2019 Female Entrepreneur Summit brought together a record number of attendees, speakers and sponsors for a day of learning, inspiration and networking

CLEVELAND, OHIO, UNITED STATES, October 29, 2019 /EINPresswire.com/ -- 8th Annual Female Entrepreneur Summit Breaks Attendance Record as Business Leaders & Entrepreneurs Gathered for a Day of Insight, Inspiration and Networking.

On October 23, 2019 the Female Entrepreneur Summit was held at the Cleveland History Center, and brought together a record number of attendees (nearly 400), speakers and sponsors for a day of learning, inspiration and networking.

Now in its 8th year, the summit allowed attendees to engage with successful entrepreneurs, business leaders, dynamic speakers and experts who shared resources, opportunities and personal testimonials.

Contempo Design + Communications, founder and producer of the annual Female Entrepreneur Summit (FES), curated 27 successful industry professionals who shared opportunities and personal testimonials. Female entrepreneur attendees took away practical insights, honest advice and proven tactics to help them meet challenges head on and help their companies grow and thrive.

The event kicked off with a warm welcome from summit founder, Renée DeLuca Dolan, and followed with a panel including former Cleveland Mayor Jane Campbell, and Key4Women at KeyBank director, Barb Smith, who discussed local opportunity zones and investments for female entrepreneurs.

Throughout the day, attendees listened to a myriad of successful entrepreneurs and business leaders. Highlights included a morning and afternoon keynote speaker, breakout sessions, a lunchtime panel discussion with three thriving Cleveland culinary entrepreneurs, various networking opportunities, a Sponsor Showcase and a drawing for valuable door prizes.

Another highlight of the day included announcing the winner of the first FES Investment Fund prize of $20,000 to Nicole Dzurko, founder of Revival Body Care, a line of all-natural Skin, lip and hair care created using only finest quality Organic, Fair Trade, 100% Vegan Ingredients.

Dzurko founded the company in 2015 in her kitchen and has since grown to a brick and mortar store in Cleveland and has secured distribution at various specialty boutiques and retailers across the country. Dzurko was one of 100 applicants who participated in a Shark Tank-style pitch competition to the Fund Investment team.

"I'm honored to be the recipient of this gracious funding opportunity,” said Dzurko. “Meeting and pitching to a room of women was one of the most refreshing experiences I’ve had thus far in my business. The energy, camaraderie and ease of conversation was a breath of fresh air. I’m humbled and filled with immense gratitude that the women of the FES Fund Initiative believe in not only me, but my business and its continued growth! This fund allows me to check several things off the list for 2020 and positions Revival for the most successful year(s) yet,” said Dzurko.

DeLuca Dolan, whose company, Contempo Design + Communications founded and hosts the annual summit, launched the FES Investment Fund in 2018, which was specifically created by women to support female entrepreneurs in Northeast Ohio, that she described as an underserved population without easy access to funding.

“Women are at a disadvantage for getting credit and funds from traditional sources,” said DeLuca Dolan. “I wanted to start a fund to support female entrepreneurs – one which allows us to assist other women with a scalable business model.”

The current FES fund investment team is comprised of DeLuca Dolan, graduate of Cohort 13, Cleveland, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program; Amy Jenyk, Cohort 17, Cleveland; Donna Heffernan, Cohort 13, Cleveland and JumpStart, Inc. The fund requires a minimum $5,000 investment from each participant.

Attendees were also given another opportunity to help them learn and grow professionally. Lorain County Community College and Contempo Design + Communications announced their new initiative, College LIFE courses – Certificate of Leadership Initiative for Enrichment (LIFE). Courses begin in January 2020 and include three sections: The Go-Getters Guide to Business Planning, Essential Ingredients for Work/Life Balance, Five Legal Traps to Avoid. To register or for additional details, contact Alison Church at achurch@lorainccc.edu.

By the end of the day, guests of the Female Entrepreneur Summit walked away feeling inspired by empowering speeches and enriched by all of the connections made.


About Contempo Design + Communications: Since its inception in 1996, DeLuca Dolan’s Contempo Design + Communications has helped Northeast Ohio businesses and organizations reach their marketing and branding objectives through the creation of memorable logos and identification materials, dynamic websites, interior spaces and experiences. The company serves as the official design partner of the Cleveland Indians.

About the Female Entrepreneurs Summit: Now in its eighth year, Contempo’s FES is regarded as Cleveland’s signature event for female business leaders to connect, learn and grow. This year’s event took place on October 23, 2019 at the Cleveland History Center. Nearly 400 attendees listened to practical insights and inspiring stories from 27 successful female entrepreneurs and business leaders.


For High Res Images from FES 2019, please contact Stacey Vaselaney at 216-905-0908 or slvaselaney@slvpr.com.

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