FNL

Valentine’s Gift Exchange
2023-02-10 11:30 - 13:00 UTC | Tomatillos Restaurant, 1827 N Loop 1604 E, San Antonio, 78232
The Valentine’s Gift Exchange is an annual event to add some extra spice to the weekly Friday Networking Lunch.
Just like the other gift exchanges done at the FNL, Attendees bring a fun gift in the price range of $10 to $20. Gifts are concealed in easy to open gift bags and placed on a table at the front of the room. Each person drops their business card in the bucket. As cards are randomly drawn, people either choose an unopened gift bag from the table or they steal a previously opened gift from someone else, with a limit of two steals per gift. So, the 3rd person to get the gift, gets to keep it.
Throw away gag gifts are not allowed. Gifts should be something that people would actually want. This is NOT a white elephant gift exchange.
This event is always more fun when gifts are romance inspired and the types of things nearly everyone wants. Popular gifts in years past have included: almost anything from the liquor store, sweet treats, jewelry, gift cards, and fun adult novelty items (nothing too over the top). We always ask that people do not bring throw away items. The very best gifts are those that you’d want to steal from another participant.
There is no added cost to attend the Friday Networking Lunch Valentine’s Gift Exchange. Annual contributions from our sponsors, help cover all event related expenses. Please visit our sponsor page to learn more about our donors, making a contribution, or joining us as an official sponsor.

Christmas Gift Exchange
2022-12-16 11:30 - 13:00 UTC | BLANCO BBQ, 13259 Blanco Rd. , San Antonio, TX, 78216, United States
The Friday Networking Lunch Annual Christmas Gift Exchange is one of the FNLs most well attended events. Though the FNL has been meeting since 2005, we didn’t start the gift exchange until 2011. The very first one was so much fun, that we’ve incorporated a gift exchange into other events throughout the year and made the Christmas Gift Exchange an annual event.
How the Exchange Works
Attendees bring a fun gift in the price range of $10 to $15. Gifts are concealed in easy to open gift bags and placed on a table at the front of the room. Each person drops their business card in the Christmas Stocking. As cards are randomly drawn from the stocking, people either choose an unopened gift bag from the table or they steal a previously opened gift from someone else, with a limit of two steals per gift. So, the 3rd person to get the gift, gets to keep it.
What Do People Bring
This event is always more fun when gifts are the types of things nearly everyone wants. Popular gifts in years past have included: wine, liquor, beer, sweet treats, tools, jewelry, clothing, Christmas ornaments, gift cards, and fun novelty items. We always ask that people do not bring throw away items. The very best gifts are those that you’d want to steal from another participant.
What Does it Cost
Aside from the cost of lunch and the cost of a gift to giveaway, there are no added fees to attend the Annual Christmas Gift Exchange. Yearly contributions from our sponsors, help cover all event related expenses. Please visit our sponsor page to learn more about our donors, making a contribution, or joining us as an official sponsor.

Friday Networking Halloween Lunch
2022-10-28 11:30 - 13:00 UTC | BLANCO BBQ, 13259 Blanco Rd. , San Antonio, TX, 78216, United States
For many business people, life can become almost too routine once the spontaneity of summertime ends. This is especially true for parents whose children are back in school. And, for those battling the rush hour commutes, traffic always gets heavier and stress levels go up once school is back in session. This may be why the Friday Networking Halloween Lunch is such a popular event. Aside from Labor Day, it’s really the only event between summertime and Thanksgiving that gives business people a chance to unwind and let loose.
The Friday Networking Halloween Lunch is certainly one of the liveliest FNL events of the year. Let’s face it, sometimes dressing up like someone else and acting like a child again is just what any good psychiatrist would prescribe. And, it’s a great excuse to start the weekend just a few hours early.
This event seems to grow every year. And, the level of creativity seems to grow as well. Attendees have dressed up as a witch, mail carrier, priest, sexy Little Red Riding Hood, bee keeper, construction worker, pirate, Donald Trump, GI Jane, Captain Stubing (from The Love Boat), doctor, surgery-gone-wrong patient, cowboy, Texas Ranger, Thing One (from Dr Seuss), and more.
Please join us for our next Friday Networking Halloween Lunch. It is almost guaranteed to be better than the last. Or, your money back. Just kidding. Aside from the cost of your meal, there’s no cost to attend. So, there’s nothing to refund if you’re not totally satisfied. Annual contributions from our sponsors, help cover all event related expenses. Please visit our sponsor page to learn more about our donors, making a contribution, or joining us as an official sponsor.

