Name: Entrepreneurship For All Track
Start: 2025-03-18T08:00:00-0400
End: 2025-03-18T08:15:00-0400

Tuesday March 18, 2025 8:00am - 8:15am EDT

Exploring how businesses start, grow, and flourish.

Entrepreneurship is the buzziest of words, and also speaks to the lifeblood of main street Charlottesville. How do businesses start, grow, and flourish? Dive in with the seasoned entrepreneurs creating the mom-and-pops businesses that provide necessary goods and services, to the technology startups transforming industries and disrupting every-day life. This track explores the funding, training, and planning necessary to launch and sustain a business.

Whether you're a budding entrepreneur seeking guidance or a seasoned business leader aiming to stay ahead of the curve, join us for a day of immersive storytelling that celebrates the diverse and dynamic tapestry of the entrepreneurial spirit. Engage in open conversations, draw inspiration from shared experiences, and discover the myriad paths that lead to success.

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Note: This conference is a ticketed event. To create your event schedule here on Sched you must first purchase your tickets on Eventbrite. Click here to purchase your tickets. All Conference badges also have a Pay-What-You-Can Scholarship Option.

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A special thank you to our sponsors: The 12th Annual Tom Tom Festival is presented with the University of Virginia, Virginia Tourism, RL Beyer Custom Homes, and Ludwig Kuttner.

Speakers

Paul Beyer

Executive Director, Tom Tom

My professional interests and passions are around community building; with a specific focus on my hometown of Charlottesville, VA. I love the instigators, entrepreneurs, artists, activists, and healers who are filled with civic purpose and desire to create communities of friendship... Read More →

Amanda Blondeau

Chief Strategy Officer, Northern Initiatives

Amanda Blondeau is the Chief Strategy Officer for Northern Initiatives. Northern Initiatives provides capital and know-how to entrepreneurs in Michigan and the five border counties of Wisconsin. Prior to becoming Chief Strategy Officer in 2020, Amanda served as the Director of Business... Read More →

Rory Brogan

Founder & CEO, Torev Motors

Rory Brogan is the Founder and CEO at Torev Motors. Rory launched Torev in May 2022 and is the inventor of Torev’s flagship product, the double axial flux motor. He is an electrical engineer and mathematician who holds an MBA from Georgetown University and has prior experience in... Read More →

Erin Burcham

President, Verge

Erin Burcham joined Verge in June of 2021, where she leads two organizations under the regional technology alliance portfolio, the Roanoke-Blacksburg Technology Council (RBTC) and the Regional Accelerator and Mentoring Program (RAMP). Previously she worked as the director of talent... Read More →

Chad Burchett

Chief Executive Officer, CAC Tech Services Inc

Chad brings over 25 years of experience across the trucking industry. He has an international career in the commercial vehicle industry with the Volvo Group. He has worked at several sites in North America and Europe supporting a multitude of functions from manufacturing, purchasing... Read More →

Richard Chylla

Executive Director, UVA Licensing and Venture Group

Richard Chylla joined the University of Virginia Licensing & Ventures Group in January 2022 as the Executive Director.Rich comes to UVA from the Innovation Center at Michigan State University where he served as Executive Director of MSU Technologies since 2012. He also served on the... Read More →

Braden Croy

Program Director, Dominion Energy Innovation Center

Braden Croy, Program Director of the DEIC, has 10+ years of experience supporting startup communities and building entrepreneurship programs for R1 universities and Fortune 500 companies. He has presented internationally on entrepreneurship ecosystem development and coached over 500... Read More →

Ahan Dalal

Student, N/A

Ahan Dalal is the co-founder and CEO of BrokerBotics, a company that aims to democratize income from stock options strategies. He is a freshman at Albemarle High School. Prior to BrokerBotics, at the age of 12, he worked with his dad (BrokerBotics co-founder) to develop Blob Attack... Read More →

Stephen Davis

President, Community Investment Collaborative

Stephen joined CIC as its first President in April 2013, after a decade of experience in organization building, management, consulting and education. Stephen has led CIC's growth in supporting over 2500 entrepreneurs, including 565 graduates of CIC’s 16 week Entrepreneur Workshop... Read More →

Alison Denbigh

Cofounder and CFO, Staunton Innovation Hub, Skyler Innovations (Watch Ya’ Mouth Game)

CoOwner/CoFounder/CoInventer of Skyler Innovations, based in Staunton, Virginia, USA. Oversees the financials, supply chain management, product development and growth of the “Watch Ya’ Mouth” game brand. The “Watch Ya’ Mouth” game was #1 on three platforms on Amazon US... Read More →

