Connie Rutledge’s Post

🌟 Exciting Opportunity Alert for Rhode Island Businesses! 🌟 Are you passionate about fostering Supplier Diversity and inclusion in Rhode Island? Here's your chance to showcase your commitment and connect with like-minded professionals! 🤝✨ Next week's Venture Café Providence Thursday Gathering is gearing up for an extraordinary event themed around Supplier Diversity. We're inviting businesses from all sectors to join us as table hosts! Why should you be a part of this event co-created in partnership with Rhode Island Commerce, Innovation Studio and Social Enterprise Greenhouse? 1️⃣ Visibility: Showcase your dedication to Supplier Diversity in front of a diverse audience of entrepreneurs, industry leaders, and potential collaborators. 2️⃣ Networking: Forge valuable connections with other businesses, potential suppliers, and community stakeholders who share your passion for inclusion and equity. 3️⃣ Learning: Engage in insightful discussions, panels, and workshops focused on strategies to promote Supplier Diversity and its impact on the Rhode Island business ecosystem. 4️⃣ Opportunity: Discover new suppliers, partners, and resources to diversify your supply chain and drive innovation within your organization. 5️⃣ Community Impact: By participating, you contribute to building a more equitable and inclusive business environment in Rhode Island, driving positive social change. Don't miss this chance to be a part of a transformative event that celebrates diversity, fosters collaboration, and drives meaningful impact! Reserve your spot to table now and be a catalyst for change. Together, let's build a more inclusive future for Rhode Island's business community! 💼🌱 Interested in showcasing your business at Venture Cafe Providence Thursday Gathering? Fill out the form below 👇

When I attend startup events I am very curious about what kind of business ideas founders come up with. "We *&^%$ empower ±}|@£ audience ^&*( AI-driven ^&*( platform ">&^% to provide !)^%$." - many of them explains. When I ask some clarifying questions, they repeat the above becoming more and more pissed off: "what's not to understand?!" I leave with a blunt smile, and it doesn't matter anyway, as I'm not an investor. But I can't talk about it to my investor friends either. And the founders lose real investors too. Having a clear message is not a nice-to-have you work on once you have grown and when it's time to update the website. It's a must-have from Day 0 which will make or break your chances to grow. Networking events are great to test these messages, you see how others react (is it a real 'wow' or a polite 'interesting'), what kind of questions they ask, how they translate it to themselves. And when they don't understand, it's not their fault. It's not easy to come up with a clear message, but Charli Hunt and Christopher Wright have a proven Key Messaging process that has helped companies like TED among many others. More info: https://lnkd.in/evKCcqdP (Photo: Charli shares the Key Messaging process with our guests at Women Connector.)

One bright morning, Dr. Joy gathered her team for a meeting. With a sparkle in her eye, she spoke of the importance of research in shaping the future. She emphasized how businesses that failed to integrate research into their processes risked falling behind. To illustrate their impact, Dr. Joy shared a story of a struggling local bakery. With declining sales and fierce competition, the bakery turned to a research firm for help. Through innovative solutions and experimentation, the researchers at Veristzon Global revitalized the bakery's operations, leading to a resurgence in business. This success story spread like wildfire, attracting businesses from all over the city. From tech startups to multinational corporations, they all sought Veristzon Global's services to drive growth and stay ahead of the curve. As the day drew to a close, Dr.Joy and her team reflected on their achievements. Each success was a testament to the transformative power of research, guiding humanity toward a brighter tomorrow. In a world where change was constant, it was research that illuminated the path forward, ensuring that businesses thrived and the world evolved for the better. #ResearchRevolution #InnovateOrStagnate #TransformativeResearch #BusinessSuccessStories #BrighterTomorrow #LeadingWithInnovation #DrivingGrowthThroughResearch #StayAheadWithScience #InspiringChange #VeristzonGlobalImpact

There are certain things we can ALL agree on, right? Lin-Manuel is a national treasure. Prosecco is a breakfast wine. 🥂 And solopreneurship would be so much more fun if it wasn’t so very SOLITARY. That’s why I’m thrilled to tell you that Wing Women is happening next week! In my new masterminding mixer for female founders, you’ll get conversations and connections to rocket you forward with ideas, inspiration, and a hefty dose of “you go, girl!” 🚀 Imagine having REAL conversations about the things that will most move the needle in your business with a roomful of other brilliant entrepreneurs. Imagine forming REAL connections with potential collaborators, referral partners, biz BFFs, and even clients, as you share your genius, raise your reputation as a trusted resource, and increase your influence in the market. Good news: you don’t have to imagine it because I’ve created it!🥳 This FREE Wing Women call is happening on Wednesday, June 26th at 12:00-2:00pm ET and I really think you should be there. Cause NO ONE is doing this all by themselves (and you really should stop trying). Agreed? Come find your Wing Women! (link in first comment) 💃

