The Launch Network

Vicky Westra is the Founder of Autism Shifts, a 501(c)3 Non-profit Foundation and Artistas Café, a unique Social Enterprise whose mission is to employ individuals diagnosed with Autism. Prior to her current entrepreneurial role, Vicky worked at Tampa Electric Company for 22 years in various roles. Her last role prior to leaving TECO was Director of Customer Services and Marketing.

Vicky has a B.S. in Business Marketing from The University of Tampa. She is married to Pier and has one child, Gabrielle (Gabbi). Gabbi was diagnosed with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) when she was four years old. Through their journey with her own daughter, as well as her experience providing training and employment for individuals with Autism, Vicky has developed a very comprehensive and unique understanding of the diagnosis.

Vicky is now on a mission, through Autism Shifts, to provide greater education and understanding about the diagnosis and help communities re-imagine a new world for Autism. Autism Shifts’ programs serve the four groups that are key to making this happen, which include: 1) individuals diagnosed with ASD 2) Parents/Caregivers/Families of those diagnosed 3) Businesses who want to become Autism Employment Ready and 4) the broader population.

Vicky believes the timing is right and Tampa Bay is the perfect place to create the first Autism Ready Community model!

Kedma Ough, MBA, is a nationally recognized business development and business funding expert, innovation and entrepreneurship thought leader, award-winning champion of small business, and business advisor for independent inventors. She is also a proud fifth generation entrepreneur, whose great-great grandfather peddled various products across Ireland.

Throughout her career, Ough’s driving mission has been to empower people—particularly minorities, veterans, women, people with disabilities, and innovators—to become business owners and to maximize the potential of their businesses. To date, she has helped more than 10,000 individuals fund, launch, and grow their businesses, in a wide range of industries.

Everyone can be a creator, inventor and innovator, 
With solid research and access to education all things are possible, 
Live every day with purpose, passion and perseverance. 
Dreams do come true!

Jim DeBetta’s product development and sales experience has amassed millions of dollars within the retail selling world. Known nationally as a trusted coach and mentor to thousands of inventors and entrepreneurs, he knows how to take new ideas from a sketch on a napkin to selling the final product to major retailers worldwide.

SOURCINGmojo helps entrepreneurs and businesses source products from Asia. Whether you use one of our individual services for a one-time project, or you hire us to manage your supply chain on a full-time basis, we’re in the business of making all aspects of sourcing simple, consistent and reliable.

Jim is the founder and President of WeKnowInventing which specializes in coaching and consulting for inventors and consumer products start-up companies. My firm assists clients with product development and engineering of consumer products as well as sales and marketing representation to major retailers for our select clients. Recently, I was VP of Retail Distribution for TV Goods which is owned by Kevin Harrington from the ABC show Shark Tank. I headed up a team of retail specialists that sold exciting new products to the world's most prestigious retailers and TV shopping networks including HSN and QVC.

Jim DeBetta founder and President of WeKnowInventing which specializes in coaching and consulting for inventors and consumer products start-up companies. My firm assists clients with product development and engineering of consumer products as well as sales and marketing representation to major retailers for our select clients. Recently, I was VP of Retail Distribution for TV Goods which is owned by Kevin Harrington from the ABC show Shark Tank. I headed up a team of retail specialists that sold exciting new products to the world's most prestigious retailers and TV shopping networks including HSN and QVC.

Jason Boyce, began selling direct to consumer as an e-commerce retailer in 2002, and a third party Amazon merchant in 2003.  Together with his A+ teams, he has bootstrapped several of his own brands to success with the Avenue7Media, 7-Step Method developed over a decade and a half of real world trial and error.  These methods helped Jason’s company become a Top 200 Amazon Seller and a top 1,000 E-commerce seller according to Internet Retailer Magazine.

Jim is a Professional Member of the United Inventors Association, a member of the Georgia Inventor’s Association, Rocky Mountain Inventors Association, and was the former co-host of the Launch Hour – a popular radio program for inventors and entrepreneurs. He is also the author of The Business of Inventing and has written hundreds of articles for industry publications, newspapers, and websites such as Inventor’s Digest, Georgia Magazine, and Entrepreneur Magazine. Jim also appears as a guest speaker for leading trade and consumer organizations, speaks at international conferences, and hosts forum and blog discussions on prominent invention and entrepreneurial websites.

Kedma Ough, MBA, is a nationally recognized business development and business funding expert, innovation and entrepreneurship thought leader, award-winning champion of small business, and business advisor for independent inventors. She is also a proud fifth-generation entrepreneur, whose great-great-grandfather peddled various products across Ireland.