Midwest Visiting Professors Symposium

Presented by Wells Fargo

September 26-27

Location: Third Street Market Hall Venue 3 and Starlight Room

275 W Wisconsin Ave Suite 100, Milwaukee, WI 53203

MVPS brings together small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs with top entrepreneurship professors from across the country—right here in Milwaukee. Hosted by BizStarts, this 2-day summit features masterclasses led by nationally recognized educators, including voices from HBCUs, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, and leading universities. These dynamic, practical sessions are designed to drive real impact for Wisconsin’s entrepreneurial community. The program will be presented in English and American Sign Language and in Spanish in November (more information to come!)

Agenda and Map

September 26

Location: Venue 3, 275 W Wisconsin Ave Suite 100, Milwaukee, WI 53203

Time	Professor	Affiliation	Title	Description
1:00 – 1:55	Dr. Michael Morris	University of Notre Dame	It’s Not All About Money: Growing Your Business through Resource Leveraging	You have more resources than you think you do. Unlock the power of leverage to scale smarter, and do more with less. This class explores how to maximize your time, capital, and partnerships for exponential growth.
2:00 – 2:55	Dr. Ted Zoller	University of North Carolina Chapel Hill	Go to Market Strategy	Professor Zoller will present how to prepare a go-to-market strategy based on his innovative 6M venture circuit which prepares founders to ready their business to test, validate and enter their target market. Topics in Market include defining the value prop with a focus on the target market, the creation of a universal selling proposition, segmenting and positioning for your target market and defining your beachhead. It then covers the approach in developing a direct market approach for consumer businesses and a channel strategy for B2B businesses. He will then present how to attract and recruit the correct talent for your founding team and to organize an advisory board to support the team as they make their transition to the market facing phase of the business.
3:00 – 3:55	Dr. Sara Cochran	Indiana University	Grow Lean with the Customer-Funded Business	Discover how successful entrepreneurs have built exciting, scalable ventures in a lean way by leveraging paying customers from launch. This session will unveil proven customer-funded business models and help you explore how to apply them to your own venture. Whether you’re launching a startup or scaling your existing venture, you’ll leave inspired and equipped with practical tools to launch and grow lean.
4:00 – 4:55	Dr. Lois Shelton	California State University Northridge	Planning, Thinking Strategically and Creating Your Future	This course equips entrepreneurs with the tools to think and plan strategically from the start, helping them define a compelling vision, stand out in competitive markets, and avoid the commodity trap. Participants will learn to articulate their unique value proposition, understand the difference between planning and plans, and explore the fundamentals of crafting a strong business plan. Through future-focused exercises, the course encourages visionary thinking to shape a distinct path forward.
5:00 – 6:00	Networking Event

September 27

Location: Starlight Room, 275 W Wisconsin Ave Suite 100, Milwaukee, WI 53203

Time	Professor	Affiliation	Title	Description
7:30	Breakfast
8:00 – 8:55	Charles Inokon	Duke University	Negotiation	Gain the tools and confidence to negotiate effectively in any setting. Learn tactics to close better deals, manage conflict, and build lasting business relationships.
9:00 – 9:55	Dr. SherRonda Gibbs	Morehouse College	Opportunity Recognition	Great businesses grow by spotting opportunities others miss. This session explores how to identify market gaps, assess potential, and take action so you can turn ideas into measurable results.
10:00 – 10:55	Dr. Howard Jean-Denis	Morehouse College	Design Thinking	Learn how to solve complex problems creatively by putting your customer at the center. This session walks you through a proven, human-centered approach to innovation and idea development.
11:00 – 11:55	Charles Inokon	Duke University	Financial Literacy & Your North Star	A fast-moving, hands-on session that shows Main-Street entrepreneurs how to use their numbers as a true compass for every decision, anchoring strategy in cash flow, profitability, and asset efficiency. Participants will learn to practice weekly cash-flow forecasting, smarter payment terms, and reserve planning, so money is there when opportunity knocks. The workshop demystifies loan & grant readiness, highlights the power of keeping business and personal accounts separate, and maps out easy first steps to build rock-solid business credit with on-time vendor trades and a D-U-N-S number.
12:00 – 12:55	Dr. Jonathan T. Shirley	University of Louisiana Lafayette	Leadership	Great businesses start with great leaders. This session dives into mindset, decision-making, and team development to help you lead with clarity and purpose.

