The Venture Center

Meet Our Team

The People behind Venture Center

Amy Pietsch

Amy Pietsch has been an entrepreneur and intrapreneur during the last fourteen years. Titles of Coordinator, Associate Director, Director of Next Generation Initiatives and Owner have come and gone from her business card. Through it all she has been working with people to launch and grow sustainable enterprises. From part-time, home-based, business owners to traditional small business owners to multi-million dollar entrepreneurial firms, Amy has helped them define their business model, develop strategic, marketing and business plans and access alternative, traditional, angel, VC and peer-to-peer financing.

In 1999, Amy was part of a team at CAP Services, Inc. that created and launched Wisconsin’s first virtual business incubator, CAP's Virtual Business Incubator (VBI) was an innovative online resource for Wisconsin entrepreneurs, using the latest technology to connect them with the mentors, experts and resources to help them be successful.

In 2002 Amy was responsible for working to find the "best and highest" use for spent foundry sand. She was successful in working with the WI DNR to create an amendment to NR538, which enabled the use of spent foundry sand in golf course construction and renovation.

In 2004 Amy was recruited by Fox Valley Technical College (FVTC) to join them in their pursuit of researching the need for, and then developing the vision for, the FVTC Venture Center, which launched in September 2005 Since that time, Amy has worked to create an entrepreneurship and small business resource center that the College and the communities it serves could be proud of. The FVTC Venture Center and the core entrepreneurship training series, E-Seed™, has served more than 1,000 people, helped 300 businesses to launch and grow, creating more than 1,000 jobs in the FVTC service area and throughout Wisconsin.

Along the way, Amy's work to drive economic development via entrepreneurship and small business creation and expansion has been recognized by organizations from around Wisconsin. In 2009 the MIT Club of Wisconsin selected the FVTC Venture Center as the recipient of their annual Innovation Award. Amy received the Woman of Distinction Award
from Mid-Day Business and Professional Women in 2007, the Cutting Edge Award from Appleton Rotary in 2006; and, Amy was the recipient of the 2005 Alverno College Young Professional Achievement Award.

Amy resides in rural, central, Wisconsin and is the proud Mom of Sadie, Cole and Paul. She is an avid reader, outdoor enthusiast and loves sports. In 2010 Amy wrote a story about former Green Bay Packers player, LeRoy Butler, that was published in the book, Pea Soup for the Packer Soul.

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Kathi Drake

Kathi Drake is an instructor for the E-Seed™ Innovative Entrepreneurship Training series and for Pro-Seed™ Powered by E-Myth® Training series. Kathi holds a Masters Degree in Business Administration, as well as a bachelors degree in Accounting and Finance.

Having always possessed an entrepreneurial spirit, she has spent the past 25+ years working with small business in various positions. Kathi has been a financial consultant for small businesses, instructing them on the set-up of financial accounting software, and the day-to-day aspects of small business accounting. Kathi also owned her own retail business for seven years specializing in women’s designer clothing. The love of fashion was then transferred to the direct-sell designer clothing industry, where Kathi spent the past ten years as a District Sales Manager, Regional Manager, and Director of Training. This experience provided her with great experience and insight in sales and high-end customer service.

The love of training and helping small businesses grow and thrive have lead Kathi to her current and favorite position with Fox Valley Technical College Venture Center.

Kathi is also Certified Nx Level Instructor and on the Venturous Moms Advisory Board.

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Jeff Ebel

Jeff is an instructor for the E-Seed™ Innovative Entrepreneurship Training series. He is the founder and past president of Ebel Woodworking, Inc., an architectural woodworking company located in Scandinavia, Wisconsin. He has been in the woodworking and furniture industry for over 35 years and started Ebel Woodworking in 1989. After selling Ebel Woodworking in May of 2007, he took an eleven month sabbatical, working part time as a consultant and volunteering for a variety of non-profit organizations. He currently works as a Sales and Marketing Representative for SAINTS Health Services for Business, a Central Wisconsin occupational health services provider.

