Chief Pursuer of Authenticity

If I was given the opportunity to provide you with my speaking services, you will be met with attentive service, professionalism, integrity, consistent work ethic and experience. As evidenced by evaluations from my previous workshops and speeches, clients and audience members alike have been pleased with my delivery and insight on the topic at hand.

A native of rural Morganton (North Carolina), Cortina Jenelle Caldwell has always had a passion to serve and connect the surrounding community. As an adolescent, Cortina worked alongside her grandmother – a self-taught entrepreneur with a successful catering business – learning the values of integrity and love as well as the importance of education and the impact of entrepreneurism on the surrounding community. 2013 Profile Pic

By 2005, Cortina’s personal mission to serve others through hospitality – became clear and she continued strategically seeking out professional and educational experiences that would help maximize her future impact. Cortina’s eight year career history has included a management role at the award-winning O. Henry Hotel of Quaintance Weaver Restaurants & Hotels; a leadership role at the coveted Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club and a high-volume sales role at the legendary Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa. While at Grove Park Inn alone, Cortina reached $1.5 million in annual sales for golf, dining and spa in addition to completing the award-winning Aspire Reservation Sales Conversion Training Program.

In 2011, while completing her triple-focused Bachelor’s Degree of Science with a focus in Business, Education & Social Science, Cortina founded Visit & Venture, LLC as the response to a demonstrated need for a collaborative business model that would bridge NC’s thriving tourism industry with local businesses; support entrepreneurs and community organizations and promote authentic points of artistic and cultural interest statewide. Past endeavors, present projects and future visions are rooted in Cortina’s personal values of authenticity; love; integrity and creativity.

As a result of the unique and focused business model created with Visit & Venture, Cortina was named the 2012 Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year by the Minority Enterprise Development Committee of WNC and inducted into the Class of 2013 for 40 Under Forty Asheville. Most recently, Cortina was nominated for and inducted into Leadership Asheville, which is an exclusive community development organization for individuals leading and developing the local community.

Today, Cortina enjoys speaking to groups of students, entrepreneurs, community leaders and underrepresented populations.

No additional notes on technical information as breakdown and setup are both flexible for me.