What is Startup School?
Experience an energizing day jam-packed with drink-from-the-firehose, practical advice, war stories from the road, “how it really happened” and how YOU can do it too kind of knowledge from entrepreneurs that have been there and done that.
KEYNOTE
Donna Russell-Kuhr, CEO of PTM Corporation, President of the Economic Development Alliance of St. Clair County, and Crain’s Detroit Business Notable Woman in Manufacturing 2018.
MORNING SPEAKERS ON-STAGE
- Roy Lamphier of Excelerate America
- Christine Deehring of Bump Boxes
- Hale Walker of Michigan Mutual
- April Jones-Boyle of Build Institute
- Brian Boyle of Issue Media Group
- Kurt Davis of Sunrise Ventures
- Blake Bessette of AIE Solutions
- Marlin Williams of Sisters Code
AFTERNOON BREAKOUTS & WORKSHOPS
- Why You Suck at Sales (and What to Do About It), presented by Kurt Davis of Sunrise Ventures
- How to WIN Business Pitch Competitions, presented by Scott & Shannon Schwabe from Hoppily Ever After Farms, Geron Dotson & Justin Bush from The Poke Bowl.
- Extreme Networking: The Essentials of Connection, presented by Crystal Mosher
- Leave Your Dream Job and Start a Business, presented by Carol Hall, Founder of The Hallway Escape.
- Focus on the Customer Experience to Scale Quickly, presented by Christine Deehring, Founder of Bump Boxes.
- Getting Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable, presented by Matt Matthews and Kate Negron from Colab Trainings.
- Starting a Business as a “Side Hustle,” presented by Scott Beedon
- How to Be Interesting and Attract Media Attention, presented by Karly Hurley, Station Manager at ebw.tv, and Nina Ignaczak, Editorial Director at Issue Media Group
- and a special track for high school and college students, presented by Karen Palka and Quentin Bishop
ALL TICKETS INCLUDE lunch and an evening after-party!
Who Should Attend?
- Entrepreneurs at ANY stage of their journey
- Investors in angel funds or seed capital
- Community leaders in government, non-profit, and business sectors
- Students and educators interested in entrepreneurship
- Directors and staff of Chambers of Commerce, DDAs, EDAs