Tuesday, September 22nd Women in CPG Morning Workshop

Business Financial Support:
Plan for Sustainable Growth

Bring a COMPLETED or WIP single channel finance model spreadsheet

(an example will provided if you don’t have one)

Who Should Attend?
CPG women founders in early- to mid-stage of business or those who want support with their financials.

*This group is open to marginalized genders including women, women-identifying individuals, and non-binary and gender non-conforming people who are comfortable in a space that centers the experiences of women leading CPG (natural products) companies and CPG-supporting companies in Central Oregon.

Why is this Important?
The purpose is to tackle our financial questions, challenges, and ideas in order to support each other and the profitability of our businesses.

Goal of Event:
To help women CPG founders be more confident with their business finances.

Attendees will be able to:

• Do a cost build up for a sales channel

• See how pricing affects your channel margin/profit

Attendees will leave with:

• One channel cost model

• Knowing your true channel margin and profit

• An analysis of channel pricing so you can increase your profitability

Event Agenda

8:45-9:00AM
Check-in, Coffee, and Networking

9:00-10:00AM
Topic Presentation and Group Q&A

10:00-11:00AM
Individual Work Time and Feedback

Think Your Library Is Just Books? Think Again.

The new Central Library has some seriously useful resources for entrepreneurs and business owners, and Cultivate Bend members are getting a special tour.

Market research. Business databases. Meeting rooms. Workspaces. A makerspace. Pitch deck research. And personalized help finding the information you need.

Members are already using these resources. One worked with the library to uncover market insights for an upcoming business presentation, finding information they wouldn’t otherwise have had access to.

Come see what else is available and discover how the library can help you research, create, collaborate, present and grow.

Your library. Your business. Your next big idea.

Details:

Location: New Central Library
Date: Monday, September 14th
Time: 5:30–7:00 PM
FREE for Cultivate Bend members

Register Below:

CPG Coffee & Coworking

A new monthly CPG community meetup!

September 8th @ 9:00-11:00AM
Dilly Dally Coffee

Grab your laptop and your coffee — this is your new monthly CPG meetup! Join fellow founders and operators for a casual coffee and coworking session where ideas get sharpened, challenges get workshopped, and real connections get made. Whether you’re heads-down building or need a sounding board, come work alongside people who understand the space and share your struggles. We’re taking our meetups on the road to local coffee shops as we support and spotlight small businesses in our community.

Cultivate Bend Monthly Happy Hour

First Tuesday of Every Month!

SEPTEMBER 1ST HAPPY HOUR

No agenda, just show up, buy your own beverage, and have fun connecting with others in the industry!

$1 OFF ALL BEVERAGES
No registration required!

Thanks to our contributing sponsor Crux Fermentation Project

CPG Coffee & Coworking

A new monthly CPG community meetup!

August 11th @ 9:00-11:00AM
Dilly Dally Coffee

Grab your laptop and your coffee — this is your new monthly CPG meetup! Join fellow founders and operators for a casual coffee and coworking session where ideas get sharpened, challenges get workshopped, and real connections get made. Whether you’re heads-down building or need a sounding board, come work alongside people who understand the space and share your struggles. We’re taking our meetups on the road to local coffee shops as we support and spotlight small businesses in our community.

Cultivate Bend Monthly Happy Hour

First Tuesday of Every Month!

AUGUST 4TH HAPPY HOUR

No agenda, just show up, buy your own beverage, and have fun connecting with others in the industry!

$1 OFF ALL BEVERAGES
No registration required!

Thanks to our contributing sponsor Crux Fermentation Project

CPG Coffee + Coworking

A new monthly CPG community meetup!

JULY 14TH @ TBD | 9:00-11:00AM

Grab your laptop and your coffee — this is your new monthly CPG meetup! Join fellow founders and operators for a casual coffee and coworking session where ideas get sharpened, challenges get workshopped, and real connections get made. Whether you’re heads-down building or need a sounding board, come work alongside people who understand the space and share your struggles. We’re taking our meetups on the road to local coffee shops as we support and spotlight small businesses in our community.

**Registration opening soon!!

Cultivate Bend Monthly Happy Hour

First Tuesday of Every Month!

JULY 7TH HAPPY HOUR

No agenda, just show up, buy your own beverage, and have fun connecting with others in the industry!

$1 OFF ALL BEVERAGES
No registration required!

Thanks to our contributing sponsor Crux Fermentation Project

CPG Coffee + Coworking

A new monthly CPG community meetup!

JUNE 9TH @ TBD | 9:00-11:00AM

Grab your laptop and your coffee — this is your new monthly CPG meetup! Join fellow founders and operators for a casual coffee and coworking session where ideas get sharpened, challenges get workshopped, and real connections get made. Whether you’re heads-down building or need a sounding board, come work alongside people who understand the space and share your struggles. We’re taking our meetups on the road to local coffee shops as we support and spotlight small businesses in our community.

**Registration opening soon!!

Cultivate Bend Monthly Happy Hour

First Tuesday of Every Month!

