Moderator – The Nuts and Bolts of Starting a creative business
Moderator – How to Turn Your Passion for Food into a Business
Beth Nicholls founded Do What You Love to give women the tools and inspiration to do what they love, for life. This includes life-enhancing retreats and e-courses which combine creativity, enterprise and community to help women develop and monetise their passion. Last year Beth was selected by Marie Claire magazine as one of the UK’s 16 most exciting young female entrepreneurs as part of the groundbreaking Inspire & Mentor programme. She also runs a boutique consulting company specialising in socially responsible business. Beth is an avid adventurer and has lived worked and travelled in over 50 countries on every continent. She speaks fluent Japanese and used to host her own TV show in Japan. Find out more on her blog, or connect on Facebook or Twitter.
Contact:
Website & blog: http://www.dowhatyouloveforlife.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DoWhatYouLoveXx
Twitter:@DoWhatYouLoveXx
Currently the Director of Brand Marketing for Sterling Publishing, Caitlin Friedman was formerly the co-president and co-founder of the boutique public relations company YC Media. An author of both business books for women (The Girl’s Guide to Starting Your Own Business, Happy at Work, Happy at Home) and children’s books, Caitlin has experienced publishing, branding and media businesses from all sides.
Celeste is a Spokane, Washington businesswoman, entrepreneur, and contributing writer for several magazines. Her highly successful restaurant CHAPS, opened in 2006 to immediate critical acclaim, garnering the region’s “Top Table Award” in only its second year of operation. CHAPS annually receives acknowledgement from the food industry and voting patrons as “Best” in breakfast and family restaurant categories. Not simply content with the success of CHAPS, Celeste expanded it adding her bakery called “Cake” to complement the restaurant. CHAPS is now considered a “must visit” destination for the area, as underscored and featured on the Food Network’s “Diners Drive Inns and Dives”© in November 2010. Celeste is extremely proud of her country girl, Montana roots and heritage, where as a teenager she excelled in track, being selected as one of the youngest members of the 1980 U.S. Summer Olympics Team before the Games were boycotted. By education and training, she has a Masters degree in nursing, specializing as an Intensive Care Unit Nurse, having been voted “Nurse of The Year,” and traveling world wide with pediatric surgical trauma teams. She is the proud mother of two sons.
Connie Bensen is a leading Social Media & Community Strategist who has provided resources and mentorship since 2007. Her career in social media began when she and her sister created a community for digital scrapbookers at 
Corinne Leigh has been making videos for 10 years; working in Haiti, living on buses that run on recycled veggie oil and building DIY community at ThreadBanger and Craftovision. She is an expert in developing online communities, social networking and short form video content and is passionate about living eco and being a good person.
Crissy Herron is the founder of Indie Biz Chicks (
Erica is an engineer, arts lover, and web nerd based in Minneapolis. She has been blogging since 2002 and has been a leader in the Twin Cities blogging community since 2005. In addition to her personal blog 
Gina created The Shabby Creek Cottage in 2009 to chronicle her and her husband’s journey of remodeling her childhood home. A mom of two girls, Gina shares DIY tips and home décor ideas on her blog. They take on all of their projects with their own labor to save costs, creating a custom home on a fraction of the budget. When she’s not busy with remodels or blogging, Gina also runs an Etsy.com shop.
Ingrid Liss is currently the Creative Director for Demdaco, a leading wholesale company specializing in giftware, holiday, and home décor. With an emphasis on “lifting the spirit,” the Demdaco everyday giftware and Silvestri holiday brands bring unique artistry and meaningful products to market. Ingrid leads the combined efforts of leading independent licensed artists as well as a talented in-house staff of designers and product developers. Working in partnership with craftsmen and factories overseas, Ingrid helps facilitate the interpretation of artists’ designs for manufacture and importing. Formerly the Vice President of Design and Trend for Midwest of Cannon Falls, Ingrid brings over 20 years of industry experience in product development to her position. Ingrid is also the busy mom of two beautiful teenage girls who keep her laughing and on her toes.
After working for clients for a dozen years, Janine Vangool decided to pursue her own creative path through publishing books on creativity, craft, and design. With a love of things creative and curious, she publishes, edits, and designs 