Where Are They Now?

Former WDCEP employees Lauren Gertzman and Kate Sirotkina both left the WDCEP in the last year to start their own entrepreneurial ventures.  While they’re no longer WDCEP employees, they now embody our mission as entrepreneurs and small business owners and have used their experiences at WDCEP and our resources to assist them in starting up on their own.  We’ve checked in with them to learn more about what they’re currently up to:

Lauren, who was Creative Director at WDCEP for four years, has founded Inside Minds, a DC-based visual communications studio.  To start her company, Lauren used WDCEP’s Doing Business in DC publication to guide her through licensing and registration at DC agencies; she utilized the law clinics organized by the WDCEP’s Small Business Award winner the DC Bar Pro Bono program; and she became a member at the Affinity Lab, winner of the 2009 WDCEP Business Plan Competition. At Inside Minds, Lauren works with her clients to get inside their minds—and the minds of their audience(s)—to create authentic, response-driven solutions executed with detail and finesse.  Learn more by contacting info@insideminds.com.

Kate, who was Director of Finance at WDCEP for three years, has opened a boutique retail store, Papilio, which specializes in Italian legwear and swimwear. Kate’s experience at WDCEP inspired her to want to start her own company, and helped prepare her for her role as CFO at the boutique, where she does accounting, site selection, graphic design, and store management. Papilio currently has two locations nationwide and is looking to open a DC store soon, giving Washingtonians access to high fashion designs by European designer Luisa Maria Lugli.  Learn more at www.papiliostores.com.