Conference Agenda

Join this session to learn how to prepare for tax season and tips for maintaining a good record-keeping system.

ABOUT BECKY ALBERT-BREED
Becky is proud as a minority and woman business owner dedicated to helping others build financial strength.  She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and an MBA from Cardinal Stritch University.  Her graduate and thesis research focused on investments, fiduciary responsibility, and taxation.  Internal audit expertise includes 3 years of federal and state gaming regulatory audits for multiple tribes, over 8 years of government auditing including City of Milwaukee and Tribal Government, manufacturing audit, as well as corporate bank trust auditing. Audit engagements not only addressed compliance & regulatory needs but also included analysis of process efficiency and internal controls. She has over 15 years of career management experience overseeing Ho-Chunk Nations’ gaming enterprises CFO’s, non-profit organizations, and Treasurer of the tribal government. Her large contributions include creation and serving on a Trust & Investment Committee overseeing over 400M in funds. This resulted from her volunteer interests she has in building communities and supporting solutions to meet these needs. With her interest in taxation, she has worked over 10 years; with CPA accounting firms and specialty tax organizations including many years supporting a family tax business in Milwaukee, WI. With her many community organizations that she volunteers for and those that she has career managed, her focus remains on helping individuals, businesses, and governments strengthen their financial affairs so they may achieve their financial goals. Click here to learn more about Integrity Audit & Tax

Host - Lorance Uwinaza, The Coven Eau Claire
Lorance Uwinaza is the Membership and Marketing Coordinator at The Coven, Eau Claire’s only coworking space and formerly called CoLab. After moving here from Coon Rapids, MN, to attend and graduate from UW-Eau Claire in 2021, Lorance has chosen to call Eau Claire home. She is passionate about helping people through connections and providing resources. With over a year in her position at The Coven, Lorance works with over 100 of The Coven’s members, manages all marketing activities, events and much more. Click here to learn more about The Coven Eau Claire!

Panelist - Danielle Goss, KUL MOCKS
Danielle Goss is the CEO/Founder of KUL MOCKS. In this role, she has become an innovator in the low- and no-alcohol adult beverage industry. Danielle graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Stout in 2013 with a degree in Dietetics. Following graduation, Danielle completed an internship with the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota and obtained her Registered Dietitian license. Fueled by her passion for health and wellness, paired with the desire for inclusion for all in the social drinking experience, during her first pregnancy Danielle and her husband began to explore the low- and no- alcohol adult beverage industry and found there to be limited options. Together with her husband Nate, Danielle set out to undertake this challenge and in 2019 they started building the KUL MOCKS brand when Danielle was seven months pregnant. KUL MOCKS produces a variety of hand-crafted, ready-to-drink non-alcoholic mocktails. With Danielle at the helm, the brand has seen significant growth in the four years since its inception. Currently, KUL MOCKS can be found in more than 25 states and can be purchased at select liquor and grocery chains. The company is a certified Women’s Business Enterprise by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council and has been featured on CBS, NBC, Forbes and multiple regional and national news sources. Danielle is a wife and mother of two; soon to be three! In her spare time, she enjoys spending quality time with family and friends, traveling, trips to the family cabins, cooking and staying active, and loves how her girls help her to slow down and disconnect. Click here to learn more about Kul Mocks!

Panelist - Laura Torres, Laura Torres Services
In 2010, Laura Torres established her firm, located in Arcadia, WI. Laura Torres Services has specialized in individual tax returns. As an independent insurance agency, we keep excellent customer service in mind, both Spanish and English. Over the years, we’ve established strong relationships with multiple insurance companies. No matter what type of insurance you need, we’ll find the perfect coverage and at a competitive price. We focus on being meticulous, quick, and resourceful for our clients. We work with business owners, executives, and independent professionals. We offer something for everyone: Personal Tax, 1099s, LLCs, Insurance Packages, ITINs, International Driver’s License applications, translations, and so much more. Click here to learn more about Laura Torres Services!

