Ready to launch your new business but don’t know how to start? Are you baffled by which corporate structure is the best fit and the liability and tax implications of each? Do you want to understand your funding options and general banking and financial planning resources? Do you know how to read financial reports and what they are telling you in order to make the best management decisions? How about insurance needs and client insurance requirements? Our WIT WBO 2024 event series will help you answer these questions and set you up for success.

Our last event of the WIT WBO 2024 series will continue to help build your successful business foundation. This event will explore the financial and accounting world in detail and provide expert insights and advice that will help you get your business off the ground and running correctly!

Christel Bivens, CPA is the President/Owner of Between the Fences and assists her clients as an outsourced Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and with operational compliance. Christel will discuss how your chart of accounts plays an important role in financial reporting and your ability to make important and impactful management decisions. Setting up accounting and financial records correctly from the beginning will allow you to establish a foundational platform to grow a successful business and give you a leading edge on your competitors less versed in financial management. Christel will also give you the “how, when, and why” tools that will set you on successful journey and go over an interactive checklist for ensuring you have “covered your bases” in keeping your business in compliance with state and federal laws.

Come join us for our last virtual event of the season to gain the valuable building blocks to get your business and finance needs in order.

This session will follow the agenda outline below:

• 6:00-6:10 PM      Welcome and Introductions
• 6:10-6:50PM       Speaker Presentation
• 6:50-7:00 PM      Questions
• 7:00-7:15PM       Virtual Networking
  
  

Registration Fees:
FREE for WIT Members
$25 Non-members

Speakers

Christel Bivens, CPA
President/Owner of Between the Fences, LLC

With over 30 years of reputable leadership experience in the Accounting, Operations, & Finance sector of non-profit and for-profit industries, Christel has accumulated a breadth of valuable experiences that she applies while taking on the role of an outsourced CFO, by successfully leveling-up her clients allowing them to grow in capacity and profits, while being compliant. Applying best business practices and tested solutions, restructuring the foundation of a business to obtain constructive and practical financial analysis to allow effective management decisions, and implementing proactive processes to circumvent future business obstacles; are some of her techniques used to deliver client success stories. She believes that many small businesses experience the very same things as larger businesses and they require a CFO resource, but not full-time, she steps in to fill the financial and compliance void for owners of small businesses. Her philosophy is not just implementing solutions but training her clients to understand the reason for the best business processes, what to look for, why it is important, how to read financials, and set metrics to help management oversee making critical business decisions. Born and raised in Maryland, Christel received her BS degree in Accounting from the University of Maryland and has been a practicing CPA for nearly 30 years. Christel believes community is our responsibility, so it is no surprise that she serves as the 2^nd Vice President for the Up-County Citizens Advisory Board for the Montgomery County Council and volunteers with 4H and several other non-profit organizations.

Kara Dickey
Co-Founder and CEO, SmartCom Solutions, Inc., and Chair, Women Business Owners Committee

For over two decades Kara has helped SmartCom Solutions’ clients gain a competitive advantage through technical innovations and reduce costs through efficiencies and modernization. Kara brings a breadth and depth of experience in employing automation to solve organizations’ mission critical business needs. These efforts typically required full scale business process reengineering, as well as custom application development. Kara has extensive experience managing and participating in all phases of the system development lifecycle. Kara has diverse application and industry experience including Mortgage Origination, Mortgage Services, Mortgage Securitization, Mutual Fund Processing, Financial Management and Accounting, Supply Chain Management, and Claims Processing. In her capacity as Chief Executive Officer, Kara is also responsible for setting the direction of the company, business development, marketing, and obtaining/managing resources. Kara holds a B.S. in Decision Sciences (computer science concentration) from George University and an MBA (finance concentration) from Marymount University.

Anu Jekal
President and CEO, Data Surge LLC, Vice-Chair, Women Business Owners Committee

As CEO of Data Surge, Anu Jekal spearheads the company's dynamic trajectory in the realm of end-to-end data AI/ML, and MLOps pipelines, operating seamlessly at an impressive big data scale. Boasting over 15 years of seasoned expertise in the expansive domains of big data, AI/ML, and engineering, Anu not only shapes the strategic direction of the company but also meticulously oversees all operational facets, driving the implementation of both short and long-term goals with unwavering precision.

Anu possesses a distinguished track record and holds a Masters degree in Wireless Networking and Communications from George Mason University. Her journey is marked by successfully leading diverse teams and adeptly managing the development and implementation of intricate enterprise software applications. Central to Anu's ethos is a resolute commitment to fostering a people-first culture. Her mentorship extends beyond corporate boundaries as she passionately guides and supports young women in STEM.