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is a successful entrepreneur, nationally recognized small business strategist and advocate who explodes the myth that “those who can do, those who can’t teach.” Her career, from young business owner to now Executive Director of the Jacksonville Women’s Business Center and the Chamber’s Small Business Center, demonstrates perseverance in the face of loss, passion for achievement and an innate gift for leading by example. Born to an entrepreneurial family, her focus and desire to follow suit drove her from the classroom at the age of 20 to start her own business. She borrowed $10,000 from her father and bought Mother Earth Plant Shop, a retail plant and design business in Wichita, Kansas. Four years later she sold the store, receiving four times what she paid for it. To this day, Mother Earth remains her sentimental business favorite. For the next two decades she fueled her entrepreneurial spirit with three successful ventures in retail franchising, advertising, and publishing that included the hands-on negotiation of a profitable sale of a company. Today, Bartow’s focus is helping small business owners succeed. |
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is President and CEO of the business brokerage firm, Corporate Investment International of North Florida, Inc., which acts as a matchmaker for those looking to sell and those who want to buy a business. In the seven years she has been in business in the greater Jacksonville area, her firm has brokered businesses in sales price ranging from $50,000 to over $10,000,000. She was named Entrepreneur of the Year at the 2004 Women in Business Awards held annually in Jacksonville. Her background includes extensive training and education in business management, finance, business valuation and accounting. She currently holds the coveted Master Mergers and Acquisitions Intermediary designation from the International Business Brokers Association. Cofield is a member of the Chambers of Commerce of Jacksonville, Clay County and Ponte Vedra, the Small Business Resource Network at UNF, the Women Business Owners of North Florida, the Southside Businessmen’s Club, the Business Brokers of Florida and the International Business Brokers Association. |
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is the owner of Janell Conner Design, a multidisciplinary design practice that helps client use the power of creative, innovative thinking and superior design to grow their businesses and organizations. Some of her clients include Jacksonville University, The Potter’s House Christian Fellowship, St John’s River City Band, The Harn Museum of Art , Ritz Theatre & LaVilla Museum, University of North Florida and St. John & Partners Advertising and PR to name a few. Prior to venturing into entrepreneurship, Connor managed the Marketing and PR for Ritz Theatre & LaVilla Museum, where she managed the promotion of over 40 concerts and programs annually. She graduated from Jacksonville University, Magna Cumme Laude with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design. |
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is a Certified Financial Planner and has a private Prudential Financial practice on Fleming Island. Diane qualified again this year to be a member of the Million Dollar Round Table, a prestigious achievement and designation within the insurance industry. She is also certified in Long Term Care Planning. Diane is very active in the community and is currently the Chair for Economic Development with the Clay County Chamber Board of Directors. She is founder and currently Chaplain for Clay Women in Business, a networking and mentoring organization for business women. Just this year, Diane became a mentor partner with the Jacksonville Business Women’s Center Athena Program. |
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moved to Jacksonville from Minnesota fourteen years ago and opened her first business, a family daycare, at the age of 22. Three years later she expanded into a center licensed for 134 children, Little Britches is in Mandarin, and is still serving families in Jacksonville today. In 2005, she opened Kilwin’s Chocolates, Fudge and Ice Cream Shoppe in the St. Johns Town Center. The following year, she opened a second location in Jacksonville Beach and a catering division. Stallings received her B.S. from Southern Illinois University in Health Care Management. She is the Professional Women’s Council 2008 Small Business Leader of the Year. |
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