Get ready for a morning of empowerment, networking, and valuable insights from a successful female entrepreneur. Join us Wednesday, Nov, 1 in the Tennessee Room of the UTC University Center for the 2023 Entrepreneurship Breakfast. Enjoy a free hot breakfast, available starting at 7:30 a.m., and prepare to delve into keynote speaker Tasia Malakasis’ entrepreneurial journey.
UTC students, faculty, staff, and Chattanooga business leaders are invited to attend this inspiring event, and the best part is that it’s completely free of charge. However, we kindly request that you register for this event by clicking on the link below to secure your spot. Don’t miss this fantastic opportunity to fuel your entrepreneurial spirit.
Register Now: http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=ocq5luqab&oeidk=a07ek1j5n5rb86f1389
Introducing Our Keynote Speaker: Tasia Malakasis
Tasia Malakasis is the new CEO of The Company Lab (CO.LAB), a nonprofit dedicated to accelerating startups in Chattanooga, TN. Tasia was the former CEO of Belle Chevre, an internationally award-winning creamery, and author of two cookbooks: Tasia’s Table and Southern Made Fresh, published by Southern Living.
Tasia’s passion for entrepreneurship prevails throughout her illustrious career. She has helped to nurture several embryonic businesses to a lucrative exit for their founders. At the heart of it, the exhilaration she’s felt at the beginning of a venture and the satisfaction of spurring its initial growth characterizes her journey.
Tasia has spent close to 30 years working with startups – as a founder, operator and cultivator of executive-leadership teams. An Alabama native with an English literature degree (later given an Alumni of Distinction Award from the University of Alabama in Huntsville), Tasia landed her first job in the early 90’s with a technology startup focused on market data for the nascent internet revolution.
Tasia led national and international sales teams for one of the most celebrated digital marketing tech companies that later sold to Google for $3B. After a half dozen startups under her belt—the majority with very rapid and successful exits—she took a leap of faith and decided to shift her product mindset and deep marketing + sales acumen towards her passion for food.
She then traded her high-powered business suits for an apron and a whisk to purchase, cultivate, and eventually sell an Alabama-based goat cheese creamery, Belle Chevre. Tasia provided the strategic vision, leadership, and creativity required to ensure that the 25-year-old company continued to evolve as one of the country’s most acclaimed artisan creameries.
Tasia feels that the most invigorating moment in the life of a business is not the end, when its owners reap the benefits of a successful exit, but the moment of creation when courage, optimism and brilliance have combined to form a startup. This philosophy led her to join the CO.LAB team in July 2022. Now, Tasia couldn’t be more thrilled to bolster Chattanooga’s entrepreneurial community and lead the charge for startup support.
Join us on November 1st for the Entrepreneurship Breakfast and be part of this incredible opportunity to hear Tasia Malakasis share her entrepreneurial journey as a successful female leader and her current role as the CEO of CO.LAB. You won’t want to miss this inspiring and insightful talk. See you there!
About the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship: The Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship was established in 2018 to engage, equip and encourage UTC’s innovators and entrepreneurs. The CIE supports the entire UTC community through cross-campus programming and initiatives, and addresses UTC’s strategic goal to, “inspire, nurture and empower scholarship, creativity, discovery, innovation and entrepreneurial initiatives.“
Engage
The Center engages UTC’s innovators and entrepreneurs by connecting them to each other and to the broader entrepreneurship community in Chattanooga and beyond.
Equip
The Center equips innovators and entrepreneurs through programming that includes pitch competitions, workshops, lunch and learns, book clubs, classes and presentations, as well as hosting the annual Southeast Entrepreneurship Conference (SEEC).
Encourage
The Center encourages innovators and entrepreneurs by offering support through mentorship, access to potential customers, access to funding opportunities, and offering prizes and incentives through various programming and events.
To learn more about the CIE and upcoming events visit: https://www.utc.edu/cie
