Founder to CEO Summit

Ready to transform your entrepreneurial journey from Founder to CEO? Join us in the vibrant city of Charlotte, North Carolina, for an exceptional experience at the Founder to CEO Summit. Presented by 1863 Ventures in collaboration with Wells Fargo, this one-day conference is custom-designed for New Majority founders like you who have historically been underestimated. Get ready to dive into a world of business education, dynamic panels, and inspiring fireside chats with industry leaders. With nearly 300 fellow entrepreneurs by your side, this is your chance to accelerate your entrepreneurial journey from Founder to CEO. Secure your spot now and get ready to ignite your success story in the Queen City!

Meet the Speakers

Beatrice Dixon is the CEO, Co-Founder, and Chief Innovation Officer of The Honey Pot Company, the personal wellness brand “made by humans with vaginas, for humans with vaginas.” ® Beatrice created The Honey Pot Company in 2014 out of great personal need during an eight-month battle with bacterial vaginosis. The constant symptoms and fruitless search for solutions led her to formulate what became The Honey Pot Company’s first product, a vulva-safe wash. The Honey Pot Company currently offers feminine washes, wipes, tampons, pads, and products for personal health and wellness. Today, The Honey Pot Company’s plant-derived products can be found in 4.6 million U.S. homes and in retailers nationwide.

Christopher Gray founded Scholly, an app that helps students easily find scholarships for college and graduates pay off their student debt. Scholly was featured on ABC’s Shark Tank, landing a deal with Daymond John and Lori Greiner and sparking the biggest fight in Shark Tank history. Scholly maintains over 5 million users and has helped students raise over 100 million dollars. The company was acquired by consumer banking corporation, Sallie Mae, in 2023.

Shalanda Armstrong is Managing Partner of 100KM Ventures based in Washington, DC investing in Future of Work and Women's Health. Prior to launching 100KM Ventures, she has been an active angel investor investing in over 25 startups and a technology executive. Shalanda has spent close to 20 years in the technology sector holding multiple technology consulting leadership roles at top-tier firms including PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ernst and Young, and Salesforce after beginning her career as a software engineer at Lockheed Martin. Shalanda holds a B. Sc. in Computer Science from Hampton University, a M. Sc. in Engineering and Technology Management from The George Washington University, a MBA from Robert H. Smith School of Business at University of Maryland - College Park, and Executive Education Certificates from The Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania and Stanford University.

Melissa L. Bradley is a tri-sector leader and Managing Partner at 1863 Ventures with more than 20 years of entrepreneurship, investment and leadership experience. She is an Adjunct Professor at the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University where she teaches impact investing, social entrepreneurship, P2P economies and innovation. Melissa has served as a Presidential Appointee under Presidents Clinton and Obama. Under Clinton, Melissa served as Financial Regulatory Affairs Fellow at the Department of Treasury, Office of Thrift Supervision, where she researched the impact of welfare reform and micro-enterprise lending on the financial industry and authored “IDA Strategy for Asset Accumulation”

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Knight Theater, 430 South Tryon Street, Charlotte, United States