JUNE 2ND HAPPY HOUR

No agenda, just show up, buy your own beverage, and have fun connecting with others in the industry!

$1 OFF ALL BEVERAGES
No registration required!

Thanks to our contributing sponsor Crux Fermentation Project

CPG Coffee + Coworking

A new monthly CPG community meetup!

MAY 12TH @ Watershed Coffee | 9:00-11:00AM

Grab your laptop and your coffee — this is your new monthly CPG meetup! Join fellow founders and operators for a casual coffee and coworking session where ideas get sharpened, challenges get workshopped, and real connections get made. Whether you’re heads-down building or need a sounding board, come work alongside people who understand the space and share your struggles. We’re taking our meetups on the road to local coffee shops as we support and spotlight small businesses in our community.

**Registration opening soon!!

Cultivate Bend Monthly Happy Hour

First Tuesday of Every Month!

Bring a friend!

MAY 5TH HAPPY HOUR

No agenda, just show up, buy your own beverage, and have fun connecting with others in the industry!

$1 OFF ALL BEVERAGES
No registration required!

Thanks to our contributing sponsor Crux Fermentation Project

Growing sales but cash still tight?

Learn how margins and sales channels impact cash flow and profitable growth.

How product margins and sales channels shape cash flow, debt, and sustainable growth.

For many founders, adding new sales channels or expanding wholesale feels like progress — but without the right margins, it can quietly create cash flow strain and increase reliance on  debt.

In this Built to Grow Founder Working Session, food finance expert Sarah Delevan, Workshop Leader and founder of The Good Food CFO, will walk through how product margins and channel decisions directly impact profitability, cash flow, and the ability to scale.

You’ll learn practical ways to evaluate opportunities before committing time, inventory, and capital — so growth actually strengthens your business.

CPG Coffee + Coworking

A new monthly CPG community meetup!

APRIL 8TH @ TBD | 9:00-11:00AM

Grab your laptop and your coffee — this is your new monthly CPG meetup! Join fellow founders and operators for a casual coffee and coworking session where ideas get sharpened, challenges get workshopped, and real connections get made. Whether you’re heads-down building or need a sounding board, come work alongside people who understand the space and share your struggles. We’re taking our meetups on the road to local coffee shops as we support and spotlight small businesses in our community.

**Registration opening soon!!

Cultivate Bend Monthly Happy Hour

First Tuesday of Every Month!

APRIL 7TH HAPPY HOUR

No agenda, just show up, buy your own beverage, and have fun connecting with others in the industry!

$1 OFF ALL BEVERAGES
No registration required!

Thanks to our contributing sponsor Crux Fermentation Project

CPG Coffee + Coworking

A new monthly CPG community meetup!

MARCH 11TH @ Dudley’s Bookshop Cafe | 9:00-11:00AM

Grab your laptop and your coffee — this is your new monthly CPG meetup! Join fellow founders and operators for a casual coffee and coworking session where ideas get sharpened, challenges get workshopped, and real connections get made. Whether you’re heads-down building or need a sounding board, come work alongside people who understand the space and share your struggles. We’re taking our meetups on the road to local coffee shops as we support and spotlight small businesses in our community.

Cultivate Bend Monthly Happy Hour

First Tuesday of Every Month!

MARCH 3RD HAPPY HOUR

No agenda, just show up, buy your own beverage, and have fun connecting with others in the industry!

$1 OFF ALL BEVERAGES
No registration required!

Thanks to our contributing sponsor Crux Fermentation Project

Collab Night with Special Guest: James Kelley PH.D

No agenda—just show up, grab a drink, and connect with others in the industry. This Happy Hour is a special Collab Night with James Kelley, Ph.D. (you may recognize him from our Office Hours event last October). James is consumer psychologist and entrepreneur who will be mingling and available for casual conversations about consumer psychology, brand building, and AI. No registration or membership required—bring your friends and feel free to connect with him and explore his expertise while you hang out.

Join us at EDCO’s February PubTalk as Cultivate Bend takes the spotlight featuring a CPG industry keynote and live pitches from member brands highlighting their natural products.

4:30 PM Networking | 5:30 PM Program

Program Agenda:

Keynote Presentation:

Elliot Begoun, Founder, TIG Brands

Company Pitch: Good Friend

Jerek Lovey, CEO

Company Pitch: Mmor Waffles

Ken Langdon, Founder

Update: Cultivate Bend, Katie Thomson, CB Vice President & CEO of Square Baby

CPG Coffee + Coworking

A new monthly CPG community meetup!

FEBRUARY 10TH @ THE HAVEN COWORKING | 9:00-11:00AM

Grab your laptop and your coffee — this is your new monthly CPG meetup! Join fellow founders and operators for a casual coffee and coworking session where ideas get sharpened, challenges get workshopped, and real connections get made. Whether you’re heads-down building or need a sounding board, come work alongside people who understand the space and share your struggles. We’ll kick things off at The Haven, then take future meetups on the road to local coffee shops as we support and spotlight small businesses in our community.

