Popular NMSU women entrepreneurs conference taking place online in July

Cassie McClure | cassie@mcclurepublicaitons.com | Jun 22, 2021

Influential female innovators and business owners are participating in this year’s Women Entrepreneurs (WE) Mean Business, a power-packed conference connecting aspiring entrepreneurs. Attendees can hear inspirational stories and learn valuable tactics to develop and grow their own business. 

The fifth-annual conference is co-hosted by Arrowhead Center, New Mexico State University’s entrepreneurship hub, and WESST, a statewide small business development and training organization. Sponsors include Peacock Law, Minority Business Development Agency, LiftFund and N2 Publishing.

Women at every stage of entrepreneurship, from a budding idea to running an established business, are encouraged to attend. Held online from 1 to 5 p.m. on July 7 and 8, the conference will feature speakers, panels and an interactive breakout session, followed by a virtual networking event, and opportunities for live Q&A sessions with business support service providers. Cost to attend is $15.

“WE Mean Business brings together thought leaders and change-makers to share their stories, strategies, and transformational wisdom with entrepreneurial women,” said Kristin Morehead, director of the Arrowhead Innovation Network. “We give women a chance to have a seat at the table that is waiting for them and meet others and learn from others who have been at the table for years.”

Returning for her third year is speaker Micaela Brown, founder of Blush & Whimsy, a skincare and cosmetics company that has products featured in Grammy Awards gift bags and the Honoring the Academy Awards gifting suites. The “Everyone Wins” gift bags are given to Oscar nominees, Cannes Film Festival participants and the Real Housewives of NYC Hamptons event.

Brown, who is also an Arrowhead Center enterprise adviser and has a social media reach of more than 100,000 followers, focuses on mentoring those interested in digital marketing and advertising, e-commerce, branding and entrepreneurship. She said that it is what she has heard from other conference participants in past years that encourages her to return.

“I heard women talk about how much support there is for women entrepreneurs and how they need more capital to begin,” Brown said. “One woman told me she needed to hear me to realize she could bootstrap and launch her business herself. 

Other speakers include Marisol Alarcon, partner and executive director of Laboratoria; Miriam Rivera, CEO and managing director of ULU Ventures; Cece Meadows, owner of Prados Beauty; Cathy Chen, founder of Fab Lab in El Paso; Anita Maxwell Skipper, an NMSU alumna and founder of financial planning company Successful Living; Jaquelene Timmons, COO of The App Heads Inc.; Kai Clough, founder of Bath Thyme Bakery; and Adriana Castillo, strategic business coach.

Panels include “Power of Presence; Let’s Get this Started;” “Tech Tricks; a Money Learning Lab Activity by WESST;” both a branding and a marketing workshop; a diversity and inclusion workshop; and a free yoga break by instructor Monica Le Baron.

“After a challenging year in our world, it is time to take it up a notch in our businesses. It is time to move beyond safe to stretch,” Skipper said. “Whether you are thinking about entrepreneurship, or are already an entrepreneur and are ready to take your passion or your business to new heights, this conference will provide just what you need to unlock the door that leads to your next level in business.”

For tickets, visit https://wemeanbusiness2021.eventbrite.com/. For more information on the conference, visit https://arrowheadcenter.org/program/wemeanbusiness.