Courtney Scharf, keynote speaker, will explore "the Art of Innovating through Ritual" at the Women’s Business Conference. She will showcase how the most innovative minds turn out-of-the box thinking into actionable strategies. 

***About Courtney

Courtney Scharf, Chief Client Officer at Trend Hunter. 

Courtney Scharf is the founder of Trend Hunter’s Client Research Team, which today has completed more than 8,000 custom trend report and workshop projects for hundreds of the world’s best innovation teams. She is a futurist and top keynote speaker for brands like Best Buy, Mastercard, Viacom, T Marzetti and 7-Eleven. In addition, Courtney has been an innovation and research advisor to Samsung, Adidas, Nestle, Disney and NASA. She is one of Trend Hunter’s top keynote speakers for clients with a need for deep trend expertise and facilitation of our premium innovation workshops. Since 2015, she has been one of our best keynote speakers on trends, and the lead Future Festival keynote speaker on Innovation in Leisure,  the Future of Retail, and much more! 

STUDENT SESSION
Build a startup idea in a 10-minutes! This hands-on workshop will provide an opportunity to brainstorm ideas, generate ideas, get basic entrepreneurship model information, and much more.

Led by: Maia Donohue, IDEA Hub Accelerator

Community Champions Network

Location: Engels Event Co.
Guest Speaker: Maia Donohue, IDEA HUB ACCELERATOR

The Community Champions Network is designed for entrepreneurs, entrepreneurial cheerleaders, business leaders, and community champions. This networking event aims to enhance the connection within our community and celebrate the remarkable achievements occurring in the region. We understand that our entrepreneurs thrive when they come together, connect, and embrace the incredible support of our larger community.

Whether you're looking to purchase your first commercial space or exploring rental options for business expansion, this workshop is your guide to making informed decisions and avoiding common pitfalls. If you have commerce real estate questions, now’s your chance!

Led by Heath Johnson, Dakota Plains Companies

***About Heath

Heath Johnson is a founding Principal of Dakota Plains Real Estate & Development, Dakota Plains Energy, Campbell County Wind Farm, LLC, and the Aberdeen Downtown Apartments, LLC., among others.

He has over 20 years of business management and ownership experience, in both the retail and service industries. Heath graduated with a BS in Management Degree from the University of South Dakota and has also gone on to complete his Master’s in Business from USD.

Heath splits his time between Dakota Plains Aberdeen-based commercial real estate firm and several wind and solar energy projects in the Midwest.

STUDENT SESSION
Prepare to delve into the realms of entrepreneurship and innovation, unleashing your creativity in a welcoming environment. This workshop is brimming with valuable insights, practical guidance, and a roadmap tailored to help you kickstart your idea while still in college.

Led by: Kelly Weaver, Small Business Development Center

***About Kelly Weaver

Kelly is the Regional Director of the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) in Aberdeen. Her office serves 13 counties in northeast South Dakota and is one of seven SBDC offices in the state. During the past 25 years with the SBDC, she has assisted thousands of people in starting businesses, buying businesses, and better managing their businesses through one-to-one counseling and training events. She currently serves as President of BIG Idea, Inc., which operates the BIG Idea Competition, a business idea competition for high school students. Kelly has a degree in business finance and management from Northern State and has worked in the field of community and economic development throughout her career.