• KEYNOTE SPEAKER

    Andrea Flack-Wetherald​
    Author of The Funny Thing About Forgiveness: What every leader needs to know about improv, culture, and the world’s least favorite F word. 
    The first 50 registrants will receive a signed copy of her book!

    Andrea Flack-Wetherald is the author of The Funny Thing About Forgiveness: What every leader needs to know about improv, culture, and the world’s least favorite F word. Her career began on a research project at the University of Pittsburgh where she was first introduced to mindfulness practice and learned the behavior intervention modalities of the world’s foremost social scientists.

    She has produced and performed improv and sketch comedy in Pittsburgh and New York City since 2015 and now teaches Mindful Improv Thinking—a framework bringing the two disciplines together-to leaders, innovators, and heart-centered humans around the world.

    The central thesis of her work is that engaging two core activities with Mindful Improv Thinking (confrontation and forgiveness) will pave the way for more joy, more connection, greater influence, better collaboration, and more peace in the world.

    Her book has become a bestseller in Leadership Training and has gained critical acclaim and praise from leaders at NASA, Google, Fred Rogers Productions and Women in Bio among others. She is honored to have heard from readers on every continent about the difference it is making in their lives and leadership styles.

    Andrea is a Bluffton University alumna and lives in Ohio with her husband and two children.

    Session
    Access to Capital for Small  Business Owners

    Session sponsored by SeibertKeck Insurance Partners 

    Key Topics:

    • Financing your Business
    • Sources of Capital
    • Interviewing Funders - Partnership Matters!
    • Becoming “Application Ready”

     

    SPEAKERS:

    Miglena Kotevski
    Huntington National Bank’s Lift Local Business Program

     

    Miglena Kotevski is a Program Manager for Huntington’s Lift Local Business Program, as part of the bank’s 2020 community plan commitment. Participants of Huntington's Lift Local Business program include women, veterans, and racially and ethnically diverse business owners, as well as businesses located in LMI/MMT areas.

    Miglena has over 16 years of experience in banking (all with Huntington), 15 of them working with businesses of different industries and revenue size. She has Master of Business Administration degree (MBA) from Franklin University and master’s and bachelor’s degrees in business from Trakya University in her home country of Bulgaria.

     

    Monica L. Womack
    Ohio Department of Development

     

    Monica L. Womack is the Chief for the Minority Business Development Division at the Ohio Department of Development (Development). In her role, Monica provides vision and leadership to support the growth and sustainability of minority, women, and disadvantaged businesses in the state of Ohio. In doing so, she engages with strategic partners at all levels of government, develops private-sector partnerships, and listens to the needs of business owners.

    Prior to her newest role, Monica served as an Associate Vice President with the Columbus Urban League. She provided leadership and operations oversight to both the Financial Empowerment Services department and the Workforce and Career Services department. In this role, Monica was able to leverage resources between programs to support constituents and business owners in the Central Ohio community.

    Monica has a Bachelor of Science in Finance and Financial Management Services and a Master of Public Administration, both from Franklin University. She is currently pursuing a doctorate in business administration with a focus on supporting the growth and sustainability of minority-owned businesses. She lives in Columbus, Ohio, and has one adult son, William Maynus II, who is a graduate of the University of Kentucky and lives in Lexington, Ky.

    Session

    Corporate Pitfalls & Business Law

    Talking Points: 5 Common Legal Mistakes Small Business Owners Make

    • Signing Bad Contracts: What should you look for before you sign another contract or attempt to doctor up a bad online template?
    • Making Everyone an Independent Contractor: What factors should you consider before making your next hire an independent contractor?
    • Failing to Protect Intellectual Property: How do you protect your business's intangible (but incredibly valuable) assets?
    • Waiting Until There's a Lawsuit to Call a Business Attorney: Why should you establish this important relationship long before anything goes wrong?
    • Failing to Plan for the Future: What will happen to your business if you or one of your business partners could no longer handle the day-to-day operations?

     

    SPEAKER:

    Maritza "Shay" Nelson
    Law Office of Maritza S. Nelson, LLC

    Prior to venturing out on their own, Maritza “Shay” Nelson spent 7 years at two of the nation’s largest law firms as an associate in their respective litigation groups. Shay then decided that practicing law could be about more than how many hours could be billed and now works almost exclusively on a flat fee basis. Clients range from start-ups to growing businesses and nonprofits with nearly 100 employees across a wide variety of industries.

