Those who attend will hear inspiring stories from female business owners, learn a business framework to turn a passion into a viable business, put pen to paper in writing their business plan, and will walk away with a network of business owners.
“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”
- Thomas Edison
Details
Date: Thursday, June 20, 2024
Time: 5:15 - 9:30pm, please arrive by 5:15pm
Location: The Roux Institute at Northeastern University, 100 Fore St, Portland, ME. Public Parking off of Freedom Way.
Fee: $50* per person for drinks, dinner, and an educational entrepreneurship bootcamp. A big thank you to Otto pizza for their donation.
*As we develop different types of events, we are working on price to make these events sustainable. If cost is a factor, we want to help. For each event we set aside tickets just for this. Please email us at hello@heldportland.com
Cancellation policy: All sales are final and non-refundable. However, your tickets are transferable to an individual. If transferred to someone, please email us their name and email address at hello@heldportland.com.
What to expect
The topic and goals - At the heart of each held gathering is human connection. Our goals are always twofold: to spark meaningful connections that ultimately foster a deeply rooted community and to inspire women with a specific topic. For our June event, we’re calling all women who have thought about becoming an entrepreneur and/or are curious about what it takes to start a business. Surrounded by female founders and business owners, attendees will hear stories about how these entrepreneurs took an idea or passion, overcame their fears and perceived obstacles, and turned it into a business plan. Those attending will also work together to solve a local female owned business’ problem, will learn a business plan framework, and put pen to paper in writing their own business plan. This event is for anyone curious about what it takes to be an entrepreneur, wants to experience solving a real life business problem, and or is eager to learn about the first steps to starting a business. If you are interested in entrepreneurship or nervous about taking the entrepreneurial leap, we promise you’ll leave inspired and more knowledgeable. The theme of the bootcamp is “just do it!”
Opening remarks & event kick off - Mary Beth and Tenaya will welcome everyone, share held’s concept, and an overview of The Roux Institute x held entrepreneurship bootcamp. They’ll introduce Terra Dunham, The Roux Institute entrepreneurship programming lead who will provide a brief introduction on her background and experience in both working a full time job and running a business remotely.
The ice breaker - Going around the room in rapid fire succession, we’ll ask everyone to respond in one word: “what comes to mind when you think of an entrepreneur?”
Panel of female biz owners - Tenaya will facilitate a panel of female founders and business owners. From the stories shared, attendees will learn more about the founders backgrounds, their diverse business ideas, their first steps to “just doing it!”, and how they ultimately turned an idea or passion into a viable business. Attendees will also receive imparting advice on how to have an “entrepreneurial mindset.”
Learning an entrepreneurship framework - Terra will engage the room in a discussion around what it means to be an entrepreneur. She will then walk the audience through an entrepreneurship framework which can be applied to any business idea or problem.
Solving a real business problem - Tenaya and Mary Beth will introduce, Kathy Palmer, Founder & Owner of The Fish & Bone, a local pet supply and food store. Kathy will share her story and passion behind starting her business and, will introduce a current business problem that needs help solving. Referencing the entrepreneurship framework, attendees will break into groups and spend time brainstorming solutions for The Fish & Bone. Time will be set aside to present each group’s business solution to Kathy.
You as an entrepreneur - putting pen to paper - Attendees can work by themselves in writing their business plan or can be paired with another attendee or business owner to ideate further on a business idea. Wrapping up the session, participants will be invited to share their business ideas in ten words or less. They say writing something down and saying it aloud makes you more likely to “just do it!”
Closing remarks and networking - Tenaya and Mary Beth will provide the closing remarks and takeaways with printed resources including mentorship opportunities that are free to small business owners and those wanting to launch a business. Attendees are welcome to stay and mingle with one another, the event panelists, and instructors.
The bios
Jenny Bravo
After years of coordinating photoshoots for small businesses and creatives, Jenny noticed a need for flexible and functional production space. So, she opened The Kitchen & Photo Studio to serve the Northern New England photography and video production market. The rental space bridges the gap between a residential kitchen and a classic studio and can accommodate almost any project or event.
