Leadership Lunch Club

06/13/2026

On June 11th, we wrapped up our 2026 series with one of the most powerful events we've ever hosted.

Unshakeable Resilience for Life and Leadership brought together leaders from 85 businesses for a sold-out afternoon with Connie Deneweth, and the room was moved in ways none of us expected. Connie bravely shared deeply personal stories of loss and adversity with a vulnerability and grace that left the room speechless, earning Leadership Lunch Club's first ever standing ovation.

Here are a few of the lessons she left us with:
🔹 Resilience begins the moment you choose to move forward over misery.
🔹 Shift from "why me?" to "what now?"
🔹 Pause before reacting. Respond with intention, not emotion.
🔹 Accept reality quickly.
🔹 Communicate honestly. Transparency builds trust.
🔹 Honor your situation while moving forward.
🔹 Celebrate small wins. Gratitude fills the scars of adversity.

Resilience isn't about snapping back to who you were before. It's about who you become because of it.

Thank you to every attendee who showed up with an open heart, and to our incredible sponsors whose support makes these conversations possible. And a special shoutout to the photographer who captured these beautiful moments, John Robert Williams.

What a way to close out the series.

Benjamin Twiggs - The Original Cherry Store Horizon Books - Traverse City WTCM News Talk 580 Precision Plumbing and Heating Systems Priority Health Rehmann UpNorthLive Vensure Employer Solutions The Copy Shop

06/11/2026

What an incredible afternoon. 🙌

Today's sold out event, "Unshakeable Resilience for Life and Leadership," brought together leaders from 85 companies across northern Michigan for a presentation that moved the room in the most powerful way. There were tears, there were breakthroughs, and there were reminders that the challenges we face don't have to define us—they can transform us.

Thank you to every attendee who showed up with an open heart today, and to our incredible sponsors whose support makes these conversations possible. And a special thank you to Connie Deneweth for sharing your heart and story with us. You make Leadership Lunch Club what it is.

We'll be sharing more highlights soon. In the meantime, sit with this: resilience isn't about snapping back to who you were before adversity. It's about who you become because of it.



Benjamin Twiggs - The Original Cherry Store Horizon Books - Traverse City WTCM News Talk 580 Precision Plumbing and Heating Systems Priority Health Vensure Employer Solutions John Robert Williams The Copy Shop Rehmann UpNorthLive

06/10/2026

We'll see you TOMORROW for our last event of the series! 🎉

Just a few reminders:

1. Bring business cards (we're doing a drawing!)
2. Look forward to sweet treats from Benjamin Twiggs
3. Browse our featured books, available at the event
4. Come ready to connect, networking starts at 11am

We can't wait to gather with northern Michigan's leaders for an afternoon of resilience, inspiration, and great conversation.

📍 Traverse City Country Club | 1725 South Union Street
⏰Doors open at 11:00am

See you there!

06/08/2026

When leaders gather, the materials supporting the experience should reflect the same level of professionalism and care. The Copy Shop has been delivering high-quality printing, graphic design, and large-format solutions in northern Michigan for decades — helping businesses present their best work with confidence.

We’re thankful for The Copy Shop’s partnership as our Print Sponsor and for their continued support of Leadership Lunch Club and our local leadership community.

👉 Learn more: https://www.tccopyshop.com/

The Copy Shop Traverse City. Copies, Color Prints, Color Scanning, FedEx and UPS, Large Format Printing, Business Cards, Letterhead, Forms, Menus, Brochures, Logo Design and more!

06/04/2026

The ribbon cutting is happening in 15 minutes, followed by an entire weekend of fun! Don't miss out, come down and support Benjamin Twiggs - The Original Cherry Store!

Join us in the 60 year anniversary of Benjamin Twiggs! This will happen at 4:30 PM on Thursday, June 4. Food and beverages will be provided and this will be part of a larger open house. We look forward to celebrating with you!

06/04/2026

From highlighting local happenings to covering stories that truly matter, UpNorthLive plays a key role in connecting people, businesses, and communities throughout northern Michigan. Their focus on regional voices and real impact aligns closely with our mission to bring leaders together through learning and dialogue.

