Women Entrepreneurs Conference To Include Vera Bradley, Baby Einstein, Gypsy Tea Founders

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Three women who took an idea from scratch and turned those ideas into successful business enterprises will be among the featured speakers at the third annual Women Entrepreneurs (WE Inspire) Conference on April 4 in Oklahoma City.

WE Inspire, recognized as one of "The Top Ten Conferences for Female Entrepreneurs," is expected to attract nearly 1,000 women for the one-day symposium from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City. The event is hosted by the Riata Center for Entrepreneurship in Oklahoma State University's Spears School of Business.

Keynote speakers will be Patricia Miller, co-founder of the design company Vera Bradley; Julie Aigner-Clark, founder of The Baby Einstein Company, and Zhena Muzyka, founder of Gypsy Tea.

Miller, co-founder of the design company Vera Bradley, will be one of the day's featured speakers. Founded in 1982, Vera Bradley is now an international brand known for its colorful handbags, accessories, luggage, eyewear, travel items and gifts. Vera Bradley products are sold in 3,400 retailers, more than 50 company stores and online at www.verabradley.com. The company employs more than 2,000 people.

Aigner-Clark, founder of The Baby Einstein Company, will also present a keynote address. The Baby Einstein Company, now a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is a world leader in development and entertainment products for babies and toddlers, and continues to be a number-one selling brand of infant entertainment.

Muzyka, founder of Gypsy Tea, started with less than $6 in her wallet and built a multi-million dollar company that manufactures its products with a meaningful commitment to social responsibility, sustainability, and the well being of others. Gypsy Tea is sold through select specialty food markets and department stores.

"Women are the fastest growing segment of small business start-ups in the nation and make an enormous contribution to our economy in terms of job creation, spending power and other areas," said Nola Miyasaki, Norman C. Stevenson chair and director of the Riata Center.

Despite the recent growth, however, she explains that female-owned businesses continue to lag behind male-owned businesses in terms of numbers, revenue, and access to capital. "There is still high potential for growth among women-owned businesses and a great opportunity for them to be more and more successful, which is why we spend the time and effort to make the WE Inspire Conference a world-class event," said Miyasaki.

WE Inspire 2012 will explore the obstacles, demands and challenges women face when creating and growing their own businesses. With the goal of helping women create and sustain their own companies, the conference is aimed at providing resources they need to turn their business ideas into workable business models.

The conference is geared broadly towards women who have just started a business, those who may only have an idea for a new business, and women who are looking to grow their existing businesses. WE Inspire is a resource-packed day featuring both local and national entrepreneurial role models discussing their failures and successes, as well as providing conference attendees with the latest in business development and strategy. With nearly 1,000 women entrepreneurs expected and more than 30 acclaimed speakers in attendance, the conference is also an incredible networking opportunity.

This year's conference will include keynote sessions with leading women entrepreneurs from across the nation, as well as smaller, hands-on breakout sessions led by experts on a wide range of more specific business topics, such as finance and online marketing.

Professor Michael Morris, N. Malone Mitchell Chair in Entrepreneurship and head of OSU's School of Entrepreneurship, designs the program each year with the goal of enabling aspiring women entrepreneurs to act on their dreams. The topic-specific breakout sessions will include two tracks: start-up and growth. The start-up track will focus on creating ventures, while the growth track will emphasize ways to grow a venture once it is up and running.

"We highlight women entrepreneurs from all over North America and Oklahoma, who are from diverse industries with diverse backgrounds – all of whom are enormously successful," Morris said. "The keynoters and our breakout sessions will not only be inspirational, the program will also help women entrepreneurs at all levels learn how to do business better."

Registration fee for the WE Inspire Conference is $45 for those who register by March 18. After that, the registration fee will be $60 through March 30. Late registration and walk-ins will be $75. To register or for more information, go to the conference website: www.weinspire.net .

Companies interested in sponsorships or exhibit tables for the conference should call Brooke Stuart, events and marketing specialist for the Riata Center for Entrepreneurship, at 405-744-7871 or e-mail her at brooke.stuart@okstate.edu.