OUR NORTH STAR – A MORTAR Expansion Convening

MORTAR is proud to invite you to our inaugural convening, “Our North Star” (Destination Cincinnati. Grounded in Frederick Douglass’s reminder that ‘those who suffer injustice are those who must demand redress,’ we are creating a dedicated space in historic Walnut Hills for entrepreneurs and partners nationwide.

Let’s be honest: 2025 was a challenging year. As priorities shifted and resources grew lean, many of us were forced to make difficult decisions—a trend that has only intensified in 2026. This period of deep reflection and strategic pivoting has been exhausting and, at times, isolating. We want you to know that you aren’t walking this path alone.

Join us for a three-day experience designed to fortify our collective resilience, share vital knowledge, and build a community of conviction that you can carry back to your own city.

*Need a scholarship? Message expansion@wearemortar.com before registering.*

Days

Hours

Minutes

Seconds

Here’s the rundown of what you can expect at Our North Star:

Welcome!

We’re setting the vibe off strong with an activity to officially welcome you to Cincinnati! Bring your dancing shoes, because our friends at DANCEFIX have something special planned for us. This will be unlike any other ice breaker you’ve ever experienced before.

Breathe Deeply

We’ve curated this event to be a stress-free environment. To set this intention, we invite our guests to start the day with one of two wellness practices. You can choose a mindful practice where you’ll center yourself to prepare for a day of inspiration, learning, and fellowship, or a scenic walk through Eden Park to get the endorphins pumping. This is a challenge by choice, so no pressure either way.

Imagine What’s Possible

Our North Star will be the place for our entrepreneurs and community partners to build new skill sets to push the movement forward. We want you to walk away motivated to tackle the challenges today, tomorrow, and beyond. Our breakout sessions will follow a two-track format: one for our business owners, the other for the organizations that serve them.

Collaborate

We don’t just want to learn at Our North Star. We want to solve problems together. In our ‘Un-Conference’ sessions, we’ll hold space for conversations on the topics most pressing to YOU. Bring your big ideas and get ready for some old fashioned real talk.

Pause

We’ll work hard, but we’ll also rest hard. Our Day Break session will make room for everyone to decompress from a content-heavy morning by relaxing with an activity our creative-leaning guests are sure to enjoy. If art isn’t your bag, this is also the perfect chance to get some fresh air in Five Points Alley, retreat to our self-care lounge, or check out resources in the Exhibition Hall.

Make Space for Joy

We’ll wrap the day with a happy hour hosted at Esoteric Brewery, a MORTAR Alumni-owned business. This will be a time to deepen your newly built relationships, reflect on your big takeaways from the day, and most importantly, HAVE FUN! If you want to keep the party going, we’re hitting the streets for BLINK, the nation’s largest public art event.

Our North Star is MORTAR’s first convention experience, and we want it to be memorable for all the right reasons! This is more than a conference. It’s a movement powered by a community dedicated to creating true equity and fostering resilience on a national scale. We need help in powering that movement.

Empowering underestimated entrepreneurs is at the heart of MORTAR’s work. Our North Star is our latest effort to provide them with the knowledge and resources they need to have thriving businesses. We want our founders to think bigger! We want them to find ways to be successful outside of their own cities and create a national customer pool. We’re looking for expertise on the following topics:

Sales Strategy

Storefront Readiness

Pitching to Big Box Retailers

Identifying Additional Streams of Revenue

While it’s critical we provide resources to our entrepreneurs, it’s just as important that we equip support organizations with tools to move their missions. That’s where you come in! Do you see yourself as a change agent committed to supporting resilience? Here’s your chance to double down on that commitment. We’re holding an open call for proposals to lead breakout sessions for our entrepreneur support organizations. We’re looking for expertise on the following topics:

Local Government Relations

Utilizing Collected Data to Create Compelling Narratives

Organizational Strategies to Invest in Your Staff

Workplace Wellness

Navigating Financial Difficulty

Identifying Strategic Partnerships

Strategic Planning and Future Proofing

If you have expertise in a topic not listed, please submit a proposal. In your proposal, give a brief overview of the topic and how it relates to the theme. Selected presenters will receive a $250 travel stipend, admission to the conference, lodging, and an extra drink ticket during happy hour.

Day 1 – Move your Body (welcome to walnut)

Day 2 – Breath Deeply (morning meditation)

We’ve curated this event to be a stress-free environment. To set this intention, we invite our guests to start the day with a mindful practice where you’ll center yourself to prepare for a day of inspiration, learning, and fellowship. This is a challenge by choice, so no pressure.

Imagine What’s Possible (learning sessions & keynote)

We want Safe Space to be the place for our entrepreneurs and community partners to build skill sets. We want you to walk away motivated to tackle the challenges today, tomorrow, and beyond. Our breakout sessions will follow a two-track format: one for our business owners, the other for the organizations that serve them.

Pause (Day Break)

Make Space to Dream (unconference-conference)

Day 1 – Move your Body (welcome to walnut)

Day 2 – Breath Deeply (morning meditation)

Imagine What’s Possible (learning sessions & keynote)

Pause (Day Break)

Make Space to Dream (unconference-conference)

SPONSORSHIP PROGRESS 20%

This three-day event will gather 100-150 entrepreneurs and community leaders who are actively building and scaling businesses alongside MORTAR’s broader network of 1,000+ alumni entrepreneurs. The goal is simple: connect sponsors with an engaged network of business builders focused on growth, access, and opportunity.

Why sponsor? As a sponsor, you’ll gain visibility and engagement with a highly motivated audience:

Prominent brand placement through a national promotional campaign

On-site logo visibility in high-traffic event spaces

Opportunities to speak, exhibit, and connect directly with attendees

Inclusion in press and media, highlighting your commitment to minority/women-owned entrepreneurial growth

Walnut Hills is more than just a neighborhood. It’s the place we call home.

Historically recognized as one of Cincinnati’s oldest and most culturally significant hilltop communities, it served as a vital hub for the Black middle class and a beacon of heritage that still resonates through its streets today.

The neighborhood’s energy is palpable, whether I’m grabbing matcha from The Fix and a good breeze at Green Man Park, catching a live performance at Five Points Alley, decompressing after a long day with a drink at Esoteric Brewery, or enjoying a meal at Confessions. This vibrancy extends from the annual Walnut Hills Street Festival to quiet afternoons walking down to Eden Park, taking the Art Steps, or popping into Artworks for a gallery opening.

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