We’re thankful to UpNorthLive for supporting Leadership Lunch Club as our media sponsor and helping us extend the reach of our events and ideas.

👉 Check them out: https://upnorthlive.com/

WPBN offers news, sports, weather and items of local interest in Traverse City, Michigan and nearby towns, including Frankfort, Beulah, Interlochen, Kingsley, Garfield Township, Glen Arbor, Suttons Bay, Kalkaska, Kingsley and Manton, Michigan.

06/02/2026

Resilience Tip!

One of the most powerful resilience tools isn't a strategy, it's a question. Instead of asking "Why is this happening to me?" try asking "What can I do with this?"

It sounds simple, but the science behind it is significant. Psychologists call this a shift from a "victim orientation" to a "growth orientation," and research consistently shows that the way we explain adversity to ourselves has a direct impact on how quickly and effectively we recover from it.

When we ask "Why me?" we hand our power over to the situation. We become passive. We wait for circumstances to change before we allow ourselves to move forward.

When we ask "What can I do with this?" something different happens. We stay in the driver's seat. We begin looking for options, learning from the experience, and finding ways to use the challenge as fuel rather than letting it become a roadblock.

This doesn't mean ignoring pain or pretending setbacks don't hurt. It means choosing, even in hard moments, to stay oriented toward action and possibility.

That single shift in perspective is what separates reactive leadership from transformative leadership. And it's a skill, not a personality trait. It can be practiced, strengthened, and taught to the people around you.

It's one of the core ideas Connie Deneweth will explore on June 11th, along with practical frameworks for leading yourself and your team through uncertainty.

06/01/2026

Exciting news from our Silver Sponsor—and it's happening today! 🎉

Grand Traverse State Bank is officially opening their doors in Traverse City, and we couldn't be more thrilled to welcome them to the community and to the Leadership Lunch Club family.

Stop by for the ribbon cutting at 3:00pm, tour the new branch office, then head next door to Top of the Park for light refreshments and great company. It's a celebration of a new chapter for banking in northern Michigan—and we are proud to have them in our corner.

Come show them some love today!

📍 Traverse City—ribbon cutting at 3:00pm, open house to follow at Top of the Park

https://www.gtsb.bank/

06/01/2026

We are so proud to support one of our favorite northern Michigan partners — and this is worth celebrating! 🍒

Benjamin Twiggs - The Original Cherry Store, our Sweets Sponsor and a beloved Traverse City institution, is officially opening their brand new downtown location and we want to see you there.

The fun kicks off Wednesday, June 4th with a ribbon cutting ceremony hosted by Traverse Connect at 4:30pm, followed by cherry samples, complimentary drinks, and great company until 6:00pm.

And the celebration doesn't stop there — Benjamin Twiggs has an incredible weekend lined up:

Friday, June 5th — Be part of the Downtown TC Art Walk with live painting by artist Jennifer Way, who will also be signing her book "Blessing of the Blossoms," plus wine pourings from Black Star Farms.

Saturday, June 6th — A tasting experience featuring Olivia Cote of Up North Charcuterie, paired with cherry products and cherry wine pourings. Spend $75 or more and you'll be entered to win a handcrafted charcuterie board!

Sunday, June 7th — Family Day, with free coloring books for the kids and a special children's activity to be announced.

60 years of bringing the best of northern Michigan's cherry country to this community. Stop in, show some love, and help us celebrate a small business that truly has stood the test of time.

📍 305 W Front Street, Suite D (next to Mundos), Traverse City
🎟️ Register for the ribbon cutting: https://business.traverseconnect.com/events/details/ribbon-cutting-benjamin-twiggs-6884

Join us in the 60 year anniversary of Benjamin Twiggs! This will happen at 4:30 PM on Thursday, June 4. Food and beverages will be provided and this will be part of a larger open house. We look forward to celebrating with you!

05/28/2026

Tune in tomorrow morning! Our founder, Barbara Jordan, and our featured guest, Connie Deneweth, will be joining Jack O'Malley on WTCM News Talk 580 at 7:30am for a conversation about our upcoming event. It's a great preview of what's in store on June 11th.

And if you can't catch it on the radio, you can listen live at https://tunein.com/radio/Newstalk-580-WTCM-s23086/

Don't miss it!