Delaware innovators are convening (virtually) to talk ‘turning obstacles into opportunities’

A daylong, virtual event about navigating the uncertain era of the COVID-19 pandemic, hosted by Newark branding company BrandSwan, kicks off at 10 a.m. on May 15 on Zoom.

Turning Obstacles into Opportunities: Take your business from surviving to thriving will feature a dozen speakers on a variety of topics relevant to keeping your business on track through the crisis.

If you’re not familiar with using Zoom, arrive at 10 a.m. sharp for a 15-minute Zoom tutorial with BrandSwan cofounder and Jen Wells Design founder Jenn Wells. The day will include:

• A keynote presented by Collie Turner, founder of Heroic Gardens
• A social media workshop presented by INCdellini founder Gaby Indellini
• A cooking demo with social media tips for food entrepreneurs from Simply B founder Brooke Chase
• An hour of speed networking
• Breakout sessions with Kristi & Co founder Kristi Baghat; CrossPro and Delaware Burger Battle founder JulieAnne Cross; Point to Point Wealth Planning financial advisor Nicole Magnusson; and BrandSwan cofounder and Teakettica founder Jane Clark
• “Quarantine-Proof Business” panel featuring Pandora’s Box Boutique owner Monisha Phillips; PRB Designs owner Pauline Brittingham; Mr. Nickle Kids founder Nick Anderson; and On N Up Coaching owner Paul Gaskell

The event ends at 4 p.m. Check out the event page for a full schedule and to register. Attendees are encouraged to pay what they can to help cover technology expenses. Any extra funds will go to a local charity selected by attendees during the event.

The event’s host, BrandSwan, was launched in February by Jane Clark and Jenn Wells. The idea for this event came to Wells after she and Clark launched BrandSwan’s Facebook group, Reveal Your Inner Awesome (also the company’s slogan), which offers opportunities for local business owners and professionals to share their knowledge via Facebook Live to help the Delaware small business community pivot during the COVID-19 crisis.