Learning Sessions

Business Plan Competition Learning Sessions

A series of workshops designed to empower promising entrepreneurs and ambitious small business owners with tips for writing a business plan, tips on finding money and designing the right operation for success!

Get prepared for the 2013 FAU Business Plan Competition

Business Plan Competition – Meet the Winners

Date: Jan 18
Time: 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Location: DeSantis Pavilion, Theater - Room 202

Session Overview: The 2013 FAU Business Plan Competition (BPC) is right around the corner! Attend the BPC Learning Session: Meet the Winners to learn about this year’s prizes and how you can network with experienced venture capitalists, early stage angel investors, successful entrepreneurs, and senior business leaders.

Students, faculty and members of the community are invited to attend the Business Plan Competition Info Session on Friday, January 18 from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Previous winners will share their stories and offer advice, and an experienced entrepreneur will be present to share tricks and tips with attendees.

10 Tips for Entrepreneurs

Instructor: Susan Klein
Date: Jan 25
Time: 9:30 am – 12:30 pm
Location: OD 101

Session Overview: Think like a business person, act like an entrepreneur, feel like an innovator!

Entrepreneurs, like most pioneers, have their own set of (ever evolving) rules and strategies. The key is to understand the strengths that you can leverage. Also, understand your deficiencies so you can manage around them, because these can often be your biggest strengths. You will have an opportunity to be coached by Susan Klein, Master Certified Coach and CEO of Success Technologies Inc.

This participatory class will examine, from a coaching perspective:

1. 10 Tips for Successful Entrepreneurs
2. 10 Great Entrepreneurial Qualities that Cause the Most Problems
3. 10 Ways to Give the Best Customer Service

Susan Klein

Susan Klein, BA, CCLP, CC, CMC, and Master Certified Coach, is passionate about coaching. Since 1990, as CEO and founder of Success Technologies, Inc., she’s specialized in coaching corporate executives, managers, and business owners in leadership development, communication skills, accountability, cultural transformation and fulfillment of their most important visions. Her clients receive immediate impact and sustained results – and are generally seeking a more integrated life, yet wish to go beyond their high levels of achievement. As an entrepreneur herself, Susan understands the challenges we face daily.

She also develops and conducts a cadre of courses and trainings for managers and executives including:  

• The Strengths Success System- A Solution for Motivation;  
• The Power of Accountability- A Solution for Communication, Clarity, Certainty; 
• The Emotionally Intelligent Organization-A Coach Approach; 
• Coaching Skills for Leaders.

She is the author of a booklet titled Simple Tips for the Over-Committed, Over-Scheduled Person.

Business Plan 101

Instructor: Phil Viscomi
Date: Feb 1
Time: 9:30 am – 12:30 pm
Location: OD 101

Session Overview: The Business Plan 101 seminar provides entrepreneurs who plan to participate in the 2012 FAU Business Plan Competition with a process and schedule for developing, validating, documenting and presenting their Business Plan. Upon completion of BP101, participants will be able to adapt seminar discussion topics and presentation materials to their individual requirements. Topics and presentation materials include a description of the activities an entrepreneur should consider following as they develop their business and business plan.

Phil Viscomi

Viscomi is Managing Partner of Business Growth Advisors, Incorporated, a consulting firm specializing in technology commercialization, accelerating strategic results, and returning value to technology business stakeholders. He leads the firm in assisting clients with business vision formulation, planning for success, increasing valuation, and merger and acquisition. During his 25-year career he held positions including leadership team member, executive and CEO. He has a multinational record of accomplishment in emerging stage, growth stage and Fortune 50 technology companies. Viscomi led innovation and returned value to stakeholders in multiple functions, industries and technologies including manufacturing, finance, medical, security, consumer product goods, chemistry, hardware/software, wireless/radio frequency, sensors, and MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems).

