Women in business gather to inspire and connect
MORE than 85 women in business and entrepreneurs descended on Dunedin yesterday for the annual oneday Rise 2017 event, which included several guest speakers from around Otago.
The annual forum is a motivational platform for businesswomen and entrepreneurs and covers topics such as visionary leadership, sustainable change, governance and social responsibility.
This year’s event, the 22nd, was hosted by shared business space company Petridish, in Stafford St.
Coowner Kate Lindsey said the guest speakers were chosen specifically for the allfemale target audience, also offering networking opportunities and connections among likeminded women.
The seven guest speakers included Wanakabased Cardrona Distillery founder Desiree Whitaker, who oper ates the country’s only purposebuilt artisan whisky distillery; Dunedin’s ‘‘That blind woman’’ Julie Woods; fashion designer Annah Stretton; and entrepreneur and founder of Motivate Me NZ Makaia Carr.
Rise (Realising, Innovative, Success, Enterprise) founder Kate Webb said attendees had come from across the lower South Island during the past five years.
‘‘It has attracted small to medium [enterprises] through to corporates, using it as a staff training day,’’ she said.
Each event generally had several highlevel, nationally recognised speakers, plus at least two local entrepreneurs with their success stories, she said.
Mrs Lindsey said she was inspired to host the event given membership of the relatively new Women in Business group in Dunedin had now reached 350.