Virtual Women’s Entrepreneurship Day Summit

JOHNSON CITY (Nov. 18, 2020) – The Tennessee Small Business Development Center (TSBDC) at East Tennessee State University and the Kingsport Office of Small Business Development & Entrepreneurship (KOSBE) will hold a Virtual Women’s Entrepreneurship Day Summit on Thursday, Nov. 19, featuring keynote speaker Tammy Hawes, an ETSU alumna and founder and CEO of Virsys12, an awarding-winning Salesforce Gold Consulting Partner. 

The virtual summit is free to attend and the Zoom webinar begins at 11 a.m. The purpose of the Virtual Women’s Entrepreneurship Day Summit is to help women entrepreneurs discover resources and tools to make better business decisions and gain competitive advantage. Attendees will also learn the aggregate results of the 2020 WOW (Women of Worth) Survey of Women Entrepreneurs, Business Owners and Professionals. 

Hawes will present the keynote address at 11:30 a.m. Her business, Virsys12, is based in Brentwood, Tennessee, and focuses on health care innovation nationwide. She holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science from ETSU and is a member of the ETSU National Alumni Association Board of Directors. In 2019, Hawes was named “Enterprising Woman of the Year” by Enterprising Women Magazine. 

The summit agenda also includes a resources panel and “womanpreneur” panel featuring Tara Burns of Branded; Jamie Jackson of JamiEvents; Debbie Smith of U.S. Respiratory Services, LLC; and Valentina Gonzalez-Escobar, owner of Beyond Engagement.

“Entrepreneurship among women is growing faster than ever,” said Aundrea Wilcox, KOSBE executive director.  “In 2017, women-owned firms accounted for 39% of all privately held firms. Whether you are a professional woman or own a small business now (or are considering starting a small business enterprise in the future), it is important for us to gain a clear understanding of the constraints and needs of women business owners, female entrepreneurs and professional women in our area. 

 “Two years ago, the top challenges for women business owners included marketing and sales, profitability, and finding the right people to hire.  I’m curious to learn what has changed since then.”  

The Virtual Women’s Entrepreneurship Day Summit is free to attend, but pre-registration is required. Additional information, including the complete agenda and registration, are available at kosbe.org.