By Nevonne Mcdaniels
The Wenatchee World, Wash.
WWR Article Summary (tl;dr) Four female entrepreneurs will share some of their journey, discuss plans for the future and give advice on lessons learned at GWATA’s “Women Rule the World” entrepreneurial panel.
WENATCHEE
The panel takes place July 24 at the Confluence Technology Center.
Attendees are encouraged to participate in the conversation during the dedicated question-and-answer session at the end.
The four panelists include:
Julie Burdick, owner of Julie Aynn Photography
“I would say that being an entrepreneur has always been part of my life,” she said. “My parents owned a little cafe when I was elementary age, and I spent many hours there ‘working’ at the restaurant. I bought my first business, a video store, when I was 23 years old.”
Tricia McCullough, president of AugustEdge, a Wenatchee accounting firm
“If you want to become an entrepreneur, the first thing you need to consider is the business model you are considering,” she said. “This is extremely important because all the cash and all the hard work will never make a poor business model work.”
Vicky Scharlau, president of 501 Consultants, a Cashmere-based consulting firm providing services for nonprofits
“I started my path of entrepreneurship when I hit the proverbial glass ceiling,” she said. “As I looked around for other employment options, I saw I had limited growth options. So really, my only route at the time was to start my own business.”
Jen Staat, Elements Salon & Spa manager
“Some advice for fellow women entrepreneurs: look forward, not back; own being a mother, if you chose to be one; don’t wait for evolution, just evolve; and dress for the paycheck you want, not the paycheck you have.”
The event, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., will be moderated by Jessica Clay, Numerica Credit Union business development officer. The event is free for GWATA members, $15 for the public. An optional $10 catered lunch is available for those who pre-register (www.gwata.org.)
GWATA (Greater Wenatchee Area Technology Alliance) is a nonprofit devoted to bringing together people and technology resources. The group organizes monthly socials, informational events and entrepreneurial panels throughout the year.
