SWAG - Stop Being the Best-Kept Secret in the Room

2027 SWAG
Stop Being the Best-Kept Secret in the Room
Vandana Walia is the Founder and CEO of Vchilli Events, a cultural trailblazer and community leader with more than 20 years of experience creating luxury weddings, corporate events, and celebrations that connect people across cultures. From pioneering a sold-out South Asian fashion show aboard Chicago’s Odyssey in 2004 to launching Chicagoland Diwali, she has built a career turning bold ideas into meaningful experiences.
 
As Co-Founder and President of the Diversity Alliance and a Schaumburg Business Association Board Member, Vandana champions inclusive leadership, collaboration, and community impact. Her commitment to service includes an Indian clothing initiative that donated more than 4,000 outfits to families in need. Her work has been featured by ABC, NBC, and Modern Luxury. She brings a powerful perspective on owning your expertise, creating opportunities, and using your influence to elevate others.



A space created exclusively for women!
To eliminate confusion between SBA Women in Business (WIB) events and the SBA Women’s Alliance Group, we are bringing all women-focused programming under one unified brand: SWAG SBA Women’s Advocacy & Gratitude initiative. Moving forward, the Alliance Group name will be retired, and all activities will be organized under the SWAG umbrella.

MISSION:
SWAG unites, empowers, and elevates women in the Schaumburg Business Association through connection, professional development, gratitude, and community engagement.

WHO WE ARE:
SBA Women’s Advocacy & Gratitude (SWAG) is the unified home for all SBA women-focused events. Our goal is to create an inclusive environment where women professionals and allies can thrive through learning, networking, and shared experiences.

WHAT:
SWAG events will consist of monthly lunches, after-work socials, volunteer opportunities, and more.

2027 LUNCH DETAILS:
Dates: 3rd Wednesday of every month, 11:30 am – 1:30 pm
Sponsorships: Table Sponsors at $275 per event
For sponsorships, contact Kayleigh Endicott at kburnitz@schaumburgbusiness.com

This month's speaker is Mara Smith founder of Inspiro Tequila

Mara Smith is a mother of three and a former attorney and corporate strategist.   She practiced law at a large law firm in Chicago before transitioning  to the corporate strategy team at a Fortune 500 Company.  She was put on emergency bedrest while pregnant with her twins and when they were born prematurely, she made the difficult decision to leave the corporate world.
 
Mara never stopped thinking about what was next.  She always envisioned running her own company and in February of 2020 she set out on her  journey to create a new tequila brand.
 
Mara started drinking tequila when she was looking for a “better-for-you” adult beverage. She discovered though that all of the tequilas she was drinking contained undisclosed additives, like sweeteners, glycerin and coloring, so she searched for a brand that was additive-free with a look, taste and messaging that appealed to her and thoughtful female consumers like her. That perfect tequila did not exist, so she decided to create one. The goal was not just to craft impeccable tequilas, but it was also to bring more female perspectives to the spirits industry by having women involved in every aspect of the company.  Inspiro Tequila is proudly distilled, owned and led by women.  
 
As a female founder, Mara saw an opportunity to make an impact and to help elevate other women in business, so Inspiro Tequila became a Certified B Corp to formalize its commitment to social impact.