Happy Valley boasts a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem, filled with resources and community — and it’s just getting better thanks to a newly launched event from the Happy Valley LaunchBox powered by PNC Bank. This year’s inaugural W.E.Connect Conference provides a unique opportunity specifically for women entrepreneurs and women in business.
The idea for the conference came about when the Happy Valley LaunchBox’s Elizabeth Hay, who serves as the Jack White Family Director, met with Jennifer Eisenhuth ahead of her launching Jennifer Eisenhuth Consulting. Eisenhuth had a vision of developing a coaching business that would help women become entrepreneurs and leaders in their organizations and communities. The more the two talked, Hay explained, the more she realized a problem within her own programs: an underrepresentation of women in entrepreneurship.
“I wanted to get the word out about the resources for entrepreneurship in the community, and also create a space for women to come together and share ideas, network and build relationships,” Hay described of what happened next. “The two of us started brainstorming on what that could look like. Penn State Global Entrepreneurship Week was coming up and I said, ‘Why don’t we do something then? We can get awareness out and bring women together.’”
The idea came to fruition and now the first W.E.Connect Conference is slated for Nov. 20, 2024. The all-day event, 9 a.m.–3 p.m., will be held in the Eric J. Barron Innovation Hub and registration is only $20. Highlights will include a series of speakers and breakout sessions, networking and a catered lunch.
Session topics include resilience and building connections, among others, and speakers include Kerry Bestwick and Janet Egerer, co-owners, PYP Studio; Linsey Covert, founder, TEAMology; Jennifer Eggers, founder, LeaderShift Insights; Haley McClain Hill, founder, TORCH Warriorwear; Megan Ingram, attorney, Steinbacher, Goodall & Yurchak; Audrey Gay Rodgers, owner, Hameau Farm; Beth Shaha, founder, The Grounded Canary; and Dawn Ziegerer, owner, The Great Story Workshop.
“We’re trying to make the entire day fun,” said Hay. “All of the events and speakers have such diverse backgrounds and insights…We also have a surprise at the end of the day that I’m super-excited about. During the last hour, we have a special event that will bring everything together.”
“We want these people to come together and learn from each other. We want to build connections and have women leave feeling empowered.”
Looking at the event’s potential, Hay said that she hopes the conference can break down community silos between different groups of women, whether those women are entrepreneurs, working in industry or stay-at-home moms. “We want these people to come together and learn from each other,” she said. “We want to build connections and have women leave feeling empowered.”
Registration is limited to 90 people. While supplies last, attendees can also purchase Jennifer Eggers’ book “Resilience: It’s Not About Bouncing Back” during registration.
The conference is offered in partnership with the Chamber of Business & Industry of Centre County (CBICC), Jennifer Eisenhuth Consulting and the Penn State Small Business Development Center (SBDC).
