![BikeCraft IV-28](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3043/3101155562_e72886026f_m.jpg)
copywriter, Heidi Swift, is one of the
entrepreneurs who will be featured.
(Photo © J. Maus)
Women who own local bike-oriented business will get a boost next month thanks to a new event that will showcase their businesses. The event will also be the first fundraiser for a new scholarship fund to support “women leaders in active transportation.”
Bike Economics: A showcase of local, woman-owned, bicycle-oriented businesses, is being put together by former BikePortland staffer (and current contributor) Elly Blue and local small business owner Ellee Thalheimer.
“This all came about because we were talking about the amazing variety of things bicycle entrepreneurs in Portland are doing,” says Blue. As they made a list of local bike-oriented businesses, Blue and Thalheimer were surprised how few women were on it. “So we made another list of all the women we could think of who own bicycle related businesses.”
“We’re excited to be able to demonstrate that Portland’s bike scene is supported by the excellent work of many entrepreneurial women.”
— Elly Blue
Blue stresses that the the event is more about business than gender, but says, “We’re excited to be able to demonstrate that Portland’s bike scene is supported by the excellent work of many entrepreneurial women.”
The goal of the event is to encourage and support existing businesses and to inspire others to start one themselves. It’s also a fundraiser for a new scholarship fund Blue hopes will support up-and-coming activists who need a boost to get their world-changing ideas off the ground. The event will have a sliding scale entry fee of $10-$30 which will go into the fund.
Blue says she’s excited about the new scholarship fund because,
“It’s easy to forget about the unglamorous nuts and bolts of, say, taking a workshop on nonprofit accounting or going to a conference and networking, but those are the areas where movements are really developed.”
Blue speaks from experience. Back in June 2008, she put together the the international Towards Carfree Cities Conference which was held at Portland State University and featured an impressive roster of speakers, panel discussions, and other events.
Bike Economics will feature the following business owners:
- Tori Bortman of Gracies Wrench
- Kendra Wenzel of Wenzel Coaching
- Ellee Thalheimer of Ellee’s Yoga and Sweet Choice Bodyworks LLC
- Caroline Paquette of Little Package
- Jude Kirstein of Epic Wheelworks
- Natalie Ramsland of SweetPea Bicycles
- Martina Fahrner of Clever Cycles
- Carye Bye of Red Bat Press
- Rachel Dominguez-Benner of Bike Cozy
- Bike Realtor Kirsten Kaufman
- Writer and photographer Heidi Swift
- Rebecca Pearcy and Dana Hinger of Queen Bee Creations
At the event, each business owner will have stations set up to display their work and will give a short presentation about their work. More information at the event website.
- Bike Economics: A showcase of local, woman-owned, bicycle-oriented businesses
Thursday, May 6, from 7:30pm to 9:30pm
Hosted at the United Bicycle Institute (3961 N Williams Ave)