Women’s Entrepreneurship Week Returns
Annual event returns on May 8 with in-person programming and new organization at its helm.
Sarah Haas and Stephanie Melnick of Melnick&Melnick. Photo courtesy of WEWmke.
Women’s Entrepreneurship Week (WEWmke) is set to return next month with a full slate of events in celebration of female business owners in the Milwaukee area.
The seventh annual WEWmke will take place May 8 through 12, featuring standout leaders, chefs, restaurateurs, creatives and storytellers. Throughout the week, attendees are invited to network, share and collaborate with the city’s most influential women. The event’s presenting sponsor is Summit Credit Union.
The week will also include five evening keynote events covering topics such as Milwaukee’s food and beverage industry, vital organizations and community connection. Notable participants in 2023 include Dana Spandet of Flour Girl & Flame, Katie Daly Weiss of Big White Yeti Candle Co., Tiffany Miller of Bronzeville Collective and numerous others.
In support of WEWmke and its impact, Mayor Cavalier Johnson has officially proclaimed the week of May 8 through 12 as Women’s Entrepreneurship Week.
WEWmke is newly under the direction of She Stands Tall, an organization started by woman-owned law firm Melnick & Melnick, S.C., with the goal to create a supportive community for women business owners while encouraging personal growth and development.
“The women of She Stands Tall have been featuring and celebrating women entrepreneurs since 2017, including a butcher, baker, candlestick maker and everything in between,” said Stephanie Melnick, attorney and owner of Melnick & Melnick. “We are excited to return Women’s Entrepreneurship Week to its in-person and Milwaukee-focused roots while adding She Stands Tall’s unique inclusive, lively, and encouraging vibe.”
Kicking off the event’s return to in-person programming for the first time in three years is a panel discussion led by a number of city leaders. Featured speakers for the evening include Wendy Baumann, president and CVO of WWBIC; Liz Siegel, chief curator for the Milwaukee Art Museum; Kathy Thornton-Bias, president and CEO of Boys & Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee; Peggy Williams-Smith, president and CEO of VISIT Milwaukee; and Venice Williams, executive director of Alice’s Garden and interim executive director of Fondy Food Center.
The panel discussion is scheduled for Monday, May 8 at Anodyne Coffee Roasting Co., 224 W. Bruce St., in Walker’s Point.
A full schedule for the remainder of the week will be available online. All events are open to the public, though tickets are required for some and are available for purchase through the She Stands Tall website.
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