Entrepreneurship
Although Utah ranks well in some elements of women’s entrepreneurship, it ranks low on other metrics and measures. However, there continue to be barriers for women starting businesses nationally, and those that are unique to Utah women more generally. The greatest barriers to women’s entrepreneurship are fair access to capital, access to mentors, access to affordable childcare, and lack of awareness of business training and resources. Even in the face of multiple hurdles, women are establishing businesses that not only generate revenue and employ other Utahns, but also contribute to their quality of life and the prosperity of local and statewide economies. The Entrepreneurship spoke seeks to eliminate these barriers and support Utah women who desire to own and/or operate their own business.
Spoke Leaders
Ann Marie Wallace
State Director, WBCUtah
LinkedIn Profile
Ann Marie Wallace is the State Director of the Women’s Business Center, the same organization that helped her become an entrepreneur. She worked in hotel management and launched her own business before mentoring other women.
Connie Yengich
Program Manager, WBCUtah
LinkedIn Profile
Connie Yengich is the Northern Program Manager and the Lead Business Advisor for the Women’s Business Center. She has over 20 years’ business experience and is passionate about helping other women succeed.
Lisa Jensen
Program Manager, WBCUtah
LinkedIn Profile
Lisa Jensen is the Southern Program Manager for the Women’s Business Center. She has worked in nonprofits for 24 years, many of which were spent as a professional scouter with the Boy Scouts of America.
Bold Goals
To make Utah a place where more girls and women can thrive, the Entrepreneurship spoke leaders, affiliates, and participants are currently working to craft bold goals for 2026 and 2030. These goals will be linked to measurable outcomes, connected to visual dashboards, and will be posted in June of 2023. Through finding, collecting, and visualizing data for this spoke, changes over time can be tracked and utilized to create momentum for additional changes.