Now more than ever, we need women to lead other women to start businesses. Come hear from a panel of women entrepreneurial leaders who lead organizations focused on helping women in different parts of the Milwaukee area. We will discuss how women lead while managing remote learning, COVID-19 precautions, and the new economy. As we hear from their expertise, we celebrate women of different ethnic backgrounds.

Our panel will be moderated by Cheryl Mitchell, the Center Director for the Small Business Development Center at UW-Milwaukee. She is focused on growing businesses. Working with leaders, employees and managers in the early and later stages of business development, she gives them a no-nonsense, no-excuses plan with support to serve their customers, make money and have fun in the process! Her combination of finance and strategic marketing background and corporate and start-up experience give her a unique ability to bridge the gap between practice and theory in plain English. Cheryl is a numbers geek and a strategist– undergraduate Finance Degree from University of WI Madison, and an MBA from MIT’s Sloan School of Management. For more info, see smallbusiness.uwm.edu.

Panelists will include:

Jan Anderson is the General Manager of the 28,000 square footage entrepreneurial hub Sherman Phoenix. She is an accomplished event planner/experience producer who started her career in marketing and branding with companies such as Frito Lay and Hormel Foods. She has over fifteen years experience producing events as well as television segments for networks such as CNN and Radio One. Jan has a BA in Marketing from Clark Atlanta University, located in Atlanta, Georgia. Her gifts of organization, attention to detail, creative imagination, concept design and passion have earned her a reputation as a unparalleled event planner and experience producer, who ensures an amazing experience for organizers and guests. For more information, see shermanphoenix.com.

Lori Wood is the Managing Director for the Milwaukee Chapter of eWomenNetwork. Developing relationships and creating community is a passion of hers. Lori is committed to helping women entrepreneurs have the resources they need to become successful in their business. This is one of the reasons why she became the Managing Director for eWomanNetwork. Also as an insurance advisor with First Associated Insurance Agency, collaborating with her clients to protect their business. With her business degree in finance from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, equips Lori help entrepreneurs protect their livelihood from unforeseen circumstances. When she is not working, Lori loves to quilt and work in her garden. For more info, see the webpage, ewomennetwork.com/chapters/milwaukee-679

Dr. Laci C. Robbins is the Founder and Principal Consultant of Robbins’ Nest Consulting and of the Everyday Business Conference, a movement of connection, collaboration and community for women who are About Busienss!. Dr. Laci is an award-winning leader, personal development strategist, and consultant to small and mid-size businesses. With both a Master’s Degree and Doctorate Degree in Leadership, she is skilled in training organizational management on the essentials of talent retention and organizational culture. Working daily to support current women leaders who are ready to turn their knowledge, background, and expertise into a profitable leadership platform. To go from the process of figuring it out, to leadership in practice! See more info here robbinsnestconsulting.com

Sheila Long is the Founder, Leader, and Owner of MalamaDoe - A Coworking Community for Women. She believes in showcasing women business owners and while encouraging other women to build great businesses and support women of all ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds. Sheila runs the Head of the Table podcast and holds bachelor's degrees in business and Spanish, and an MBA from the University of Chicago. She is the author of Surrounded by Awesome Women: Unlocking the New Model of Women's Success in Business and Entrepreneurship for the Next Decade (Expected Publication April 2021) which details a sales incubator model for businesses lead by women. More information can be found here: malamadoe.com/sheilalongbook

Startup Milwaukee Week connects high-growth entrepreneurs with the resources they need (investors, support programs, service providers, etc.) to launch and scale high-growth tech companies in the Milwaukee region. The 5th annual event is taking place virtually, November 11 - 18, 2020 and is supported by Husch Blackwell, Northwestern Mutual and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation and Skills Pipeline. To view the full calendar of events visit StartupWI.org. #startupwi