As the photo studio evolved, so did Jenny's passion to provide the community with the props she loved to curate and photograph. In 2020, she launched Viand Vintage out of her photography studio with seasonal pop-ups around Maine. A few years later, Jenny opened the brick and mortar Viand Mercantile on 470 Fore Street in downtown Portland, Maine. Viand Mercantile is a home goods store that offers both new and vintage items in a variety of home categories by artists, makers, and brands from across the globe.
Married to a small business owner like herself, Jenny is passionate about connecting and supporting small businesses and female entrepreneurs. This summer she will be teaching a photography course at Maine Media.
Terra Dunham
Terra Dunham has been a New Englander in spirit since her childhood’s family vacations introduced her to the region’s crisp air, abundant nature, and kind, hardworking people. In the summer of 2023, she moved to Maine from Florida after stints in Boston and Denver to continue her entrepreneurial journey in a place she knew she would love. Terra grew up with an entrepreneurial father, and always knew that she’d follow in his footsteps.
In 2019, while working at a tech startup in Denver, Terra was inspired with a business idea, so she quit her job, sold her house, and moved back to Florida to start Book + Bottle - a bookstore/wine bar/coffee shop. Within three years, she had the business self-sustaining enough that she was able to escape Florida and move “back home” to New England where she’s currently working as an entrepreneurship program manager at Northeastern University’s Roux Institute while she ponders her next entrepreneurial endeavor.
Lisa Jones
Lisa Jones is the principal and founder of the proprietary booking engine
Worldwide Group Travel & Events, and the innovator behind Jamaica Fit
Trip, Black Travel Maine, Black Travel Marketing, and Leisure Group Tech.
Her journey in the travel industry began with humble origins at
American Airlines, later transitioning to a robust 18-year tenure at LibGo
Travel where she held numerous managerial positions and earned their
prestigious President’s Award.
In 2020, amidst the global challenges of COVID-19 and personal upheavals including a divorce after 16 years of marriage, Lisa relocated from Long Island, New York to Maine. Invited by a friend, she was immediately struck by the state's stunning landscapes and the genuine warmth of its community. This profound connection inspired her to establish Black Travel Maine, Black Travel Marketing, and Leisure Group Tech, marking a significant pivot in her career towards fostering tourism and technology-based solutions in her new home.
Throughout her career, Lisa has collaborated with celebrities, major television networks, and some of New York City’s top radio stations. Her work has been featured in publications like Black Enterprise and Contemporary Bride, and on television segments such as Good Day New York. Her commitment extends beyond professional achievements; as a former member of PayPal’s government relations lobbying team, she contributed to critical discussions on digital marketing and internet business legislation in Washington, DC.
Lisa’s extensive experience and innovative approach makes her a respected voice in the travel industry, continually pushing the boundaries of what is possible in travel and event planning.
Kathy Palmer
Kathy Palmer is the owner and President of The Fish & Bone, an independent pet supply store. A degree in Philosophy did not open many professional doors in the late 80’s and early 90’s. But combined with years in the early farm-to-table restaurant industry, including a successful launch of her own - it formed a great base for the kind of creative problem-solving needed for small business entrepreneurship. Since 2000, Kathy has been translating her love for animals, indie business, and food into a vibrant pet supply company based in Portland, with a second location on Newbury Street in Boston.
Cherie Scott
Mumbai-native Cherie Scott left India at the age of 16 and moved to Vancouver, BC. After a few stops in New York City and New Jersey, Cherie has been anchored in Boothbay, Maine now for over a decade. In 2015, she launched her culinary blog. Cherie is a guest chef instructor at the Milk Street with Christopher Kimball Online Cooking School, Boston. As the host of “Talking Food In Maine”, Cherie interviews notable culinary pioneers who have made a substantial contribution to the culinary arts in the state of Maine. To celebrate Maine’s bicentennial and gastronomic talent, in 2020, Cherie also hosted and produced a podcast showcasing some of Maine’s most accomplished culinary tastemakers. In the heart of the pandemic, Cherie launched her signature line of gourmet Indian simmer sauces. Mumbai to MAINE, LLC, is Maine’s first Indian-inspired and award-winning culinary brand, available nationwide on the Mumbai to Maine site and across specialty stores in New England.
Sponsors
A big thank you to Gorham Savings Bank and to HM Payson for helping to make this event possible.
