Conference encourages future business owners

The fifth annual Grinspoon, Garvey and Young Entrepreneurship Conference, titled "The Art of the Start," will be held tomorrow at the MassMutual Convention Center in Springfield. Sponsored by the Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation and business partners, this conference promotes entrepreneurship among college students. This is especially significant, stated Smith's Assistant Director of Women and Financial Independence Rene Heavlow, because college students make up only a small demographic of business owners. Over 500 collegiate students in the Pioneer Valley interested in starting their own business or growing their current enterprise will attend this conference.

"I think that especially in a liberal arts institution, it's a hands-on practical endeavor; it's a way of putting the knowledge you gather in the classroom to use," Heavlow said.

The 13 Smith students attending this conference range from first-years to seniors. Heavlow and Susannah Howe, Director of the Design Clinic for Engineering, will be accompanying the students. The $125 fee for this conference was completely underwritten, leaving no costs to the students.

Heavlow encouraged students to create business cards in order to network with the other students at the conference. Former students who won Spirit Awards-cash prizes given to students to pursue their dreams of entrepreneurship-will also attend.

Participants in the conference will hear from faculty advisors from every school and other students who are successfully navigating businesses.

There will also be vendors and exhibitions that students will be able to explore. A panel called "Start, Grow, Succeed; Grinspoon Alumni" will share stories and experiences with the program attendees.

Students will learn about various aspects of entrepreneurship, including the process of innovation, finding key resources, marketing their businesses, funding, operating in the digital age and navigating commerce.

After attending the conference, Smith students with projects in all stages of development will create proposals explaining what they want to do with their businesses. Heavlow will then evaluate these proposals and write letters to the foundation on behalf of the students.

Depending on whether businesses are in the concept phase or existing phase, student award amounts vary. Also, because of the previous year's financial crisis, the award amount may be lower than before.

Many students start and continue their businesses after the conference.

Rachael Besserman M.Ed. '10 owns Emmett's Essentials, an online retail shop for organic body care products. She will have a table at the conference this year. Last year, Besserman met another business, 410 BC, a Web-based partnership between a Smith and a Mount Holyoke student, and was able to partner with them.

Besserman described the conference as energizing and inspiring, and emphasized the significance of group work and collaboration that the conference encourages.

"Entrepreneurs are doers," she said.

Like Besserman, Jennifer Connor 'AC '10 was able to start her business, Jennie Blue, which sells hand-painted, ceremonial ceramics, with the help of the Grinspoon Charitable Foundation.

"The Grinspoon, Garvey and Young Entrepreneurship Conference offered me the chance to present my business, and ideas on the further development of my business, to a group of would-be investors who then offered me input on how I might approach an actual investor in the future," Connor said.

"The conference is a rare opportunity to network in a supportive environment, kind of like Driver's Education for business: taking that test drive before you have to go out on [Interstate] 91 for the first time."

Although right now the program does not currently support nonprofit businesses, the organizers are hoping to find a way to award social enterprises.

Heavlow believes that this conference is beneficial to students. "If entrepreneurship is a vehicle to for you to achieve [success] we're behind it 100 percent.