Panelist - Karlee Wallin, Royal Credit Union
Karlee has worked with business loans at Royal Credit Union since 2006 and worked in the financial industry since 2001.  She thrives on relationships made through her work with the small business owners and entrepreneurs she serves. Whether you’re looking to start your own business, have working capital needs or are growing your existing business, you can trust Karlee to find the financing solution to best fit your needs. Karlee strives to make a positive impact in the community through volunteering.  She serves as an Advisory Board Member for the Women’s Business Center, President of Just Local Food Co-op and is involved in Royal’s F.U.S.E program, to name a few. She also enjoys partnering with local organizations, such as The Red Letter Grant, to provide financial education and workshop opportunities for small business owners and serve as a resource throughout their business journeys. Growing up in the Midwest, she appreciates the beauty of this area and the wonderful sense of community here.  She resides in Eau Claire with her husband and two daughters. Click here to learn more about Royal Credit Union!

If you aren’t making the revenue you want in your business yet, there are 5 hidden reasons most female business owners are not selling more. It’s so common, most business owners never see it, but it’s draining on your time, energy, and money. In this session, Business Breakthrough Coach Sarah Stokes will help you discover where your hidden blocks are and help you move through the sales squirm and into positive money-making momentum. After personally selling millions in offers over her decades in business and helping others do the same, Sarah will help you uncover your hurdles and create new action steps you can start immediately after the conference.

ABOUT SARAH STOKES
Sarah Stokes is a Business Breakthrough Coach for the open-hearted, overwhelmed, overgiver. She helps women “de-should” their businesses to make room for more profits and joy. Her company, The Juicy Good Life, has helped thousands of women create more sustainable and successful businesses through coaching, education, retreats, podcasts, and masterminds. Sarah Stokes is an award-winning business strategist, who has successfully scaled three companies to multiple millions. Sarah is certified in the leadership work of Dr. Brene Brown and mastermind certified with Tony Robbins. She approaches business growth and sales by being rooted in the true value of the service she provides and loves to help other women do the same. In her first career, Sarah was a TV news anchor for nearly two decades. She married her co-anchor and they exited the TV news world to be with their two kids in the evening, instead of at the anchor desk. Sarah’s business background includes publishing, scaling, and selling a women’s magazine and creating an award-winning global marketing agency that she led for eight years before retiring it so she could business coach full time. Her heart is in philanthropy, and she is happiest hanging out in her pajamas on the dock at her lake home. Click here to learn more about The Juicy Good Life

Like Jennifer, many entrepreneurs follow nontraditional paths, possessing no formal business training. For many years, Jennifer believed her unique personal strengths and dreams for her practice just weren’t enough. This belief led her to hover precariously near burnout in her business, scrambling to learn new things and spending a high percentage of time on her weakest areas. Turns out, what our businesses need to thrive isn’t for us to get minimally better at our weakest links (which we procrastinate on anyway because they aren’t ours to do). Instead, it is for us to “delegate everything but genius,” as entrepreneur coach and author of Who Not How, Dan Sullivan, recommends. Do you need to develop an awareness of where you are burning out on “not-yours-to-do” tasks at the expense of the “smack-in-the-middle-of-your-genius” activities? Then this session is for you!
 
ABOUT JENNIFER HAFELE
Jennifer Hafele, M.Ed., IBCLC, is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant in private practice based in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.  Owner and leader of Mama Bear Family Care, she offers in-home, in-office, and telehealth options for lactation care. Mama Bear’s growing team includes two additional IBCLC’s, a Childbirth Educator & Doula, Certified Breastfeeding Specialist, and Gentle Infant Sleep Coach.  Mama Bear is dedicated to resourcing expectant and new families with education, professional expertise, encouragement, and community-building opportunities. A Masters’ level educator, Jennifer never planned to be an "entrepreneur" but became one rather unexpectedly in 2019 and has evolved to claim that designation.  She has even read at least one business book in the past five years.  Jennifer lives in the Chippewa Valley with her family and two little dogs. Click to learn more about Jennifer's business.

Join this Business Walking Tour to learn how to start and run a business. This group will meet at the Main Entrance of the Pablo Center and then walk to Hello Adorn (jewelry, home goods, clothing & accessories) and The Beauty Room.