American Independence Networking Lunch
2022-07-01 11:30 - 13:00 UTC | BLANCO BBQ, 13259 Blanco Rd. , San Antonio, TX, 78216, United States
Please join us in celebrating our American Independence and American Pride. Please dress in your most fun, flamboyant, festive, freaky, fashionable, flashy, funky Independence Day inspired attire. Or, you can always just wear the same old boring clothes you wear every other day. It’s up to you.
Bring a guest or two. There will be extra door prizes and loads of fun.

Attendance Drive
2022-06-03 11:30 - 13:00 UTC | BLANCO BBQ, 13259 Blanco Rd. , San Antonio, TX, 78216, United States
Recovering from the plandemic, attendance at the Friday Networking Lunch has slowly risen. And, we’re hoping to hit pre-covid attendance numbers very soon.
Everyone who brings a first time guest to the Friday Networking Lunch will be eligible to win an assortment of awesome prizes. Those who bring multiple quests will have additional chances to win. So, if you want to increase your odds of snatching some great gifts, bring a whole car load of first timers. But, that’s not all. The first timer guests will also get two entries for the door prizes.

Executive Speech Class
2019-01-30 14:00 - 16:00 (America/Chicago) | Primerica Insurance Office, 4100 Northwest Loop 410, Suite 124, San Antonio, TX, 78229, United States
Does public speaking make your knees shake and your heart pound? Or, are you comfortable in front of a crowd, but looking to fine tune your speaking skills? Regardless of how you answered those questions, this executive speech class taught by Don Varney, will give you further insights to help you be the better speaker that you’ve always wanted to be.
In this class, Don will draw upon his 40+ years of experience selling, training, managing, coaching, and speaking, to help you.
For those attendees who seek to overcome the all too common public speaking jitters, Don will provide insights to help you gain the confidence needed to squash your anxiety so you can focus more on content, presence, and delivery.
For those accustomed to public speaking, Don will help fine tune all aspects of your delivery to help you be a better, more polished version of yourself.
Seating for the executive speech class is limited to 25. Please RSVP directly to Don Varney at (210) 241-3282 or Don@VarneySpeaks.com.

HUGS Foundation Seminar
2018-06-22 11:30 - 13:00 (America/Chicago) | BLANCO BBQ, 13259 Blanco Rd. , San Antonio, TX, 78216, United States
The HUGS Foundation, headquartered in San Antonio and run by Ken Small and Dr Ray Beman, strives to end sex trafficking and drug addiction here at home and elsewhere around the world through programs that bring awareness, education, and rehabilitation.
At this special Friday Networking Lunch, Ken and Dr Ray will provide information to help all who attend to better identify and prevent these horrific crimes.
In order to ensure that Ken and Dr Ray have sufficient time to deliver this important information, we’re asking that everyone refine and scale back their “Elevator Speech” to under a minute.
As with every Friday Networking Lunch, please arrive early so that you have plenty of time to order your meal and find your seat by 11:45.

Fiesta Friday
2018-04-20 11:30 - 13:00 UTC | BLANCO BBQ, 13259 Blanco Rd. , San Antonio, TX, 78216, United States
Not yet an official Fiesta event, the Friday Networking Lunch still participates in Fiesta by encouraging attendees to wear their best Fiesta attire on the Friday of the Battle of Flowers Parade as a way of celebrating the brave Texans who fought and ultimately defeated the Mexican army to gain independence from Mexico in 1836.
Some historians say that the fight for independence started in 1826, when a conflict, known as the Freedonia Rebellion, arose between American and Mexican settlers. This was the first of many small rebellions which would continue for nearly a decade.
In October 1835, the new dictator of Mexico, General Santa Anna, sent Mexican troops to Gonzales in an attempt to regain control of the territory. The Mexican troops were commissioned to retrieve a cannon which had been loaned to the Texans. But, instead of returning the cannon, the Texans fired it upon the Mexican soldiers. This event became the first official battle for Texas independence.
During the weeks and months that followed there were many small battles including one in which the Texans drove the Mexican army south out of San Antonio. But, the Texan’s occupation of San Antonio would not last long.
On February 23, 1836, General Santa Anna led 3,000 soldiers in what is now the most famous battle ever to take place in Texas, the Battle of the Alamo. Against insurmountable odds, a group of 185 men from Texas and the southern United States, fought to the death and held off the Mexican army for nearly 2 weeks, until March 6 when they were finally defeated. The Mexican general ordered all of the remaining men to be executed and no prisoners to be taken. Only women and children were left alive.
The final battle for Texas independence took place just 6 weeks later, on April 21. In a surprise attack against the Mexican troops at San Jacinto, Texas General Sam Houston and his men, yelled “Remember the Alamo” as they ambushed the Mexican army. Though this engagement was brief, lasting just 18 minutes, it was the decisive battle in the war for Texas independence.
Following the Battle of San Jacinto, General Santa Anna was forced to concede and declare that Texas was now in independent nation, no longer under Mexican rule.
Just over half a century later, in 1891, Ellen Maury Slayden, wife of Texas Congressman James L. Slayden, created the Battle of Flowers Parade as a way to “Remember the Alamo” and all the brave Texans who fought for and gained independence from Mexico earlier that century.
Today, Fiesta San Antonio is an annual multi-week celebration which still includes the Battle of Flowers Parade as well as dozens of other events which have been added over the past century.
Even if you do nothing else related to Fiesta, come to Friday Networking Lunch on the Friday of the Battle of Flowers Parade as we “Remember the Alamo”.
There is no added cost to attend the Friday Networking Lunch Fiesta Friday. Annual contributions from our sponsors, help cover all event related expenses. Please visit our sponsor page to learn more about our donors, making a contribution, or joining us as an official sponsor.

