Emerald Entrepreneur 

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About Us

Emerald Entrepreneur 

Technically Emerald Entrepreneur has only been in business for 7 years, but its owner and Chief Chica Verde, Melissa Wagner-Gens has been helping local entrepreneurs start their small businesses smartly for nearly 20 years. I firmly believe the entrepreneur community should be one of passion, empathy, excitement and camraderie; not waste and greed. 

 Ghandi once said “be the change you wish to see in the world” and that’s exactly what Emerald Entrepreneur is doing! I love that we are part of this shift from business foe to entrepreneur ally for so many entrepreneurs. I hope you come along for this amazing ride!

  • Mission Statement

    Emerald Entrepreneur is a one stop small business specialist focusing on supporting talented & inspired small business entrepreneurs through mentoring, education, community and bespoke business designs.

  • Core Values

    1. We believe 2020 SUCKED! But out of that huge suckiness, came clarity for many people on how they truly wish to live their lives. The pivot to “entrepreneur” is a scary, but exhilarating journey and everyone can use a small biz bestie to help guide them through the experience. We love being that guide girl!

    2. We entrepreneur goddesses here at Emerald Entrepreneur believe everyone deserves brilliant small business assistance and education, regardless of race, shape, sexual orientation, location, hair color, number of tattoos or coffee preference.

    3. We believe in creating forward-thinking, fantastic, unique businesses and we will do everything in our power to give you the information you need to develop, design and manage those businesses.

    4. Our goal is to get all unique and un-traditional small businesses the training and expertise they need to make a living doing what they are passionate about!

    5. We believe in teaching sustainability by brilliantly green example, not by sus-shaming people into complying.

    6. We believe the entire small business community should embrace and educate themselves and those around them. We grow stronger together.

    7. We believe there’s always time for coffee. Always...There is never not a good time. MMMM, Coffee!

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    Tribe Vibe

    Emerald Entrepreneur firmly believes entrepreneurs need a core group of other awesome entrepreneurs with complementary skills. Call it a tribe, call it a core group, whatever you call it, you need one! Here at Emerald Entrepreneur, we call it the Emerald Army of Awesomeness

    Our Army of Awesomeness includes

    • Fab Farmers
    • Coffee Bean Queens
    • Homesteading Heroines
    • Graphic Design Goddesses
    • Kickass Cowgirls
    • Designer Divas
    • Chicas of Chocolate
    • Amazing Artists

    • Melissa Wagner-Gens

      Meet Melissa Wagner-Gens, PMP

      Armed with multiple cups of coffee, her extensive business/project management background, and the drive to make the world a better place, Melissa has made a name for herself as a multi-level small business consultant. Whether it's mentoring one on one, designing and hosting classes, or creating bespoke business documents and designs, she thrives on helping other female entrepreneurs create their unique small business in a way that makes sense for them.

      Melissa holds a dual degree in English & History from Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado, with minors in Writing & Women's History. She recieved her Project Management Professional Certification (PMP) in 2003 from the Project Management Institute (PMI). She has contributed to and been highlighted in several national and international magazines over the years for her unique project management takes on entrepreneurship and green weddings including PM Network, which reaches 72 countries.

      Under Emerald Events & Weddings (her company started in 2003), Melissa designed numerous eco-friendly weddings as well as developed and taught the first Texas college funded event planner course & externship from 2009 - 2014. In 2017, she opened Emerald Entrepreneur to fill the needs of the passionate micropreneurs she comes in contact with every day. In 2021, she won the prestigious TWU StartHER grant. She is always available for coffee with other Emeralds!

    • Why is Your Company called "Emerald"

      I get asked all the time how I chose "Emerald" to represent my companies. So I'll tell ya!

      The main reason is . . . "Emeralds represent how I see my clients." Emeralds are actually considered more precious than diamonds and virtually all emeralds have inclusions, bubbles or cracks, carbon fleck and possibly foreign crystals inside. These are not considered faults but rather an indication of the emerald's genuineness & authenticity.

      Just like emeralds, I love to see the uniqueness each of my clients bring to their business. I don't resonate with the perfect flawless diamond types of entrepreneurs. Other business coaches do and that's great. But my tribe is made up of crazy, caffeinated, messy, generous and sarcastic types who believe in helping others and want to share their talents with the world. You know, the kind of person who takes what life throws at them and uses it to make them stronger & more empathetic.

      Where others may see "flaws" or "raws", I see "genuineness ". I fall in love with those people and their entrepreneurial visions immediately. My next questions are "how can I help this person give their gift to the world?" and "I wonder how they take their coffee?".