Entrepreneurship Career Panel Event

Screenshot taken from Entrepreneurship Career Panel Flyer

On February 13th, 2019 Stevenson University hosted an Entrepreneurship Career Panel. The panelist consisted of John Dinkel of Dinkel Business Development, Chris Daley, founder and principal of Whirlaway LLC, Elizabeth Trimm branch manager for Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Andrew Murphy, partner and owner of Flying Frog Publishing, Andy Brown, founder and CEO of Eat Pizza, and Garrett Pfeiffer, manager of Maryland Brand Management. Throughout the event, the panelist discussed their strategy of creating a business, how to manage a healthy work-life balance, and guidance on successfully establishing a brand. One comment that resonated with me was one must have tough skin to start a business. Andy Brown mentioned that he was called an idiot by many of his peers when he first began selling frozen pizza. Hence, I will need to be my biggest supporter when no one else sees my vision. In addition, I felt it was helpful learning why each entrepreneur started their business. John Dinkel mentioned that he started his business as an outcome of his sister in law passing away suddenly. When this occurred he questioned if he was living a life of self-fulfillment and joy. As a result, he took the necessary steps to quit his 9 to 5 job to start a life he felt gave him a purpose.

The subject matter of the entrepreneurship panel was very relevant to the material we learn in digital publishing. With the enhancement of technology, one can create a business and establish a brand through sites like Instagram, Facebook, and Youtube. At the end of the panel, Andy Brown revealed to me that it is essential to learn the basic fundamentals of business. To clarify, I need to learn accounting and marketing so I won’t have to become dependent on an accountant or brand marketer. In the same token, I must utilize the skills that I learn from digital publishing when it comes to building a website or producing online content because no one will be able to perfectly capture the vision I want. This event specifically connected to my career because my goal is to become an entrepreneur. Currently, I major in Business Administration with a minor in Fashion Merchandising. I feel, learning about entrepreneurship in class does not hold the same value as talking to a group of entrepreneurs. They disclosed personal failures they endured as well as the knowledge they wished they knew prior to starting a business. I believe, the panelist helped reassure me that business is the path I want to pursue. In the words of Andrew Murphy, I am willing to HUSTLE to be successful!

Entrepreneurship Career Panel

Stevenson University hosted an Entrepreneurship Career Panel, which consisted of successful entrepreneurs who shared their experiences and advice. To start the panel, John Dinkel from Dinkel Business Development, LLC., shared with the audience that the main reason he started his business was that after he experienced a close death in the family, he realized that life is just too short not to pursue your dreams. Elizabeth Trimm, Branch Manager for Enterprise Rent-A-Car, described that others will always have opinions of you as you are pursuing your goals, but not to let anyone get in your way because it is up to you as an individual to choose whether to limit yourself or not. Andy Brown, founder and CEO of Eat Pizza, gave great advice about how he found a CEO’s email of a big company so he could contact him to ask whether he would be interested in selling Eat Pizza at the CEO’s grocery store. Weeks later, he found himself in front of this CEO and serving him his pizza. Garrett Pfeifer, from Maryland Brand Management, told the audience that we must learn sales to sell our product successfully, and the entire panel agreed with this advice. Andrew Murphy, partner and owner of Flying Frog Publishing, stated that we should always have two streams of income in case one of the streams of income is unable to make enough money. Lastly, Chris Daley, Founder and Principal of Whirlaway, LLC., advised the audience to build your network and foster those relationships. For example, Mr. Daley stated that Linkedin is a great way to connect with people that you meet and occasionally follow up with them down the road because you do not know whether you may need their help.

The Entrepreneurship Career Panel was extremely helpful because it allowed me to realize that, no matter your age or where you come from, you always can become an entrepreneur. I never gave much thought to owning my own business, but each of the panelists reiterated that you could achieve anything as long as you work hard and put the time and energy into your business. This event connects to digital publishing because, to have a successful business, you must market and brand yourself to sell your product and make a name for yourself. Digital publishing can create your brand and allows others to learn what your business is all about. The more time and energy you put into branding yourself through digital publishing, especially when putting your business out on a website, others will see how dedicated and credible your company comes across. My career goals are to work in the public interest and nonprofit sector, possibly even working with interests groups who are involved with public policy. While I am still unsure of where my career will take me, I believe that I could successfully open my own business if I apply the same hard work and dedication as these panelists. I could open my own business that works in serving the public, which I am greatly interested in exploring in the future.

