Philadelphia Junto Meetup - Living the Start-up Life Panel & Junto

Cool ideas? Want to Impact Philadelphia? Come meet awesome people doing awesome things & share your experiences!

The Junto was a club for mutual improvement established in 1727 by Benjamin Franklin in Philadelphia. We bring that spirit to life with guest speakers, idea exchanging, round-table discussions, entrepreneurial advice, and (of course), beer.

March Junto topic : Living the Start-up Life

Special: Due to popular demand, we have invited 4 amazing panelists to talk about their experiences Living, growing, and learning in the Start-up Life!

Be prepared to:

• Have lots of fun!

• Hear about local innovation & business

• Talk about what you're doing in Philadelphia

• Roundtable discussions on Living the Start-up Life

• Ask questions, get advice!

• Offer advice to others

• Gain meaningful business relationships (fun activities)

Have a topic you want to discuss?

Let us know and we'll add it to the list for the next Junto! Tweet to us @PhillyJunto (http://www.twitter.com/phillyjunto)! We love to hear your comments!

---------------- Special Guest Speakers ----------------

Morgan Berman - CEO, MilkCrate

Morgan is the CEO of MilkCrate, an app to help you shop locally and live sustainably. She began MilkCrate while earning her Masters of Science in Sustainable Design at Philadelphia University. Trained in the ways of the go-getter from an early start, Morgan’s launched her first startup when she was 17 years old. She sold her work to acclaimed brands Anthropologie and Joan Shepp. Pursuing her love of design and social justice work, she’s spent the last decade of her life working towards creating more equitable and sustainable communities. She received her bachelor’s degree from William and Mary, studying Women’s Studies and Anthropology. Upon graduating, she spent several years working at local women’s health nonprofits. Hungering for a more direct design outlet, she immersed herself in sustainable design and hasn't looked back.

Betty Hsu - Cofounder, ProfessorWord.com

Betty is a former English teacher and school district consultant, and a recent MBA graduate from The Wharton School. She is the co-founder of ProfessorWord, a Philly-based edtech start-up that helps students learn vocabulary as they read online.

Mike Thomas - Cofounder, BarWithMe.TV

Mike works with The Gabriel Institute, where he helps organizations design and build extraordinary teams through technology. Prior to TGI, Mike worked in marketing for a local consulting firm and worked on a nonprofit he cofounded called The 367 Project, which offered a leadership development experience to students. In addition to TGI, Mike is the co-founder of a Philly based tech startup called BarWithMe.TV. Born in the suburbs, Mike moved to Philly via Penn State, where he studied International Politics. He loves the outdoors, wandering aimlessly through the city, and great beer.

Michelle Feldmen - Executive Director, KPB

Michelle currently serves as Executive Director of Keep Philadelphia Beautiful (KPB), a nonprofit organization dedicated to community building through community greening. A proud affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, KPB is focused on litter abatement, waste reduction, and recycling education and promotion.

Prior to her time at Keep Philadelphia Beautiful, Michelle served as Commercial Corridor Manager and Communications Director for the Frankford Community Development Corporation, where she primarily worked to assist small businesses along the Frankford Avenue commercial corridor as well as attract new ones to the area.

Before entering the world of community and economic development in Philadelphia, Michelle spent the 2008 and 2010 election cycles working for two top tier political consulting firms specializing in media.

A Philadelphia native, Michelle holds a B.A. in Political Science from Brandeis University, and a Masters in Public Policy from Drexel.

Dhairya Pujara - CEO, Ycenter

Dhairya Pujara is the Founder, CEO for Ycenter - a higher education social innovation enterprise. Dhairya graduated with his Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering from Drexel University in 2012. He started his first company in India at the age of 19 in India. Dhairya is a "Global Shaper" at World Economic Forum's Philadelphia Hub. He is a global TEDx organizer, blogger at Huffington Post and a public speaker on entrepreneurship and international development. Most recently, American Immigration granted him a special category work visa reserved for "an individual of extra-ordinary abilities".

------------------ Schedule -------------------

• 6:00 - 6:30 [Networking & Drinks]

• 6:30 - 7:00 [Introductions & Start-up Life Panel]

• 7:00 - 8:00 [Guided Roundtable Breakouts]

• 8:00 - 8:15 [Takeaways & shout outs]

Come and check out our amazing Junto meet up! Drinks will be provided, so please update your RSVPs!