#ItTakesaVillage: Making The Jump-Landing on Two Feet as a Start-Up Entrepreneur

    You made a New Year’s resolution that 2020 would be the year—the year to make the jump and chase your dreams of starting your own company. YES! You’re full of ambition and ideas of innovation, now how can you make sure you’ll land on two feet? It takes a Village—a Village of support, knowledge, and resources to LAUNCH you into your start-up journey and to be there ensuring you land securely on two feet!  Join Village Bank President Aleesha Webb at ModernWell February 12 for #ItTakesaVillage: Making The Jump-Landing on Two Feet as a Start-Up Entrepreneur with dream-making guest panelists Megan Effertz (Village Bank), Erin Newkirk (Satya), and Neela Mollgaard (Launch MN). Our panel will feature a thoughtful and practical conversation on knowing when and how to make the jump to starting your own company of any type. About the Speakers: Aleesha Webb – Village Bank President & Vice Chairwoman of the Board At her core, Aleesha Webb is a village builder, continually striving to create life-long connections with her clients, customers, and community. She adds true value to relationships by determining the right solutions for individual needs, watching out for their best interests, and offering authentic, high-touch customer service. Aleesha’s banking career spans over 25 years and began on the front lines of Village Bank. With plans to introduce new digital services and increase Village Bank’s community presence and banking locations, Aleesha is on pace to change the future of community banking in Minnesota. While other community banks are being purchased by national banks, Aleesha is recommitting to Village Bank’s mission of serving its communities, and focusing on economic stability. The deeply-rooted difference that makes Village Bank matter to all customers is the genuine community bank approach that comes from being family-owned and operated. Aleesha treasures her time with family, friends and her fellow Villagers! Neela Mollgaard—Launch Minnesota Executive Director Neela Mollgaard is working to create an environment to support entrepreneurs and nurture tech startups with a goal of fostering an innovation ecosystem across the state that draws global attention, talent, and capital.  Launch Minnesota, started in 2019, is spearheaded by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) in partnership with a statewide advisory board and private sector stakeholders.  Neela’s career has involved bringing people together to create change. She has been a leader and facilitator of innovation across organizations and communities. Most recently, she served as a founder of the nonprofit Red Wing Ignite which supports entrepreneurs, businesses, and students to succeed in the 21st-century economy. By forging partnerships with government, academic, corporate, and community partners, Red Wing Ignite developed an innovative ecosystem model that garnered national attention. She has served in a variety of leadership roles with local organizations and nonprofits. She is a former member of the Governor’s Task Force on Broadband, and founder and chair of Women Cents, a nonprofit that supports children and families. Recently, Neela was named in Twin Cities Business Magazine’s “TCB 100: The People to Know in 2020.” Erin McCormack Newkirk – Satya Entrepreneur Extraordinaire An award-winning innovator with rich leadership in tech, consumer packaged goods, and healthcare; spanning start-ups to growth companies to billion-dollar brands. Erin Newkirk is well-versed in team building, marketing, branding, product/experience management, planning, strategy, writing, and speaking.  One of Erin’s most recent entrepreneurial endeavors was launching Satya in 2018. Satya is focused on helping founders maximize business potential and feel great while they do it. Whether your start-up is in ideation, launch, or full-on growth mode, if you have a vision of how you want to make your mark on the world, Satya can help you achieve success AND happiness. Megan Effertz—Village Bank Chief Experience Officer Megan Effertz is a marketing executive and entrepreneur at heart with 19 years’ experience building companies through strategic sales, marketing, and leadership initiatives. Megan has owned a business consulting practice as well as an advertising agency that she sold to another agency before joining Village Bank. As part of her consulting practice, she advised local business owners (start-ups to established businesses) on sales, marketing, strategy, and organizational design.  Megan is an MSPBJ 2016 "Women in Business" award winner and is versed in a variety of industries including technology, manufacturing & distribution, health & wellness, retail, food & beverage, and advertising & media. She also hosts a blog, The Business Gist, that she launched while Executive Editor of Minnesota Business magazine. High energy with an entrepreneurial spirit and a love for building teams that drive revenue growth, Megan loves talking business and helping leaders reach their goals.

