JOIN US ON MAY 16, 2024
We’re excited to announce Women in Entrepreneurship returns Thursday, May 16, 2024! Women in Entrepreneurship was created to celebrate and inspire female founders, aspiring entrepreneurs, and tech enthusiasts within our community. This year, we have a new take on the classic event.
Programming for the event is expanding this year to feature three sessions in a “choose your own adventure” format. Attendees will have the chance to register for one, two, or all three sessions:
Coffee & Conversation: The Power of Imperfection with Lane Clark
Lunch & Learn: Small Business Resources with Vicki Schwab
Evening Keynote: Georgia Grace Edwards, Co-Founder & CEO of Gnara
Women in Entrepreneurship is free and open to the public. Registration is required; space is limited.
Meet Georgia Grace Edwards:
Georgia Grace (GG) Edwards is the CEO and Co-Founder of Gnara, a venture capital-backed, Colorado-based startup whose mission is to help everyone answer nature’s call – quite literally. GG got the idea for the GoFly – Gnara’s internationally patented zipper technology – while working as one of few female glacier guides in Alaska.
Prototyped from her Middlebury College dorm room in Vermont, the GoFly can now be found in Gnara apparel online, on the floors of the largest retailers in North America, including Moosejaw Mountaineering, Title Nine, Public Lands, and REI, and soon, as a licensed feature in other brands’ products. Gnara and their line of Go There products have won back-to-back Outdoor Retailer Awards, as well as Top Product Awards and recognition by Women’s Health, CNN, USA Today, GearJunkie, the U.S. Senate, Forbes, Blister, Outside Business Journal, and more.
GG brings experience as a former Fulbright Fellow, Wild Gift Fellow, Futurist Project Fellow, economic consultant, and TEDxTalk speaker.
Visit the Gnara website to learn more about GG’s entrepreneurial journey.
SPONSORS
Women in Entrepreneurship is proudly sponsored by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), Warner Norcross + Judd LLP, Dead River Coffee, and Zonta Club of the Marquette Area, with support from the City of Marquette.
Thank you to all our generous sponsors. Our annual Women in Entrepreneurship event wouldn’t be possible without your support.
Women in Entrepreneurship 2023
Women in Entrepreneurship is an annual celebration to share business resources in parallel with a networking opportunity to bring together many of the Upper Peninsula’s incredible entrepreneurial spirits and small business owners. Hosted by Innovate Marquette, the 2023 event brought together a number of local entrepreneurs, visionaries, and business professionals from all across our communities.
The event was held Wednesday, March 8, 2023, from 5:00 – 8:00 pm at the Northern Center on Northern Michigan University’s campus. The evening included networking during cocktail hour, a cash flow presentation, and a moderated panel discussion including a live Q&A. In partnership with EPIC: Education Partnership in the Community, Innovate Marquette offered free onsite childcare to Women in Entrepreneurship attendees.
The free event was open to the public.
Speaker Lineup:
Innovate Marquette SmartZone, in partnership with EPIC: Educational Partnership in the Community, is ecstatic to offer FREE onsite childcare to Women in Entrepreneurship attendees. EPIC, a component of Med Pros Share, offers licensed and insured multi-age educational childcare. Event childcare is free, but does require registration.
Jenn was born and raised as a Yooper in Wakefield. She graduated summa cum laude from Northern Michigan University in December 2006, when she joined the team at Tailored CPAs. Jenn became a CPA in February 2010 and was welcomed as a partner in January 2014. In her free time, she enjoys mountain biking, camping, and watching sports, especially hockey.
Anne White has a passion for addressing complex problems by applying common sense solutions. With over 25 years of experience in the environmental field advising large businesses and national and international government enterprises her career has taken her around the world doing what she enjoys most…solving problems.
MJ Cartwright has led startup initiatives with disruptive technologies and positive social and business impacts. Her experience spans many different industries including manufacturing, education, healthcare, medical devices, and legal tech. Ultimately, she is a creative thinker whose diverse industry experiences catalyze the growth of the companies and teams she leads.
Nicole Gregory is the Co-Founder and CEO of Urban You; Modern Beauty and Wellness, multi-chain medical spa. She is Managing Partner of Urban Labs, an investment company in new technologies, most recently partnering with PinchGig. Nicole is the developer of Customs House, a luxury condominium complex located in downtown Marquette and Electric City, a mixed-use, efficient living experience currently in development for the local area.
Adela Piper is a communication strategist, entrepreneur, and Marquette resident. Her company, Siren, is a strategic communication firm serving economic development organizations, local governments, higher ed, nonprofits and professional service firms. Adela is co-founder and chief marketing officer, ensuring strategy guides the innovative work Siren does for its clients. Siren uses communication as a business tool, helping clients build trust with their audiences and communicate important information.
Women in Entrepreneurship is proudly sponsored by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), the City of Marquette, and Siren.
EPIC: Educational Partnership in the Community is the official childcare partner of Women in Entrepreneurship.
Women in Entrepreneurship 2022
Our 2022 event featured an impressive lineup of local women entrepreneurs and business professionals who will discuss the challenges they face by being a woman in entrepreneurship, ways they have overcome these challenges, and how they have paved the way for other women in the community during three-panel discussions: Marketing 101, Financing Your Business, and Mentors in Entrepreneurship.
The Marketing 101 segment will feature Allison Harlow Clark, Interior Designer and Owner of Curio Design Studio, and Nicole Johnson, Director of Marketing & Communications for Innovate Marquette SmartZone. Brooke Quinn, Business Development Representative for Lake Superior Community Partnership, and Roxanne Daust, Chairman, President & CEO of Range Bank, will lead the Financing Your Business discussion.
To round out the evening, the Mentors in Entrepreneurship segment will feature Gina Jacquart Thorsen, President of Stormy Kromer, Michele Butler, President and co-owner of Vango’s Pizza, and Nheena Weyer Ittner, Director and Founder of the Upper Peninsula Children’s Museum. Elizabeth Peterson, TV6 Morning News Anchor and Producer, will emcee and moderate the event. Audience members will be invited to ask questions during the live Q&A.
Couldn’t make this year’s event or want to revisit some of the programming? You’re in luck, click on the video to watch a full 40 minutes of our Marketing 101 and Financing Your Business panels.
To read more about our 2022 panelists and programming visit our Women in Entrepreneurship 2022 blog for details.
Downloadable PDFs
- Business Accelerator Fund Overview
- First Capital Fund
- MEDC Gateway Rep Program
- Michigan Emerging Technologies Fund
- Michigan SBIRSTTR Assistance Program BBCetc
- Range Bank Business Banking Team
- Marketing 101 Budgeting
- Marketing 101 Content Creation Tips
- Marketing 101 Free Tools Local Services
- Marketing 101 IMQT Marketing Services
- SBDC Tech Team