Digital Marketing for your Business

Instructors: Danielle Leitch
Date: Feb 8
Time: 9:30 am – 12:30 pm
Location: OD 101

Session Overview: What is it you really need to market your company online?  Learn about a variety of interactive marketing and digital media offerings to gain more visibility!   Begin to understand the costs involved with creating an effective online marketing.  Learn how to implement a media plan as part of creating awareness of your products and services.  Which online efforts will work for your business and once executed how to determine their ROI? The importance of a website is critical for your business, where does Mobile fit.  Based on your target audience, certain channels may be more appropriate then others.

Danielle Leitch

Danielle Leitch brings over 16 years of marketing, client service and business development expertise to MoreVisibility,  a six-time Inc 500/5000 nominee and leading  interactive marketing  agency in Boca Raton, FL.   Leitch is a frequent guest speaker at industry seminars and events, including Direct Marketing Association  (DMA) , Internet Retailer and Search Engine Strategies (SES). In addition,  she has been published in numerous marketing publications and is frequently quoted in Investors Business Daily and the Wall Street Journal to provide insights on digital media, search engine optimization and mobile trends, as well as analytics/conversion tracking. As Executive Vice President,  Leitch oversees sales, marketing, client services and operations for the firm. She is personally certified by Google as an AdWords Qualified Professional, in addition to MoreVisibility being a certified AdWords agency, as well as a Google Analytics Certified Partner.  

Leitch boasts a wealth of industry experience from her previous accomplishments in executive search services for Information and Consumer Technology manufacturers, along with the emerging Internet Technology sector, where she successfully placed over 100 candidates in executive, c-level or board positions.

Leitch earned her bachelor’s degree from the College of Business at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida. She has remained active with the University and their National Alumni Association (FAUNAA), regularly providing lectures, workshops and mentorship for both students and graduates, in addition to being a supporter and season ticket-holder for the inaugural season in the Football Stadium. In addition, Leitch is involved with the WITI organization (Women in Technology Industry). Started in 1989, The WITI Professional Association, the world's leading trade association for tech-savvy women is the premiere global organization empowering women in business and technology to achieve unimagined possibilities.

Market Analysis

Instructor: Ross O'Brien & Phil Viscomi
Date: Feb 15
Time: 9:30 am – 12:30 pm
Location: OD 101

Session Overview: This session is designed to help entrepreneurs understand how to evaluate and articulate a company's market opportunity in a business plan. Being able to accurately identify a new or existing market is a significant challenge for entrepreneurs and managers. The outcome of this analysis will have a material impact on the strategic plan, budgeting, forecasting and sales and marketing activities. In addition where a management team and investors seek a business with high growth potential, the size and market trends are a critical component to support the overall business opportunity. This session will focus on how to define and analyze a market at a macro level and also to define a company’s Total Addressable Market ("TAM") to be used for short term planning and presentations.

Ross E. O’Brien

O’Brien is a Director of National Financial Companies LLC (“NFC”) and is responsible for evaluating new investment opportunities, performing due diligence and financial and business analysis. In this function he provides ongoing support on strategy, business planning, research, financial modeling, acquisitions and capital formation for existing portfolio companies.

Prior to joining NFC, Ross was a Partner at New Vernon Financial, LLC a boutique New York investment banking firm focused on Venture Capital and Private Equity transactions. Previous to joining New Vernon, Ross served as Manager of the Emerging Business Group at Geller & Company and as Assistant Vice President at JPMorgan Chase.

His experience also encompasses many entrepreneurial ventures ranging from being the first employee of a UK based Digital Media Technology firm responsible for launching their North American business. Following that he founded his own digital technology company, which he and his partners exited in 2006. He began his career at Sony BMG and has international experience working in Hong Kong and Canada.

