Agenda
In addition to the sessions in our four tracks, we also offer one-on-one business counseling. |
Time |
Track 1
Business Basics |
Track 2
Marketing |
Track 3
Trends in Business |
Track 4
Money |
Track 5
Roundtables |
Registration
7:30 am
8:15 am |
Attendee Registration, Exhibitor Hall Open |
Welcome Address
8:15 am
8:45 am |
 How Does Your Business Grow
Julie Bollinger, Greener Grass Systems, Inc. Not with silver bells and cockle shells! Your business (like your garden) doesn’t need nursery rhymes or bells and whistles. Instead, your business needs P.A.T. Over her career, and especially the last 10 years, Julie has surpassed challenges and experienced many changes in business. However, some things have not changed. Learn why P.A.T. (Passion, Authenticity and Traction) are necessary to bring your great idea or business to the next level. Without Passion - there is no energy to get over the hurdles and no endurance to meet adversity. Without Authenticity - there is no trust to keep your loyal patrons coming back. Without Traction – there is a lack of strength or focus to sustain growth over the long term. Work some P.A.T. in your business and watch it grow!
|
8:45 am
9:00 am |
Networking Break, Exhibitor Hall Open |
Session 1
9:00 am
10:00 am |
- Business Plan Basics
Jay Peterson
- Western Dairyland EOC, Inc.
|
- Your Attitude Is Your Business
Michelle Madl-Soehren
- Nicolet College
|
- Own Your Brand Online
Ben Holmen
- Ben Holmen Web Development, LLC
|
- What's Your Fraud IQ?
Jennifer Thompson
- Wipfli LLP
-
|
- Passion Meets Practical - Finding Your Niche
Rose Vincent
- Offbeats Violin and Guitar Studio
|
10:00 am
10:30 am |
Networking Break, Exhibitor Hall Open |
Session 2
10:30 am
11:30 am |
- Avenues to Success: Public Speaking and Business Communication
Arlene Radtke &
Barb Weisenberger
- Chippewa Valley Toastmasters
-
|
- Using Pinterest to Promote Your Business
Amanda Mouttaki
- Mouttaki Consulting, LLC
|
- Is a Non-Profit Organization the Right Choice for You?
Cindy Hangartner
- Weld, Riley, Prenn & Ricci SC
|
- Understanding Tax as a Sole Proprietor
Mary Stabenow & Lisa Geist
- Nohre & Co
|
- Encore Entrepreneurs
Joan Sosalla
- UW-Eau Claire
-
|
11:30 am
12:00 pm |
Networking Break, Exhibitor Hall Open |
Keynote Address
12:00 pm
12:45 pm
|
 Hindsight is 20/20: Advice for Entrepreneurs That I Wish I Had When Developing A Business Plan.
Dr. Therese Fellner, Gateway Technical College
In this Keynote Address, Therese will detail what she has learned through her personal experiences as a small business owner as well as her wide range of experiences in providing support to a myriad of developing small businesses throughout the state of Wisconsin.
|
Networking Lunch
12:45 pm
1:45 pm |
Lunch & Raffle Prize Announcements |
1:45 pm
2:00 pm |
Networking Break, Exhibitor Hall Open |
Session 3
2:00 pm
3:00 pm |
- Unlocking the Mysteries of Insurance
- Rod Schultz
Chippewa Valley Technical College
|
- Marketing with the End in Mind: A Step-by-Step Approach
Linda Pophal
- Strategic Communications, LLC
|
- Work-Life Balance
Linda DeVries
- Wipfli LLP
|
- Lifecycles of Your Business: Growing, Protecting and Exiting Your Business
- Laurie Klinkhammer
- Spangler, Nodolf, Bruder & Klinkhammer, LLC
David Hopkins &
Paul Woita- Woita & Associates Inc.
|
- Food Industry Roundtable
Erin Nutter
- Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection
Laurel Robertson- Fired Up Pizza Company
|
3:00 pm
3:30 pm |
Networking Break, Exhibitor Hall Open |
Session 4
3:30 pm
4:30 pm |
- Mind over Matter
Marcia Arneson
- Sacred Heart Hospital
-
|
- Grow Your Business with Facebook
Shelly Cedarblade
- Woo! Social Media Marketing
|
- Creating Job Descriptions and Employee Handbooks
- Mindy Dale
- Weld, Riley, Prenn & Ricci SC
|
- Funding Panel
Chris Brooke
- WESTconsin Credit Union
- Char Gurney
- West Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission
-
- Mike Schatz
- City of Eau Claire
- Mary Trimmier
- SBA
|
- Opportunites for Disadvantaged Businesses
- Aina Vilumsons
- Wisconsin Procurement Institute
Cheryl Jordan
- SBA
|
Happy Hour
4:30 pm
later |
Happy Hour Networking for all attendees, exhibitors, presenters and WBC staff. |
Learn how strategic business planning is critical to building a successful business.
(more info...)
Networking involves much more than talking about yourself and your business. Listening to your connections, learning about them, and understanding their needs helps create a true connective network.
(more info...)
