EPIC 17
Hear the journey local entrepreneurs faced when starting their own business, the rewards and pitfalls, and what it took to become successful.
Event Schedule:
Keynote Speaker - Ellen Rohr
Ellen nearly sank her husband’s plumbing company after his partner died unexpectedly. Boy was she humbled! It seemed like lots of money was moving through the company, but at the end of the month there was never any money left. In desperation, Ellen figured out how to make lots money and turned the business around. She inspires thousands, in workshops, presentations and online, to make business un-complicated and live life un-leashed.
Ellen is also a successful franchisor, helping launch a plumbing franchise to 47 locations and $40 million in sales in under 2 years. Now, she is the president of Zoom Drain and Sewer, LLC. She is a columnist for Huffington Post, PHC News, and an “in the trenches” contributor to many business journals and trade magazines. Ellen is a popular, high-energy TV Celebrity who has been on over 50 news programs, encouraging people to make their own money.
Ozark Innovators
Adam Stipnovich - Sun Solar
Adam Stipanovich is the VP of Commercial and Utility Scale Development at Houston, MO based Sun Solar and a member of it's Executive team. Sun Solar is the largest privately owned solar company in Missouri, and much of the Midwest. Sun Solar has 5 offices across the state of Missouri and is working on plans to expand into other Midwestern states. Sun Solar began as a three person team and today employs around 160 people across Missouri. As one of the original three employees of Sun Solar, Adam has spent time in all areas of the business and has helped in growing the company into what it is today. Adam is a graduate of Drury University in Springfield, MO with a Bachelors degree in Business Administration, graduating with Magna Cum Laude honors. In his free time Adam enjoys spending time on his farm in Houston, MO and helping his wife with her passion, which is her small dog grooming and boarding facility in Houston, MO.
Joleen Durham - Piney River Brewing Co
Joleen Senter Durham founded Piney River Brewing Company in 2010 with her husband, Brian, on their 80-acre farm in Bucyrus. The brewery has gone through numerous expansions and won multiple awards in the past six years. In 2016 Piney River Brewing produced about 2,300 barrels of beer, and they are focused on making high quality craft beer that celebrates the Ozarks. Joleen is also the public relations and marketing director at Texas County Memorial Hospital in Houston. She has a Master’s degree in Administrative Studies from Missouri State University and a bachelor’s degree in English writing from Eastern University in St. Davids, PA. Joleen is also a mom, a gardener, and a beef cattle farmer.
Rick Hall - Flying R Ranch
Rick grew up in a small Eastern Kansas town playing sports and hauling hay. He has held many different jobs early in life and eventually landed in the US Army in Germany. There he married his roommate’s fiancé, Nicole, and they have been eternal companions for 31 years now. He has worked for the Arkansas Highway Department, as a travel agent, a software consultant, and high school teacher, and in 1997 even coached a girl’s high school basketball team to a Kansas state championship. His roots in Douglas County, Missouri, go back deep to his paternal grandfather, Harvey, who reportedly boot-legged the best moonshine in Southern Missouri in the 1930s. Rick loves baseball, any type of gun, old movies, fireworks and his wife Nicole. He knew from Day 1 while working with Terry on the ranch, that this must be what heaven is like. He feels it is a great honor and privilege to continue Terry’s legacy of love, laughter, and friendship on the Flying-R-Ranch.
Keynote Speaker - Gary Wilbers
Gary takes you on his journey through entrepreneurial success and shares his High Achievers Mindset™ which is his foundation for success, and it will help you discover your true purpose in life. When all steps of the High Achievers Mindset™ model are working together within an organization you are now laying the foundation to establish a culture of high achievement. The High Achievers Mindset™ is where positivity, purpose, accountability, and efficiency produce great results on a consistent basis.
Pitch Competition
The EPIC Pitch Competition will feature 2 divisions, a student division and a community division. The student division will be students from the area who are thinking about starting their own business once their schooling is complete.The community division will those who are in the first phase of building their business.
All contestants will who enter the pitch competition will pitch their business idea at the 1st Annual Pitch Fest on April 12th. 3 Finalist from each division will then be selected to pitch during the EPIC Pitch Competition.
The EPIC Mix and Mingle follows the main event at 5:30 and features food, wine and beer from local businesses. Enjoy samples from Piney River Brewing Co, McCullough House Winery, and more.
Thank You EPIC Sponsors