As a volunteer, Jeff is active in the AWI, Architectural Woodwork Institute, serving a second two year term as a member of the development council, assists the Chapter Development Committee with leadership training, and recently completed a two year term as President of the Wisconsin Chapter of the AWI. He is also a volunteer counselor for and Chapter Chair of the Central Wisconsin Chapter of SCORE, volunteers providing free counseling to small businesses. He is on the Board of Directors for Big Brothers/Big Sisters in Stevens Point and serves as an ambassador for the Portage County Business Council. His association with the many organizations provides myriad opportunities to utilize his skills as a presenter and leader.

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Beth Ehlers

Beth is an instructor for the E-Seed™ Innovative Entrepreneurship Training series. She received a BBA in finance from the University of Notre Dame. She gained her Financial Management experience working for General Mills in Minneapolis, Gorton's of Gloucester in Massachusetts and Kimberly Clark in Wisconsin, working in both the staff and plant settings. She has experience in bookkeeping, cost accounting, internal financial reporting, budgeting and analysis, fixed asset management, payroll and capital expenditure analysis (cost-benefit analysis).

Beth gained her Operations Management experience while working at Kimberly Clark managing a team of 120 employees in the plant setting. In this capacity she gained experience with manufacturing equipment start-ups and steady-state efficiency, preventative maintenance, just-in-time inventory management, machine product loading, and personnel management (including goal-setting and performance reviews). She also gained training experience while managing the plant training department during this time.

An entrepreneur at heart, Beth has successfully operated several small businesses, including a sales consulting business with Southern Living at HOME where she built a team of 20 people and achieved top sales in Wisconsin for several years, and a financial consulting business focusing on small business accounting and analysis. In February 2009 she started her latest venture, co-founding E&S Entrepreneur Advisors which expanded her consulting business by adding business plan and start-up services to her accounting and analysis services. Beth's clients are involved in services, retail and manufacturing/distributing industries.

Her experience as an entrepreneur has exposed Beth to the many challenges, constraints and rewards of owning your own business.

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Kari Esbensen

Kari coordinates the Venture Center and CAP Service’s Career and Leadership Exploration Program, which introduces disadvantaged but promising young adults to post-secondary career and entrepreneurship training opportunities and helps builds the skills necessary for academic and career success.

Kari is a board eligible National Certified Counselor (NCC) who possesses graduate degrees in Counseling Psychology and Environmental Studies. For the past twenty years, she has managed an independent consulting practice, Arborvitae Ecological Services, providing organizational and technical assistance to non-profits, communities, businesses and individuals in the cross disciplinary fields of sustainability, public policy, planning and the environment. She is also the owner of Arborvitae Counseling, LCC, which offers career and life counseling to youth and adults facing major challenges and transitions.

Kari presently coordinates the Venture Center and CAP Service’s Career and Leadership Exploration Program, which introduces disadvantaged but promising young adults to post-secondary career and entrepreneurship training opportunities and helps build the skills necessary for academic and career success.

A life-long learner and educator, Kari has held adjunct teaching positions with Fox Valley Technical College in the Departments of Science and Natural Resources in addition to her current appointment. She has also held a faculty appointment with the University of Wisconsin Extension, and coordinated educational programs on behalf of the Waupaca County Land and Water Conservation Department, as well as the Department of Natural Resources. She is a member of the freelance staff of the Waupaca County Post, originating a monthly column, Sustainability in Tough Times, featuring practical, affordable and environmentally sustainable options for managing one’s business, home and community, highlighting the industrious spirit of Central Wisconsin’s rural small business entrepreneurs.

Kari feels fortunate to pair her devotion to the environment with the empowerment of others through her work and civic volunteerism. She continues to discover new ways to foster leadership skills in others through engagement with the natural world and sustainable design. A small business owner, she is elated by the 21st century interest in things “green”, excited to be in a position to capture emerging market opportunities and thrilled to help others capture them as well.

