RESI’s Fall 2011 Economic Outlook Conference at Towson University

September 7, 2011

Raquel Frye

It’s a busy time here at RESI as preparations for the November 9th Economic Outlook Conference get underway.  This conference is particularly exciting for us since it will be the first time since 1999 that it is hosted on campus.  We are really looking to hosting the event this year and taking advantage of the newest building on campus – the West Village Commons building.  Implications of the 2010 Census Data will be the central focus of the day with a variety of experts weighing in on the impact of the data on matters such as government services, the business community, workforce development and higher education.  Looking forward to seeing you there!

Leave a Comment » | Business Analysis, Economic Analysis, Education, Events, Training, TU Faculty & Staff | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Raquel Frye

VIDEO: Towson Global Helps Entrepreneurs Bring Dreams to Reality

February 2, 2011

Clay

TowsonGlobal-Business Incubator was featured earlier this week in a news segment on WJZ. The segment emphasized that despite the tough economic climate for starting a business, Towson University’s incubator makes it easier for entrepreneurs to gain access to the resources needed. The new Business Plan Competition was highlighted as was new member, Keffa Coffee. If you are interested in participating in the Business Plan Competition, don’t forget that Executive Summaries are due on February 7th.

Leave a Comment » | Entrepreneurship, International Business Development, Small Business Development, Students, TU Faculty & Staff | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Clay Hickson

CrowdPitch: A Great Way to Support Startup Companies

July 6, 2010

Clay

On June 16, 2010, TowsonGlobal collaborated with Funding Universe to bring CrowdPitch to Towson University. The event gathered more than 70 entrepreneurs and investors in an entertaining and dynamic setting, where selected companies were given four minutes to pitch their ideas to a panel of experts and a live audience.  A brief, three-minute Q&A session followed the presentation, in which the entrepreneurs were able give more in-depth information about their business plans. Audience members also received $100 in “fun money,” which they could use to “invest” in the company of their choice at the end of the program.

As many as 55 companies applied to participate in the free event, but only five were selected to present:  ArtiNNet Corp., MYiLIVE. Port Networks, Tots2Tweens, and WinTheTrophy.  The winner was selected based on the number of votes received from the audience and the panel of judges:  Dave Troy, Baltimore Angels; Rick Faint, Evergreen Capital; Laura Gamble, Skipjack Partners; and  Adam Suri, Maryland State Department of Economic Development.

The Pitchers

The “pitchers” were ArtiNNet with VoicePass, mobile software that uses voice recognition security; MYiLIVE, a personalized boutique shopping website; Port Networks, smart WiFi technology; Tots2Tweens, a web directory for parents; and WinTheTrophy, a legal sports betting and social gaming site.  All presenters were well prepared, eloquent and very passionate about their ideas and most received positive feedback from the panel.  In the end, ArtiNNet won and received $8800 worth of prizes, including accounting/financial services, startup support counseling, Amazon web services, and will be profiled in FundingUniverse’s newsletter that is distributed to 120,000 subscribers.

TowsonGlobal Involvement

 

TowsonGlobal’s staff also participated in the event and got the opportunity to interact with all attendees. “ This is the first time I have been to an event like this.  I was excited to be a part of it.  Now I understand how hard it is to find investors and get a business going!” says intern Lissell Paredes.  Intern Aaron Robinson adds “It was very informative; I didn’t know events like these existed and I’m glad I got to experience it.”

“Overall, CrowdPitch was a learning experience for everyone present, a convenient way to get advice from experts, and a great opportunity to build connections,” says TowsonGlobal Director Clay Hickson.

To see if a CrowdPitch event is coming to a city near you, click here!