Phil Viscomi

Viscomi is Managing Partner of Business Growth Advisors, Incorporated, a consulting firm specializing in technology commercialization, accelerating strategic results, and returning value to technology business stakeholders. He leads the firm in assisting clients with business vision formulation, planning for success, increasing valuation, and merger and acquisition. During his 25-year career he held positions including leadership team member, executive and CEO. He has a multinational record of accomplishment in emerging stage, growth stage and Fortune 50 technology companies. Viscomi led innovation and returned value to stakeholders in multiple functions, industries and technologies including manufacturing, finance, medical, security, consumer product goods, chemistry, hardware/software, wireless/radio frequency, sensors, and MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems).

Business Modeling with Financials

Instructor: Neil Parsont
Date: Feb 22
Time: 9:30 am – 12:30 pm
Location: OD 101

Session Overview: The Financial learning session provides and explains a professionally designed excel template enabling ANYONE to create ALL the financials for the FAU Business Plan Competition.  The session will focus on explaining how to determine input numbers, interpret the output, and customize the spreadsheet for your particular business.  Financials are explained in simple terms for those who have not had the benefit of business plan courses or those who have not written a business plan previously.  

1. The key benefits each participant will walk away with includes:
2. Financial Model Resource Tool offered, meet all business plan competition requirements using the tool 
3. Input assumptions and Excel AUTOMATICALLY outputs ALL financials for you
4. No accounting or finance experience necessary to learn how to develop sound financials
5. Virtually no excel experience necessary

Neil Parsont

Parsont graduated from FAU with a BBA in Finance in May of 2008. He then founded Owl Tutoring Inc. as a means to fund his MBA, currently in process. Owl Tutoring has blossomed into a professional organization and Neil takes pride in all of the company’s work. He always looks for an easier, simpler, more efficient way to solve problems. Through real life examples, thorough explanations and humor, Neil will have you mastering your subject in no time!

Elevator Pitch 101

Instructor: Brian Javeline
Date: Mar 1
Time: 9:30 am – 12:30 pm
Location: OD 101

Session Overview: It is essential to having an elevator pitch when trying to raise capital or even getting your first customer. You spend a great deal of time preparing an Executive Summary, Business Plan and PowerPoint Presentations. None of this matters if you can't gain the initial interest of those you meet. Learn the key aspects to communicating your business model message in a short moment of time.

Brian Javeline

Javeline is a serial entrepreneur who has co-founded multiple software companies. He writes entrepreneurial stories for Fast Company Magazine. His newest startup is www.MyOnlineToolbox.com that already received a Dell Top 10 Innovator Award and a Forbes Most Promising Company Award. Brian has been featured in Entrepreneur Magazine and has also won a MIT Best Business Idea Presentation Award.

Social Media for Entrepreneurs

Instructor: Murray Izenwasser
Date: Mar 15
Time: 9:30 am – 12:30 pm
Location: OD 101

Session Overview: With the incredible adoption of social platforms like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and now Google+, not only by hundreds of millions of people, but also by most businesses, marketing and sales have changed forever. Contemporary marketing programs must not only support a strong, positive brand image and drive demand, but must engage with customers to be effective. Marketing has become a conversation that is being driven by the customer. The question is whether your organization is truly engaged or simply talking to itself?

Regardless of whether you are a small, local business or the largest global company, chances are you’ve already implemented a number of accounts on multiple platforms, but you are still asking the question “What do we do now?” or you are being asked “What is this going to do for our business?”  

The problem is that most organizations never truly created a plan for social media. We hear this all the time from our clients, and from audience members when we are speaking at conferences. So we created a workshop that distils down into one half day the process and thinking that we go through with our clients to deliver a true, integrated social marketing strategy.

This half day workshop will cut through all the “social media” hype and help attendees understand how to leverage these new “two-way” channels to engage directly with your customers and drive better business results.   As an attendee, you will learn what the major social platforms are really good for, the best way to engage on them, techniques and tips we use with our clients, how to effectively integrate these platforms into an effective contemporary marketing mix, and the process you should follow to make all of this happen. You will learn how to build an effective online presence and a strategy for listening.

