Join The Metropreneur, Rotary District 6690 and the local small business and entrepreneurial community on Thursday, October 29, 2015 at Studio 35 for ASPIRE, an event celebrating social enterprises in Columbus. This year’s Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award will be more than just a ceremony, but an evening of inspiration and information for the business community.
The evening kicks off at 5:30 p.m. with networking and appetizers catered by Freedom a la Cart, a past winner of the Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award. The catering company provides workforce development and employment opportunities for survivors of human trafficking. A cash bar will also be available.
Programming begins at 6:00 p.m. with Allen Proctor, president and CEO of the Center for Social Enterprise Development interviewing husband-and-wife duo and the team behind Hatch, Serial Entrepreneur Christopher Celeste and Resource/Ammirati Founder Nancy Kramer. Hatch offers coaching, connections and capital to businesses through a rather unconventional approach. Celeste says it doesn’t cost anything to make a connection, and together Celeste and Kramer are making investments that aren’t about huge returns, but more of making an impact in the community.
The interview will be followed by a 6:30 p.m. panel discussion featuring local resource providers with the services to help social enterprises grow. ECDI Founder & CEO Inna Kinney, Barnes & Thornburg Managing Partner Bill Nolan and the Columbus Chamber’s Director of Small Business Somers Martin will address basic legal issues that all social entrepreneurs face and discuss how their organizations can help, while also answering questions directly from business owners. If you’re interested in asking a question to our resource provider panel, email your question to [email protected].
The evening will conclude with the Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award Ceremony sponsored by Rotary District 6690 at 7:30 p.m. Nominees will have the opportunity to briefly highlight their organizations before the winner is announced.
Guests can stay for optional networking time after the event to meet fellow social entrepreneurs.
Tickets to ASPIRE are $10 and are available online via eventbrite. This event is expected to sell out in advance.
