This week’s episode of “WisBusiness: the Podcast” is with Heather Wentler, co-founder and executive director of Doyenne.
Wentler announced in a blog post last month that she will be stepping down from leading the Madison-based organization, which aims to support women and other underrepresented groups as they launch and grow early-stage startup companies.
She discusses the path ahead for the nonprofit group, which has begun the search for its next executive director. The leadership team started doing first-round interviews in the first week of December.
Wentler explains she didn’t want to promote someone from within to take over, noting “I don’t know what I’m not seeing” without casting a wider net.
“Trying to hire at an executive level during the holidays can be kind of tight and can be kind of tough,” she said. “So while we’re trying to be able to have someone accepted and starting the role not long after the new year, we know that might not happen … We want to be very intentional about it.”
Wentler has been at the helm of Doyenne for 14 years, saying the decision to step down wasn’t made lightly.
“When I started thinking about what does the organization need to continue to flourish and move forward, you know, it’s something that I preach and teach to my entrepreneurs as well, is identifying when you’ve kind of run your course within your company,” she said.
Now, she said the focus is on identifying who is best suited to carry on the momentum established under her leadership and continue advancing Doyenne.
“I know that as we continue to move into this next phase of society, we might need a different person at the help to be able to keep up with those things,” she said.
Wentler said she’s seeing a backslide in disparities within the entrepreneurial community after earlier progress was made in the 2010s.
“When we look at how we were making progress … around funding, around recognition, around opportunities for historically marginalized individuals, we’re starting to see those gaps grow again,” she said.
Listen to the podcast below, sponsored by UW-Madison:
