database system and documenting a proven system of attendance and profitability.
Individual breakfast networking events are established in geographic areas and look to provide valuable networking experiences to business owners, marketing and sales professionals and organizational leaders. The events are non-commercial (meaning nothing is sold directly at the events), non-membership, fast-paced – 90 minutes of activity and focused on the attendees and their stories. Attendees are also able to share their stories and businesses around their table for 1-2 minutes each. Everyone at the breakfast has a chance to speak. There are twelve schedule speakers per event. Our focus on community development means we are all about helping people grow their business and organization. Tickets for the events are sold to the public.
Topics of Featured Speakers are general business concepts or personal development to allow all members of the audience to find value. We feature self-published authors, consultants and coaches, non-profits and, occasionally, elected politicians to discuss local issues.
Each breakfast has limited sponsorship chairs, one per industry.We look for companies and organizations who see the value in networking and want to take a leadership role in the community in bringing people together. This is the motivation for sponsors.
We feature Sponsor logos on our website, in our email marketing, on our event agenda and on a slider screen are how we keep sponsors in front of our attendees. Sponsors wear red lanyards and are recognized at each event.Engage us to learn more of the benefits of Sponsorship.
What makes us different in networking.
Focused on You, the attendee: From Featured Speakers to table conversations, many people have a chance to speak at an emPower Breakfast. Experts, Sponsors, regular attendees … and You! We try to give everyone a chance to share their stories…
An Intimate Event: We aren’t looking for hundreds to attend - our events feel like you could meet everyone if you tried.
Non-commercial: The emPower Breakfast does not promote any specific product; the presentations are not sales pitches. Our monthly event is non-membership and public; focused on fun and relationship building.
We finish on time: We pace our event quickly, so there’s never a dull moment!
Our vision for national (or regional) sponsors:
We are looking for companies and organizations who believe in the power of bringing people together and encouraging them to engage and hear other peoples’ stories. Although most sponsors will be local, we believe there is an opportunity for larger companies to support a number of emPower Breakfasts in an area, or across the US. This means these larger brands may connect with multiple regions of the country.
EmPower Breakfast is currently established in 12+ locations, and we expect to multiply our growth throughout 2026.We do not compete with membership groups like Chambers of Commerce or BNI. In fact, these groups usually support and promote us, some sponsor us. People who network are always looking for new ways to network.
If you know business owners in other cities around the US, or International that are looking to sponsor community development groups, then let’s engage.
If you are a business professional or business owner in the Omaha Metro, attend one of our local breakfast events.
Omaha emPower Breakfast; Second Friday of every month
Sarpy County emPower Breakfast, Third Tuesday of every month
Lincoln emPowerBreakfast, Second Thursday of every month
