In partnership with the City of Denton, Stoke presents the Denton Pitch Competition (DPC), a shark-tank style pitch competition on Thursday, November 21, 2024. Join us at Sunago Bell as local entrepreneurs and small business owners take the stage to pitch their business to a panel of judges and an enthusiastic audience for a shot at one of three cash prizes.

Come out and show your support for Denton's entrepreneurs and small businesses as ten innovative Denton-based companies pitch for their chance to win. Then, be sure to stay for happy hour networking and the Entrepreneur Expo following the event. This is your chance to congratulate the winners, connect with like-minded individuals, and show your support for some local entrepreneurs as they share their passions.

This event is part of Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW), a global movement occurring in hundreds of cities that reach millions of people over a focused effort through events and coordinated activities.

The goal of GEW North Texas is to inspire, connect and engage the local community of innovators, creatives, entrepreneurs, investors, educators and students.

The events organized and hosted during this week are curated to help expose participants to all aspects of entrepreneurship. This week is also designed to create a path of connectivity beyond the normal silos and patterns of engagement.

Unleash your creative spirit at Big Ideas: a Denton Creative Mixer! Join us at Denton County Brewing Company and chat the night away with a community of like-minded entrepreneurs who are passionate about driving their creative ideas forward.

Connect with your fellow Denton professionals, exchange experiences, and forge meaningful relationships. We'll hear from inspiring Denton small business owners who have exciting projects on the horizon. Their stories and insights will offer a unique perspective on navigating the creative landscape and turning dreams into reality.

Expect an evening filled with engaging conversations, an inspiring ambiance, and the opportunity to broaden your professional network. Whether you're a seasoned creative professional or just starting on your entrepreneurial journey, Big Ideas: a Denton Creative Mixer is the perfect platform to share ideas and gain fresh perspectives.

Business Budgeting + Bookkeeping - As an entrepreneur, you need to be able to understand the basic financials of your business and how to successfully plan for the future. This will be a foundational conversation about business finances and a time for you to ask questions to an expert in the field.

About Coffee + Convo

Stoke has hosted Coffee + Convo in various formats over the years. During 2024's iteration, we'll start with a quick intro., describe the topic or guiding question of the day, and dive into how the session so the mentor and peers can best help you with what you're working on. Each mentor has varying expertise in different fields, so every session will be a little different! This is a low-key morning meetup with high impact on your toolkit!

About Anita O'Neal

Coach Anita O'Neal, CPA, CFP® is a highly accomplished financial coach who earned her Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from the University of Michigan, followed by an M.B.A from Cornell University. For over a decade, Coach Anita has been supporting clients through Powerful People Plan. In the last three years alone, she has helped over 60 clients through more than 500 coaching sessions. Her CPA and CFP® certifications ensures she is well equipped to guide clients through their financial journeys.

Lunch + Learn - Google Ads For Small Business

Come join us for a delicious lunch and an informative session on how to make the most out of Google Ads for your small business! Whether you're just starting out or looking to boost your online presence, this event is perfect for you. Our experts will share tips and tricks to help you navigate the world of online advertising. Don't miss out on this opportunity to network with fellow entrepreneurs and learn valuable insights. See you at Stoke Coworking!

Lunch will be provided - just bring your notebook or laptop to take notes.

About Sky McClure

Sky has worked in sales & operations at Billboard Source since 2018. He received a Google Ads Certification from Google and is a 'Google Ads Cert' program graduate from the number one Google Ad Agency in the US. Sky has worked to develop and implement Billboard Source's Google Ads campaigns while also working with business across the country on billboard marketing which has given him a unique perspective and insight for a wide array of industries' PPC efforts. His current professional focus is on AI integration, which complements Google Ads and is revolutionizing marketing.

Boosting Productivity with ChatGPT: Practical Uses for Small Business Owners.

In this Coffee & Convos session we will explore practical ways ChatGPT can boost productivity for small business owners. We'll cover how to accelerate workflows like creating custom GPTs for newsletter or social media content, and templatizing emails for customer onboarding.

About Coffee + Convo

Stoke has hosted Coffee + Convo in various formats over the years. During 2024's iteration, we'll start with a quick intro., describe the topic or guiding question of the day, and dive into how the session so the mentor and peers can best help you with what you're working on. Each mentor has varying expertise in different fields, so every session will be a little different! This is a low-key morning meetup with high impact on your toolkit!

About Juli James

Juli James is the associate director of Stoke Coworking in Denton, Texas. She leads strategic planning and runs entrepreneur education and social impact programs. Juli began her career as an Army broadcaster before transitioning to digital media roles with the State of Arizona. In 2013, she developed a game design curriculum for Arizona State University's journalism department. She further solidified her expertise in the field with a Knight Foundation grant in 2015, developing a no-code game design app for educators.

At Stoke, Juli uses her unique blend of experience to help entrepreneurs and small businesses innovate and succeed. She's a sought-after speaker and contributing writer, focusing on blending education and game dynamics to foster creativity and problem-solving. Her ultimate goal is to make learning effective and enjoyable, particularly in entrepreneurship.

From Elevator Intros to Pitch Sessions: Effectively Talking About Your Business Anytime

As an entrepreneur, you need to be able to talk about your business in any setting from the quick elevator introduction to a full pitch session. Join us for this Coffee & Convos session, where you’ll learn how to tailor your message for different scenarios. We’ll cover a simple framework to help you confidently talk about your business, whether you’re at a networking event, chatting with potential clients, or presenting to investors. Come prepared to refine your pitch and leave with tools to make every business conversation count.

About Coffee + Convo - Stoke has hosted Coffee + Convo in various formats over the years. During 2024's iteration, we'll start with a quick intro., describe the topic or guiding question of the day, and dive into how the session so the mentor and peers can best help you with what you're working on. Each mentor has varying expertise in different fields, so every session will be a little different! This is a low-key morning meetup with high impact on your toolkit!

About Juli James

Juli James is the associate director of Stoke Coworking in Denton, Texas. She leads strategic planning and runs entrepreneur education and social impact programs. Juli began her career as an Army broadcaster before transitioning to digital media roles with the State of Arizona. In 2013, she developed a game design curriculum for Arizona State University's journalism department. She further solidified her expertise in the field with a Knight Foundation grant in 2015, developing a no-code game design app for educators.

At Stoke, Juli uses her unique blend of experience to help entrepreneurs and small businesses innovate and succeed. She's a sought-after speaker and contributing writer, focusing on blending education and game dynamics to foster creativity and problem-solving. Her ultimate goal is to make learning effective and enjoyable, particularly in entrepreneurship.

Save the date & buy your tickets - we’ll be back with amazing speakers, panels, and activities for year 4 of FlintConf!