Entrepreneurship Week Celebrated With Day One Kick-Off

The spirit of entrepreneurship was evident in the College of Business on Monday, April 7.

This special week kicked off with a breakfast featuring Krysten Jablonowski, Founder and President of Cribs on Campus and one of the 2013 Hatch participants who received funding from investors. She presented her journey of launching her venture, starting with her decision to apply to The Hatch program through the process of starting up and now planning possible expansion of her business to other Ohio campuses. Jablonowski described the challenges and rewards of launching Cribs on Campus while still being a student and answered questions from students.

Then E-Week’s Entrepreneur in Residence J. Robert Sebo '58, '13 (Hon.) shared some of his entrepreneurial success stories and offered advice to the attendees.

Following the breakfast was a Lunch and Learn entitled “Start-up Equity Financing” with a panel discussion.  Dean Raymond Braun, formerly the CEO of several corporations, began the program by presenting the different types of seed capital needed for a start-up.  The next three panelists presented topics on where funding could come from. Ben Vollmar, business owner of new start-up Flatlands Coffee in Bowling Green, shared information on the various crowdfunding platforms, specifically Kickstarter which he is using.  Dr. Gene Poor, BGSU’s Hamilton Professor of Entrepreneurship, discussed his experiences starting up ventures by contacting friends for seed money.  The final presenter, Bob Venzel, business owner of Venzel Communications, Inc., gave his insight into financial considerations of a service business and obtaining funding through commercial loans.

Moderator of the panel was Dr. Dave Stott, Chair of the BGSU Accounting and MIS Department. Attendees at the lunch also had the opportunity to network with the Entrepreneur in Residence for E-Week, Bob Sebo.

Concluding the first day of E-Week was a dress rehearsal with six of the twelve Hatch participants.  Students cheered on the aspiring student entrepreneurs as they practiced their business presentations one last time before “The Hatch” which is set for April 9 in the Lenhart Grand Ballroom at 7:00pm.