The RISE Regional Innovation Summit for Entrepreneurs on Saturday, November 1, 2025 in Danville, VA will include networking opportunities and breakout sessions featuring amazing speakers to support entrepreneurs at each stage of business, from ideation to starting, growing, and scaling.

45 MINUTE WORKSHOP

TRACK: SKILLS

Learning objectives for this workshop include:

Attendees will be able to:

• Recognize the critical difference between reactive project management and a strategic PMaaS approach for scaling a business.
• Identify three common project management pitfalls entrepreneurs face and learn how PMaaS mitigates these risks, specifically related to budget, scope creep, and resource allocation.
• Evaluate their own company’s readiness for PMaaS and determine which level of service (portfolio, program, or project management) aligns with their current growth stage.
• Develop a clear action plan for integrating PMaaS to optimize their project lifecycle, from ideation to delivery.
• Measure the tangible ROI of adopting a strategic project management framework using key metrics beyond on-time and on-budget delivery.

Description:

Are you an entrepreneur struggling to translate your vision into a profitable reality?

Many founders are brilliant at ideation but get bogged down by the complexities of execution, watching their ROI get eroded by inefficient processes and mismanaged projects. This session, led by Creative PM Solutions and Trusted AdviseHER, introduces a powerful solution: Project Management as a Service (PMaaS). We’ll move beyond theory to provide a practical roadmap for entrepreneurs. We will share actionable strategies and real-world case studies demonstrating how PMaaS transforms project, program, and portfolio management.

Learn how to strategically drive efficiency, proactively mitigate risks, and maximize your return on investment by leveraging on-demand project management expertise. This isn’t about simply tracking tasks; it’s about building a scalable, risk-averse, and high-performing operational framework. Walk away with concrete steps to streamline your business processes and confidently steer your company’s growth, ensuring every project delivers on its promise of value.

Workshop Presenter: Nikouri Brown, Creative PM Solutions, LLC

Prerequisites: None

Notes for Attendees:

As the founder of Creative PM Solutions, LLC, Nikouri specializes in Project Management as a Service (PMaaS), with a focus on offering flexible, outcome-driven support for ERP implementations and scalable project management solutions. Her background includes 15+ years in business planning, process optimization, and cross-functional leadership, with a track record of delivering complex initiatives on time and within budget. This has included 7 years leading network development and optimization programs for Sprint, 5 years managing high-visibility ERP implementations in parallel to standardizing the PMO at Unanet, 2 years business processes re-engineering while managing ERP implementations and software upgrades at BST Global, and 1 year managing a ~3k user Unanet ERP implementation for Draper Laboratory. Today, Creative PM Solutions provides tailored PMaaS solutions, including project recovery, stakeholder alignment, and Agile/Waterfall hybrid frameworks—all designed to reduce implementation risks and accelerate ROI.

Dawn is passionate about transforming how we work, not just for efficiency, but for sustainability, balance, and long-term impact. Her mission is to help small businesses, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and entrepreneurs thrive by designing data-informed strategies that align with their mission, vision, and values.

Through her consulting and advisory work, she specializes in strategic design, operational mapping, and execution planning that set the stage for measurable growth and meaningful outcomes. Whether supporting organizations through contract readiness, program development, capacity building, or internal operations, she focuses on building strong foundations that are built to last.

As the Founder and CEO of Trusted AdviseHER, Dawn helps ambitious moms launch profitable consulting businesses in 25 hours a week or less. Using her RELAXED Business Framework, they guide women in turning their expertise into B2B and/or B2G contracts and sustainable revenue while honoring their time, wellness, and family-centered values.

At the core of all her work is a commitment to healthy work rhythms and collaborative leadership. She believes that when people are supported and aligned, performance follows. Her approach helps mitigate burnout, fosters shared ownership, and creates environments where both people and businesses can thrive.