We know that STEM is the acronym for Science Technology Engineering and Math. But for this next Executive Women’s Forum (EWF), the “E” is for Entrepreneurship.
At some point, most of us have contemplated doing our own thing. We’ve dreamt of a day when we can follow our passion and take a step out on our own. What stops us? Some of us are the primary breadwinners, or are responsible for carrying health insurance or contributing to 401ks. We have children, we own homes and have car payments. Owning the responsibility for operations and profitability, business development and people for an entire organization can be daunting.
At this EWF, we will talk with entrepreneurs and executives turned entrepreneurs to discuss their journey and answer your questions. What was the journey to entrepreneurship? What was the catalyst for the decision? What do you need to consider? How do you get started and develop or launch your product? How do you get over those “butterflies” you feel when you consider leaving the comfort of a job to taking a risk.
If you are planning a move to doing your own thing, or just having thoughts about it, please join us on April 27, from 11:30 am - 1:00 pm for this great conversation!
Registration for this EWF is required in order to provide you with the final login instructions. A login/password will be sent to the email address entered for this registration approximately 48 hours before the event begins (i.e., on or around April 25, 2021). The login/password provided in that email will be required to enter the event on April 27, 2021.
Kristen Cooper is the CEO and Founder of The Startup Ladies. The Startup Ladies is a professional membership organization that identifies, educates, connects and increases investment in women entrepreneurs starting up scalable businesses. Founded in 2014 by Cooper, the for-profit membership organization is committed to increasing the number of women who startup scalable companies and funding them. She is also a columnist for the Indianapolis Business Journal and writes about: startups, tech, women in business, and the LGBTQ community.
Daryle Johnson has more than 20 years of experience in strategic business creation, growth, ownership, and advisory roles. He has spent most of his years in business either as a diverse business owner, coaching diverse business, or serving in a strategic growth capacity. Having worked for NMSDC Indiana Affiliate in the past as a Program manager, he is acutely aware of the needs and challenges facing diverse business owners today. Daryle’s experience has led him believe, success is a process, and he intends to leverage this belief to the success of the Accelerate 100 Program. Daryle has business strategy knowledge around Business Models, Research and Analysis, Go-To-Market Strategy, Sales Process Design, Business Scaling, and Business Valuations.
Joy E. Mason, President, Founder, and Senior Business Strategist for Optimist Business Solutions, LLC is a Certified Six Sigma Black Belt with 30+ years of experience in pharmaceutical manufacturing and testing, with an emphasis on business processes, quality systems and project management. Joy has managed international projects and effectively delivered results using six sigma methodologies for both the public and private sectors.
Irma Mesa is originally from Miami, FL but moved to Indianapolis a few years ago! She's the Founder and CEO of Cafecito, an online platform facilitating organic 1:1 virtual coffee chats for individuals and organizations worldwide, which she started after facing loneliness and isolation in 2017 as a first-time remote worker. Though Irma does not have a business background she's taken the plunge into entrepreneurship in the last year and is learning a ton about launching a startup. Irma also works at her day job as a Head of Product for an Ed-Tech company and leads the Product and Engineering team in solving customer pain points, vision, and strategy. Outside of work Irma spends time with her partner, 2 dogs, and her sweet cat.
