Understanding Funding for Entrepreneurs
The City of Westerville, the Women’s Small Business Accelerator, WeConnect and TechColumbus present: Understanding Funding for Entrepreneurs.
Join us on Wednesday, January 29th, from 7:30am – 9:00 am at ThinkSpace 24 Westerview Dr, Westerville, Ohio 43081
Program
You are invited to learn more about funding processes and opportunities available to entrepreneurs and start up business owners. An experienced panel of entrepreneurs and investors will share their personal experiences on what it takes to get funding and what funding means for a business owner. The panel discussion features speakers who have different perspectives on how to obtain funding for a business and how funding impacted them personally and professionally.. Entrepreneurs will gain valuable knowledge about starting, growing and funding a business.
If you are an entrepreneur or have an idea you have been thinking about, this is an excellent opportunity to determine if you need to raise funds and to understand what it takes to attract capital to grow your business. The panel will welcome questions from attendees and offer advice to provide insight into their experiences and results.
This event is for current and future entrepreneurs, community leaders and resource providers working with start-up businesses. Attendees will have an opportunity to network with others and learn about resources available through the City of Westerville, the Women’s Small Business Accelerator, WeConnect, TechColumbus and other organizations.
Panelists
John Sydnor, Technology Commercialization and Venture Advisor at TechColumbus. John is a C-level financial/technology executive with broad experience in venture acceleration, new business development, sales/marketing, technology commercialization, public/private sector partnerships, capital fundraising, strategic acquisition analysis/planning, and organizational realignment. John has held senior leadership roles in several industries including: financial, technology, pharmaceutical, private equity, and healthcare. He has more than fifteen years of early stage venture operation, investing, capital fundraising and technology consulting experience. John has helped lead a firm to a successful initial public offering as well as participated in numerous mergers and acquisitions both domestically and internationally.
Michele Rapp, formerly a stay-at-home mom of two boys, turned her passion for adventure into a business. Michele is this year’s recipient of a $25,000 loan from Bad Girl Ventures. Bad Girl Ventures is a highly localized micro-lending organization focused on funding woman-owned start-ups in the Greater Ohio region. With this money, Michele is able to take her adventure concierge business, the Columbus Explorer Club, to the next level.
David Rivers – David Rivers serves as a Business Consultant with the Ohio SBDC at Columbus State Community College. He brings 25 years of experience in working with entrepreneurs and small business owners. His diverse background includes experience in banking, private equity, strategic planning and digital media.
Rick Coplin (moderator) – Rick is Vice President with TechColumbus. Rick has helped to build and sell a start-up company, directed technology programs in a major financial institution and consulted with companies across the country in the areas of technology, finance, marketing and operations. Rick works alongside emerging companies on business formation, commercialization strategies, and capital planning.
Location
The Women’s Small Business Accelerator / ThinkSpace 24 Westerview Dr, Westerville, OH 43081. ThinkSpace is located in the Women’s Small Business Accelerator (WSBA), near the intersection of West Main Street and Cleveland Avenue. There is a McDonalds in front of the shopping center that houses the WSBA.
