Summit connects women entrepreneurs with resources, support

Dawn Dickson, a nationally recognized entrepreneur and investor, headlined the event with her keynote address, sharing her personal journey in creating her tech and retail companies, PopCom and Flat Out of Heels, respectively.

Other speakers at the event included:

• Leandra Nisbet - A 2018 selection for Crain's Grand Rapids 40 Under 40 list, Nisbet has more than a decade of experience providing strategic consulting and marketing support to entrepreneurs in West Michigan.
• Paola Mendivil - A 2024 member of Crain's 40 Under 40 list, Mendivil is a business development officer for Grand Rapids Opportunities for Women and serves on the board of directors of the Arts Marketplace and the City of Grand Rapids Master Plan Committee.
• Jeanette Hoyer - The president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of West Michigan, Hoyer has spent her career building support networks for women and families, including mental health services.

Attendees also engaged with fellow entrepreneurs during breakout sessions focused on building and amplifying their ventures.

In the afternoon, the summit transitioned into a marketplace, giving 20 women-owned businesses the opportunity to showcase their products and increase brand visibility.

"Sparkle & Soar was more than an event - it was a reminder of what's possible when entrepreneurs come together to learn, encourage one another, and build meaningful connections," said the event's emcee Marisol Garcia Linstrom of Michigan Women Forward, a Detroit-based nonprofit committed to the economic development of women.

"I truly believe that one conversation can change everything, and Sparkle & Soar created countless opportunities for those conversations to happen."