Events & Calendars The Entrepreneurial Spirit: An Amherst Alum’s Roadmap to Success

Mark your calendars! Next month we are having our fall community event, “The Entrepreneurial Spirit: An Amherst Alum’s Roadmap to Success.” This event is open to all students, faculty, staff and local Amherst community members.
The first portion of this event will be a panel-style Q&A with all of the alums, then for the second half of the evening, each attendee will be able to pick from three workshop options each one facilitated by a pair of alums. Each workshop will have a theme and the alums will cover that topic as it relates to their specific business. This will be a great way to ensure people get to hear more from any alum they choose and learn about aspects of their businesses that may not have been covered in the Q&A.
We are thrilled to have these well-established Amherst alums join us for this event! Below is a list of each alum who will be joining us, and a brief description of them and their business.
Cait Scudder, business coach and success catalyst
“My mission is to equip ambitious, visionary women with the structure, systems and support you need to launch and lead a wildly profitable business and have a good time doing it. I’ve taught hundreds of women and counting how to leverage their unique gifts and boldly rise into next level, pack-leading entrepreneurs from self doubt and burnout straight into boss babes earning between $10K-$50K in a matter of months.”
Brendan McKee, Silver Therapeutics
Brendan McKee ’07 is the co-founder and CFO of Silver Therapeutics, a vertically integrated cannabis company with locations in Boston, Orange and Williamstown. Our mission is to provide enjoyment and wellness through our locally curated craft cannabis products. ST opened the second stand alone adult use retail on the East Coast and is the only group in the city of Boston with a vertically integrated Host Community Agreement. As a company, ST continues to embrace the #ILOVESOCIALEQUITY campaign and exceed the states expectations to be inclusive and provide opportunities to groups that have been disproportionately impacted by the war on drugs. ST is one of the few locally owned and operated cannabis groups in MA with plans to expand their repeatable model to contiguous states and beyond.
Carlissa & Laken King, Worldgirls
Inspired by their upbringing in Brooklyn, New York, twin sisters Laken and Carlissa King sought to create dolls that spark creativity and celebrate togetherness. With rich storytelling that’s aspirational and engaging, each Worldgirls doll embodies a specific archetypal trait—Warrior, Healer, Explorer, Rebel, and Scholar—so that children can identify with the dolls unique passions rather than their looks. More than just dolls, Worldgirls is the ultimate team representing girls from different countries and backgrounds who come together to learn, break down barriers, and have fun while doing it!
Parker Holcomb, CoLane
CoLane is a truckload broker automating time-consuming tasks with AI and robotic process automation with a superpowered coworker we call Archie. The more information Archie processes, the more patterns and behaviors he can identify and respond to. This includes information with drivers and dispatch, track & trace, driver empty updates, and handing many of the other endless communications taking place in truck brokerage.
Chloe McKenzie, BlackFem, Inc.
Chloe McKenzie is creating a new reality. And she is starting where it matters most, the financial institutions that typically overlook financially disadvantaged population and school districts with high concentrations of girls of color. Chloe is revolutionizing the financial services industry and education system by offering integrated, culturally-responsive financial and wealth literacy programs and interventions so that we can break the cycle of poverty. Armed with the skills, resources, and most importantly, confidence they need to succeed, our communities will be empowered to articulate and assert their worth.