Speakers
The Innovative Thinking & Entrepreneurship Summit
November 4, 2007
Keynote Speaker:
Nadine Thompson, cofounder of Warm Spirit, and coauthor of Values Sell: Transforming Purpose into Profit
After a successful career in social work and then as the Dean of Multicultural Affairs at Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire, Nadine Thompson cofounded a unique business venture that incorporated her belief in enlightening and empowering people through entrepreneurial opportunity. As President and CEO of Warm Spirit, a company that produces and sells high quality nature-based beauty and wellness products, she led the company’s
sales growth from $84K in 1997 to over $15 million in 2006. As an advocate, authority and noted speaker on entrepreneurship and economic empowerment, Ms. Thompson has been featured in such media as the Today Show on NBC and Black Enterprise Magazine, and she currently serves as editor for one of the Oprah Winfrey Oxygen Media’s social networks. Ms. Thompson has received numerous awards, including the Global Diversity Network Trailblazer Award, Onyx Women Economic Empowerment Award, and the Rhode Island House of Representatives Outstanding Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Ms. Thompson’s fascinating story of lessons learned and of staying true to founding principles promises to be an engaging, passionate and lively one.
Breakout Sessions:
A. Coach Me into Greatness!
Facilitator: Kim George, Founder and CEO of The AQ Institute, and author of Coaching into Greatness: 4 Steps to Success in Business and Life
Carrie Hemenway, Carrie Hemenway Coaching
Jess Dods, President, Right Choice Careers
Amy Grabowski, Owner, Fiscal Training Solutions
Carol Scheier, Owner, Patchwork Hill Studios
For many entrepreneurs or business executives the prospect of hiring a coach is confusing at best and daunting at worst. At what point can a coach help and what exactly can they do to enhance your life and your business? In this panel session come meet small business owners whose companies have been transformed by working with professional coaches, and also hear from seasoned coaches who’ve facilitated the success of entrepreneurs and corporate executives alike.
B. Making the Leap
Ginny Wilmerding, Business Owner, Consultant, and author of Smart Women and Small Business: How to Make the Leap from Corporate
Careers to the Right Small Enterprise
This session will focus on women (and men) who are considering entrepreneurial alternatives to the world of big business but aren’t sure where to start. Ms. Wilmerding will offer insight and inspiration gleaned from women who have started new ventures, bought small companies, acquired franchises, consulted for or partnered with small business owners, and taken over family businesses. Aside from practical advice on how to pursue such options, Wilmerding will engage the audience in a discussion of entrepreneurial career planning, choosing the right business for YOU , planning for financial success, and cultivating a winning combination of passion for your business and business sense.
C. Best Practices for New Business Launch
Paul G. Silva, Managing Partner for Angel Catalyst, and Manager of the River Valley Investors
What are the “best practices” for new venture creation today? What are the critical steps, and how do you avoid making the same mistakes as others? Paul Silva will lead you through some of the nuts and bolts of a new business launch, including the essential elements of a business plan, creating your advisory team, and how to tap into local organizations for venture-launch support. In this session, you’ll learn how to use your business plan as a template for running your business, as well as how to approach angel and venture capitalists with the right mindset.
D. Creating a Guide for a Life You Love
Amy Jamrog, CLU, ChFC, The Jamrog Group
Everyone wants to “have it all,” but integrating work life with home life and loving it all can be the biggest challenge for a business owner. Fasten your seat belts! This session will be a fast-paced, high-energy look at YOUR future. Amy Jamrog will lead you through steps to rebooting yourself into action and will offer a fresh perspective on how to envision your ideal life, make positive changes, and point yourself in the right direction to living a life you can love.
This program is made possible by a grant from The Coleman Foundation, established in 1951 by Dorothy W. and J.D. Stetson Coleman,
and with the collaborating support from The Lemelson Center of Hampshire College and BusinessWest.