In this session, the changing landscape of business, understand advantages and disadvantages of current business models will be discussed. You will also learn about tools to help you in your new venture.
(more info...)
With traditional lenders, community based revolving loan funds, grants or contest awards, learn where and how to find funding sources for your small business start-up or expansion
(more info...)
Network and share market entry strategies with area writers in this roundtable discussion led by author and publishing consultant, Monica Holtz.
(more info...)
- Monica Holtz owns Holtz Creative Enterprises, a contract book publishing business in Eau Claire. Holtz is the author of "Emily at the Zoo" and "Behind the Zoo," two children's books about Irvine Park Zoo in Chippewa Falls.
(more info about Monica Holtz...)
This session will discuss the different definitions of an "independent contractor" for purposes of worker's compensation, unemployment insurance, and federal payroll and income taxes.
(more info...)
- Mindy Dale is an attorney with Weld, Riley, Prenn & Ricci in Eau Claire, WI. She specializes in public and private sector management labor law, employment law, and municipal, school, and administrative law.
(more info about Mindy Dale...)
- Cindy Hangartner is an attorney with Weld, Riley, Prenn & Ricci in Eau Claire, WI. She specializes in business and corporate law, tax and estate planning, and telecommunication issues.
(more info about Cindy Hangartner...)
Whether you already have a website or just getting starting, this session will provide you with the information you need to make your website work overtime. You'll take away key points on how to:
(more info...)
- Maria Herbert Maria Herbert founded First Net Impressions in 1997. Her company is a professional design firm focused on helping businesses achieve a cohesive identity system, profitable website, and effective social media.
(more info about Maria Herbert...)
How deeply have you considered the external factors that could be devastating to your business? Confronting the worst-case-scenario allows you to be free from worry. Participants will work together to uncover brutal facts, that, if anticipated, you could have a plan to overcome.
(more info...)
- Kari Dahl is an organizational and leadership development consultant and she is well known for her teaching ability, team development knowledge, organizational culture, strategic planning, leadership development and conflict management.
(more info about Kari Dahl...)
Find out what all retail and service business owners should learn to understand how the credit card system works, why you are charged certain fees and what you can do to keep it all in check. You will also learn how to keep more of the profit in your pocket.
(more info...)
- Rick Montgomery is owner of Northern Air Merchant Services, a Wisconsin-based business that provides credit card processing for small and medium-sized businesses through the First Data Corporation.
(more info about Rick Montgomery...)
Discuss Food Industry issues - whether you are canning jam, selling at a farmer's market or opening a restaurant, you will benefit from this roundtable discussion.
(more info...)
- Erin Nutter is a Food Safety Supervisor with the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. With over 23 years of experience, Erin currently supervises eight inspectors who license and inspect a myriad of food-industry establishments.
(more info about Erin Nutter...)
- Becki Spina Bio coming soon...
(more info about Becki Spina...)
Learn how to position your small business in order to effectively access new markets by making the government your customer.
(more info...)
This session will talk about why a blog is a necessary asset to your business and discuss concrete strategies for using your blog to increase your profits.
(more info...)
Discuss your challenges with balancing work and personal vitality and learn best practices for keeping your health high on the priority list.
In this session, you will learn how to use your business checkbook as the foundation for your business recordkeeping system.
Discover and share tips for finding your voice, crafting presentations, dealing with venues and technology, and marketing yourself and your message.
(more info...)
Ready to grow your business, but not sure how to take the next step? Learn how each panelist started, overcame adversity, and grew to achieve success with recognition locally and beyond.
(more info...)
Learning how to grow your business through social media by discussing which social media sites are best for your business, share tips for profile-building, receive advice on how to engage your clients and customers, and learn how to develop a manageable social media schedule.
(more info...)
What would a life in balance look like? What do YOU need to be happy and healthy? How might you move toward your personal balance goals? This interactive workshop will consider these questions and give you an opportunity to look at the "big rocks" in your life.
(more info...)
Explore the importance of budgeting, including how to develop a budget. The session will also review methods to determine the benefits and costs of capital investments.
(more info...)
- Brenda Thalacker is an Accounting Instructor at Chippewa Valley Technical College. She also coordinates the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program for UW-Eau Claire.
(more info about Brenda Thalacker...)
Network with successful women in direct sales to share tips for entering and succeeding in this industry.
(more info...)
- Karen Kraus - the Director of Development for Special Olympics Wisconsin - is an experienced marketer, reporter, anchor, public relations professional, and event planner. With her extensive news reporting experience, Karen is knowledgeable and passionate about media and the local community.
(more info about Karen Kraus...)
One-On-One Counseling
- Sign-up for 60 minutes of individualized counseling on General Business Planning during Sessions 1, 2, 3 or 4. Counseling will be provided by SCORE, UWEC Small Business Development Center, and Western Dairyland Women's Business Center.
Attendees may request a counseling session during the registration process. Each attendee is allowed only one counseling session during the Conference.
Happy Hour Networking
- Join us in Brewski's Pub & Grill for a relaxing network session - all attendees, exhibitors, presenters and WBC staff are invited!
