The Out Entrepreneur | Bringing Our Whole Selves to Work | Conversations with Leading LGBTQ Bosses

Ellie Anne Dote is founder and owner of EllieGirl Creations, a marketing firm in Fresno, California that specializes in helping small business owners understand their identity as the basis for their entire marketing campaign. With over 25 years of experience in the graphic design industry and 10 years in the website design industry, Ellie uses her design expertise to create powerful user experiences for her clients and their prospective customers. She works with folks all over the country, and by the end of our conversation today, you can learn how to get in touch with her.

Jax Wheatley is the Chief Financial Officer Every Small Business Owner Needs. With over 18 years running their own business, Rainbow Tax & Accounting, Jax loves providing quality, affordable accounting services to individuals, small business, and non-profit organization. When not busy running their own business, Jax dedicates their free time expanding economic opportunities serving as the board treasurer for PABA, Portland’s LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce.

Jax Wheatley is the Chief Financial Officer Every Small Business Owner Needs. With over 18 years running their own business, Rainbow Tax & Accounting, Jax loves providing quality, affordable accounting services to individuals, small business, and non-profit organization. When not busy running their own business, Jax dedicates their free time expanding economic opportunities serving as the board treasurer for PABA, Portland's LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce.

Lisa Snyder is a Portland-based feminist, the Founder and Co-Creator of Tokeativity, a Cannabis Community for Women, and the owner of Elle*Eye Web Design Consulting. With nearly two decades of entrepreneurial experience, she continues to be recognized for her work in Time Out New York, Go Magazine, Oregon Leaf, PUSH Magazine, CannabisTours.com, Stoner Magazine, The Weed Blog, and Splimm.com, among many others. After losing both parents to cancer in her 20’s, she has passionately partnered her community building, feminist event planning, and web skills with fellow event planner, cannabis entrepreneur and community builder, Samantha Montanaro, to create Tokeativity, a cannabis community for women. Together, they help bridge the cannabis industry with consumers to help educate and empower women, in hopes of encouraging forward movement, healing and ending the stigma around cannabis consumption.

Lisa Snyder is a Portland-based feminist, the Founder and Co-Creator of Tokeativity, a Cannabis Community for Women, and the owner of Elle*Eye Web Design Consulting. With nearly two decades of entrepreneurial experience, she continues to be recognized for her work in Time Out New York, Go Magazine, Oregon Leaf, PUSH Magazine, CannabisTours.com, Stoner Magazine, The Weed Blog, and Splimm.com, among many others. After losing both parents to cancer in her 20's, she has passionately partnered her community building, feminist event planning, and web skills with fellow event planner, cannabis entrepreneur and community builder, Samantha Montanaro, to create Tokeativity, a cannabis community for women. Together, they help bridge the cannabis industry with consumers to help educate and empower women, in hopes of encouraging forward movement, healing and ending the stigma around cannabis consumption.

Christof is the Founder and CEO at Hornet Networks, the world’s premiere gay social network. Founded in 2011 with the mission to provide gay men the opportunity for meaningful connections, Hornet has grown to 25 million total users, creating a community that comes together around shared experience and common interests. Christoff identifies as a serial software entrepreneur & investor, he serves as the President of the LGBT Foundation, and he lives with his partner of 21 years, Juan, in San Francisco.

Christof is the Founder and CEO at Hornet Networks, the world's premiere gay social network. Founded in 2011 with the mission to provide gay men the opportunity for meaningful connections, Hornet has grown to 25 million total users, creating a community that comes together around shared experience and common interests. Christoff identifies as a serial software entrepreneur & investor, he serves as the President of the LGBT Foundation, and he lives with his partner of 21 years, Juan, in San Francisco.

Karen D. Orr is the Founder and CEO of PAWS by O-no, LLC. Her company makes iMyK9- a portable, cellular "baby monitor" in cars for dogs. Tragically, thousands of dogs die every year in America from heat stroke due to being unattended in a vehicle, and the iMyK9-monitor works to reduce this sad reality. When Karen isn’t working on her business, she parents two human kids, a dog, two cats and a horse.

Karen D. Orr is the Founder and CEO of PAWS by O-no, LLC. Her company makes iMyK9- a portable, cellular "baby monitor" in cars for dogs. Tragically, thousands of dogs die every year in America from heat stroke due to being unattended in a vehicle, and the iMyK9-monitor works to reduce this sad reality. When Karen isn't working on her business, she parents two human kids, a dog, two cats and a horse.

Alyssa Emerson is the Founder of Come Along, a travel agency for people ready to move beyond their comfort zones, and experience the things in life they've always wanted (but maybe were too scared to do alone). Alyssa believes the world would be a much better - and happier - place if more people travelled, experienced different cultures, and reconnected with their younger selves. Her company helps her actualize this belief every day.