Nathan A. Evans

Principal, Woods Rogers Vandeventer Black PLC

Nathan is a Principal and registered patent attorney with the law firm of Woods Rogers in Charlottesville who focuses his practice on intellectual property (IP)—including patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets. He helps companies in a variety of industries protect... Read More →

Teira Farley

Director of Communications + Engagement, CIC

Teira serves the CIC team as its Director of Communications + Engagement. A dual, magna cum laude graduate of Florida A&M University, one of the nation’s most renowned public HBCUs, she holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management and a Master of Business Administration, with... Read More →

Airea Garland

Store Owner, Mac and Mae

Airea Garland, a Charlottesville native and proud resident, is establishing herself as a trusted curator and style influencer among locals and visitors alike. Airea is the owner of Mac and Mae, a boutique nestled on Charlottesville's historic Downtown Mall. Her passion for design... Read More →

Rick Hamilton

Managing Director and Chief Technology Officer, Focused Ultrasound Foundation

Rick Hamilton is a leading inventor and authority on technology and innovation, and he acts as Managing Director and Chief Technology Officer of the Focused Ultrasound Foundation. He is the one of the world’s most prolific inventors with more than 1,040 patents, standing just... Read More →

Cameron Hardesty

Founder & CEO, Poppy

Cameron's path to Poppy actually started in the basement of The White House. She had a great job, but was longing for more creativity in her life and so she started volunteering in The White House Flower Shop, learning floral design from Chief Floral Designer, Laura Dowling.Igniting... Read More →

Matt Harmon

n/a, n/a

A resident of Charlottesville, Matt Harmon spent the past 5 years developing a love of wine. As his passion for wine developed, he wanted to share that passion with family and friends. As he did so, he noticed people’s preconceived ideas about wine, and who "should" drink wine and... Read More →

Quinton Harrell

Founder, Heritage United Builders

For over 25 years, social entrepreneur Quinton “Q” Harrell has been connecting people and strategies across Charlottesville, VA, and beyond. Construction, real estate, retail, hospitality, and the nonprofit sector are some of the verticals Q has led the charge in by streamlining... Read More →

Dr. Nikki Hastings

Executive Director, CvilleBioHub

Nikki Hastings is an operations biotech executive and entrepreneurial ecosystem builder with over 15 years of experience with early-stage biotech/medtech and medical device companies. She has held executive management roles at companies across multiple industry sectors including HemoShear... Read More →

Rebecca Haydock

CEO, Venture Central

Rebecca Haydock is CEO of Venture Central, board member of Charlottesville Angel Network, and continues to be an owner and advisor in expanding businesses. She is an entrepreneur, facilitator, educator, convener and ecosystem strategist and accelerator. Her work in Virginia accomplishes... Read More →

Natalie Hodge

CEO, Rudy's Girl Media

Natalie K. Hodge is an award-winning writer, entrepreneur and community transformation strategist. She is the owner of Rudy's Girl Media, a Martinsville, Virginia-based content development studio that specializes in digital storytelling and creative marketing solutions. In November... Read More →

Eddie Howard

Director, Abundant Life Ministries

Eddie Howard joined as Executive Director in fall 2021, after serving on staff for eight years in the early 2000’s. Eddie grew up in the Prospect neighborhood, Abundant Life’s focus for ministry and served on staff building deep relationships in the community and helping to launch... Read More →

Freddy Jackson

Founder, Director, Speaker, and Mentor, Love No Ego Foundation, Inc., and Community Lab School, Charlottesville, Virginia

Freddy is an inspirational and transformational lecturer and speaker, social-emotional learning (SEL) mentor, health and wellness trainer, educator, author, and founder of The Love No Ego Foundation. Freddy's Love...No Ego philosophy serves as the foundation for success, strengthening... Read More →

Roberta Keller

Founder, CEO, Alexis Advisors

Roberta Keller is a thought-leader in building a wealth management social enterprise. Roberta founded Alexis Advisors in 2013 and was the first Certified B Corp financial services firm in the Central Virginia region. The firm offers women and working professionals fee-only financial... Read More →

Armeer Kenchen

Executive Director, North Carolina’s State Small Business Credit Initiative

Armeer Kenchen is the Executive Director of North Carolina’s State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI), which is a suite of capital support programs that total more than $300 million dollars. Kenchen is also Executive Director of CornerSquare Community Capital, an affiliate... Read More →

