Entrepreneurs from across industries and stages of business development are set to gather at the first annual HUSTLE Entrepreneurship Conference on Oct. 9 at Creighton University’s Heider College of Business from 7:30 a.m-8 p.m. The goal of the conference is to foster growth, collaboration and innovation within the entrepreneurial community of Nebraska and the Midwest. 

According to organizers, unlike conferences that focus on passive listening, HUSTLE’s format is designed for entrepreneurs who prefer to be actively involved. In addition to keynotes, attendees can participate in hands-on workshops, Q&A sessions and guided networking activities. The event will also encourage conversations about the ups and downs of entrepreneurship—highlighting not just the successes, but also the challenges and failures that come with building a business.

HUSTLE conference co-founders Eric Gautschi and Curt Drew said, “We’re just really excited to get this new conference off the ground. We’ve heard from a lot of people who have been wanting something like this to happen for a long time.”

The keynotes include:

Thanks to our sponsor

Become an SPN sponsor »
Meet our sponsors »

• Franziska Iseli, a Swiss-born Australian entrepreneur, global brand strategist and co-founder of businesses including Basic Bananas and The Data People. Iseli is recognized for her innovation and philanthropy, having been named Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2013.
• Lewis Schiff, chairman of Birthing of Giants and executive director at Moonshots and Moneymakers, will also speak. Schiff is a seasoned entrepreneur who has built and sold media businesses and authored books on entrepreneurship, including Business Brilliant and The First Habit.
• Jay Wilkinson, founder of the Do More Good® Movement, which seeks to inspire purpose-driven businesses, will share his experience founding multiple companies and investing in over 100 startups.

The conference will offer breakout sessions with a range of topics, including scaling businesses, securing capital, branding, marketing strategies and artificial intelligence applications for entrepreneurs.

Panel discussions featuring local business leaders will explore the realities of life as an entrepreneur, touching on lessons learned, the importance of adaptability and the evolving role of entrepreneurship in the region’s economic development.

The conference will include both structured and informal networking opportunities throughout the day. A speed networking session will pair participants with relevant contacts based on pre-submitted information, fostering connections that can lead to potential partnerships or collaborations. 

“…Our goal is for every single person who comes to the Hustle to make connections that they wouldn’t have otherwise made and to walk away having learned something new that they can apply to their business,” Gautschi said. “We’re going to learn a lot about this community and what things work and what things maybe don’t so we can evolve and iterate and make it even better next year.”Event organizers are already expecting 300-400 attendees. You can purchase your tickets on the Hustle Conference website here.