Emerging Entrepreneur in Residence program launches in Ness School

The Ness School of Management and Economics is proud to present the Emerging Entrepreneur in Residence program.

The Emerging Entrepreneur in Residence (EEIR) program is an exciting initiative organized by the SDSU Entrepreneurial Studies Program in the Ness School of Management and Economics.

This program invites a practicing entrepreneur to campus and facilitates engagement with SDSU students, faculty, the regional entrepreneurship ecosystem, and the community.

The Ness School maintains a diverse network of entrepreneurial individuals who provide high-value insights and recommendations within their scope of expertise for student entrepreneurs at SDSU.

An Entrepreneur in Residence at the Ness School must have a proven track record of entrepreneurial success and a commitment to passing on their knowledge to future generations of entrepreneurs and is defined as someone with 5-10 years of active engagement in the pursuit of their own venture and still scaling and developing the venture.

Through engaging lectures, the Entrepreneur in Residence program brings students closer to the conversations and concerns of leaders working on the frontline of innovation and entrepreneurship. In addition, students have the chance to receive feedback on their own ideas/projects and make a connection that might be impactful in the future.

Many exciting opportunities also exist to connect Ness School invited entrepreneurs with research programs on campus and with the regional entrepreneurship ecosystem. The EEIR program is designed to foster these mutually beneficial relationships in the context of education, research, and economic development.

Meet the 2023 EEIR, Bri Fiedler

Bri Fiedler is the founder and co-owner/operator of b|well company. What started as a way to remain active after her athletic career, turned into an opportunity to tap into a passion she never intended to pursue.

Fielder will present her keynote, “Let’s Live Forever: Building a Life through Passion and Purpose” at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 18, 2023 at the South Dakota Art Museum in room 104. The event is free of charge and the entire community is invited to attend.

About Bri Fielder

Bri graduated from South Dakota State University with a degree in Dietetics. While pursuing her career in nutrition she was working for a local gym as a group fitness instructor. After a few short years, she had built a following and a reputation as a resource for health and wellness. In 2014 she took a chance and left the gym to start her business, b.well Brookings. Bri continued to work full-time in the dietetics and marketing field while growing her business until 2019 when she quit her job and went full-time with b.well.

This was a pivotal moment in both her life and the business. Bri’s determination and commitment to growing her small business into a success were made clear throughout the pandemic when she fostered and grew an online community through virtual workouts and nutrition support. Post-pandemic, b.well was able to re-open with significant growth. In 2022 the female-focused business went through a re-brand to embrace more demographics and opened its second location in Sioux Falls, birthing in the current b|well company.

Fiedler is supported by 53 instructors, 5 member experience specialists, and a studio manager. Her husband, Josh, is the co-owner/operator of the business. The dual-membership model business hosts over 4,000 active members and continues to cater to new faces daily. Fiedler was recently named 2022 Female Business Owner of the Year in Brookings, SD, and was nominated as the 2023 Female Entrepreneur of Excellence of Sioux Falls, SD.

She and Josh reside in Brookings, SD, and have three daughters: Jaela, Navy and Finley.

For more information on the Emerging Entrepreneur in Residence program, contact Barb.Heller@sdstate.edu