Bridget Lorenz Lemberg Panelist at Forum

Pictured (left-right) during the Great Lakes Women’s Business Council’s execWE forum “Transforming Disruptive Innovation into a Competitive Advantage” on Aug. 7 at the Firekeepers Casino in Battle Creek are: Bridget Lorenz Lemberg, Forensic Fluids Laboratories Founder and Lab Director; Emily Likens, President and CEO of Knappen Milling Company; Jaime McAlear, Senior Leader at Bluewater Technologies Group; and Denise Booms-Pepin, Founder, President and CEO of CBI Telecommunications Consultants.

Forensic Fluids Laboratories Founder and Lab Director Bridget Lorenz Lemberg a featured panelist during Great Lakes Women’s Business Council forum

On Aug. 7, Forensic Fluids Laboratories Founder and Lab Director Bridget Lorenz Lemberg joined panelists to discuss their roles in business during the Great Lakes Women’s Business Council’s execWE forum, “Transforming Disruptive Innovation into a Competitive Advantage.” Lemberg joined women business leaders who spoke about what made them disrupters in their business, road blocks they each faced during their careers, and shared advice to those in attendance.

Other panelists included: Denise Booms-Pepin, Founder, President and CEO of CBI Telecommunications Consultants; Emily Likens, fourth generation successor and first female president and CEO of Knappen Milling Company; and Jaime McAlear, Senior Leader at Bluewater Technologies Group. The panel discussion was moderated by Detroit-area media personality Karen Dumas.

While speaking about what made her a disrupter, Lemberg asked audience members if they had to submit a urine sample during pre-employment screening and said, “Shame on you, you can spit on a stick. Whenever you talk about being disruptive you should never have to give a urine sample again.” Lemberg explained how using oral fluid to detect drug use by individuals is changing an industry that has previously depended on the collection of urine specimens.

The panelists were also asked what road blocks they have encountered as women leaders. Lemberg shared how she was denied small business loans and had to work with investors requiring high interest rates in order to purchase the equipment necessary to start her business nearly 20 years ago. “I even had one bank ask me where my husband was,” said Lemberg.

While offering advice to future business leaders, Lemberg said, “Never discount yourself; you are the expert in your business, and present yourself as the expert.”