About Laura Schwartz

Everybody wants to tell me what to do, and she gets to do it every day.

- President Bill Clinton

As the White House Director of Events during the Clinton administration, Laura Schwartz produced the President’s events on the world stage. But only a few years prior, Laura was just a 19 year-old volunteer from small town Wisconsin, answering phones and making copies in the White House press office. Her unique networking tools catapulted her into the world of international politics, and she shares those tools in her first book, Eat, Drink & Succeed.

Before her tenure as Director of Events, Laura was the White House Director of Television and the Midwest Press Secretary. In her post-White House career, she traveled the world with Former President Clinton for his Foundation and in 2004 she served as a Senior Advisor for the Kerry Presidential Campaign. In 2008 she took her behind-the-scenes experience in front of the camera, covering the election for CBS.

Laura has been a television contributor and commentator for the Fox News Channel, CNN, The CBS Early Show, Larry King Live, BBC and Sir David Frost’s Frost Over the World. She is also the founder of White House Strategies and works with Fortune’s Top 50 and 500 companies, small businesses, industry associations, independent consultants, universities and nonprofit organizations, teaching people of all ages how they too can Eat, Drink and Succeed. Laura’s acclaimed lecture series The Networking Power of Social Events has taken her around the country and as far away as Australia.

Laura is a native of Plymouth, Wisconsin and currently lives in Chicago

EAT, DRINK AND SUCCEED

Climb Your Way to the Top Using the Networking Power of Social Events

The line between business and pleasure has been erased, and every interaction has the potential to propel you toward your goals. In her first book Eat, Drink & Succeed, Laura Schwartz shares her secrets for unlocking the powerful possibilities of every social scene. Turning the traditional idea of networking on its ear, Laura casts off the “What can you do for me?” mentality and instead invites readers to ask “What can I do for you?” She presents her innovative strategy in fun and easy-to-follow steps, including:

Setting the Scene – Unlocking opportunities in all your social scenes, from your gym buddies to the parents at your child’s Little League game.
Casting Call – Identifying events that will help you build real partnerships with people who can help you on your path (and whom you can help, too).
Dress Rehearsal – Getting the most out of events by researching the who/what/why behind them and by being a knowledgeable and confident guest.
Showtime – Bringing it all together to make the event a huge success, from making an entrance to remembering names to keeping the conversation going.
Encore! – Following up and cultivating the relationship beyond the event.

Sprinkled throughout the book are accounts from dozens of successful people, from Oprah Winfrey and Steven Spielberg to entrepreneurs, executives, small businesses, association members, non-profit leaders and even moms, about their successful utilization of Laura’s signature techniques. Laura also adds color with personal anecdotes from her life, particularly of her years at the White House.

For reference, Laura closes her book with a helpful tear-out networking check list, a guide for cataloging your contacts into Power Profiles and her Power Points, a bulleted list of the book’s most important themes – a convenient feature for those who are short on time or need a quick refresher every now and then.

Eat, Drink & Succeed is an entertaining read, appropriate for boardroom or beachside.

Eat, Drink & Succeed: Climb Your Way to the Top Using the Networking Power of Social Events
Author, Laura Schwartz Publisher, Black Ox Press ISBN: 978-0-615-34453-9 Retail: $16.95

Speaking Topics

The Speaking Series
During her eight years in the Clinton White House, Laura had the rare opportunity to see political struggles, current events, international crises, and VIP interactions from an insider’s perspective. Through her Speaking Series, Laura has shared her unique insight with corporations, nonprofit foundations, industry associations, and cultural and academic institutions. She tailors each presentation based on the audience’s needs and interests.

The Eat, Drink & Succeed Seminars
- Eat, Drink & Succeed! The Power of Partnership
- Eat, Drink & Empower! How to Create and Host a Powerful Event
- Creating the Ultimate Power Lunch
- Eat, Drink Succeed & Kick Off Your Conference!
Laura’s Signature Keynote
- Empowerment Through Service
The University Series
- The Power of Practical Experience
- Eat, Drink and Succeed: The Power of Your Social Foundation
The White House Presentations
- Holidays at the White House
- Tea Traditions
- Rose Garden Rendezvous
- The Art of a State Dinner
- The Power of an Inaugural Ball

Commentary
After the White House and three Presidential campaigns, Laura took her intimate behind-the-scenes experience and stepped in front of the camera as an energetic and knowledgeable political contributor for the Fox News Channel, the CBS Early Show, CNN, MSNBC and the BBC. Well-versed in the affairs of the day, Laura provides colorful commentary on topics such as:

Modern Politics
The White House Past and Present
International Affairs
Women in Politics
Women in Business
Communications and PR Strategies
Philanthropy
Event Management
Elections
Political Scandals

Past Audiences

A sampling of organizations and institutions Laura has had the privilege of speaking to:

Corporate America

JP Morgan Chase
Pacific Life
Apotex Pharmaceauticals
BlackRock
Genworth
ING
Merrill Lynch
Smith Barney
Target Corporation

Professional and Industry Organizations
American Society of Association Executives – The Center for Association Leadership
Event Solutions, The leading meetings and incentives association in the event industry
Catersource, The premiere association in business and culinary education
International Special Events Society (ISES)
The Business and Professional Women’s Organization of America
American Bar Association
The Radiological Society of North America
The American Association of Osteopathic Medicine

Non-Profit Organizations
American Heart Association
YWCA
United Way
General Federation of Women’s Clubs
The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation
The Junior League of Chicago
The William Jefferson Clinton Presidential Library & Foundation
The Heinz Family Philanthropies

Cultural Organizations, Entertainment, Special Events
Discovery/New York Times Network
The Miss USA Pageant
Glamorama Chicago
The Kansas City Symphony

Education Institutions
Oxford University, England
University of Miami
University of Michigan
The American University

Press

For video clips, click here.

White House Strategies