Grossman to host workshop

ST. PETERSBURG — The St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce has tapped HSN Inc. CEO Mindy Grossman to host its first Growing Business Workshop on April 19, according to chamber Marketing and Events Coordinator Joseph Sale.

The event, which costs $15 for participants, will include representatives from four companies that use HSN's direct-to-consumer marketing strategy on the panel. Shear Enterprises, Andrea Stark Home Collection, William Dean Chocolates and FlipFold will all have executives participating in the forum.

The workshop is aimed at entrepreneurs and small business owners. It will showcase the marketing techniques used by the four companies and how they secured partnerships with HSN, which recorded annual revenue of $3.2 billion in 2011. It will be held at HSN's headquarters in St. Petersburg.

Sale says that the chamber plans hold between four to six similar events this year and hasn't secured hosts for these future workshops. The chamber plans to charge roughly $20 for future events depending on the venue and refreshment arrangements, Sale explained.

For more information on the event, email {encode="[email protected]" title="Brooke Boccacino"} or visit the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce's website.