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Lindsay  Wrege

Lindsay Wrege

Social Entrepreneur & Co-Founder of 321 Coffee

Lindsay Wrege

Social Entrepreneur & Co-Founder of 321 Coffee

Biography

Lindsay Wrege is the co-founder and CEO of 321 Coffee, a coffee shop and roaster in Raleigh, NC that employs individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. 

Her inclusive staff, featuring people with down syndrome, autism, and other forms of neurodiversity, together are modeling inclusion for others to follow.

She started this company in college, and it now employs over 50 adults with IDD. Lindsay believes in the power of using business for social impact.

Speaker Videos

See How Change Is Brewing At This North Carolina Coffee Shop

Lindsay Wrege Keynote Speaker

Speech Topics

Make Better Things with DEI

This keynote is perfect for organizations and teams eager to transform their workplace culture. Explore the business benefits of embracing individuals with disabilities, and learn how diversity can be a driving force for success.

  • Embark on a journey with this keynote where Lindsay shares how growing up with her best friends, who happened to have disabilities, taught her the true meaning of accessibility – not just ticking boxes to stay ADA compliant, but creating an inclusive space where everyone can play together.
  • Driven by the shocking statistic that 80% of adults with disabilities are unemployed, Lindsay founded 321 Coffee, a thriving business with 6 locations and 50+ amazing team members with disabilities. Let's dive into how scaling this venture revealed the powerful intersection where doing good meets doing well.
  • This keynote is your guide to the value of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), proving it's not a charity case but a powerhouse for business success. Learn practical ways to weave DEI seamlessly into recruiting, training, and day-to-day operations, setting your team up for success. 

Key Takeaways

  • DEI fuels innovation, resilience, and business value
  • Operational accessibility in action
  • Embrace DEI within recruiting, hiring, and training tactics
  • Align your actions with your core values
  • Leverage your community

Student to CEO: Dream Big and Start Small

This keynote is perfect for inspiring action and promoting a culture to manifest the change you want to see in the world. It’s just as important to take action on your own ideas as it is to champion and support those around you.

  • Explore the dynamic world of social entrepreneurship fueled by passion and purpose. From a personal pain point, watching Lindsay's friends with disabilities struggle to find meaningful employment, to bootstrapping an MVP with folding table and a coffee maker from Target, to filming a commercial with Queen Latifah, this keynote is a rollercoaster of lessons in risk-taking and resilience throughout my experience founding 321 Coffee.
  • Discover the power of representation, overcoming imposter syndrome, and the impact of mentors. Get ready to be inspired to take action on your ideas and champion others. Change begins with one, and that one can be you. Pick yourself, embrace the entrepreneurial spirit, and let's create a world where everyone can thrive!

Key Takeaways

  • Bootstrap your MVP to gauge traction and product market fit
  • Calculate the risk and take it
  • Pay attention to what is worth failing for
  • Increase representation, take people off the pedestal, and humanize them to make this field more approachable
  • How to build the next generation of entrepreneurs

Empowered Women Empower Women: Help the Next One in Line

This keynote is perfect for any female-focused group or event.

  • Embark on an empowering and inspiring story as Lindsay shares her personal story as a female founder launching 321 Coffee at the age of 18. In a world where women often grapple with being underestimated and not taken seriously, she wants to empower women that their voice is worth listening to. Delve into the struggles and triumphs of her entrepreneurial path from wrestling with imposter syndrome to smashing stereotypes, she's here to uplift you with the twists and turns of her unconventional entrepreneurial ride.
  • Challenge the traditional narrative of entrepreneurship as Lindsay recounts encounters with amazing mentors who had a different starting point. Her turning point came through meeting Maggie, founder of A Place at the Table. Discover how humanizing her journey, from spills to successes, empowered her to take the leap. Witnessing her growth from humble beginnings made Lindsay believe in her own potential. Explore the power of representation and relatability in inspiring others. 
  • Join Lindsay in the mission to increase representation, humanize success stories, and empower individuals to pave their unique paths. Let's create a world where diverse voices thrive, innovation flourishes, and women truly do belief in themselves. #EmpowerHER #RepresentationMatters

Key Takeaways

  • Importance of representation
  • Overcome Imposter Syndrome
  • Challenge Stereotypes
  • Women Empowerment
  • Innovation in Diversity
  • Choose Yourself

Testimonials