Jay Sachetti joined Jeff O’Brien, partner at Husch Blackwell and Dyanne Ross-Hanson, president of Exit Planning Strategies talked about the market for mergers and acquisitions, exit planning opportunities for companies that don’t end up for sale and how companies can maximize their eventual sale price during an early October panel at the first Upsize on Tap event at Summit Brewing Co. in St. Paul.
When the state Legislature passed a law requiring employers to provide paid leave and safe time for employees, Justin Bieganek started hearing differing details from friends, colleagues and peers.
A new program will match 20 women business owners with mentors for a year’s worth of advice. The program starts in March, sponsored by the Center for Women Entrepreneurs, part of Metropolitan State University.
“This has been a dream of mine for years,” says Mary Riebe, center director, who believes the need for mentoring is huge, especially once a business has been running for a while. (Businesses must be at least 18 months old to apply.) “I think there’s been a huge gap. Where does a woman business owner go, especially in the second phase, after the start-up phase?”
The cost is $750 for the mentee. The local chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners has offered three scholarships of $375 each, and a woman who didn’t want to be named pledged five additional full scholarships. Mentors volunteer their time. Riebe says Bonnie Baskin, CEO of AppTec Laboratory Services in St. Paul, is a donor for the program.
Riebe and Ellie Bathe, co-owner of High Five, a new events management company, collaborated on the idea, visiting Barnett Helzburg and a similar program in Kansas City that the diamond retailing family sponsors. Bathe used to match mentors and mentees at Menttium Corp., which runs mentoring programs for mid-level corporate women. As a consultant on the project, Bathe will help to select and match the new program’s pairs.
Mary Riebe, Center for Women Entrepreneurs, Metro State University: 612.659.7259
