Lisa Kivirist was the featured speaker Wednesday night at the first Prairie du Chien Inventors & Entrepreneurs Meeting. Her presentation was titled “See Jane Grow: How ECO-preneurs are Leading America’s Rural Renaissance”.

Kivirist is a farmer, writer, and operator of her own “green” business, a solar and wind powered bed & (organic) breakfast” in south-central Wisconsin. While her presentation focused mostly on finding environmentally sound ways to use the land to develop a small business, her themes also applied to anyone with an entrepreneurial spirit. “Being small is a real competitive advantage,” she says, “and wanting to be better at what you do, not necessarily bigger.”

The inaugural meeting was attended by people from as far away as Madison and Minneapolis. Many more were from Crawford, Vernon, and Clayton counties.

This new Inventors & Entrepreneurs club is facilitated by Crawford County Community Development Coordinator Laura Brown, who invites new and existing business owners alike to attend. “If you have an idea, “says Brown, “or just like being around creative people, it’s a fun time.”

Brown adds, “It’s really about getting to know other business people, networking, and realizing that alot of resources you need to start a business are right here in the community.”

Meetings for the club are held on the first Wednesday of each month in the Prairie du Chien City Hall building beginning at 6pm.

More info: Crawford County UW-Extension – I&E Club