Murray Izenwasser

With more than 20 years experience, Murray Izenwasser has planned and executed online marketing strategies on behalf of some of the world’s largest and most recognized organizations and brands.

Murray is a creative thinker who understands the opportunities presented by the ever-changing Internet marketing landscape. His vast expertise across all interactive disciplines allows him to cut through the clutter of the current ‘hype’ and deliver marketing programs that drive business.

Currently recognized as a top Interactive Social Media strategist, Murray has been invited to be a featured speaker at a variety of events and industry forums. His entertaining yet thoughtful presentation style distils esoteric ideas into actionable insights. He was recently named as one of the five Social Media Masters by Social Media Club International.

Murray’s pragmatic approach not only comes through in his presentations but also in his work as Strategy Practice Lead for Biztegra, an interactive and social media strategy agency. His focus is on helping Biztegra’s clients drive their businesses by designing appropriate interactive and integrated marketing strategies and tactics to fully engage their customers. He is also the founder of SMWorkshop.com , which offers workshops on developing REAL social media strategies, based on the proven process he uses with his clients.

His previous positions include Global Director of Marketing for Sapient, as well as Director of Strategy for Razorfish, two the world’s premier interactive agencies. He began his career as a business/management/technology consultant for Andersen Consulting (Accenture).

Raising Capital: Pitching to Investors for Entrepreneurs

Instructor: Ross O'brien
Date: Mar 22
Time: 9:30 am – 12:30 pm
Location: OD 101

Session Overview: Most entrepreneurs will seek outside capital to grow their business. In order to be successful the entrepreneur needs to understand what types of investors are available to them, how to access them, and what they look for in order to evaluate an investment opportunity. This seminar will focus on defining the different categories of investors including Angel investors and Venture Capital. We will focus on what investors typically look for in a company and why and take those criteria and characteristics to formulate a proposal. The final part of the seminar will demonstrate how to structure a presentation for investors.

Ross E. O’Brien

O’Brien is a Director of National Financial Companies LLC (“NFC”) and is responsible for evaluating new investment opportunities, performing due diligence and financial and business analysis. In this function he provides ongoing support on strategy, business planning, research, financial modeling, acquisitions and capital formation for existing portfolio companies.

Prior to joining NFC, Ross was a Partner at New Vernon Financial, LLC a boutique New York investment banking firm focused on Venture Capital and Private Equity transactions. Previous to joining New Vernon, Ross served as Manager of the Emerging Business Group at Geller & Company and as Assistant Vice President at JPMorgan Chase.

His experience also encompasses many entrepreneurial ventures ranging from being the first employee of a UK based Digital Media Technology firm responsible for launching their North American business. Following that he founded his own digital technology company, which he and his partners exited in 2006. He began his career at Sony BMG and has international experience working in Hong Kong and Canada.

Presentation 101

Instructor: Hein Onkenhout
Date: Mar 29
Time: 9:30 am – 12:30 pm
Location: OD 101

Session Overview: In this session you will learn: How to structure a presentation that makes your audience listen and enables you to tell the whole story no matter how little time you get; your story fits in 12 seconds, or in 1 minute, or in one hour. How to structure a communication for rational audiences and for irrational/emotional audiences. How to ensure that your presentation is waterproof i.e., facts are complete, nothing is missing and there is no overlap of arguments. Why Pliny the Younger added a P.S. to a particularly lengthy letter to a friend, saying: “I am sorry this letter is so long, but I had very little time to write it.”

Hein Onkenhout

Throughout his international career Hein Onkenhout has been recognized for his ability to significantly improve business performance. He has worked in different countries, speaks several foreign languages, and is at home in a number of industries. Most recently Onkenhout has been focusing his efforts on making a success out of his second start-up. Earlier in his career at Rexam, a top tier packaging company Onkenhout ran two of its US divisions.