Entrepreneurship Students Host Global Entrepreneurship Week Events

November 03, 2012

SUNY Plattsburgh’s entrepreneurship club, ENACTUS, has a slate full of events planned for during Global Entrepreneurship Week, Nov. 12-18, including a lecture by an urban revitalization strategist and a business poster competition.

The entrepreneurship program “is growing rapidly in student participation and in the number and level of entrepreneurial activities,” according to Rich Gottschall, lecturer in marketing and entrepreneurship.

“Growth in the program creates opportunities for students and for development of the local economy,” Gottschall said. To that end, Harold Hance, owner of marketing consultant firm Mountain Valley Integrated Solutions, will provide $1,000 in cash prizes for the most promising student-produced business ideas.

“The students bring great energy and enthusiasm to our business community,” Hance said. “Working with them to develop their business ideas and their potential is rewarding and invigorating. I feel like I can help them develop their plans, but they also challenge me to wrestle with their innovative ideas and sharpen my entrepreneurial main. I’m instead collaborating with them on real projects, and the business-plan competitions are a step in that direction.”

The first event of Global Entrepreneurship Week at SUNY Plattsburgh will be a guest lecture by Majora Carter beginning at 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 12, in Room 200, Yokum Lecture Hall. Carter is an urban revitalization strategist and public radio host from the South Bronx area. Her company, Majora Carter Group LLC, specializes in communication and project consulting.

Then, a computer simulation game, “Go — Venture Entrepreneurship Simulation,” will have students opening their own small businesses from 2 to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 13, in the Peterson Accounting Lab of Redcay Hall. They will set prices, order materials, hire employees and make sure the employees are happy and motivated. All students, faculty and staff are invited to stop by to play. Prizes will be awarded to top team and top individual players.

Next up, Zach Reiner, a former student in the School of Business and Economics, will talk about his mobile applications company, the world of start-ups and what it takes to start a successful company as a college graduate. His presentation will take place at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 14, in the Alumni Conference Room, Angell College Center.

Finally, students with business ideas are invited to pitch them and compete in the Business Poster Plan Competition Thursday, Nov. 15, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. in the Mowry Conference Room, Redcay Hall. Guidelines for the competition are available from [email protected]. Deadline for entries is Nov. 8.