Entrepreneurs inspire entrepreneurs

The OSU Women Entrepreneurs Inspire Conference hopes the founder of the store that popularized do-it-yourself stuffed animals will inspire women wanting to start their own businesses.

Jodie Navarre, a marketing senior, has been a student worker in the Spears School of Business entrepreneurship department for the past year and is ecstatic to see this conference come to life.

“The main target audience for this conference is women who intend to start their own business one day.” Navarre said.

The keynote speaker is Maxine Clark, the founder of Build-A-Bear Workshop.

Nola Miyasaki, director of the Riata Center For Entrepreneurship developed this conference with her staff.

“There will be other successful business woman speakers throughout the day. It will not only be an inspirational day, there are many break out sessions in addition to the keynotes that will help young women understand various aspects about starting a business.” Miyasaki said.

Hannah Geis, a sophomore finance and entrepreneurship major, said she is going to the conference, “I want to meet entrepreneurs, hear their experiences in creating their own business and especially hear their advice. It’s going to be a great place to network and hear from the nationally successful Maxine Clark.”

The conference is at the Cox Conference Center in Oklahoma City, but that should not stop students from going. A free shuttle bus is offered for OSU students from Stillwater to Oklahoma City and back. The conference is March 30 and costs $5 for full-time OSU students or $35 for the regular conference registration fee if you register by March 15, $50 by March 22 or a late cost of $75 the day of.

Please RSVP to mary.means@okstate.edu by March 22 if you are interested in attending. More information on the conference can be found at weinspire.net.