Community

Creating Community Together

We are business owners, students, artists, activists, collaborators and go-getters. We are WELL WBC.

The Women's Entrepreneurship and Leadership Lab (W.E.L.L.) Women's Business Center (WBC) virtual community is open to all, and designed with women in mind. We know that when mothers, community movers-and-shakers, sisters and aunties win, Montana wins.

We believe that a community to empower us all should be approachable, empowering and safe. Our community is proud to partner with Western Native Growth Fund, Great Falls Development Authority, Accelerate Montana and MonTEC in hosting programs of the W.E.L.L. Women's Business Center to serve women around the state of Montana.

WBCCommunity

W.E.L.L. Women's Business Center

Powered by the United States Small Business Administration, the Women's Business Center is serving Montana women in driving forward goals and self-defined successes. Whether you have an idea that you want to launch, are ready to start pitching for funding or are looking for resources to help you create a website, we've got you covered. 

We support and host programming within the WELL WBC community alongside our business advising. Connect with us at Women's Business Center by attending a webinar or signing up for an advising session!

Whether you're in Southwest Montana, on a Reservation or on the Hi-line, we are here to meet with you. Our decentralized locations allow for statewide access to resources for you and your business.

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What Do You Get With WELL WBC?

Business and Leadership Growth

  • Pay-what-you-can access, ranging from free to $9.99/month
  • Free business advising and coaching.
  • Statewide and nationwide connections to current and aspiring business owners, professionals and industry experts.
  • Collaborative space to workshop ideas and design your goals to fit your needs.
  • Access to a wide network to spread the word about your business.
  • Dedication to the topics at play. No algorithms and no ads.
  • Confidentiality and safety in shared, set values.
  • Introductions to programs and partners that can help guide your journey.

Personal and Professional Growth

  • Access to our courses with cohort learning labs.
  • Access to free CARES Act accelerator courses.
  • Space to stay accountable to your goals.
  • Low-pressure, small group networking and connecting opportunities to develop authentic relationships.
  • Impactful guest speakers and events.
  • IOS/Android mobile app so that you can stay connected without a computer.
  • Empowering, safe space to say your ideas out loud.

Our Platform

Mighty Networks is a female-founded, online platform that allows for the creation of independent and thriving communities that are focused on your interests. We are able to create an online environment where folks can connect between programs and shared interests, without the worry of distractions or social harm. This isn't your average social platform. 

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What Our Members Are Saying

 

April

PYP Entrepreneur

"I wanted to send you a little something to say Thank You for such an enriching experience in Pursue Your Passions. We don't have anything like it at my university in Australia so it was awesome to be able to try something new and out of the box. I thoroughly enjoyed the personal development segment of the semester, it was very beneficial for me to be able to reflect on myself and where I want to be. The articles and our discussions in class were really valuable for me to reaffirm that it's okay not to 'have it all together' and that everything will. in fact, be alright in the end!"

Kim

PYP Entrepreneur

"This group was something I didn't expect, and would never have known how valuable having a network of other folks going through the same thing would be - its helped me stay sane, accountable, wade through the non-linear process, and feel not alone in my personal growth journey."

Linsdey

PYP Entrepreneur

"This group! And the connections and support from it and the venture coaching I've been doing. Being a U of M alum has made me feel proud to have these opportunities and support from fellow Griz. It has helped me digest, understand and mold this business in ways I hadn't thought of or wasn't able to put into words."

Kayla

PYP Entrepreneur

"PYP created a safe space for students to connect with both their peers and members in the community. In this course, I discovered the many resources I can use to pursue my passions now and in the future."

Start a Membership Today!

Click the button below to fill out our intake form. Once you are in our system, look out for an invitation to join the WELL Online Community!

100% of membership fees go back into supporting women in Montana through W.E.L.L. programming and course scholarships.

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WELL Online Community Membership

We are a community designed with women in mind, on a mission to drive change in our lives and communities through entrepreneurship and leadership. We are based in Missoula, Montana with ideas as big as the sky and the resources to help you make moves.

Our community enjoys regular programming with folks that know what's what, and regular opportunities to meet, grow and prosper with each other. This is the place to have dedicated conversations - and keep them alive.

Join now for free. We can't wait to see you in the community!

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Meet Our Alumni

Kim Lamar

Kim Lamar

Program Coordinator, Vital Voices Global Partnership
Washington, D.C., USA

Kim is a program coordinator for the Economic Empowerment & Entrepreneurship team, specifically serving the Global Ambassadors Program at Vital Voices. Prior to joining Vital Voices, Kim previously worked at the ONE Campaign as a Manager for College Organizing, leading advocacy campaigns with volunteers working towards ending extreme poverty. She started her career as a service member with AmeriCorps where she worked as a Program Coordinator for Project Create, a local D.C. arts education nonprofit.

Kim attended the University of Montana, where she received a BA in Communication Studies and minors in Spanish and Women’s Studies. During her time in university, she worked as a Resident Assistant, Event Coordinator, co-produced a podcast, and lived in Granada, Spain. Kim is originally from the Bitterroot Valley in Montana.

CatieDeMets

Catie DeMets

Catie is passionate about local food and its role in creating more equitable, sustainable communities - along with its deliciousness! After an intense year spent developing a business plan for Mirthful  Farm, a socially-minded farm that serves pizza topped with ingredients grown onsite (or locally) and features picnic-style seating.  Catie is diving into new territory while deepening her expertise in local food and enjoying post-grad school life.

Now, she is applying her experience of building a farm business in her new job as a Beginning Farmer Resource Coordinator at the Community Food & Agriculture Coalition, a community nonprofit in Missoula. Her position allows her to continue making community connections and gaining knowledge about building her own successful farm business - while helping others build theirs. In her spare time, she is doing plenty of R&D by visiting pizza farms and various farm-to-table establishments around the US. 

KassiStrong

Kassi Strong

Kassi graduated in 2018, with a degree in psychology and a minor in business administration. As a freshman and sophomore, Kassi participated in the W.E.L.L. program, at the time named Pursue Your Passions, where she started planning her business, Crepe Cuisine, a mobile French crepe restaurant. Kassi used fellowship award money to expand her business to new locations and increase advertising.

Kassi has since continued to work on her various entrepreneurial ventures. Kassi is thankful for the help and resources the Blackstone LaunchPad and the Pursue Your Passions Program have provided for her throughout her studies at the University of Montana. Having served as the most recent instructor for the W.E.L.L. Pursue Your Passions course, she is passionate about encouraging other women to create a career or business within an area they enjoy. 

We're giving women space to say their ideas out loud.

Women's Entrepreneurial and Leadership Lab Women's Business Center is a community designed with women in mind, on a mission to drive change in our lives and communities through entrepreneurship and leadership.

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