Attention Creative Thinkers & Resource Providers
Upcoming November Inventors & Entrepreneurs Club Meetings for Inspiration and Innovation
Thank you to all of you who attended the I&E Club "preview" Business Workshop and Resource Fair with Lisa Kivirist on October 7 in Prairie du Chien! If you missed the workshop you can find more resources about Eco-preneuring on Lisa's website at
http://www.innserendipity.com/ecopren/ecop...jane-resources.html View some pictures from the event at
http://crawford.uwex.edu/cnred/IEClub.html We're also hoping to have the audio of Lisa's presentation available for you to stream online very soon. Stay tuned..
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President of 7 Rivers Region to Speak at New Prairie du Chien I&E Meeting Nov 4
The next Prairie du Chien Area Inventors and Entrepreneurs Club meeting will be held on Wednesday November 4th at Prairie du Chien City Hall on Blackhawk Ave in Prairie du Chien. Networking starts at 5:30, and the program begins at 6:00 pm. Prairie du Chien Area meetings are held every first Wednesday of the month. The topic will be ““Growing a Culture of Innovation: Finding Opportunity in Tough Times” with Terry Whipple, the Executive Director of Juneau County Economic Development Corporation (JCEDC) and President of the 7 Rivers Region. Read more about Terry Whipple below.
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Vernon Crawford I&E Club Hosts Holiday Party With Founder of Rural Route 1 Popcorn Nov 11
The next Vernon Crawford Inventors and Entrepreneurs Club meeting will be held on Wednesday November 11th at Western Technical College in Viroqua. Networking starts at 5:30, and the program begins at 6:00 pm.
The topic will be “What Makes An Idea POP” with presenter and successful local entrepreneur Brad Biddick, owner of Rural Route 1 Popcorn. Brad will share his expertise, stories, and lessons learned along the path of developing multiple agricultural and popcorn businesses. Participants will have the opportunity to sample Rural Route 1 Popcorn products as part of our holiday party. Friends and family of the Inventors and Entrepreneurs club are encouraged to join us for holiday refreshments and celebration. Read more about Brad Biddick below.
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
Terry has an extensive background in business development and a passion for creating a contagious environment for entrepreneurship. He is also adamant that the Midwest needs to foster a culture of entrepreneurism in order to compete economically in the 21st century. He will speak from his experience facilitating and nurturing the growth of successful entrepreneurial programs in west central Wisconsin. Terry will share his perspective on the Midwest’s entrepreneurial environment and culture; the characteristics of inventors and the constraints they face; what it's like to work with an inventor; how clubs provide a safe place to gather, explore ideas and gain education from peers; why a mix of inventors and entrepreneurs is important for critical networking to occur, what resources are available to assist inventors and entrepreneurs; and how to start a successful club. Economic developers will take home ideas, strategies and lessons to spur entrepreneurship. Terry received the SBA’s Region V and Wisconsin 2005 Home-Based Business Champion of the Year Award, the Wisconsin 2005 Innovation Champion Award for the development of innovative new programs, as well as the 7 Rivers Region Pyramid Award. He has served as an independent business consultant specializing in work with distressed small businesses and currently maintains his own private consulting business. He lives in rural Tomah, WI with his wife and 3 daughters.
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Brad Biddick learned his business savvy from a family of entrepreneurs that has sold seed corn in the area since 1906. He joined the family seed business in 1970 and led the business through expansion. Over the next decade, Brad developed interest in seed marketing and starting businesses and the popcorn business was added in 1983. Today the popcorn enterprise is a successful stand-alone business, and one of the region’s highlights on Route 18 in Montfort, Wisconsin with unique products sold nationwide.
Through this business development Brad has gained expertise in marketing, the food business, and trademarks. He has traveled worldwide and is an officer of two corporations and several LLC’s for agricultural production and popcorn businesses. Brad’s passion for a “better way” has expanded his awareness and continues to drive to contribute and excel in a very dynamic and changing world of agriculture, food, seed, science, and people.
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Whether you have an idea or just like to think business, plan to attend the Inventors and Entrepreneurs Club for a dynamic evening of networking with lots of creative people and plenty of resources to help you start or grow your business. Everyone is welcome. For more information about this and other I&E Club meetings, check out the website at www.driftlessentrepreneurs.com or contact Laura Brown 608-326-0223.
