In just the past year, Katie’s comedy shows have earned over $56,000 for local nonprofits. She’s also helped countless local women form valuable connections, including 1,800 who have participated in her “speed friending” events. Here’s a look at the details.
Ladies 40 & Better: Reinventing Local Connections
After a long and successful career that took her around the globe working for major corporations like PepsiCo, IPC, and SPX Corp, Katie O’Driscoll Smith settled down in Sarasota. She quickly found that while there were many professional networking groups in the area, opportunities to connect with others on a personal level seemed to be lacking.
This led her to create 40 or Better Ladies of Sarasota & Manatee, a group where like-minded ladies can connect and have fun – even if they don’t work for or own a business they want to promote. Clearly, she wasn’t the only person looking for this type of opportunity. In the first two years of its existence, the group grew a whopping 91% and now has about 1,300 members, with 600+ being paid members.
One of the things that makes this group unique is that Katie personally vets every prospective member to ensure the group remains safe and drama-free. Membership comes with a ton of perks, including member-only discounts, automatic entry into “Random Raffles,” access to free events, and discounted prices for paid events.
In addition to happy hours, group lunches, and coffee club meetings, the group also hosts workshops, “Snack & Learn” events, book clubs, “Speed Friending” events, and more!
How to Join
If you’re a local lady age 40 or older who wants to make new friends, this is a great group for you! The cost is only $40 per year, and you can sign up online. Once you do, you’ll have access to the website and all of the amazing member perks. You can also join the Facebook group, which will give you a chance to keep up with all of the latest news and announcements.
Reinventing Comedy
With all of the things happening in the world over the past few years, Katie says she felt like it was important to bring laughter and joy back to our community. She used her skills and connections from her past PR work to bring some top comedians into the area and Laughter in LWR was born.
These “clean comedy” shows are free from vulgar jokes and foul language – but still absolutely hilarious. This makes it a great opportunity to enjoy a night of laughter with your family and friends without worrying about any awkwardness.
There are two shows coming up this year – one on August 27th at Lakehouse Cove at Waterside, and the other on October 15th at GROVE Ballroom in Lakewood Ranch. Guests are invited to come early and socialize and stick around after the show to meet the comedians. These shows often sell out, so be sure to get your tickets soon!
We’re expecting Katie to continue making big waves in the community and are lucky to have her here! Check out Knock Out Marketing & PR’s website for more information about her services and upcoming events.
