A new Mid-Missouri group will host a series of speeches by female entrepreneurs next weekend in Jefferson City.
From 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Feb. 23, female entrepreneurs and business owners from around the Jefferson City area will speak at the Capitol Plaza Hotel during the “HerTomorrow: Women Thinking, Speaking, Leading event.”
Organizer Adonica Coleman said the organization tried to find speakers with diverse backgrounds to speak at the event.
“We’re not just bringing a speaker,” Coleman said. “They’re showing how they invested in the community and what’s important to them, so we wanted to make it as divers of a group as we possibly can.”
Based in Columbia, HerTomorrow is a speaker series that challenges women to think about the ways they lead their lives and ways they can improve their place in the world.
Among the speakers will be Raw Honey LLC Founder April Napier, farmer and business owner Chelsea Davis and attorney Gaylin Carver.
Other speakers will talk about their work in state government, international trade and the nonprofit sector. Coleman said they don’t have to stick to a theme, but can talk about anything they use in their daily lives.
“We just wanted women to talk about what’s important to them and what will resonate with a female audience,” Coleman said.
Attendance at HerTomorrow’s first event in Columbia last September exceeded expectations. The organization expected about 100 people to attend, but 120 showed up. For the Jefferson City event, Coleman expects between 75-100 people to attend.
After the Jefferson City event, the organization hopes to hold similar events in St. Louis, Chicago and Kansas City.
Speeches will last 8-12 minutes. A question-and-answer session with speakers and a lunch will follow the 11 speeches.
HerTomorrow events target women, but Coleman said men also can gain valuable connections from the experience.
“I really think it’s a good networking opportunity as well,” Coleman said.
Tickets cost $25 in advance and can be purchased at everyeventgives.com/event/hertomorrow-women-thinking-speaking-leading-jefferson-city-mo/.
Tickets purchased at the door cost $30.