Entrepreneurship Week Celebrates Women, Non-Binary Business Owners

Women’s Entrepreneurship Week 2023. Photo by GM.CREATIVE.

Women’s Entrepreneurship Week (WEW) will return for its eighth year this spring, bringing hundreds of female and non-binary entrepreneurs together over a five-day span to share wisdom, stoke inspiration and celebrate success.

This year’s event, set for May 6 through 10, triples the amount of programming from last year, offering a minimum of four sessions each day and a lineup of more than 65 speakers.

Throughout the week, attendees can expect to participate in interactive workshops and listen to keynote speakers — all while networking with fellow entrepreneurs. The event’s presenting sponsor is Summit Credit Union.

With a theme of “Building the Table,” WEW 2024 plans to emphasize new connections, innovation and community growth, said Stephanie Melnick who leads the event through her organization, She Stands Tall, LLC. Melnick is also an attorney and owner of Melnick & Melnick, S.C.

She Stands Tall took over WEW in 2023, hosting a week-long, in-person event that gathered more than 450 entrepreneurs. Now in her second year of overseeing WEW, Melnick  said she’s looking forward to growing the event’s reach and inclusivity.

“She Stands Tall’s mission is to create an inclusive, supportive, and energizing space for women and non-binary entrepreneurs to lean on and learn from each other,” she said in a statement. “At Women’s Entrepreneurship Week 2024, we’ll Build the Table because building the table together is better than taking a seat.”

The theme also symbolizes a more accessible approach to the event. Half of the sessions will be free to attend, while others, including a comedy show, keynote speeches and morning workshops will be priced between $15 and $35.

WEW’s five keynote events include panels and discussions focused on building community, building goods, building change and building art. The week will conclude on May 10 with a celebratory happy hour at woman-owned Palomino, followed by a screening and panel discussion of “Show Her the Money” at the Oriental Theatre.

All events are open to the public and require registration. Attendees can opt to purchase a membership for free access to all events throughout the week, plus other perks. The three membership tiers are priced at $150, $200 and $300, and are available to purchase online.

For a full schedule of events, or to register, visit She Stands Tall MKE online.