11 am: Meet at Main Entrance of the Pablo Center & walk to Hello Adorn
11:10 - 11:30 am: Hello Adorn's presentation and Q & A
11:30 - 11:35 am: Walk to The Beauty Room 
11:35 am - 11:55 am: The Beauty Room's presentation and Q & A
11:55 am - 12:00 pm: Walk to Pablo Center (arrival time may vary)

Learn about the resources available locally and through the Small Business Administration to help small businesses start, grow, expand, and recover. Services include funding options, government procurement programs, business advising, disaster recovery, and online assistance.

Tammie Clendenning is the Lead Economic Development Specialist for the Wisconsin District of the U.S. Small Business Administration. Tammie is responsible for providing training on SBA’s programs and services including capital access, procurement and business advising.  She enjoys talking to entrepreneurs about the many resources available to them at exhibits and networking events. Tammie is the district office technical representative for the Women’s Business Centers in the state and the Score Liaison. Prior to joining SBA, she held business development and leadership positions in commercial finance. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management and is a small business owner. Click here to learn more about Tammie Clendenning and the SBA.

Looking to slow down and relax? Join certified yoga teachers Sara, Cassie, Nick and Becca from Latitude 44 Yoga Studio as they share their knowledge and passion for the power of sound to clear energy and create a sense of wellbeing. Plan to enjoy this session while seated in a chair, or bring your own yoga mat if you wish to sit or lay on the floor. A limited number of yoga mats will be available to borrow for the session. This session is accessible to all levels and no prior experience is necessary. Optional: Bring your own yoga mat. We’ll store it for you until the session begins. Click here to learn more about Latitude 44 Yoga Studio.

What is a sound bath? Sound baths are relaxing, immersive experiences where participants listen to soothing music, healing vibrations, and/or nature sounds. They’re often used to reduce stress, but sound baths can be used for many purposes, including sleep induction, relaxation, creativity enhancement, and spiritual development. (Source: www.yogabasics.com)

Host:

Panelist - Margaret Raether, Main Street Hair Solutions
Margaret is the owner of Main Street Hair Solutions, a wig shop located in Thorp, WI. She opened her shop in 2018 after reaching a peak of frustration from her own hair struggles and felt she had nowhere to turn for help. Since then, Margaret has been working with women in need of a hair solution no matter the reason. She has made it her mission to help erase the stigma of wig-wearing simply by helping her clients look and feel absolutely beautiful. Referrals from happy clients and using social media have been instrumental in the success of her business. Click here to learn more about Main Street Hair Solutions.

In “Becoming a M.E.E. Leader” session, you'll delve into the crucial aspects of Motivating, Equipping, and Empowering leaders, emphasizing the urgency of initiating this transformative journey. As leaders, our paramount responsibility is to foster the growth of those in our sphere. In this session, I am committed to providing you with actionable tools and insights, empowering you to initiate the developmental process from those around you. Together, we’ll explore the idea that leadership is not a solitary ascent but a collective journey. The pinnacle of success need not be a lonely place; let’s elevate others alongside us on this empowering expedition.

ABOUT MICHELLE VON RUDEN
Michelle is the founder of Von Ruden Coaching & Consulting, LLC, and brings over 15 years of experience in Human Resources, Accounting, and Finance to her role. She's part of The Maxwell Leadership Certified Team and holds an MBA in Management and Leadership from the University of Kansas. She is committed to continuous improvement in leadership and personal development. She aims to inspire and develop leadership capabilities in others. Click to learn more about Michelle's business.

Wisconsin Procurement Institute will help you locate the opportunities selling to the Government in Wisconsin and specifically Northern Wisconsin, like Wisconsin DOT and their Primes, USFS, USDA, VA, State of WI, and municipalities. This will give you an insight into how to grow to even bigger possibilities like the Federal Government.

WPI Assists businesses in creating, developing and growing their sales, revenue and jobs through Federal, State and Local Government contracts. WPI offers: Individual Counseling at our offices, at client’s facilities or via telephone/GoToMeeting; Small Group Training through workshops and webinars; Conferences to include one-on-one or roundtable sessions. Last year WPI provided training at over 100 events and provided service to over 1,200 companies. Click here to learn more about WPI.