Kari received the 2002 Arbor Day Award from the Waupaca Tree Advisory Committee for outstanding service in the creation, acquisition and preservation of greenspace in and around the Waupaca Community. She is the recipient of the 2010 Friend of Conservation Award by the Waupaca County Land Conservation Committee.

She holds an M.S. in Water Resource Management from the Institute of Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison, an M.A. in Counseling Psychology, Vermont College of Union Institute and University and Bachelor’s degrees in Political Science and Zoology, University of Wisconsin-Madison.

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Karen Hatfield

Karen Hatfield is an instructor for the E-Seed™ Innovative Entrepreneurship Training series. Karen is a passionate, seasoned marketing professional with over 20 years of experience achieving marketing success for businesses large and small, from promoting a small nonprofit organization to managing the $500M multinational KOTEX brand. She has developed and implemented creative and effective strategies for brand development, competitive positioning, pricing, ecommerce and integrated multi-channel marketing.

Karen received her classical marketing training through an MBA from Kellogg Graduate School of Management in Evanston, which is consistently one of the top 5 marketing business schools in the country. She earned her undergraduate degree in English and Journalism from Illinois Wesleyan University.

In addition to teaching in the E-Seed training series, Karen currently works with Little Rapids Corporation in Green Bay, WI as Director of Marketing and also serves as president of her marketing consulting business, Pythia LLC. Her passion for food (eating and cooking) is expressed periodically through her blog, Pythia Eats.

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Jothi Nedungadi

Jothi Nedungadi is an instructor for the Pro-Seed™ Powered by E-myth® Training series. Jothi has an extensive background in training, organizational development, performance improvement, market research, marketing and instructional design & development in the healthcare industry. She has been involved in Learning Management System implementations, 360 implementations, surveys & evaluations, for corporate wide initiatives and has managed technical and softskills training for Fortune 500 companies in the pharmaceutical and medical insurance industry.

She is an active member of the United Way Impact Area Advisory panel to direct positive changes to strengthening families in the community. Jothi was AIIP’s (Association of Independent Information Professionals) 2007 Myra T. Grenier Award recipient for committed interest in contributing to the information profession. She is dedicated to improving the community while helping her business clients with their strategic information needs. She mentors information professionals nation-wide, and locally, provides business counseling services to SCORE clients.

Jothi has a MS in Education with a major in Instructional Systems Technology from Indiana University. She has an undergraduate degree in Fine Arts & Business Administration from University of Toronto, Ontario. Her varied knowledge and expertise has led her to her current endeavor - information research services. She is the Principal & Information Consultant of Competitive InfoSearch, LLC.

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Susan Schuldes

Susan is an instructor for the E-Seed™ Innovative Entrepreneurship Training series. Susan received a BBA in accounting from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. She is a licensed Certified Public Accountant.

Susan worked as a staff accountant for Wipfli Ullrich in Green Bay and in the Internal Audit Department at Firstar Bank Corporation (now US Bank).

She has not for profit experience, including working as a treasurer for The First Congregational Church and on the Audit Committee for the United Way of the Fox Cities. She is also a trustee for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Wisconsin. Susan trained the present treasurer for the Memorial Presbyterian Church in Appleton and has served in several other financial consulting roles. She has experience in bookkeeping, recording keeping, accounting basics, as well as money management (cash flow), inventory management, internal control procedures and lending/loan applications.

In 2009, Susan partnered with Beth Ehlers to form E&S Entrepreneur Advisors, LLC to provide area business with a full range of business guidance.

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Jill Seidl

Jill has held several administrative assistant positions including working for the City of Appleton and FVTC's Business and Industry Services prior to joining the Venture Center team. Jill as been working behind the scenes with the E-Seed™ Innovative Entrepreneurship Training series since fall of 2003 and is currently the office coordinator for the Venture Center. She enjoys the energy of working with entrepreneurs and coordinating the events and services offered by the Venture Center—and is herself, a source of our team energy!

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