The Small Business Development Center at Kent State University at Stark and the Stark Development Board are proud to announce the Entrepreneur Experience, a series of events and seminars to encourage the professional practices of entrepreneurs at all levels. The first event in the series will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 25, from 7:45 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. at The University Center at Kent State Stark, 6000 Frank Ave. NW in Jackson Township.
The first event of the Entrepreneur Experience will feature Monica Cornetti, owner of the business training and consulting firm EntrepreNow!, and Jennifer Downey, the president of Ambiance Incorporated. Attendees will be motivated by the knowledge and expertise of these women as they share how to achieve positive results through customer service, confident communication and other aspects to build and maintain a successful business. Proceeds from this event will benefit the Small Business Development Center Scholarship Fund.
Keynote Speaker: Monica Cornetti
A senior small business development specialist and the owner of EntrepreNow!, Cornetti is a highly sought after speaker and trainer because of her spunkiness and emphasis on fun while learning. With more than 20 years of experience in the corporate, nonprofit and academic sectors, her expertise centers on bringing excellence to organizations through leadership and training. She delivers high-energy, high-content training, along with a plan for application in the real world. Having been featured on the cover of Bloomberg Businessweek, Cornetti has been designated one of the best entrepreneurial training experts and is one of few professionals to have earned a combined Master of Science degree in economic development and entrepreneurship. She is the author of the acclaimed book Your Face Isn’t Finished Until Your Lipstick Is On: Rules of the Women’s Success Game, and the forthcoming book, What Were You Thinking?
Event Agenda
Check-in and Continental Breakfast: 7:45 - 8:15 a.m.
Morning Keynote Session: 8:15 - 11:15 a.m.
Your Face Isn’t Finished Until Your Lipstick is On: Rules of the Women’s Success Game presented by Monica Cornetti
Everyone knows that the rules for success are different for men and women. Based on her top-selling book, Your Face Isn’t Finished Until Your Lipstick is On: Rules of the Women’s Success Game, Cornetti gives straight-forward lessons that empower women to make their own choices and bend or even break the rules where necessary on their journey to success. In this enchanting keynote, you’ll learn that:
- Your worth is not based on your physical looks
- There is no “one shoe fits all” formula, and you can create your own formula for success
- Once you determine what it really is you want to do, it’s time to identify the fears that are holding you back
- You can decide to take charge of your destiny when you let your heart guide you
- The world needs you and it’s up to you to decide what you want
Lunch Session: 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Jennifer Downey, President of Ambiance, Incorporated
Jennifer Downey has been a successful retailer for the past 30 years. As Ambiance, the Store for Lovers’ pioneering president and CEO, she has garnered numerous awards and accolades as one of the region’s top female executives. Among them, she has been an Athena™ Awards finalist, named Small Business Person of the Year runner-up by the U.S. Small Business Administration and Retail Rainmaker by Northern Ohio Live magazine. Most recently, her company was honored for the sixth year in a row for its World Class Customer Service and took home the Best Customer Experience award. She is an active member of Council of Small Enterprises (COSE), the Cleveland Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners and founding board member of Plexus, as well as several other organizations.
Afternoon Keynote Session: 1:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Let’s Talk! – The Secret of Powerful Communication Skills for Women presented by Monica Cornetti
It’s a fact - women who are powerful, poised communicators are seen as more professional and are much more likely to achieve tremendous career success. In this session, you will learn how to avoid the major communication mistakes that damage women’s careers and how to master confident and credible communication. This program includes high-impact techniques that will help you:
- Communicate assertively to get what you want – without seeming pushy
- Communicate with greater authority and credibility
- Resolve conflict and handle confrontation professionally
- Be seen as a capable, credible, poised professional woman … who earns respect from all!
The special registration fee for the Entrepreneur Experience is $49 per person. The Small Business Development Center is providing a $100 endowment per person, reducing the regular fee of $149. The registration fee for this event includes breakfast, break stations, lunch and keynote speaker Monica Cornetti’s book,Your Face Isn’t Finished Until Your Lipstick is On: Rules of the Women’s Success Game.
To register for this event, visit www.cantonsbdc.org. Payment is accepted with MasterCard, Visa or Discover. Registration is limited to 75.
For more information regarding the Entrepreneur Experience, contact the SBDC at 330-244-3290 or info@cantonsbdc.org or visitwww.cantonsbdc.org.