Jamilah Gregory knows how to throw a party. Having recently returned to Maine with her husband and child, she launched her event planning business, JBG Events, and decided to put together a special event called SparkME for female entrepreneurs in the Midcoast area on Jan. 28. More than just a networking event, this is a celebration for any woman who could benefit from a "spark" of New Year's inspiration and innovation.

We asked her a few questions about the upcoming event.

What’s your Maine connection?

I’m originally from Concord, N.H., and my husband grew up in Damariscotta. We met in Maine while I was attending Bowdoin, where I did a lot of event planning. After a few years moving around for his education in Boston, we’ve finally come back to Maine.

Is this the first event you’ve ever thrown for female entrepreneurs?

Yes, this is the first event I’ve done in this regard. I’ve done many other events for different purposes. It was originally conceived as a Christmas event, but I realized that would have been in a totally hectic season, so I moved this to the end of January and made it a New Year’s toast. I have worked with some of the networking groups in the area. I’m a member of Maine Women’s Network and they have endorsed this event. I will have several resource tables that will support female entrepreneurs, such as Small Business Administration, New Ventures Maine, C.E.I. and Maine Women’s Network.

With the new year, we all have these resolutions. How do you envision this party will spark women to be inspired and motivated once they leave?

I’m hoping that those who’ve already registered, such as new young entrepreneurs like Kate McAleer from Bixby & Co. to the experienced entrepreneurs like Ronna Lugosh from PeaPod Jewelry will all connect with one another. Each female entrepreneur who goes into business has a unique gift, whether it’s the product that she sells or the service she provides to the community. I’m hoping by the time they leave, women will reflect on the ways they are a gift to our community. Rhonda Nordstrom, for example, is a sponsor, and I’m so inspired by people like her who contribute to their communities, using all of her friends and resources to give back in unique ways.

This isn’t just a party, it’s a fundraiser...and it’s all connected, correct?

Yes, I chose New Hope for Women as the recipient because I knew female entrepreneurs could really rally around this good work for women in the area. It’s a good possibility that many of the ladies who come to this event have been affected by domestic violence in some way. I’m hoping that the event will be a spark for many of these women who just need to keep going, keep pushing through this year.

According to a a statistic cited in an article from Business News Daily, one of the biggest challenges for female entrepreneurs is the lack of support from other female business leaders. How will your event address that?

I think that statistic is so appalling because women need to help each other. This event is all about women encouraging one another in the pursuit of strengthening their businesses that serve our community. It’s vitally important, especially in rural Maine, to have a network that supports female entrepreneurs and gives you more opportunities to refer people. That’s what a community needs to do to thrive—to have collaboration, not competition. I think SparkMe is definitely going to achieve that goal with 125 women all representing a variety of skills and professions, whose purpose being there is to encourage one another.

Looking through your website, it looks as though you have a real flair for throwing a party, not just some networking event in a giant conference room. What’s in store for the night?

SparkME is all about creating a spark in the new year. So, the decorating theme is gong to be sparkles everywhere, black and gold, really inspiring and will feel like a holiday and celebration of women. We’re really excited to offer a heavy spread of complimentary appetizers from various restaurants and catering companies as well as  wine from Cellardoor Winery, Oxbow beer from Newcastle, and sparkling wine to fit in with the New Year’s theme and to provide a toast. We’ll have over 30 door prizes that represent everything from chocolate, coffee, wine to flowers, massage and pre-counseling sessions.

According to Gregory, tickets are nearly sold out. The event takes place Thursday, Jan. 28 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Union Hall in Rockport. Tickets are $15 per person and can be purchased at EventBrite.com. Pre-Registration is required for this event. More info can be found on Spark ME’s Facebook page.