If the idea of attending another tired networking event makes you want to set every last business card on fire, it’s time to put down your matches. “The civic club, golf course, good old boy network doesn’t work for women,” says Jennet Robinson Alterman, executive director of the Center for Women, which is why the Citadel School of Business Administration and the Center for Women are taking a fresh approach to building relationships.

Their upcoming program, “The Lowcountry Entrepreneurial Extravaganza: A Networking Event to Remember for the Entrepreneurial Woman,” is the first in a series of programs designed to assist women entrepreneurs and business owners aspiring for change and new career avenues.

The April 8 kickoff event will combine panel presentations by three successful women entrepreneurs, followed by a round table networking event. Alterman will facilitate the question and answer session and has chosen 20 successful businesswomen from the community to guide each table.

“This is to get women inspired and make connections,” explains Dr. Dorothy Perrin Moore, distinguished professor of entrepreneurship for The Citadel. Moore is responsible for acquiring the “elevator grant” funding from the Coleman Foundation, enabling the event, mentoring program and networking tools.

Following the Networking Extravaganza, the Center for Women will maintain an interactive networking web site and open its facilities to small networking groups.

“If you have a question about your business and need help quickly, you can post it on the online bulletin board,” says Moore. “A designated expert from the community and other women entrepreneurs can respond.”

Currently there are no formal or even informal networks set up specifically for women-owned businesses and women entrepreneurs, says Alterman. But the great majority of new business startups are by women, she adds, “and they have different networking needs. With this event, they can get firsthand information on what resour­c­­es are available to help them with their startup.”

From their 2003 Entrepreneurial Women series, the Center for Women got the message loud and clear that women want to network and that they want to hear from other women who have been successful.

The panelists for the event include Judith Aidoo, chief executive of The Aidoo Group Ltd. and Caswell Communications; Nikki Hardin, editor and publisher of Skirt! magazine; and Amanda Dew Manning, president of Manning and Associates, Inc. and Carolina FoodPros.

Aidoo is CEO of a merchant bank with representative offices in Europe and sub-Saharan Africa. Its subsidiary, the locally headquartered company CasCom, has recently executed a joint venture with a New York-based hedge fund to provide senior and mezzanine debt to small and mid-sized companies, with a focus on the media and broadcasting sectors.

“Men have the old boys’ network,” says Aidoo. “We need to create the new girls’ network. Clearly women who are doing business here need to find ways to collaborate.”

Amanda Dew Manning believes that she and others like her need professional and personal networks to achieve goals.

“Most of us have heard about the ‘power of networking,’ but many don’t know how to do it effectively. My experience has been that the most powerful friends, business acquaintances and colleagues I make are those with whom I take the time to develop these relationships.”

The Entrepreneurial Extravaganza is free, but attendees are required to register due to limited space. Register online at www.c4women.org/extravaganzareg.htm. For additional information, call 763-7333 or 953-5056.

Sarah G. McC. Moïse covers entrepreneurship for the Business Journal. E-mail her at smoise@crbj.com.