    Shay is a proud graduate of Howard University, where they received their Bachelor of Arts in Political Science summa cum laude before going on to The University of Texas School of Law for their Juris Doctorate. In addition to running a thriving law firm, Shay is actively involved with the state and local bar associations. In their spare time, they are a struggling blues-rock guitar player and avid sci-fi and fantasy reader.

    Session

    Creating Core Values That Make Your Business Unique
    Session sponsored by United Way

    Core values are the principles that guide your business and culture. They show your clients who you are and help your team work together toward the same goal. Establishing the right core values for your organization is the first step in building your business for success. Join these speakers for an interactive workshop to establish your core values and understand what really makes your business unique!

    Key Takeaways:

    • Create core values that can be used to attract the right people on your team
    • Understand the impact of carefully crafted core values and integrating them in your business

     

    SPEAKERS:

    Jason Fain
    Gerber’s Emerging Entrepreneur Experience

     

    As Gerber’s client advisor, Jason enjoys interacting with clients who he considers to be some of the most creative and successful people in Columbus. Jason joined the Gerber team because he was intrigued by the firm’s unique role in the advisory world and was excited for the opportunity to help first-generation entrepreneurs succeed in business.

    Advising and consulting are skills he has refined after working the last decade for two of the most well-respected institutional asset managers in the industry. From 2011-2020, he served as the Vice President of Mutual Fund Distribution for American Century Investments and Transamerica Capital. His experience with some of the largest private wealth advisors, their clients, and their business’s retirement plans is the collective experience Jason brings to Gerber.         

    Jason is originally from the Gulf Coast of Mississippi, and started his career in Kansas City, MO, where he lived for 10 years. A work relocation landed him in Columbus seven years ago, where he instantly felt at home. He loves how open and welcoming the city is to everyone, especially new business owners. 

     

    Alison Forche
    Gerber’s Emerging Entrepreneur Experience
    Forche Law and Mediation

    As part of Gerber’s business development and relationship management team, Alison works hard to develop strong referral relationships with area business leaders and strategic partners. A people-person with boundless energy, she enjoys meeting new people, and attending local networking events. She loves the energy in the downtown entrepreneurial space and enjoys being close to family and friends while supporting locally owned businesses.

    Alison earned a BA in psychology from The Ohio State University, and a Juris Doctorate from Capital University School of Law, graduating Summa Cum Laude with both degrees.

    Before joining the Gerber team, Alison was the practice manager and marketing director for Rob Forche Orthodontics, her husband’s business, and an attorney with Forche Law and Mediation - Divorce and Custody Mediation and Eldercare Planning and Mediation, where she still practices.

    Alison was born in Memphis, Tennessee, grew up in east Columbus and graduated from Walnut Ridge High School. She married Rob, her high school sweetheart, in 1995, and they've resided in Pickerington ever since. They are the proud parents of daughter Ashley, who is a professional ballerina, and son Dylan, who is a freshman at Miami University in the Farmer School of Business.

    When she's not at work, Alison spends her time with family and friends, exercising and volunteering. She enjoys teaching Yoga, hiking, snowshoeing, skiing, meditation and walking with friends. When she finally sits down, Alison loves to listen to non-fiction, business and self-improvement podcasts and books, and attends as many continuing education/training opportunities as possible. In both her personal and professional lives, Alison strives to be the best she can be.

    Session

    HR Hot Topics: What’s Guaranteed to Get Your Temperature Up in 2022

    We’ll spend time talking about some of the HR hot topics in 2022, including union and organizing activities and updates; best practices for attracting and retaining an engaged and enthusiastic workforce; considerations for a remote workforce (they’re more than you think); and things to think about as you build a flexible workforce for a flexible world. And just in case we don’t touch on your hot topic, bring your questions with you!

     

    SPEAKER:

    Sharon DeLay, MBA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, CPCC
    GO-HR Human Resource Management & Consulting

    Sharon DeLay is an HR consultant, national HR speaker and trainer, and owner and president of GO-HR. Sharon holds an MBA, as well as undergraduate degrees in HR, Education, and Communication. She maintains Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and SHRM-SCP professional HR certifications, and Certified Professional Career Coach (CPCC) and Certified Professional Résumé Writer (CPRW) certifications. She is also a certified EEO investigator. She honed her professional career in the direct sales, higher education, and communication industries before creating her business that focuses exclusively on small businesses.

