The 11th annual MKE Business Now Entrepreneurship Summit will take place Saturday, Jan. 28 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School, 3275 N. 3rd St.
The annual event, which is free and open to the public, is held to support the growth of local entrepreneurship, allowing local innovation to stimulate economic growth, neighborhood reinvestment and job creation.
What to expect
Guests can expect to find vendors specializing in business resources, insightful workshops and a panel discussion. This year’s summit will also feature a keynote address from Chef Joya (Adjoa Courtney), a Milwaukee native who has built a career as an award-winning private celebrity chef, cookbook author and cultural influencer.
Best known for “veganizing” traditional recipes – including fried fish, ribs and beef Wellington – which typically contain animal products, Chef Joya has earned a place among the best vegan culinary artists in the United States.
Chef Joya’s keynote, which is entitled “Making Creativity & Passion Your Business,” will expand on the experiences that assisted her in turning her love for food into a successful brand which has garnered her awards, successful restaurant collaborations and cooking competition titles as an entrepreneur and chef. She also shared on her Facebook page that the keynote will be accompanied by a cooking demonstration.
“This year’s MKE Business Now Entrepreneurship Summit promises to be a very special event highlighted by Milwaukee’s own Chef Joya who will share her story and provide invaluable information that helped her succeed as an entrepreneur,” said Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs.
“I encourage any Milwaukee residents looking to learn about entrepreneurship or business development to mark their calendar now and plan to attend the summit on January 28th.”
The summit, which is hosted by Alderwoman Coggs is sponsored by the Historic King Drive Business Improvement District 8, the City of Milwaukee and the African American Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