    ModernWell

    You made a New Year’s resolution that 2020 would be the year—the year to make the jump and chase your dreams of starting your own company. YES! You’re full of ambition and ideas of innovation, now how can you make sure you’ll land on two feet? It takes a Village—a Village of support, knowledge, and resources to LAUNCH you into your start-up journey and to be there ensuring you land securely on two feet! 

    Join Village Bank President Aleesha Webb at ModernWell February 12 for #ItTakesaVillage: Making The Jump-Landing on Two Feet as a Start-Up Entrepreneur with dream-making guest panelists Megan Effertz (Village Bank), Erin Newkirk (Satya), and Neela Mollgaard (Launch MN). Our panel will feature a thoughtful and practical conversation on knowing when and how to make the jump to starting your own company of any type.

    About the Speakers:

    Aleesha Webb – Village Bank President & Vice Chairwoman of the Board

    At her core, Aleesha Webb is a village builder, continually striving to create life-long connections with her clients, customers, and community. She adds true value to relationships by determining the right solutions for individual needs, watching out for their best interests, and offering authentic, high-touch customer service.

    Aleesha’s banking career spans over 25 years and began on the front lines of Village Bank. With plans to introduce new digital services and increase Village Bank’s community presence and banking locations, Aleesha is on pace to change the future of community banking in Minnesota. While other community banks are being purchased by national banks, Aleesha is recommitting to Village Bank’s mission of serving its communities, and focusing on economic stability. The deeply-rooted difference that makes Village Bank matter to all customers is the genuine community bank approach that comes from being family-owned and operated. Aleesha treasures her time with family, friends and her fellow Villagers!

    Neela Mollgaard—Launch Minnesota Executive Director

    Neela Mollgaard is working to create an environment to support entrepreneurs and nurture tech startups with a goal of fostering an innovation ecosystem across the state that draws global attention, talent, and capital. 

    Launch Minnesota, started in 2019, is spearheaded by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) in partnership with a statewide advisory board and private sector stakeholders. 

    Neela’s career has involved bringing people together to create change. She has been a leader and facilitator of innovation across organizations and communities. Most recently, she served as a founder of the nonprofit Red Wing Ignite which supports entrepreneurs, businesses, and students to succeed in the 21st-century economy. By forging partnerships with government, academic, corporate, and community partners, Red Wing Ignite developed an innovative ecosystem model that garnered national attention.

    She has served in a variety of leadership roles with local organizations and nonprofits. She is a former member of the Governor’s Task Force on Broadband, and founder and chair of Women Cents, a nonprofit that supports children and families. Recently, Neela was named in Twin Cities Business Magazine’s “TCB 100: The People to Know in 2020.”

    Erin McCormack Newkirk – Satya Entrepreneur Extraordinaire

    An award-winning innovator with rich leadership in tech, consumer packaged goods, and healthcare; spanning start-ups to growth companies to billion-dollar brands. Erin Newkirk is well-versed in team building, marketing, branding, product/experience management, planning, strategy, writing, and speaking. 

    One of Erin’s most recent entrepreneurial endeavors was launching Satya in 2018. Satya is focused on helping founders maximize business potential and feel great while they do it. Whether your start-up is in ideation, launch, or full-on growth mode, if you have a vision of how you want to make your mark on the world, Satya can help you achieve success AND happiness.

    Megan Effertz—Village Bank Chief Experience Officer

    Megan Effertz is a marketing executive and entrepreneur at heart with 19 years’ experience building companies through strategic sales, marketing, and leadership initiatives. Megan has owned a business consulting practice as well as an advertising agency that she sold to another agency before joining Village Bank. As part of her consulting practice, she advised local business owners (start-ups to established businesses) on sales, marketing, strategy, and organizational design. 

    Megan is an MSPBJ 2016 "Women in Business" award winner and is versed in a variety of industries including technology, manufacturing & distribution, health & wellness, retail, food & beverage, and advertising & media. She also hosts a blog, The Business Gist, that she launched while Executive Editor of Minnesota Business magazine. High energy with an entrepreneurial spirit and a love for building teams that drive revenue growth, Megan loves talking business and helping leaders reach their goals.