Dr. Bijoy Kundu

CEO and Co-Founder, ID-PET LLC

Bijoy Kundu, PhD is a manager and co-founder of ID-PET LLC, which was formed in February 2024. Dr. Kundu is an associate professor in the departments of Radiology and Medical Imaging and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Virginia (UVA). Dr. Kundu is an expert in developing... Read More →

Michael Lenox

Tayloe Murphy Professor of Business, UVA Darden School of Business

Mike Lenox is the Tayloe Murphy Professor of Business at the University of Virginia. He serves as a Special Advisor to the Provost leading the UVA pan-university entrepreneurship initiative. He also serves as a Senior Faculty Fellow for the UVA Miller Center and a Professor of Public... Read More →

Pace Lochte

Assistant Vice President, UVA Economic Development

Pace Lochte is a higher education leader with over 25 years of service to the University of Virginia (UVA). As Assistant Vice President for Economic Development, Pace structures public-private partnerships by leveraging UVA's unique assets and capabilities to bring positive change... Read More →

Ilsa Loeser

Founder & Principal, Letterpress Communications

Ilsa "accidentally started" a marketing agency nearly 10 years ago. Letterpress Communications was born out of a passion for her hometown. Storytelling and strategic thinking are at the core of the Letterpress approach of community-powered marketing. Letterpress has grown from Ilsa... Read More →

Kelley A. McKenzie

Co-Founder and Managing Director, GOODSTOCK Consulting LLC

Kellye McKenzie, MPA currently serves as Managing Director of GOODSTOCK Consulting, which connects hospitals, businesses and social service agencies to produce measurable health changes and equitable long-term healthcare impact within underserved communities.She spent nearly a decade... Read More →

Michael Reilly

Founder/Executive Director, Foodshed Capital

As co-founder of Foodshed Capital, Michael Reilly oversees the day-to-day operations as Executive Director. Under his leadership, the organization grew from a local Slow Money program with a few hundred dollars in donations, to a national nonprofit serving hundreds of farms and... Read More →

Ed Rogers

CEO, Bonumose, Inc.

Mr. Rogers is the CEO and co-founder of Bonumose, Inc., a food ingredient and enzyme innovation company based near Charlottesville, Virginia, USA. Mr. Rogers has 30+ years of business experience as a technology company founder, CEO, investor, adviser, and attorney. Earlier in his... Read More →

Thomas Rogers

Co-Founder & COO, MetaCTF

Thomas Rogers is the Co-Founder & COO at MetaCTF. Thomas is a double Hoo (UVA '14, Darden '22) and has been with MetaCTF for three years. MetaCTF is on a mission to help companies better assess, hire, retain, and upskill their cybersecurity talent.

Ridge Schuyler

Director, Network2Work@PVCC, Piedmont Virginia Community College

Ridge Schuyler graduated from the University of Michigan and the University of Virginia School of Law. Ridge spent 10 years on Capitol Hill serving as Chief of Staff to U.S. Congressman Rick Boucher (VA-9) and Chief Policy Advisor to U.S. Senator Charles S. Robb of Virginia.In 2016... Read More →

David Touve

Managing Director, 434 Accelerator

David is the Managing Director of 434, an accelerator program supporting early-stage, technology-driven companies based in and around Charlottesville, Virginia. Most recently, he was the Senior Director of the Batten Institute at the Darden School of Business, an Assistant Professor... Read More →

Dr. Kim Butler Willis

Co-Founder and Managing Director, GOODSTOCK Consulting LLC

Dr. Kimberly Butler Willis is the Director of the Ryan White Wellness Center at Roper St. Francis Healthcare in Charleston, SC. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Science, Master of Public Health in Health Promotion, Education and Behavior, and working to complete... Read More →

Jim Zuffoletti

Entrepreneurship community director, UVA Darden

Jim Zuffoletti Serial Founder and Executive with broad leadership and operating experience from co-founding businesses, business units and foundations from zero to one and beyond. Experience with exits ranging from asset sale, divestiture to deka-corn IPO. He has personally led fundraising... Read More →

Sponsors

CAV Angels

R.L.Beyer Custom Homes

University of Virginia

The University is an iconic public institution of higher education, boasting nationally ranked schools and programs, diverse and distinguished faculty, a major academic medical center and proud history as a renowned research university. The community and culture of the University... Read More →

Virginia Tourism

Tuesday March 18, 2025 8:00am - 8:15am EDT
CODE Building

Conference: Entrepreneurship For All

Cost Ticketed

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