It's been an incredible experience being part of the Halcyon Climate Fellowship cohort in Washington, DC. Over the past month, we've had the opportunity to engage in skill sessions with industry experts, providing invaluable knowledge and practical insights for the Fellows and ourselves. Here's a look at the impactful sessions we've had so far: Pricing Strategies: Insights from Deloitte's John Mennel analyzing the different cases that exist when you want to position a price in the market. Aligning Sales Funnel and Cash Flow Model: Guidance from Dave McCarthy focused on submitting for grants from the United States government. Digital Marketing and Digital Communications: Practical tips from Patti Kurtz, she provided invaluable insights on building an effective creating engaging content. Demystifying the Climate Finance Landscape: Comprehensive overview of the Climate VC world by Jamil Wyne with different perspectives for investors on different stages. Building, Growing, and Nurturing High Performance Teams: Lessons from Ellen Kuskin Eisenberg she told us about her story of building a business and how to retain the people who are most valuable to the company. Networking Strategies: Valuable advice from Kimberly Johnson Roberts she gave us tips on how to connect in a kind and genuine way with people in networking Public Speaking: Techniques and tips from Coby Jones, an insightful story coming from her own experiences in DC. These sessions have been incredibly valuable, equipping us with the skills and knowledge needed to advance our ventures and tackle the world's greatest climate challenges. I'll try to post and update more about we are experiencing and learning! #HalcyonAccelerator #ClimateAction #Entrepreneurship #SkillDevelopment #Sustainability #Networking

Provocation ahed: Our job as service designers is often to tickle the immune system of organisation. That's one of the favorite parts of the discussion we just had with my mate Ra Goel. Here a summary of that part of the conversation: 💡 We discussed how organizations often resist change, similar to an immune system reacting to an infection. 💡 This resistance isn't negative, but a natural part of the implementation process. 💡 The resistance is like a "fever", indicating the organization is adapting and growing. 💡 We suggest creating a "vaccine", or introducing small doses of change to stimulate adaptation. I'm curious: How do YOU engage with the immune system of an organisation that fights innovation?

The Enterprise Nation start-up show was such a highlight to kick the year off with. Presenting to a room of Founders about the reality of utilising social media as a free way to kick start and grow in a crowded e-commerce world made me reflect and evaluate how I’d pulled off what seemed impossible. Watching back this interview infront of my stand in the small business market area and spotting my son selling and showcasing the Kiddiwhizz product that was behind it all makes me proudest of all. You never quite know the impact that witnessing or being a part of the day to day highs and lows of a start-up will have on a child. But when you see a future generation of entrepreneur being created infront of your very eyes it’s proof that it’s never too early to learn and also that Mums can somehow do it all despite the added challenges they must overcome. Thank you to the whole team at Enterprise Nation for backing me from the moment I joined. And on a final note, as proof that the learning never stops, just this morning I signed on to their Lunch and Learn series, today presented by Natalia Nicholson on Time Management which was everything I needed to kick start my week. It reminded me I’m not alone in the struggles I face juggling multiple tabs open in my mind and computer screen, surviving to the constant point of burnout and navigating a way to prioritise amongst the chaos. Here’s to Female Founders pushing those doors open even when their not held for you! #internationalwomensday2024 #lunchandlearn #femaleinventor #solostadtup #dragonsden #enation

Calling All Grassroots Innovators: Tell Us About Your Grassroots Innovation Initiatives Grassroots innovations are ideas, products, services, processes/practices, community initiative models, or methods that address a local problem, need, or development challenge in a new or more effective way by using local resources. One defining feature is that these innovations are usually created by people or communities affected by the problems themselves, making them more likely to find meaningful solutions. If you are working on a grassroots innovation or know someone or some organization working on one, please let us know by filling out the form at this link. Happy making!

This is a snippet of the feedback we received about our most recent Thrive in Business Meetup! Our meetups are designed and facilitated to enable you to make meaningful connections with other female founders, creatives and changemakers through a series of carefully crafted exercises. Through these conversations at the meetup, you have the chance to discuss your business challenges, explore potential solutions to those challenges, and share your experience and expertise with each other. The Thrive Meetups are an excellent example of peer-led business support at its best! If you are a female founder, creative or changemaker, or a female business support practitioner who works with them, join us for the next Thrive Meetup on Thursday, 23 May in Brighton. The booking link is in the comments below. #Brighton #Sussex #FemaleFounders #FemaleEntrepreneurs #BusinessSupport #BusinessGrowth #PeerSupport #WomenSupportingWomen

🚨 The results from our Tech and Innovation survey are in! Your feedback has been extremely valuable and we're excited to reveal some of the most interesting insights with you. ⬇ 💼 Entrepreneurship: - 46% of participants are founders and majority owners of their businesses - 32% are in the early stages with up to $1M in sales 💡 Top challenges: - Fundraising and access to capital - Talent acquisition and retention - Regulatory challenges - Scaling and growth 📚 New resource list suggestions: - Conferences list (25%) - Industry-focused resources (20%) - Women in tech resources (15%) 🌟 Top industry interests: - Health (36%) - AI & Machine Learning (16%) - Climate & Sustainability (13%) A big thanks to all who participated! Be on the lookout for more content and resources tailored to your input.