CrowdPitch at Towson University

Leave a Comment » | Business Analysis, Entrepreneurship, Events, International Business Development, News, Small Business Development | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Clay Hickson

TowsonGlobal…in Residence

June 9, 2010

Clay

Neighborhoods, ideally, are social communities with considerable face-to-face interaction among residents. Neighbors often act as a resource or offer support when it’s needed the most.  What about in the business world?  It’d be nice to be able to walk next door and find invaluable resources at your disposal, especially for the small business owner looking to expand in this tough market.

Many business incubators provide a whole host of services for start-up ventures such as facilities, workshops, counseling, networking and organizational support, but there is more. TowsonGlobal, Towson University’s International Incubator, goes even further by providing both Resident and Associate member companies access to a variety of in-residence experts that provide creative, inexpensive, and effective counsel necessary to succeed.

Among the good neighbors “residing” at TowsonGlobal are:

CFO-in-Residence
Carol L. Coughlin
CEO/Founder, BottomLine Growth Strategies, Inc.
Attorney-in-Residence
Steven Tiller
Attorney at Law, Whiteford, Taylor, Preston, LLP
Entrepreneur-in-Residence
J. Gary McDaniel
President & Board Member (former), TerraWatt Power, LLC
VP Sales-in-Residence
Scott B. Turnbaugh
President/Founder, Eagles View Consulting LLC
  • The CFO-in-Residence advises on financial and accounting questions, and assists with many strategic business issues.
  • The Attorney-in-Residence counsels on a broad range of legal topics from contractual issues to intellectual property rights protection.
  • The Entrepreneur-in-Residence assists with a variety of strategic issues, including business plan fine-tuning or strategies and contacts for those seeking investment funding.
  • The VP Sales-in-Residence helps in navigating sales challenges, ranging from exploring new sales opportunities to building and managing a sales team.

Tapping into the one-on-one support such specialists as these who have years of experience in numerous fields and industries can make a tremendous difference!

To find out how you can become a member of the TowsonGlobal neighborhood, check out www.towsonglobal.com.

Leave a Comment » | Business Analysis, Community Outreach, Economic Analysis, Entrepreneurship, International Business Development, Small Business Development | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Clay Hickson

Lunch with Steve Peck, TU’s first CEO in Residence

November 9, 2009

bobbieIcon

Bobbie

Global Growth: Local Opportunity: This was the theme for three recent brown bag lunches hosted by TU’s first CEO in Residence, Steve Peck.  TU President Bob Caret launched the Executive in Residence Program this year with a mission of connecting business & government leaders with our dynamic students, faculty research projects, and community engagement initiatives. One of the first outcomes of the program was recently connecting with student leaders from the College of Business and Economics, Campus Activities, and the Career Center.

I was lucky to attend each lunch with Steve and thought I’d provide some of the take-aways.  First, we have INCREDIBLE students—the students each provided their resumes ahead of time and came prepared with pertinent questions.   Second, one discussion that seemed to come up at each lunch was…

What do CEOs want to see?

  • Integrity, passion, and hard work will set you apart from your peers
  • Great eye-contact, a strong hard shake, poise, and articulating your strengths really count
  • “Corporate Citizenship,” your volunteer and philanthropic experiences are a great asset you can bring to the company—highlight them
  • The workplace and workforce are truly Global now—study abroad, foreign languages, and international experiences are important

stevePeck

Steve also talked about his experience as a Towson University Business student.  We learned that Steve and a few of his buddies ran the campus hot-dog stands around campus and the experiences of keeping inventory, managing employees, making revenue projections, and paying the expenses played a big role in his future career choices and opportunities.

While Steve provided helpful feedback for the students preparing to entire the workforce, our students also reinforced what makes the Towson student stand out.  A College of Business and Economics student said it best, “The job market is not what it was five years ago but I am confident in the skills and experiences I’ve gained at Towson and know I am going to succeed out there.”

To learn more about the TU Executive in Residence Program or to contact Steve, visit our website.

1 Comment | Community Outreach, Education, Entrepreneurship, Events, Students | Tagged: , | Permalink
Posted by Bobbie Laur

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