    Currently, Sharon is the Treasurer on the board of HRACO, Central Ohio’s HR trade membership organization, and is a board and committee member of the Westerville Area Chamber of Commerce. She received the 2021 Businessperson of the Year award from the Westerville Chamber. She trains new attorneys about HR through the Columbus Bar Association, and HR professionals working toward their professional certification as a SHRM certification instructor. Sharon served as a mentor for SEA Change, working with a local startup social enterprise business, and was a mentor for four years for YEA Columbus and is currently a mentor through the Conway Center for Family Businesses.

    Session

    Is Your Business Certifiable?:
    Growing Your Business with Contracts & Certifications

    Certifications aren’t just for minority-owned businesses. There are more options available than you may think! Learn how small business certifications can help you significantly increase your company’s sales volume and how to leverage them to acquire contracts.

    In this session, we will discuss:

    • Major certifications available (including SBA certifications, women-owned, minority-owned, veteran-owned, and more)
    • Basic eligibility requirements for certifications
    • How to use certifications as a competitive advantage when going after government and corporate contracts

     

    SPEAKER:

    Deonna Barnett
    Aventi Enterprises

    Deonna Barnett is a small business strategist with 15 years of experience in small business development. She is the CEO & Managing Consultant of Aventi Enterprises, LLC, a strategic consulting firm based in Columbus, Ohio, helping small businesses access capital and government contracts. Services include business strategy and planning, preparation for financing, diversity certification assistance, and small business outreach. Aventi focuses its efforts on the development of women and minority-owned businesses by way of community partnerships, online education, and diversity initiatives. She is a graduate of The Ohio State University and currently serves on the Board of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) Columbus Chapter.

    Session

    Your Website & Digital Advertising:
    Quality digital ads PLUS a quality landing page = conversions! 

    Session sponsored by Bookkeeping Bliss

    This class will show you the best practices for setting up your digital ads and landing pages to work together to get maximum results. 

    You will learn how to:

    • Choose the right digital marketing platforms for your business goals
    • Optimize your ads
    • Measure your digital marketing ads
    • Structure your landing page for your user and call-to-action
    • Choose the right content for your landing page
    • Optimize your landing page so Google can find it

     

    And we will provide insider tips and tricks for digital marketing and website design. Let us teach you to set up your digital ads correctly, so customers can find you. And let us help you get your website ready for those customers! 

    SPEAKERS:

    Heather Lipe 
    Woodchuck Arts

    From the beginning, Woodchuck Arts owner Heather Lipe knew she wanted an art career, but from a young age, she also loved thinking about business. So, she got a BA in Graphic Design and Business from Central Michigan University with the intent to start her own graphic design company. She did that, but over the last 25 years, she has expanded her skills to include WordPress design and development, SEO, Email marketing, and graphic design. Her passion is helping people see beyond what they think they can achieve in their business.

    Woodchuck Art's unique way of doing this is helping small to medium-sized companies look as impressive as large companies by providing high-quality marketing materials with excellent customer service for a reasonable price. Heather loves to sit down with a business, talk through a marketing strategy, and show them nothing is out of reach! 

     

    Erika Gomez
    Bare Pixel Media 

    Erika Gomez, owner and founder of Bare Pixel Media, is a digital marketing strategist with an internal drive to succeed, a strong sense of accountability, and the desire to help business owners grow to their maximum potential. She is an expert in social media marketing, SEM, branding, reputation management, and lead generation. She has worked with a variety of clients developing and executing digital marketing and website strategies with a specific focus on inbound marketing and paid media. When it comes to client success, Erika pulls out all the stops with the account teams to measure, analyze, and report on all digital marketing efforts in order to optimize the full conversion pathway and uncover possible new opportunities. With almost a decade of both in-house and agency experience, Erika uses her experience in working on both ends of the spectrum to help bridge the gap in client expectations and needs when it comes to B2B and B2C growth-driven campaigns and marketing efforts in a wide array of industries.