Special Guest Speaker Don Varney
2018-03-16 11:30 - 13:00 (America/Chicago) | BLANCO BBQ, 13259 Blanco Rd. , San Antonio, TX, 78216, United States
Every year or two, the Friday Networking Lunch has a guest speaker. Friday, March 16, will be one of those very rare occasions.
Our guest speaker will be Don Varney with Z-Nutrition and Varney Speaks. In his decades long career, Don has spoken to hundreds of groups on a wide range of subjects. His titles have included: Professional Athlete, Ironman, Auctioneer, Pastor, Business Coach, Sales Manager, Author, Speaker, Business Owner, Entrepreneur, and more.
For the past 6 or 7 years, Don endured an undiagnosed or misdiagnosed nutritional deficiency which left him unable to walk without crutches or canes. Once able to run marathons and swim for miles, Don could no longer walk across the kitchen without support. He had countless tests and saw many specialists around the country. For years, no one on Don’s medical team could pinpoint the exact cause of his condition. In this situation, most people would be filled with hopelessness. But, Don never lost hope. He never exhibited depression, anger, or any other negative emotion. Throughout his journey, Don remained hopeful and happy.
In 2017, the cause of Don’s failing health was finally correctly identified and treated. Today, at over 70 years of age, he is training for his first 5K run in nearly a decade.
I hope you’ll attend the Friday Networking Lunch this week, as Don Varney shares some of the insight he’s gained not only through his experience in the business world, but also in dealing with and overcoming a lengthy and usual health issue.

People and Pets Donation Drive
2017-09-08 11:00 - 13:30 (America/Chicago) | BLANCO BBQ, 13259 Blanco Rd. , San Antonio, TX, 78216, United States
Please join us on Friday, September 8, 2017 for our People and Pets Donation Drive.

Tracy & Nick Carlson are collecting items for those displaced by Hurricane Harvey. The 2 people who bring the greatest number of donations will each receive a free bottle of wine and a gift card for a free lunch at an upcoming Friday Networking Lunch. Winners will also receive special recognition on our Facebook page: www.Facebook.com/FNLSanAntonio
There are 2 donation categories: People and Pets.
There will be one winner in each category.

Tracy is collecting for the animal shelter.
Here is what they need:
Blankets (any size)
Towels
KMR Kitten Milk Replacement
Esbilac Puppy Formula
Heating pads
Baby Wipes
Puppy/Kitten Toys
Dog/Cat Toys
33 Gallon Trash Bags

Nick is collecting hygiene items for people.
Here is what he needs:
Toothbrushes/Toothpaste
Shampoo/Body Wash/Lotion
Combs/Hair Brushes
Feminine Care Products
Disposable Razors/Shaving stuff

Please feel free to bring other items that you think may be helpful to those living in shelters, temporary housing, or who have returned to their floor damaged home.

All You Need Boutique Open House & Business Mixer
2017-01-26 18:00 - 19:30 (America/Chicago) | All You Need, 6158 Wurzbach Road, San Antonio, TX, 78238, United States
Please join us at All You Need Boutique on Wurzbach near Evers for our January Open House & Business Mixer.
Meet the store’s owner, Ida Jiolo and browse her selection of clothing, fashion accessories, and other items.
Enjoy free appetizers, beverage selections, and fun door prizes.
Exclusive discounts will be offered during the event.
