Gradient: Tulsa's Hub for Innovation

The Entrepreneurship Policy Town Hall was one of the most energizing and impactful moments of Global Entrepreneurship Week - and a day I will never forget. This event is something Cecilia Wessinger and I have been dreaming up for a long time, and with the partnership of Gradient: Tulsa's Hub for Innovation and Drew Kincius at Tulsa Innovation Labs, we finally brought it to life. What we saw in the room surpassed every expectation. We created a space where entrepreneurs sat directly in front of policymakers - sharing, questioning, challenging, and teaching. And they did not hold back. Founders and business owners raised issues spanning: • streamlining technology transfer, • expanding access to funding, • micro-grants to help emerging nonprofits stabilize and grow, • manufacturing and supply chain connections for local producers, • public safety and the day-to-day realities of operating a business, • reducing friction and red tape that slows progress, • and countless insights into what it really takes to build in Oklahoma. We also heard from Right to Start and the Institute for Justice, two organizations working nationally and statewide to break down barriers to business ownership and advance policy that supports everyday entrepreneurs - not just those with resources or connections. Participants then broke into working groups organized by topic: • agriculture & rural, • creatives, • public funding, • private funding, • nonprofits, • main street & brick-and-mortars, • academia, • technology, • and more. Every group produced meaningful data, stories, and real solutions - and the cross-sector connections were powerful to witness. The room was full. The conversations were honest. And the momentum is heartwarming and exciting! This is just the beginning. We are committed to continuing these town halls, expanding them across the region, and keeping our focus squarely on one goal: making it easier to start and grow a business in Oklahoma. Sharing some of my favorite moments from the day - the people, the dialogue, and the collaboration that made this event so special. A huge thank you to Matt Pinnell, Monroe Nichols, State Senator Jo Anna Dossett and State Representative Brian Hill for taking the time out of your busy schedules to come hear about these important issues from those you all serve! And thank you to each and everyone we invited for being a part of this event! I am Kate Sullivan. I identify as an entrepreneur; Intellectual Property Attorney; proud business owner, good-human supporter; woman; and lover of animals. Tracy Poole Matt Newman William “William” Paiva, Ph.D. Mark White Peter Mullen Devon Laney Jaslyn Marcal Ferguson Reagan Gowens Alison Peta Hunt Srijita Ghosh Darcy Wilborn Isaiah Sparkman Jonah Toay, EDP James E. Spencer, Jr. Dr. Claire Sbanotto Emily Harden Stephen K. Erran Persley Justin Kits Cole Cunningham Dominick J. Ard'is, I J. Montana Cain, PhD Jennifer McGrail

Today was a day, okay?! I wrapped up The Mine program, after 6 months of deep-diving into human-centered design thinking. I also had the honor of sitting on a panel during Tulsa Global Entrepreneurship Week at Gradient: Tulsa's Hub for Innovation alongside The Mine cohort to highlight my work. And yes… I walked away with $1500 because Oklahoma is just that dope (lol nah, it’s really because I’ve been studying, grinding, and EXPERIENCING this work for half a year). If you’ve been following my journey, you know I built a community savings program in 2024 in partnership with Chase & Louisiana State University— and that momentum has now turned into $6000 raised in 12 days including grant awards from Sky's the Limit, not even counting the 2025 awards already backing the launch of PurposeMint. I’ve been building quietly, intentionally… and now I’m ready to bring it all to the forefront. If you want to be part of this next chapter, learn what I’m building, or work with me in any capacity, Visit mypurposemint.com or reach me at nesha@weconquer.org Thank you for this opportunity Dr. Claire Sbanotto it’s been amazing, and to my fellow cohort ☕ Déja White Jameelah Stuckey, M.B.A., M.Ed Hieu Lê , Stacy Thomas, and Vera Burgess Congrats, the best is yet to come🥂 🤎

You can see how excited I get when I'm celebrating entrepreneurship and innovation! Tulsa has emerged as a nationally recognized leader at fostering entrepreneurs and is proving to be a catalyst for many new entrepreneurs, which is why I was honored to be at Gradient this morning to help launch Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW). Global Entrepreneurship Week is a campaign to celebrate and empower entrepreneurs in every country and community around the world – especially those individuals who face structural barriers or may have never considered the idea of launching a startup. A special shout out to Gradient! Gradient is a Tulsa-based innovation hub and coworking space that has demonstrated significant success in driving economic impact and supporting entrepreneurs in the region. Economic Impact: Gradient members generated over $1.43 billion in direct economic impact for the Tulsa region. Job Creation & Business Support: In 2024 alone, Gradient supported 479 businesses which helped create more than 3,800 jobs. Big things are happening in Tulsa my friends! #GlobalEntrepreneurshipWeek #gradient #blacktechstreet #NVIDIA #tulsa

Beauty Talk in Tulsa! Had a blast being a Panelist on the Global Entrepreneurship Week 🌏 panel at Gradient: Tulsa's Hub for Innovation My Founder's journey is messy, magnetic, and meant to be shared. I believe in speaking my truth and pouring into this community as I'm actively pouring into LAMIK Beauty 💗 The best time to share your wisdom is now, even when you're still in the thick of the build. ➡️Which part of the beauty building journey are you most curious about? DROP a question below!