*Please note that we will be gathering downstairs at The Haven. Once you walk in the main doors of the office building, you will see a Cultivate Bend sign. Please head left and you will see us down the hallway near the back patio. A CB board member will greet you at the front doors to help guide you, as well!

Cultivate Bend Monthly Happy Hour

First Tuesday of Every Month!

FEBRUARY 3RD HAPPY HOUR

No agenda, just show up, buy your own beverage, and have fun connecting with others in the industry!

$1 OFF ALL BEVERAGES
No registration required!

Thanks to our contributing sponsor Crux Fermentation Project

Cultivate Bend Monthly Happy Hour

First Tuesday of Every Month!

JANUARY 6TH HAPPY HOUR

No agenda, just show up, buy your own beverage, and have fun connecting with others in the industry!

$1 OFF ALL BEVERAGES
No registration required!

Thanks to our contributing sponsor Crux Fermentation Project

Cultivate Bend Monthly Happy Hour

First Tuesday of Every Month!

DECEMBER 2ND HAPPY HOUR

No agenda, just show up, buy your own beverage, and have fun connecting with others in the industry!

$1 OFF ALL BEVERAGES
No registration required!

Thanks to our contributing sponsor Crux Fermentation Project

Cultivate Bend Monthly Happy Hour

First Tuesday of Every Month!

NOVEMBER 4TH HAPPY HOUR

No agenda, just show up, buy your own beverage, and have fun connecting with others in the industry!

$1 OFF ALL BEVERAGES
No registration required!

Thanks to our contributing sponsor Crux Fermentation Project

A One-Day Growth Summit for Natural Product Brands

Tuesday • October 14th, 2025

12:00pm - 5:00pm @ Unitarian Universalist

61980 Skyline Ranch Road • Bend, OR

Build a better CPG business—without the guesswork. Join Central Oregon’s most ambitious founders for a high-impact day of strategy, networking, and real answers to your toughest growth challenges

WHAT TO EXPECT

• KEYNOTE SPEAKER
  A battle-tested CPG founder shares how to grow in uncertain times—what’s working, what’s not, and what’s next.

• PITCH SLAM
  Watch local brands pitch to industry pros. Learn what gets attention and tips on growing your own brand.

• COMMUNITY MARKETPLACE
  Sample, taste, and purchase a wide assortment of local natural products from Cultivate Bend members.

• HAPPY HOUR
  Close out the day with an unmissable opportunity to network, inspire collaboration, and cultivate growth in Central Oregon’s thriving natural products community!

Cultivate Bend Monthly Happy Hour

First Tuesday of Every Month!

OCTOBER 7TH HAPPY HOUR

No agenda, just show up, buy your own beverage, and have fun connecting with others in the industry!

$1 OFF ALL BEVERAGES
No registration required!

Thanks to our contributing sponsor Crux Fermentation Project

HOW IT WORKS
4 x 30 minute sessions are available by reservation between 2:15-5:30pm at Crux Fermentation. This opportunity is on a first-come, first-serve basis, so sign up quickly!*

SAMPLE DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

• In what ways can I strengthen my brand’s community and deepen consumer engagement?

• What are some practical ways I can motivate my target market’s behavior?

• How can AI accelerate product innovation, consumer research, or go-to-market within the CPG space?

• How can AI help increase my business’ health by lowering long-term costs, in a field with tight margins? 

• In what ways does materialism and consumer identity shape loyalty to my products?

• How does consumer psychology concepts like brand value, cosmopolitanism, or ethnocentrism influence purchase decisions in CPG?
  

  *Please note that these office hours are available to Cultivate Bend Members only. Learn more about memberships here.

Meet James

Consumer Psychologist & Entrepreneur

James Kelley, Ph.D., is a researcher and entrepreneur with deep expertise in consumer psychology. His work explores how brand communities, perceived brand value, and concepts like materialism, cosmopolitanism, and consumer ethnocentrism shape consumer engagement and identity. A two-time founder, James now helps organizations harness AI to accelerate growth, drawing on his background in brand research and self-determination theory. Today, he blends academic insight with entrepreneurial practice to guide leaders in building stronger, more resilient connections with their customers through the use of A.I.

EDCO’s Central Oregon PubTalk is a happy hour aimed at bringing together different facets of the business community in one place to network, share ideas and further local businesses.

4:30 pm Networking | 5:30 pm Program

Program Agenda:

This high-energy entrepreneurial event showcases the Bend Venture Conference (BVC) Early Stage semifinalists as they deliver fast-paced, three-minute pitches to a live crowd. The audience, along with an expert panel of judges, will vote to decide which companies advance to present at the Tower Theatre for the 22nd annual Bend Venture Conference (BVC) on October 16-17, 2025.

Join us for a high-energy event at Worthy Brewing's outdoor stage, and cast your vote to help a local Oregon startup win a $3,000 cash prize!

Agenda:

10 Semi-Finalists will be announced on September 8th.