Thank you for attending Women in Entrepreneurship 2024!
Women in Entrepreneurship is dedicated to celebrating and empowering female founders, aspiring entrepreneurs, and tech enthusiasts. Whether you’re a seasoned business owner or just starting out, this annual event offers invaluable resources and networking opportunities to help you thrive in your entrepreneurial journey.
Free and open to the public, our most recent Women in Entrepreneurship event was held on May 16, 2024. This year, we took a new approach to the classic event by expanding the programming to feature three sessions in a “choose your own adventure” format. Attendees had 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 with Georgia Grace Edwards, CEO & Co-Founder of Gnara
View photos, meet our speakers, and watch a recording of the keynote address to relive the inspiring moments and insights from our Women in Entrepreneurship 2024. Keep scrolling for highlights from this year’s event!
Meet the Trailblazers: Our 2024 Women in Entrepreneurship Speakers
Lane Clark
Founder of Lane Clark Consulting and Knot Work Studio
Lane Clark is a social worker turned CEO’s best friend and right-hand-woman to leaders and high performers and Anti-Excellence advocate.
Lane uses her professional training as an MSW, 10 years of experience supporting business owners, and her intuitive powers to increase the bandwidth of her clients and help recovering perfectionists breathe easier (just a little). She creates a dedicated time (and space) for all of them to relax their shoulders and unburden their minds. Lane provides high-level support so CEOs and high-performing professionals are free to spend their time serving and leading.
When not at her desk, find Lane traveling, out in the woods with her two unschooled children, or reading with a cup of hot Earl Grey.
Vicki Schwab
Managing Director for Regional Development at the MEDC
Vicki Schwab is the Managing Director for Regional Development at the MEDC, leading a team of business and community economic development professionals that cover all 15 counties of the U.P. Based in her hometown of Nahma, she grew up on her family farm and attended college at Lake Superior State University. After earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration – Information Systems Management she started her career in the technology industry working for companies including Apple Computer, Oracle, and Peoplesoft. She returned home to start a small business which evolved into a position as Executive Director for the Delta County Economic Development Alliance.
After focusing on community and business development for 7 years, Vicki joined the MEDC Growth and Development team in 2018 as a Business Development Manager and was promoted to her current position in 2022. In her spare time, she enjoys beach walks with her dogs and golfing with her husband John and grandkids.
Georgia Grace Edwards
CEO and Co-Founder of Gnara
Georgia Grace (GG) Edwards is the CEO and Co-Founder of Gnara (formerly SheFly), 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.
Evening Keynote with Georgia Grace Edwards
On May 16, 2024, nearly 100 attendees gathered at the Northern Center on the Northern Michigan University campus for networking and Georgia Grace Edwards’ keynote address.
The evening began with cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and networking at 5 PM, followed by Georgia Grace Edwards’ keynote address at 6 PM. Georgia Grace Edwards is the CEO and Co-Founder of Gnara (formerly SheFly), a venture capital-backed, Colorado-based startup whose mission is to help everyone answer nature’s call – quite literally.
Watch the video recording to hear the lessons Georgia Grace learned on her entrepreneurial journey.
2024 Resources & Event Highlights
Not able to attend this year? Or perhaps you want to relive the inspiring moments of the day? Check out the resources and highlights captured below.
Resources:
- Watch Georgia Grace Edwards’ keynote address
- View Vicki Schwab’s Small Business Resources presentation
- Check out the official 2024 program
- View the photo gallery
Event Highlights:
- Family-friendly environment created a welcome space for emerging entrepreneurs of all ages
- Proudly collaborated with women-owned businesses including Botánica Quetzalli, Dead River Coffee, and Emmoon Creative
- Co-working space was available between sessions
- 3 unique sessions featuring 3 incredible speakers
Grateful for the Support of our 2024 Sponsors
Women in Entrepreneurship 2024 was proudly sponsored by Botánica Quetzalli, Dead River Coffee, Double Trouble Entertainment, Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Northern Initiatives, Warner Norcross + Judd LLP, and the 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.