Thank you for your support!

FAQs

What is MVPS?

The Midwest Visiting Professors Symposium is a 2-day entrepreneurial summit in Milwaukee featuring TED-style masterclasses from leading entrepreneurship professors across the U.S.

Who should attend?

MVPS is designed for: Small business owners ready to scale Startup founders and aspiring entrepreneurs Professionals seeking practical entrepreneurial tools Students and educators interested in entrepreneurship

When and where is the event?

📅 September 26 1:00 pm-6:00 pm

and September 27 7:30am-1:00pm

📍 Third Stree Market Hall, 275 W Wisconsin Ave Suite 100, Milwaukee, WI 53203 Milwaukee, WI It will be held in 2 different rooms on day 1 and 2: 9-26 In Venue 3 and 9-27 in Starlight Room

What will I learn?

It’s Not All About Money: Growing Your Business through Resource Leveraging

✅ Benefit: Learn how to stretch what you already have — time, capital, and partnerships — to grow faster without needing huge investments.

Grow Lean with the Customer-Funded Business

✅Benefit: Discover how to launch and grow with real customers paying from the start, reducing your reliance on outside funding.

Planning, Thinking Strategically, and Creating Your Future

✅ Benefit: Build a clear vision, sharpen your strategy, and craft a practical business plan that helps you stand out from competitors.

Go-to-Market Strategy

✅ Benefit: Get a proven framework to enter your market with confidence, define your value proposition, and align the right team and advisors to support growth.

Opportunity Recognition

✅ Benefit: Learn to spot hidden opportunities in the market and turn them into actionable business ideas that drive results.

Design Thinking

✅ Benefit: Master a creative, customer-centered approach to problem solving that fuels innovation and product development.

Financial Literacy & Your North Star

✅ Benefit: Gain hands-on skills to manage your cash flow, build business credit, and make smarter financial decisions that guide your long-term success.

Leadership

✅ Benefit: Develop the mindset and tools to lead with purpose, make better decisions, and inspire your team to grow with you.

Negotiation

✅ Benefit: Build confidence and skill in negotiating deals, resolving conflicts, and strengthening business relationships.

How is MVPS different from other entrepreneurship events?

Unlike standard conferences, MVPS brings world-class professors who teach Fortune 500 leaders and breakout founders directly to Milwaukee. In just 2 days, you’ll gain the kind of insights usually reserved for elite MBA programs.

Are group rates available?

Yes! Group rates are available for teams, organizations, and educational partners. Contact us at psnyder@bizstarts.com.

Can students attend?

Absolutely. Students are encouraged to attend and learn directly from leading entrepreneurship educators. Discounted student tickets are available, please reach out to ldysart@bizstarts.com.

Where do I park?

Parking Instructions for All Guests

Enter the garage at 215 N Michigan St.
Collect a white time-stamped ticket upon entry.
When leaving:
- Scan the front of the white ticket, then the validation sticker.

It’s important that guests scan their original ticket first in order for any validation code to work.

Guests pay for their own parking when exiting the garage. To receive the discounted rate, 3rd St Market Hall provides validation stickers that reduce parking to $3 for 3 hours or $6 for 6 hours. Guests simply place the sticker on the back of their original white parking ticket and scan both upon exit.

Garage Parking Directions to 3rd St Market Hall

After entering the MKE Self-Park Garage at 215 N Michigan St, take two left turns to reach the central straightaway. Continue driving straight until you reach the north end of the garage.

We recommend parking on Levels 2, 3, or 4. Once parked, walk northwest toward the clearly marked entrances into The Avenue—each marked with 3rd St Market Hall signage.

3rd St Market Hall is located on the first floor inside The Avenue. If you park on Levels 2, 3, or 4, use the stairs or elevator to reach the first floor for entry.