5 Things You Need to Know from GEW 2019

Global Entrepreneurship Week is a worldwide event focused on celebrating successful entrepreneurs and providing resources for taking ideas to the next level. Tulsa’s version brings together community partners to host workshops and events tailored to entrepreneurs in our city. Keep reading for the top takeaways…

Potential Starts with a Gut Punch - Felecia Hatcher
Felecia Hatcher, cofounder of BlackTech Week, shared about her path to entrepreneurship through her popsicle business idea (before ice-cream shops became trendy). Her greatest advice for startups was to plug into the community resources around you, and don’t internalize the mistakes you make in the beginning. Felecia shared that potential reveals itself when you’re left looking up from a sucker punch, and seeing the mountain ahead creates a space for potential to be your guiding factor.

Use Your Community as a Resource
At Kitchen 66’s Food Business Basics workshop, CPA Nat Waschowski-Estes coached future food business into getting connected into their community. He provided tangible solutions for understanding the expenses of your business, while utilizing relationships with local restaurant owners to help answer questions and serve as mentors. If you’re wanting to start a new food shop, connect with someone in Tulsa that has done it. Not sure how? Reach out to Kitchen 66’s numerous community resources on their website.

15+ Organizations for Business Growth
36 Degrees North hosted a free resource fair with over 15 local resources and startup programs to provide entrepreneurs with tangible connections. Organizations that were present included Kiva, TEDC Creative Capital, StitchCrew, and many others. Check out a full list of our partners that were present at the resource fair here.

New Greenwood Shop as Demo Day Winner
Venita Cooper recently launched Silhouette Sneakers & Art, a high-end sneaker and apparel store in the Greenwood District. Cooper received $15,000 to put towards her business, as well as a year-long membership at 36 Degrees North. Her goal is to bring higher fashion and quality designers to Tulsa, connecting the city through creativity and fashion.

Key to Your Business Model
Attendees of the Entrepreneurship Basics Workshop learned the key to creating a business model is identifying the need or problem that you are solving in the community. Investors don’t care what your capabilities are if you’re not actively an asset to their target market. Each attendee also received tips on how to structure their pitches for funders.

GEW is celebrated in communities all over the U.S. and abroad providing innovative resources and workshops to serve the needs of entrepreneurial communities. We’re excited to see how these connections cultivate the growth of new startups in the upcoming year!