Strong Women, Strong Joe – Featuring Heather Rizzo and Lance Schaefer

Fueled by entrepreneurs, this FREE virtual networking event is for people who are focused on growing their business, expanding their business networks, and getting fresh ideas for their business. This networking event will feature a local speaker and his journey! All are welcome. Join us to connect with other entrepreneurs and get inspired.

Lance Schaefer is President of Everest Hospitality, LLC, a regional property management company with responsibility for hotels and commercial property in south central Wisconsin and northwest Illinois. A proud University of Wisconsin-Stout graduate, Lance has over 35 years of direct hotel and property management experience in various leadership positions. His background encompasses an extensive career in full-service, select service, boutique and resort properties including brands by industry-leading companies like Hilton Worldwide and Westin Hotels & Resorts.

In 2019, after hearing about the rapidly growing coworking industry, Lance decided to convert a 5,000 square foot office space in his Madison, Wisconsin office complex into what is now Uplevel Coworking. The fusion of hospitality and office space was a perfect complement to Lance’s previous hotel experience and Uplevel Coworking became a place where entrepreneurs, start-ups and remote workers could do good work and thrive in a space where the focus was and is on getting things done in a caring and creative community. The success in building a thriving coworking community in Madison eventually led to the development of a second flexible office space location, RiverWorks Coworking in Dixon, Illinois.

Heather Rizzo joined the Uplevel Coworking Team in October 2023. As Uplevel’s Community Manager, she is committed to building the membership community and providing a space where individuals can do good work and thrive. She brings to the team over 17 years of customer service and entrepreneurial experience. She is a graduate of Carroll University and East-West Healing Arts and started her business and wellness practice Return to Balance, LLC in 2006. She is a multi-passionate individual who enjoys facilitating powerful healing sessions as a licensed massage therapist, energy medicine practitioner, wellness coach and group facilitator and also enjoys doing independent contractor work and geeks out over spreadsheets. She loves spending time in nature and with family and friends, ebiking, reading, ecstatic dancing, drumming and watching Badger hockey.