Lyndah Tello was 23 years old, taking a cab home at 8 o'clock at night after arriving at work at 6:30 in the morning, making serious money on Wall Street. She lived and breathed that job.

Then she got pregnant.

"I realized I'm gonna leave before that kid gets up and I'm gonna get home after it's in bed. I've never seen my baby. This cannot be my story."

So she walked into her boss's office to resign. He wasn't having it.

"What are you doing? We are grooming you to be a junior person around here. You're very talented."

Her response? "Listen, I wouldn't hire a woman to be my husband's wife, so I'm not gonna hire one to be my kid's mother. I'm doing it."

He banged the desk. "I got nothing."

She left Wall Street and became a schoolteacher—"an oath for poverty," she jokes—but those years of stretching a dollar while raising kids? That's exactly what makes her different from most financial advisors today.

FIND OUT WHY SHE IS NOT CHASIING MILLIONAIRES —>>

If you've ever felt like networking events are just glorified sales pitches where everyone's sizing up your usefulness before deciding whether to hand over a business card, you're not alone. That's exactly why Lyndah Tello started 1099 Ladies Networking—and why it's grown into something Chapel Hill's self-employed women actually want to show up for.

The concept is simple: no membership fees, no dues, no pressure. Just women helping women grow their businesses through actual relationships, not transactions.

"People don't give leads because you buy a seat," Tello explains. "I want people to invest their time, not their money."

Here's how it works: You show up to a meeting, meet someone interesting, set up a coffee appointment, and actually get to know their business—who they serve, how they're different, who they're trying to meet. Then when you're talking to someone else and think, "Oh, she should meet my friend who does that," you make the introduction. No scorecards. No mandatory referral quotas.

The meetings are free. Completely free. Some chapters meet monthly, some twice a month. Some do speed networking, some bring in speakers—it depends on what each chapter leader thinks works best for her group. There are daytime meetings for the self-employed, evening meetings for women with day jobs and side hustles they're trying to grow, and online meetings for those with childcare or transportation challenges.

What makes it different?

Tello has a theory about why women don't need the rigid structures that men's networking groups rely on: "Women are natural referral partners. That's how we talk. 'Oh, that's a nice scarf. Where did you get it?' 'Oh, it's on sale at TJ Maxx.' 'The guy who painted my house did a fantastic job. Here's his number.' Men need to compensate for the fact that they're not us."

She's not entirely joking.

The group welcomes self-employed women and women who want to be—because plenty of members are working corporate jobs while building side businesses they dream of growing into full-time gigs. "We walk shoulder to shoulder with them, too."

Nervous about networking solo? Tello's got a strategy: bring a friend. Walk up to someone together, and instead of awkwardly talking about yourself, introduce your friend. "You say all these lovely things about your friend that would be weird and awkward for you to say about yourself." Then switch. You each leave with more leads than you would have gotten alone, and you can collaborate on follow-up strategies the next day.

How to find a chapter near you:

Visit 1099ladiesnetworking.com or search for 1099 Ladies on Facebook to find meeting times and locations. Chapters are spread across the Triangle and beyond.

And if there isn't one near you? Tello's always looking for women who want to start a chapter. The main requirements: find a co-leader (so you can have a sick day), and commit to showing up for yourself and your business.

"Women tend to put our family and other people first and ourselves second," Tello says. "Your business has value. It deserves space. Don't make excuses. How many times can you clean out the fridge? Come on. You should go to a meeting."

(Check venues for weather updates!)

Saturday's expected snow could impact events. Check venue websites and social media before heading out!

FRIDAY, JAN. 24 🎵 Jon Spencer – Cat's Cradle Back Room, 8 PM (SOLD OUT) 🎵 Congress The Band – Cat's Cradle, 7:45 PM (SOLD OUT) 🎤 Renée Fleming: Voice of Nature – Memorial Hall, 8 PM Tickets: Carolina Performing Arts

SATURDAY, JAN. 25 (Weather-dependent – check for cancellations) ❄️ MAJOR SNOW EXPECTED – See weather alert above 🎵 The Still Not Okay Tour – Cat's Cradle, 7 PM (2000s emo night + afterparty) Tickets: catscradle.com 🎵 Greg Freeman + Golomb – Cat's Cradle Back Room, 8 PM (SOLD OUT) 🎼 Community Partner Performance – Memorial Hall, 3 PM Carolina Performing Arts

SUNDAY, JAN. 26 🎵 Empty Parking Lot + Lqm – Cat's Cradle Back Room, 7 PM Tickets: catscradle.com

MONDAY, JAN. 26 🎵 Daffo + earth 2 tiffany – Cat's Cradle Back Room, 8 PM Tickets: catscradle.com

TUESDAY, JAN. 27 🎵 The Floozies + Too Many Zooz: Too Many Flooz Tour – Cat's Cradle, 8 PM Funky brass meets electronic beats! Tickets: catscradle.com

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 28 🪕 Carrboro Bluegrass Festival: Larry & Joe + Carolina Cutups – Cat's Cradle Back Room, 8 PM (Seated) Tickets: catscradle.com

THURSDAY, JAN. 29 🎵 Johnny Sunrise and the Clouds – Cat's Cradle Back Room, 8 PM Tickets: catscradle.com ✂️ Himalayan Fried Chicken & Bar Ribbon Cutting – Chapel Hill Chamber event Info: carolinachamber.org

