Lauren Smith-Petta
InvestorSenior Director, Educational Services at Jumpstart Ventures
Cleveland, Ohio, United States
Find your path to Lauren
150 people in our graph share verified history with Lauren — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.
Stephanie LeonardunlockedLauren: together at Upwork (2021–2023)
×4Lauren: together at Ohio University
×7Lauren: together at Jumpstart Ventures
About
Lauren Smith-Petta works in educational services at JumpStart, focusing on small business support. Before joining, she taught entrepreneurship to college students, worked at the Economic and Community Development Institute (ECDI), and ran a consulting business writing business plans, designing training, conducting market research, and coaching entrepreneurs. She holds a Bachelor's of Specialized Studies in Creative Entrepreneurship with a Creative Writing minor from Ohio University and an MBA from Cleveland State University, and she teaches entrepreneurship as an adjunct at Baldwin Wallace University.
Experience
- JumpStart Inc.Senior Director of Education Servicescurrent2025 — presentCleveland, Ohio, United States
- JumpStart Inc.Director of Education Services2022 — 2025Cleveland, Ohio, United States
- Baldwin Wallace UniversityFaculty, Entrepreneurshipcurrent2021 — presentBerea, Ohio, United States
- Ingenuity, Inc LLCFoundercurrent2020 — presentOhio, United States
- SBDC at Lorain County Community CollegeConsultant2020 — 2023Elyria, Ohio, United States
- UpworkBusiness Writer2017 — 2023
- Fit Small BusinessContributing Author2021
- Wine & DesignArtist & Art Instructor2015 — 2021Wine & Design Cleveland: 19328 Detroit Road, Rocky River, Ohio 44116
- Economic and Community Development InstituteDirector of Training & Curriculum Development2018 — 2020Greater Cleveland
- Economic and Community Development InstituteManager of Entrepreneurial Education2015 — 2018Greater Cleveland
- Cleveland State UniversityAdjunct Faculty, Entrepreneurship2019 — 2020Greater Cleveland
- Small Business Development Center at CSUGraduate Research Assistant2012 — 2014Cleveland Heights/University Heights Library
- The Asia Institute/Cleveland State UniversitySupply Chain Student Intern2013Beijing & Shanghai, China
- Aeffe S.p.A.Sales Intern for Moschino and Pollini Brands2011New York, NY
- Bead Paradise: Studio on the ParkBusiness Intern2010Oberlin, OH
- Simonyi Center - Work and Study AbroadSmall Business Consultant2010Pecs, Hungary
Skills & more
Artificial Intelligence for Students1Artificial Intelligence (AI)Change ManagementKey Performance IndicatorsLearning Management SystemsCurriculum DevelopmentInstructional DesignLearning and DevelopmentResearch13Marketing10Community Outreach8Editing7
+12 more
Public SpeakingManagementLeadershipCustomer ServiceMicrosoft OfficeSocial MediaNonprofitsEntrepreneurshipMicrosoft ExcelPowerPointPreziAdobe Creative Suite- Coaching Skills for Leaders and Managers — LinkedIn
- VC University — VC University
- Leading with Vision — Continued Learning at LinkedIn
- Strategic Thinking — Continued Learning at LinkedIn
- Certified Adjunct Entrepreneurship Educator — USASBE- United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship
- Instructional Design: Working with SMEs — Lynda.com
- Managing Your Personal Finances — Lynda.com
- Instructional Design: Creating Video Training — Lynda.com
- Instructional Design: Adult Learners — Lynda.com
- Instructional Design: Storyboarding — Lynda.com
From Lauren's professional profile.
Colleagues at Jumpstart Ventures
Abel Castillo
Venture Program Manager at JumpStart Ventures
Alexis Watkins
Marketing Administration Coordinator at JumpStart Ventures
Alison King
Director, Burton D. Morgan Mentoring Program at JumpStart Ventures
Antoinette Berry-Snowden
Program Support Specialist, Cleveland Learning Centers at JumpStart Ventures
Athene Blakeman
General Counsel at Oxford Science Enterprises
Bethany George
Managing Director at Rev1 Ventures
Byron Floyd
Staff Accountant at JumpStart Ventures
Camille Heard
Director, High Growth Services at JumpStart Ventures
Frequently asked questions
- Who is Lauren Smith-Petta?
- Lauren Smith-Petta works in educational services at JumpStart, focusing on small business support. Before joining, she taught entrepreneurship to college students, worked at the Economic and Community Development Institute (ECDI), and ran a consulting business writing business plans, designing training, conducting market research, and coaching entrepreneurs. She holds a Bachelor's of Specialized Studies in Creative Entrepreneurship with a Creative Writing minor from Ohio University and an MBA from Cleveland State University, and she teaches entrepreneurship as an adjunct at Baldwin Wallace University.
- Where does Lauren Smith-Petta work?
- Lauren Smith-Petta is Senior Director, Educational Services at Jumpstart Ventures.
- Where did Lauren Smith-Petta go to school?
- Lauren Smith-Petta studied at Cleveland State University (Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.), Business/Commerce, General); Ohio University (Bachelor of Specialized Studies (B.S.S.), Creative Entrepreneurship).
Same school
Also attended Cleveland State University20
Shardae SimpsonExecutive Business Partner at QED InvestorsFeowyn MacKinnonSenior Director, Strategic Business Initiatives at JumpStart VenturesPatrycja AjdukiewiczVice President, Small Business Capital and Services at JumpStart VenturesThien BuiManager, Venture Platform Services at Rev1 VenturesDaniel SchutteVice President of Strategic Partnerships and Programs at The Venture CenterRavi BhagavatulaPartner at Innovatus Capital Partners
+ 14 more
Also attended Ohio University52
Ashley KeatingAdvisor at CincyTechKat CreamerOperations Manager at Red Cell IncubationKate IngramExecutive Assistant at StripesTarun AgrawalHead of India at InsitorTracy GundyResearch & Program Administrator at ChrysalixKathy HeflinChief Financial Officer at JumpStart Ventures
+ 46 more
Shared employers
Also worked at JumpStart Inc.37
Lorne NovickChief Executive Officer at JumpStart VenturesJohn GraceChief Administrative Officer at JumpStart VenturesKathy HeflinChief Financial Officer at JumpStart VenturesDan BrownChief Services Officer at JumpStart VenturesMatt RiehlHead of Government Relations at JumpStart VenturesAbel CastilloVenture Program Manager at JumpStart Ventures
+ 31 more
