WEST LAFAYETTE – A relaunch of the Lafayette Indiana Networking Connection, aiming to build meaningful long-term business relationships with a philanthropic theme, will be held in Room 106 of the Morton Community Center, 222 N. Chauncey Ave., from 6-8 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 4.

Those interested in learning more or registering to attend should visit the LINC Facebook page at www.facebook.com/LINC03. Lafayette business owners Jenna Isch and Julie Rubsam have always had hearts for connecting their colleagues.   And they’re taking this desire to connect to a new level with the relaunch of LINC.

“For me, networking has built a solid base of community involvement, on both a personal and professional level,” Isch said. She owns local insurance firm Isch Insurance Services, and contributes her time to several community organizations.

Rubsam echoes this sentiment. She, along with husband Jason Rubsam, owns local information technology company Lafayette PC, and also invests her time in a variety of area nonprofits. Lafayette PC was named 2012 Small Business of the Year by the Greater Lafayette Commerce in January.

“One fantastic side effect of networking is that it made me aware of opportunities for me to become involved in the community and to connect other people to each other,” she said.

Isch and Rubsam consider themselves networking matchmakers, striving to help others build business connections. LINC will host bi-monthly speed networking events to facilitate these critical relationships.

LINC isn’t just another networking meet-and-greet, the ladies stress. They aim to create an environment for intentional, meaningful and lasting connection.

All LINC events will have a philanthropic element. While attendance is free, a $10 donation is requested from each attendee to benefit a Lafayette-area nonprofit organization.

Get ready for these networking events by practicing an elevator speech, the ladies said.

“An elevator speech is a short summary of who you are and what you do, plus who you’d like to work with or meet,” Rubsam said. This speech should be possible to deliver in the time span of an elevator ride, hence the name: approximately 30 seconds to two minutes.

And don’t forget plenty of business cards to share with everyone you meet, Rubsam and Isch suggest.

“Your business card is your calling card, and how those you meet with remember you,” Isch said. “It’s a base for building your relationship and following up.”

Isch and Rubsam recommend that participants bring a notebook. Speed networking allows participants to meet many people in a short time frame, and without notes, conversations can be forgotten.

For more information, please contact Rubsam at Lafayette PC at 765-807-6334 or Julie@LafayettePC.com.