Startup Chippewa Valley '25 | Lunch 'n Learn: Founder Identity Shift

Startup Chippewa Valley 2025: Becoming Resourceful | November 10–14

Event Series Overview

In a world where technology evolves daily and challenges come faster than ever, resourcefulness is the true advantage. Startup Chippewa Valley celebrates that spirit — the ingenuity, adaptability, and grit it takes to turn an idea into impact.

This year’s theme, “Becoming Resourceful,” explores what it means to build smarter, stronger, and more sustainably in 2025 and beyond. From harnessing the power of AI to mastering time-tested principles of entrepreneurship, each session, workshop, and conversation will equip founders and small business leaders to do more with what they have — and build toward what’s next.

Whether you’re a founder scaling your dream, a future entrepreneur preparing to leap, a small business owner ready to grow, or a community leader or investor supporting innovation in the Valley, this is your week to connect, learn, and celebrate what makes our region thrive.

Lunch 'n Learn: Founder Identity Shift

Thursday, November 13 | 11-12:30pm | The Coven Co-Working Space

When you start something new, you wear every hat — creator, marketer, bookkeeper, problem-solver. But at some point, growth requires a shift: from running the thing to leading the thing.

In this session, Learn Better founder Sarah Welsh shares the real story behind starting her company — the messy middle of building something from scratch, trusting her zone of genius, and learning to lead beyond her comfort zone. Through honest storytelling and interactive reflection, participants will explore how imagination, purpose, and humility fuel a founder’s evolution from operator to visionary.

Core Themes

• Imagination as a Business Strategy: How daring to imagine Learn Better’s future became the foundation for building it.
• Zone of Genius + Purpose = Alignment: Discovering the intersection between what you’re best at and what the world needs.
• The Power of “Not Knowing”: How being uncomfortable and surrounding yourself with people who know more accelerates growth.
• Avoiding Narrow Vision: Staying open to unexpected opportunities that shape your company in better ways than you planned.
• Learning from Others: How connection, mentorship, and community help you scale yourself before you scale your business.

Learning Outcomes

Participants will:

1. Identify the mindset shift required to evolve from founder to leader.
2. Reflect on their own “zone of genius” and how it connects to their company’s purpose.
3. Learn practical ways to delegate, trust, and expand their influence through others.
4. Explore how to stay grounded while growing — balancing imagination, humility, and execution.