The Multicultural Student Coalition hosted a Women and Entrepreneurship Conference, featuring local, innovative entrepreneurial women for Women’s History Month, including Michelle Pack, Dr. Moe Woodard and Amy Morel. Students gathered on March 13 in the JPAC to learn from the speakers about their journeys to success and to participate in a discussion on networking and job opportunities for students just starting out in their business journeys.
After an introduction by the Multicultural Student Coalition executive board, each speaker spoke about their past experiences entering the field of entrepreneurship, especially as women. Michelle Pack is a financial services professional and entrepreneur and began in executive corporate leadership. Now, she works primarily with professional women and business owners, helping them build wealth strategically.
She worked in Maui, Hawaii for three years and started her own pet care business after leaving. She got into real estate and even became involved in the solar industry, working for a company that was acquired by Tesla. Eventually, following her mother to Northeastern, PA she is where she is now, with a love for finance and helping others. While her career journey might not have been linear, she said that “Everything I have learned along the way has made me successful.”
When asked, “How did you learn your value as a female entrepreneur?” She responded, “A male has never been asked that question,” and that women can never let the doubt of misogyny affect them. Pack even states, “Men are hired for their potential, and women are hired for their achievements,” and explained that we should never let anyone else’s stereotypes affect us.
Dr. Moe Woodard is an assistant professor in the Integrative Media and Art Department here at Wilkes. She graduated from Wilkes with a degree in theatre and, struggling to find work, realized her true path was in education.
So, with a PhD in education with a concentration in STEM from Drexel University, her research centers on supporting Black girls’ creativity through culturally responsive computing and coding education. Dr. Woodard’s work has been presented at the American Educational Research Association and the Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education and published in the Journal of Science Education and Technology.
In her answers during the conference, she expressed a strong belief in maintaining one’s mental health, and that it is especially important in succeeding. Dr. Woodard also spoke about how important confidence is, and that “imposter syndrome is very real,” but that it’s important to be confident in oneself and know you belong.
Amy Morel started in hospitality, experimenting in culinary arts, but was discouraged by professors to pursue hospitality while having a family. After having her second child, she returned to school and decided to study entrepreneurship. When she bought her first house, she stated she had a “light-bulb moment” and realized she wanted to go into real estate. She strives to help people of all backgrounds buy property.
She said, “Don’t ever give up, keep studying, keep going at all, because in entrepreneurship, you’re going to get a lot of “nos.” But if you really want something, keep at it.” She also states, “If a door closes, it is keeping you from something negative.”
Morel also spoke about her balance of work and personal life. She shared that “I used to work seven days a week–nonstop” but that it negatively impacted her family and her life. Morel then provided her solution: she keeps clear boundaries with clients about her business hours and preserves time on the weekends to spend with her family.
All three women shared valuable insights about their career journeys, including their challenges, achievements, and lessons learned. They all emphasized the importance of perseverance and highlighted that maintaining mental health, motivation, and boundaries is essential for success. After the Q&A session, they provided their contact information, allowing students to individually discuss how these powerful women could assist them in their academic and career pursuits.