FRIDAY, JAN. 30 🤠 Chapel Hill Alt-Country Show – Cat's Cradle Back Room, 8 PM Davie Circle, The Jackson Slater Band, Bill Moore & His Secret Admirers, Yakamashii Tickets: catscradle.com 🎸 Josh Ritter – Haw River Ballroom, Saxapahaw, 8 PM Tickets: hawriverballroom.com

SATURDAY, JAN. 31 🎸 Josh Ritter – Haw River Ballroom, Saxapahaw, 8 PM (Night 2) Tickets: hawriverballroom.com 🤘 Mega Colossus, Mortal Man, Archaos – Cat's Cradle Back Room, 9 PM Tickets: catscradle.com

SUNDAY, FEB. 1 🎻 Bronwyn Keith-Hynes + Sugaree String Society – Cat's Cradle, 8 PM Tickets: catscradle.com 🎶 Candi Jenkins – Cat's Cradle Back Room, 8 PM Tickets: catscradle.com 🎼 A Little Night Music – Memorial Hall, 3 PM Carolina Performing Arts

MONDAY, FEB. 2 🏀 UNC vs. Syracuse – Dean Smith Center, 7:00 PM First 2,500 students get bucket hats! ⚠️ TRAFFIC WARNING: Expect heavy congestion on Manning Drive, Skipper Bowles Drive, and surrounding campus roads 1-2 hours before tip-off and after the game. Plan alternate routes or arrive early. Tickets: goheels.com 🎵 Friendship + Natalie Jane Hill – Cat's Cradle Back Room, 8 PM Tickets: catscradle.com

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 4 🎸 Matt Pryor – Cat's Cradle Back Room, 7:30 PM Tickets: catscradle.com

THURSDAY, FEB. 5 🎵 Bad Bad Hats + Smut – Cat's Cradle Back Room, 8 PM Tickets: catscradle.com 🎶 Fancy Gap + Lua Flora – Cat's Cradle, 8 PM Tickets: catscradle.com

FRIDAY, FEB. 6 🎸 Tobacco Road + Fudge – Cat's Cradle Back Room, 8 PM Tickets: catscradle.com

SATURDAY, FEB. 7 🏀 UNC vs. DUKE – Dean Smith Center, 6:30 PM LED wristbands for fans + Stripe Out (blue or white shirt on every seat)! ⚠️ TRAFFIC WARNING: This is THE rivalry game—expect MAJOR traffic and parking delays throughout Chapel Hill, especially on Manning Drive, South Road, and MLK Jr. Blvd. Downtown parking fills up fast. Arrive at least 2 hours early or consider Park & Ride options. Post-game traffic will be intense. Tickets: goheels.com 🎤 Jonah Kagen – Cat's Cradle, 8 PM (SOLD OUT) 🎷 No Cocker: Mad Dogs & Englishmen Tribute – Cat's Cradle Back Room, 8 PM Tickets: catscradle.com

ONGOING 🏛️ "Community" Exhibition – Hillsborough Gallery of Arts (through Jan 25) Work from 16 local artists celebrating what binds us together 🏛️ Homes for the Holidays Gingerbread Displays – Downtown Hillsborough (through Feb 5)

SUNDAY, MARCH 8

Rose & Roses Soiree: The Power of Five | Graduate by Hilton, 311 W. Franklin St. | 5–8 PM | $50/one, $85/two | Cocktail attire | Benefiting Monet Richardson Community Foundation | secure.qgiv.com/event/mrcfa

The Town of Chapel Hill rolled out a brand new logo and website this week! The new branding features a stylized tulip poplar on rolling hills—a nod to our community's roots and growth. The revamped site at chapelhillnc.gov puts the most-requested services front and center. The old Athena seal isn't going anywhere (it's still the official town seal), but you'll see the new tulip poplar branding on town communications going forward. Carrboro Creative designed the new look.

The trial of Issiah Ross in the 2022 deaths of Lyric Woods (14) and Devin Clark (18) resumed this week in Orange County Superior Court. Testimony has included emotional moments from both families and a key witness who claims Ross confessed to the killings. The defense argues Clark shot Woods and that Ross acted in self-defense. The trial is expected to continue through next week. More info: chapelboro.com

Nearly 20 years in the making, Carolina North is finally moving forward. UNC-Chapel Hill trustees approved $8 million in initial funding to hire consultants and refine the design for the 1,000-acre mixed-use development off MLK Jr. Boulevard. Plans include 2,200 undergraduate student beds, research facilities, and possibly—wait for it—moving the Dean Dome to the new site. Construction could begin soon, with housing shortages and growing STEM enrollment driving the urgency. Source: WUNC

NCDOT Pedestrian Project Starts Feb. 2 – Crews will install crosswalks with traffic signals at three NC-54 intersections near Kingswood Apartments in Chapel Hill and at key Carrboro spots. Expect lane closures and detours.

E. Franklin Street – Good news! The small sinkhole that caused detours earlier this week has been repaired and the street is back open.

I-40 Widening – The ongoing widening project in Orange County continues. Overnight lane closures and ramp closures may pop up. Millhouse Road is still closed and expected to reopen "late this winter."

Chapel Hill Insider is your weekly guide to the people, places, and stories that make our community special. Know someone we should feature? Have a story tip? Reply to this email.

Big news: Ed King's beloved hand-drawn Chapel Hill Cartoon Map is now available digitally! In partnership with the original artist, we've brought this charming map—capturing every quirky corner and beloved business in our town—into the digital age.

Until next time,

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