Entrepreneurship Career Panel

Stevenson University was able to host an entrepreneurship panel that consisted of 6 panelists who all happen to have different backgrounds. The panelists were John Dinkel, principal of Dinkel Business Development, LLC., Chris Daley, founder and principal of Whirlaway, LLC., Andrew Murphy, partner and owner of Flying Frog Publishing, Elizabeth Trim, branch manager of Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Andy Brown, founder and CEO of Eat Pizza, and Garrett Pfeifer of Maryland Brand Management. They were all able to share their personal stories about the struggles that they faced when it came to starting and running their own business. All of the panelists were given various questions to answer and although they all have different backgrounds and stories, the answers and advice that they were providing us with, were very similar to one another. A piece of advice that stood out to me would be to know what my strength and weaknesses are and to focus on them. Something else that really resonated with me would be when Elizabeth Trimm mentioned that when it comes to succeeding in starting and running a business, you have to know what your “Why” is. That statement personally stood out to me because it made me realize that in order for me to truly succeed in my business, I have to love and have a passion for what I am doing.

This panel was able to relate to our course because when it comes to digital publishing, essentially we are learning about creating and designing online publications. During the panel, the discussion of branding ourselves and our business came up. In today’s world, having an online presence is a vital part when it comes to branding. So, I  feel that this course is providing me with the information and skills that are needed when it comes to branding online. This panel connects with my future career for several different reasons. I am a business administration major and I hope to start my own business one day. Attending this panel gave me the opportunity to listen to people that were once in my position. This panel also provided me with various tips and advice on how I can succeed when it comes to me starting my own business. The idea of starting my own business has always been daunting to me and most of the time I did not think that I had it in me to start a successful business, but going to the panel and listening to their stories has motivated me and helped put things into perspective for me.

SU Entrepreneurship Panel

Stevenson University hosted an Entrepreneurship Panel which comprised of six entrepreneurs with differing experiences building their career. The six panelists were John Dinkel of Dinkel Business Development, Chris Daley, founder and principal of Whirlaway, Andrew Murphy, owner of Flying Frog Publishing, Elizabeth Trimm, branch manager of Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Andy Brown, founder and CEO of Eat Pizza, and lastly Garrett Pfeifer of Maryland Brand Management. Each of the panelists answered questions that offered insight on being an entrepreneur and taking control of your own career and the decisions necessary to achieve their goals. While they each come from various career backgrounds, they all shared striking similarities when it came to the advice they gave that led to their success. The most important aspects of creating a name for themselves was creating networks. They highlighted that joining committees and becoming members of boards is a great way to put yourself out there and to connect with other people whom in the future could be useful to your success. While building networks are important, it is also important to foster those relationships because they can provide more than just a connection, but also other career opportunities. All of the panelists agreed that individuals must work hard for their cause and to know the “Why” in what they’re doing. They were faced with difficult decisions and sacrificed a lot of their time to ensure the success of their business. The most important advice I remembered was to aim high and hustle. Despite who an individual is, they need to aim high, focus on growth, and hustle if they want to see themselves succeed in their career.

The Entrepreneurship Panel connects to our class in that the panelists discussed the importance of branding. Creating websites allows a business to build its brand in their own image. In digital publications, we are developing skills in website design and the importance of making sure that the intended audience is able to access that company. Our class allows students to publish blog posts that can be used as a way to build our portfolios which can also be seen by future employers. As for the career path I have chosen to pursue, the panelists’ advice about building networks and working hard is important in nursing, especially since I am thinking about opening up a private practice office after I go back to school to become a nurse practitioner and possibly a doctor. Once I achieve my long term goals, I can use the skills I learned in our publications class to create a website and advertise my private practice and hopefully gather clients to serve.