Michael Morris of the University of Notre Dame presents at BizStarts Midwest Visiting Professors Symposium .
On Sept. 26, entrepreneurs, educators, and community leaders gathered in Milwaukee for the Midwest Visiting Professors Symposium (MVPS), an event hosted by BizStarts. Designed to bring world-class entrepreneurship education directly to local business owners, the symposium showcased just how vital Wisconsin’s entrepreneurial ecosystem is to helping businesses start, grow, and thrive.
The event featured TED-style masterclasses led by nationally recognized professors, including Michael Morris of the University of Notre Dame, Ted Zoller of the University of North Carolina, Sara Cochran of Indiana University, Lois Shelton of California State University Northridge (CSUN) Nazarian College of Business and Economics, Jonathan Shirley of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Charles Inokon of Duke University, Howard Jean-Denis of Morehouse College, and Sher Gibbs of Morehouse College. Topics ranged from leveraging resources beyond financing to building customer-funded businesses—demonstrating that success in entrepreneurship is about strategy, support, and resilience.
“Resources like BizStarts are incredibly important. You can’t do it alone,” said Shirley, professor of programs and operations at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s LEED Center. “The sooner you realize that there are entrepreneur ecosystems out there and that people truly want to help you, the better. That sense of welcome and support is critical for entrepreneurs.”
Inokon, a lecturing fellow in innovation and entrepreneurship at Duke University and co-founder and CEO of Breva, echoed that sentiment. “Anytime you can get entrepreneurs in front of professors who have also been practitioners is a wonderful experience. We gave the folks here today the education that would be very expensive at the large institutions that we teach at. Bringing this to them where they are, where it’s affordable, is fantastic,” he said.
For Jean-Denis, a tenure-track professor at Morehouse College teaching strategy and entrepreneurship, the event was about empowerment. “Events like this act as an empowering, impactful opportunity where entrepreneurs can learn how to grow more in the future,” he shared.
Shelton, professor of management and entrepreneurship at CSUN, emphasized how the program expands access. “This is a program and organization that has provided key opportunities, key resources, and key knowledge to a population that is highly talented and highly motivated but doesn’t always necessarily have the same access to resources that other populations do.”
Gibbs, dean of the Division of Business and Economics and professor of entrepreneurship at Morehouse, highlighted the practical benefits. “Many times entrepreneurs don’t have the means or way to connect with the expertise and resources they need to grow their businesses. They often don’t know how to go about affecting change for their ventures. These workshops and events allow opportunities for entrepreneurs to create new revenue streams to benefit their community.”
That sense of support is exactly what Milwaukee business owner Natasha Broxton, CEO and founder of Select Auto Parts and Sales, experienced when she first connected with BizStarts in 2021. “I was actively looking for resources, especially help with marketing and bookkeeping,” she shared. “I’m an introvert, but as a business owner, you have to branch out. BizStarts taught me how to network and really utilize my business.” Today, Broxton’s automotive recycling company not only partners with repair and body shops across the region but also helps extend her family’s legacy in the auto services industry.
For Caroline Lawrence—founder of Labor for Learning, a nonprofit focused on increasing literacy rates among children—BizStarts provided both practical and personal support. “BizStarts has been my champion. I have a mentor and a coach. They’ve helped me apply for grants, push through the low days, and—most importantly—they helped me become more confident,” Lawrence said. After launching her idea in 2017, she hit challenges during the pandemic but found new direction through BizStarts’ network of resources. “They pointed me in the right direction and connected me to what I needed,” she added.
Stories like these reflect why WEDC supports organizations such as BizStarts. By fostering inclusive access to knowledge, mentorship, and networks, Wisconsin is building an entrepreneurial ecosystem where businesses at every stage can find the tools and encouragement they need.
The MVPS event demonstrated that entrepreneurship in Wisconsin is about creating communities where entrepreneurs know they don’t have to do it alone. With partners like BizStarts and the ongoing support of WEDC and its partners, Wisconsin’s entrepreneurs are shaping the future of the state’s economy and making an impact far beyond the state’s borders.
