ESA Founder Stephanie Lind Joins Advisory Board and Serves as Inaugural Entrepreneur in Residence

Working directly with Washington and Lee students, faculty, and alumni, Entrepreneurs in Residence mentor, coach, and become involved in both the academic side of the Entrepreneurship Program and its extracurricular activities. The program strives to spark innovation, share real-world insights, and build a community of entrepreneurs that continues to grow and support its members long after graduation.

A liberal arts university is the ideal setting to foster entrepreneurship. Students’ course of study emphasizes analytical thinking, qualitative and quantitative reasoning, creativity and innovation.

“I’m excited to return to W&L and contribute this way,” said Lind. “The University’s tradition of teaching students to ask questions, think critically, and find creative solutions has served me well and will serve the next generation of entrepreneurs, as well.”

The Connolly Center provides students with the necessary tools to develop business plans that are both executable and fundable. The extremely supportive faculty and alumni community helps shepherd students' ventures from concept to business plan, to launch, and beyond.

About Stephanie Lind, Founder, Elohi Strategic Advisors:
In 2015, Stephanie Lind established Elohi Strategic Advisors (ESA) to support small businesses committed to improving the planet and its inhabitants. ESA has grown to become a global consulting firm, serving start-ups and innovation in the food and beverage industry. With extensive experience across sales, marketing, and supply chain in both B2B and B2C sectors, Stephanie provides a broad and comprehensive perspective to businesses of all sizes. Before founding ESA, she spent over two decades at best-in-class companies like PepsiCo, Sysco, and Kerry Group. She is perhaps best known for her role as Head of Global Sales at Impossible Foods during its break-out year.

Stephanie earned her Bachelor of Science with Special Attainments in Commerce from Washington and Lee University, and her Masters in Business Administration from DePaul University. She serves on the Leadership Council for the National Small Business Association, and on the Board of Directors for the Foodservice Women’s Alliance. She has advised more than a thousand companies globally, and through ESA’s proprietary strategy and execution model, she and her team have generated over half a billion dollars in viable global sales opportunities for their clients.

About Elohi Strategic Advisors (ESA):
Elohi Strategic Advisors (ESA) is a well-connected foodservice accelerator, ideal for new companies or those introducing new or existing products into the channel. As a woman-owned (WBENC-certified) small business, ESA boasts a comprehensive team of industry experts dedicated to helping companies pioneer, develop and innovate in the food industry. ESA offers scalable leadership, strategic planning, and execution expertise in areas such as revenue generation, marketing, product and pricing, and management services. Whether you’re looking to break into the foodservice channel or enhance your current capabilities, ESA can help you achieve your goals on an accelerated timeline. Visit elohi.us to learn more.

About the Connolly Center:
The J. Lawrence Connolly Center for Entrepreneurship is an interdisciplinary center intended to help students from across campus learn how to turn their creative ideas into successful business ventures. The Connolly Center is named in recognition of the generosity and support of Leigh and Larry Connolly '79. Connolly is the former CEO of Connolly Inc., a recovery audit accounting and consulting firm. The couple gave $2.5 million to the university in 2013 to establish the center.