Michelle Somes-Booher

Biography

Michelle Somes-Booher has experience in business planning, lean start-up, marketing, financial and operational strategy. In addition to serving as Erica Kauten Director of the Wisconsin SBDC at UW-Madison, Wisconsin School of Business, she also sees clients and works primarily with established businesses. She assists clients in improving operations, increasing sales, and incorporating sound financial practices as they grow. Her clients have been featured on Shark Tank, The White House Demo Days, WI Governor’s Business Plan Competition, SBA National Showcase and spotlighted in numerous local, state and national publications.  Michelle was named the WI SBDC State Star in 2020. She has also co-created a free online course called First Steps to Starting a Business, the COVID response guide Navigating the New Normal and lead the reimaging and standardization of the statewide signature training course, the Entrepreneurial Training Program. She understands what it takes to grow a successful business, as she has four generations of entrepreneurs in her family and has also owned her own small business.  Furthermore, she has significant experience in teaching entrepreneurship and management in higher and continuing education. Michelle holds a BSBA in Management and Interpersonal and Public Communication, as well as a MBA from Central Michigan University.