Wisconsin Women in Conservation 2025 Winter Camp #2: Developing Your Plan, Feb 27

This is the second in a two-part series in partnership with Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation (WWBIC). In each webinar, WWBIC covers business start-up basics and resources, and we showcase a Wisconsin woman business owner running a land-inspired business. This second webinar focuses on Developing Your Plan.

We heard from ecoprepreneur Venice Williams, CEO of Alice's Garden Urban Farm and Fondy Farm Project in Milwaukee. Venice is grandmother and minister to many generations of urban farmers, market growers, and small business owners in Milwaukee and beyond. You can spot her working in the soil at Alice’s Garden, vending behind a table at multiple farmers markets, or staffing her Kujichagulia Producers Cooperative (koo-jee-chah-kuh-LEE-uh) shop in Sherman Phoenix, which sells products made from Alice’s Garden and her network of artisans and herbal apprentices. Venice has won dozens of awards for her community-building and economic development efforts, including the Frank P. Zeidler Award for Public Service from the city of Milwaukee in 2019, and one of five 2025 Unity Awards from Milwaukee Magazine.

Venice shared from her unique perspective rooted in her experience as a Black woman, also with Native American heritage, and the layered heritage of cultivating food and land. Now, as an ecopreneur and minister, food is the vehicle from which her businesses and organizations have grown. Venus says plainly, “Number one, we are here to heal land and community.” That is her foundational premise in creating her own business, and from which she mentors many small business owners. She explains how direct marketing and direct mentoring through the farmers market venue and community removes a layer of expense.

Kathryn Dunn, Vice President of Programs and Operations, WWBIC, Kathryn joined WWBIC in mid-2024 leading the Program and Operations teams that provide small business lending and business training programs targeting women, People of Color, veterans and low-wealth individuals. WWBIC is a leading innovative statewide economic development corporation that’s been “Putting Dreams to Work” since 1987. They provide underserved individuals who are interested in starting, strengthening or expanding businesses with access to critical resources such as responsible financial products, and quality business and financial training.

Kathryn followed up with practical, nuts and bolts advice for key business start-up basics specific to writing a business plan. Kathryn offered WWBIC resources for developing a deeper understanding of how to create a plan and reality that matches your idea.

Key links from the chat:
WWBIC training schedules by regional office:
Milwaukee – https://www.wwbic.com/wp-content/uplo...
North Central – https://www.wwbic.com/wp-content/uplo...
Northeast – https://www.wwbic.com/wp-content/uplo...
South Central – https://www.wwbic.com/wp-content/uplo...
Southeast – https://www.wwbic.com/wp-content/uplo...
Southwest – https://www.wwbic.com/wp-content/uplo...

About Wisconsin Women in Conservation
WiWiC is a state-wide collaborative effort led by the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute in partnership with Wisconsin Farmers Union, Renewing the Countryside and Marbleseed (formerly MOSES). A five-year project funded by the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), WiWiC brings together Wisconsin's women landowners, farmers, farm workers, urban growers, and conservation professionals to connect and share about conservation practices, resources, and funding opportunities.

WiWiC Disclaimer
While the Wisconsin Women in Conservation (WIWiC) project strives to make the information provided to individuals as timely and accurate as possible, we make no claims, promises, or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the contents of our webinars. The information presented is solely the speakers’ expressed views and WiWiC expressly disclaims liability for errors and omissions in the contents. WiWiC also does not recommend any of the businesses that may come up in the course of the presentations.

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