Arizona Entrepreneurship Conference (AZEC10) – save the date

By Linda VandeVrede on February 8th, 2010 In Professional Development

headshot ritzIf you own a business, have a client with a business, or are thinking of starting your own business, mark Wed, Nov 17, 2010 on your calendar.   That’s the date for the 2010 Arizona Entrepreneurship Conference, which was initiated by Francine Hardaway just a few years ago.    The event will be held again this year at the Desert Willow Conference Center.

The theme this year is “Building a Stronger Community:  the Year of the Customer.”  “The speakers are generally a response to what we see are the major problems/opportunities in the community,” says Francine.    “I’ll know better after SXSW (South by Southwest Conference) in March.”

The conference was developed and launched in 2006 by OTEF (the Opportunity Through Entrepreneurship Foundation) as a way to bring entrepreneurs together to help other entrepreneurs.  It’s a Robin Hood approach -  charge the entrepreneurial “rich” $150 to hear great speakers and meet a great network, and use that money then to help disadvantaged people develop entrepreneurship skills.

Why attend?   The networking and information benefits are incredible.   You won’t find many other conferences in Arizona that bring together such a vibrant community of entrepreneurs and speakers.   Francine looks for a combination of locals and out-of-towners because “cross-fertilization is good for both us and the rest of the world.”

Arizona Entrepreneurship Conference (AZEC10) – save the date

Comments

Pat Elliott Says:
February 8th, 2010 at 10:11 am

This is an outstanding conference for attendees, and the “pay it forward” aspect of using the funds to help others is invaluable. Francine and those who support the conference have enabled me to offer free seats in business workshops to job seekers through OTEF, including many in the PR and marketing professions. The “disadvantaged” people have included IABC and PRSA members, even a Harvard grad. People like Francine who get that we’re all in this decline together are making a real difference in helping Arizona get out of it.

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