2025 CI Summit: Capital Readiness Inside + Out

2025 CI Summit: Capital Readiness Inside + Out

12:00pm CDT

REGISTRATION & CHECK-IN Rondo Dining Room

1:00pm CDT

BLESSING & OPENING REMARKS Auditorium A/BY. Elaine Rasmussen

1:20pm CDT

KEYNOTE: Get Ready, Stay Ready: How to ConnectUP! Auditorium A/BY. Elaine Rasmussen

2:00pm CDT

Building a Business with AI: A Smarter Strategy for Entrepreneurs and Investors Auditorium A/BJustin Kaster Network is Net Worth: Make and Grow Connections Summit-UniversityMarcus Styles Unlock Your Mind to Accelerate Business Growth Auditorium CTess Vergara

3:30pm CDT

Securing the Bag: Your Guide to Investor Research & Preparation Auditorium A/BAngel Even Leveraging the Power of Greater MN Summit-UniversityNeTia Bauman • Mica L. Anders • Carl Crawford • Scott Marquardt Aligning Values and Investments: A Roadmap to Meaningful Impact FrogtownCindy Willard

4:45pm CDT

CLOSING REMARKS Auditorium A/B

5:00pm CDT

ConnectUP! Community Celebration & Reception Auditorium A/B

8:00am CDT

BREAKFAST Rondo Dining Room REGISTRATION & CHECK-IN Rondo Dining Room

8:30am CDT

WELCOME Auditorium A/B

8:45am CDT

KEYNOTE: The Toxicity of Hustle Culture Auditorium A/BLa Juana Whitmore • Y. Elaine Rasmussen

9:20am CDT

Get Right: Empowering Entrepreneurs with Culturally Inspired Support Auditorium CJaime Gloshay Improving Capital Flows Empowering Community-Led ESOs to Drive Impact Auditorium A/BRob Cimperman • Deldelp Medina • Benjamin J. Vann • Allie Burns Werk It: Perfecting Your Pitch FrogtownJessica Berg

10:50am CDT

Money Talk: Pathways to Capital Auditorium A/BY. Elaine Rasmussen Scale Smart: Growing Your Business Without Losing Your Foundation FrogtownSarah Sengupta Equity Under Fire: Navigating DEI Backlash in the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Auditorium CAshley Oolman

12:00pm CDT

LUNCH Rondo Dining Room

12:20pm CDT

KEYNOTE: Kitchens, Commerce, and Scaling: Commonwealth Kitchen A Case Study in Scaling Food Businesses Auditorium A/BJen Faigel • Y. Elaine Rasmussen

1:00pm CDT

Exploring Entrepreneurship through Acquisition Auditorium A/BLeah Goldsmith-Moses • Havell Rodrigues • Channon Lemon Getting on Track: Building Business Credit Auditorium CTawonda Burks Mission Possible: Legal Challenges You Can Navigate Without a Lawyer FrogtownAndrea Zechmann • Ann Vanga

2:45pm CDT

Partnering for Growth: Collaboration and Innovation in Co-Manufacturing and Co-Packing FrogtownBryant Williams • Y. Elaine Rasmussen • Jen Faigel • Brian McDonald Building Your Capital Readiness: From Inner Mastery to Investment Success Auditorium A/BStephanie Rich Determining Your Investor Pathway Summit-UniversityAva Najafi Getting the Most of Your Coach or Mentor Auditorium CMoonShine Stylist State of the Ecosystem Auditorium CMeg Steuer • Natalie Volin Lehr • Cihan Behlivan • Kathy Tune

4:10pm CDT

Innovations in Sustainability: The Impact of ConnectUP! Institute Auditorium A/BY. Elaine Rasmussen • MoonShine Stylist

4:45pm CDT

CLOSING REMARKS Auditorium A/B

8:30am CDT

BREAKFAST Rondo Dining Room REGISTRATION & CHECK-IN Rondo Dining Room

9:00am CDT

OPENING REMARKS Auditorium A/BY. Elaine Rasmussen

9:15am CDT

KEYNOTE: Capitalization Journeys: Lived Experiences in Securing Funding Auditorium A/BMoonShine Stylist • Sabrina D. Jones • Meredith Englund • Charles Lovejoy

10:00am CDT

Guided Networking Session: Invite Only Auditorium CY. Elaine Rasmussen Glow Up: Knowing Your Numbers Auditorium A/BLonnia Jefferson TABLE TALKS: Open forum conversation Auditorium A/B

11:30am CDT

LUNCH Rondo Dining Room

11:50am CDT

Getting the Most of Your Coach or Mentor Auditorium A/BMoonShine Stylist

12:30pm CDT

Credit Opens Doors: Debt as a Pathway to Growth Auditorium A/BHal Reynolds • Jonathan Cooper • Margarita Jules • Briana Barnes Cultivating Joy Auditorium CNakara Forjé White TABLE TALKS: Open forum conversation Frogtown

1:45pm CDT

CLOSING REMARKS + APPRECIATION CEREMONY Auditorium A/B

2025 CI Summit: Capital Readiness Inside + Out

From $203.77