Whether you’re flying solo or growing your startup, there’s a community of changemakers eager to connect and support you along your journey. Join us at these events — many virtual so you can attend from anywhere in the world — and start engaging with our global impact + innovation ecosystem!
Join Michelle Lura White, Women’s Business Development Manager at the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity’s (DCEO) Office of Economic Equity & Empowerment (OE3), and Kamy Taylor-Twiggs, Program Director of Milestone Circles at the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center, for a dynamic discussion with retail entrepreneurs. This session will explore strategies, challenges, and opportunities in bootstrapping a business. Participants will learn to prioritize bootstrapping, understand the decision-making process, and discover when and why this approach makes sense. Real-life examples from retail entrepreneurs who have successfully bootstrapped will provide practical insights and inspiration.
Key Takeaways:
Leading as the State of Illinois’ liaison to the women’s entrepreneurial ecosystem through the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity’s (DCEO) Office of Economic Equity & Empowerment (OE3), Michelle Lura White supports women-owned businesses, future women business owners, aspiring female entrepreneurs, and cross-sector organizations and leaders throughout Illinois as the women’s business development manager. In Michelle’s statewide role, she strategizes how the state can collaborate with cross-sector ecosystems to advance Illinois women in all parts of the state, and contributes to position Illinois to be one of the top U.S. states for women entrepreneurs. Prior to joining state government, Michelle worked on developing an app prototype for singles, together with a technology co-founder and was accepted into The Founder Institute, which is the world’s most proven network to turn ideas into fundable startups. Having not been defined by a particular sector, industry, or role throughout her career journey in the Midwest, Michelle has been a behind the scenes intrapreneur, transformational strategist, partnerships creator, organizer, and project manager focused on results.
Amy Mills was raised on smoke, sauce, and Magic Dust®. Owner of the renowned barbecue destination, 17th Street Barbecue, she’s the industry’s go-to girl for all things barbecue. As the recipient of the Barbecue Heroine prize and consistently named a leader in her industry, it’s Amy’s mission to spread the gospel of barbecue.
Amy is considered a complete authority on barbecue and the business that surrounds it. She runs the only barbecue business consultancy in the world, OnCue Consulting, offering seminars and training focused on the culinary and business techniques behind great barbecue. She’s a featured judge on various barbecue shows such as Food Network’s BBQ Brawl, Firemasters, CHOPPED, Best in Smoke, Kingsford Invitational, and Smoked, as well as co-star of the Mills Family’s own digital series, Peace, Love, and Barbecue.
Co-authored with her dad, Mike Mills, affectionately known as “The Legend” in the world of barbecue, her cookbook Peace, Love, and Barbecue is considered a classic in the genre, was nominated for a James Beard Foundation award, and won the National Barbecue Association Award of Excellence. Their second book, Praise the Lard, was published in May 2017.
17th Street Barbecue is headquartered in Murphysboro, Illinois, with an outpost in the neighboring town of Marion. Influenced by her business, Murphysboro was proclaimed the “Barbecue Capital of Illinois” by the State Legislature in 2014. The Factory at 17th Street, their barbecue sauce co-packing facility launched in 2021. Faye, a coffee/café/gourmet provisions shop opened in 2022.
Barbecue isn’t just a way to cook; it’s Mills’ and 17th Street Barbecue’s way of life. In the late Mike Mills’ own words, “Life’s too short for a half-rack.”
Jenny was born and raised in Taiwan, where tofu is an important part of everyday life—a meal-time staple and comforting taste of home that she missed when she came to Chicago to earn a graduate degree.
While Jenny’s love for tofu is deeply personal, it’s also practical. When she realized her adopted Midwest home is the nation’s largest soybean producer, she set out to change the way friends and neighbors in her new home think about this wholesome, sustainable protein source grown right in their own backyards! So, in 2006 Jenny acquired Phoenix Bean Tofu. Much like a freshly baked loaf of artisan bread, tofu made by the master craftspeople working under Jenny’s direction is a revelation.
Today, her thriving company produces a delicious line of tofu, prepared salads and soymilk sold in grocery stores under the Jenny’s Tofu brand and at Jenny’s Tofu Shop. You can purchase her full line of products in this bright, inviting space and even take a cooking class to help you elevate your tofu game!
Karen D. Haggerty is a seasoned entrepreneur, speaker, and author with a track record of building businesses from the ground up. As the CEO of Creneau Marketing, an experiential marketing agency, she specializes in helping small businesses, corporations, and non-profits create impactful brand experiences that drive engagement and revenue. Through strategic partnerships and innovative marketing, she helps businesses maximize their visibility—even with lean budgets.
Karen brings over 30 years of experience in consultative sales, event management, and marketing, having successfully marketed and sold over $20 million in products and services. Before launching her own company, she worked for world-leading pharmaceutical firms, where she earned the industry’s highest recognition—President’s Club—for her top-tier sales performance. Bootstrapping her business from concept to success, Karen understands firsthand what it takes to scale without external funding, making her an invaluable resource for entrepreneurs navigating the same path.
Beyond her business endeavors, Karen is deeply committed to mentorship and community impact. She produces women’s empowerment retreats and summits, fostering spaces for women to amplify their authentic voices. She also mentors teenage girls, guiding them to dream big and pursue their goals. A graduate of the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center’s Milestone Circles program, she now pays it forward by mentoring incoming candidates, helping them refine their strategies and scale their businesses.
Karen holds a Bachelor of Science in Business and a certification in branding and digital marketing, and she is currently pursuing an MBA. A proud native of Chicago, she believes in the power of resilience, strategy, and authenticity in building a thriving business.
Learn more about Karen and her work at www.creneaumarketing.com.
Kamy Twiggs Taylor has dedicated over 20-years of her career promoting equitable opportunities for underserved communities. She is an experienced leader in program design, implementation and data evaluation. Pioneering new programs, Kamy steered the growth and expansion efforts in the nonprofit and corporate sectors. In 2021, Kamy joined the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center spearheading the launch of the Milestone Circles program. Today, this flagship program for women entrepreneurs continues to witness remarkable growth under her leadership, supporting the growth of 4,000 plus women businesses nationwide.
Prior to joining the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center, Kamy worked with Reading Partners serving in both Executive Director and Program Director roles where she led operations, program strategy, partnership engagement, workforce development and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives. Kamy specializes in leveraging innovative strategies to propel the development of new programs, regional initiatives, and organization-spanning operations; she has a strong community focus which informs all aspects of her programmatic leadership and vision.
The Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center is a 501c(3) public charity whose mission it is to make entrepreneurship accessible to all. We deliver world-class resources and mentoring to enable every entrepreneur across the globe to realize their maximum potential. Please join us and make your gift to ensure these transformative programs may continue to reach the underserved.
All Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center programs and services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least 48 hours in advance of this event; please send an email to [email protected] with the subject header ACCOMMODATION REQUEST. For assistance with registration or other technical difficulties, please contact [email protected]