Join us in the RCU Theater to close out the day with a couple of announcements and awesome prizes!

2024 speakers coming soon!

2023 Speakers

• Missy Hughes, WEDC
• Becky Albert-Breed
• Tammie Clendenning, SBA
• Sarah Coenen 
• Jamie Edwards
• Kim Garber
• Dawnell Kelly
• Danielle Kummer
• Sara Martin & team, Latitude 44 Yoga Studio
• Toni Mattson
• Molly Rodriguez
• Angela Ryan, The Design Blonde
• Tracey Smiskey & Lacey Logslett
• Kristin Schmidt & Katie Ott, M3 Insurance
• Maria Serbus LLC
• Erin Trowbridge, Four Peas Consulting
• Stacey Whaley, Fire Up & Lead

2023 Roundtable Speakers

• Lorance Uwinaza, The Coven (host)
• Laura Ericson Group Trips
• Beth Elliott
• Mi Sullivan

• Anna Cardarella, Western Dairyland (panelist/host)
• Kristina Barnier
• Ashley Kosharek, AMK Cleaning

• Jaime White, Believe Crew (host)
• Marquita Davis
• Hannah Koschak
• Amanda Myrick, Royal Credit Union

2022 Speakers

• Tammie Clendenning, SBA
• Amy Vik, H&R Block
• Stacie Brenner, Stacie Brenner Coaching
• Kaileen McMickle, Inner Ascent Counseling LLC
• Carolyn Zick, Bad Axe Enterprises
• Jeff Kersten, State of Wisconsin DATCP
• Anna Ledebuhr, Coulee Boutique
• Molly Rodriguez, Eau Claire Body Care
• Laura Gmeinder, Laura Gmeinder Coaching & Consulting
• Kim Garber & Tru Mwololo, Wisconsin Procurement Institute
• Vanessa Klemish, Klemish & Johnson LLC
• Dr. Emily Elsner Twesme & Kate Tosteson, Vibrant Virtual
• Katie Labedz, Learning to Lean LLC
• Sam Kjelstad, CLA
• LuAnn Buechler, PMC Events & Coaching
• Tara Nolan, Transformation Tara
• Stacy Whaley, Fire Up & Lead

2022 Roundtable Speakers

• Gretchen Hudacek, Royal Credit Union
• Erin Johnson, Integrity Audit & Tax
• Carolyn Jahnke, Athena Legal Solutions
• Tammy Tom-Steinmetz, Talking Results (host)
• Erin Trowbridge, Four Peas Consulting

2022 Power Panel Speakers

• Dr. Maysee Herr, Hmong Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce
• Katie Labedz, Learning to Lean (host)
• Anna Ledebuhr, Coulee Boutique
• Farrah Miller, Chic Sweets Drinks & Desserts
• Stephanie Schneider, Together Farms

2021 In-Person Power Panel

• tbd

2021 In-Person Speakers

• Dr. Emily Elsner Twesme, Vibrant Virtual
• Stacy Whaley, Fire Up & Lead

2021 Virtual Speakers

• Mindy Dale, von Briesen & Roper
• Nicole Howard, US LBM
• Linda Pophal, Strategic Communications
• Krista Paulus, Security Financial Bank
• Amy Vik, H & R Block
• Tina Nazier, Wipfli
• Erin Trowbridge, Four Peas Consulting
• Katie Labedz, Learning to Lean
• Kim Garber, WPI
• Jim Zons, EZ New media
• Angela Eckman, CVTC
• Amelia Wenzel and Sara Thurston, Child Care Partnership
• Tammie Clendenning, SBA
• Katia Rave, Rave Strategy Studio
• Michelle Madl-Soehren
• Lisa Tavares, Image Consultant
• Beth Crowell, Current Coaching LLC 
• Justin Vajko, Dialog Design
• Beverly Wickstrom, Gingras, Thomsen & Wachs LLP
• Holly Anne Burns, bb7
• Jan Schaffner, Schaffner Tax Solutions
• Deanna Dennison, Pro-Active Engineering

Past speakers coming soon!