Bryant's Up-and-Coming Entrepreneurs
As part of a "Business 101"ť class project, students create marketing and business plans for their own companies.
A group of enterprising students hit a home run with their "Business 101"ť project this past semester.
The team of Nicholas Bayliss ’12 (Millis, MA), Lauren Ginnetty ’12 (South Glastonbury, CT), Jennifer O’Hearne ’11 (North Smithfield, RI), Todd Stewart ’12 (Longmeadow, MA), Jonathan Stickley ’12 (Franklin, MA), and Michael Wagner ’12 (Aspen, CO) created “GWBOSS ADA Bats,” a baseball bat manufacturing company. The project captured first place in the Business 101 Marketing Plan competition at Bryant.
The business venture, which was judged the best out of more than 70 projects, could quickly turn into a grand slam as the group prepares for a meeting with a bat manufacturer in Connecticut to talk about getting the business off the ground.
“Team GWBOSS worked as a highly effective team, executed a first-rate presentation, and presented a well-researched business plan to back it all up,” says Chris Brodersen, adjunct management professor. “The lessons learned will surely be used in future courses at Bryant and beyond.”
Stewart, a catcher on the Bryant baseball team, came up with the idea for the business that would create and customize bats with different colors and engravings. He created the name “GWBOSS” with the first letter of each member’s last name and added the Cherokee word for wood, “ada,” to create the company’s slogan “ADA bat to your collection.”
As part of the competition, which was co-sponsored by McGraw-Hill, the winning team’s picture will be featured in the official Bryant “Business 101” textbook, “Everything You Wanted to Know But Were Afraid to Ask.” Each member also received Best Buy gift cards.
First-rate work
Stewart looked to create a strong team dynamic by identifying everyone’s strengths. “At our first meeting, I told the group to be extremely cocky for a little bit,” he explains, “and asked them to tell me what they were amazing at. Once we established what everyone was good at, we could start to work and really get the project off the ground.”
Adds Stickley, “Every person in our group was an expert at something, which made our project that much better.”
Ginnetty says that the project gave her a forum to apply concepts she learned in the classroom. “We learned the parts that go into a business plan, as well as how to talk to a potential investor, market your product, and give a professional presentation.”
“The project was very helpful in giving us a real sense of what starting your own business would really be like,” says O’Hearne.
Wagner, who served as the team leader, says that for him, the project provided a glimpse into the future. “I was able to develop a real idea of what life is like after school – whether it is working for a corporation or starting your own business,” he says. “The project gave us a firsthand view of what is expected of us in the business world.”
Learning the ins and outs
Earning second place in the competition was “Vet Tech,” a team from one of the honors “Business 101” classes. They worked with a local nonprofit organization to create plans for a computer repair facility to be run by veterans.
The team, which included Talia Aviani ’12 (East Rockaway, NY), Tara Calnan ’12 (Bellingham, MA), Meredith Faila ’12 (Williston Park, NY), Brittany Kmetz ’12 (Westerly, RI), and Joelle Sopariwala ’12 (Old Saybrook, CT), was one of five groups in Management Lecturer Dave Greenan’s class that worked with the Capitol Region Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), a Providence, Rhode Island-based nonprofit organization. Components from each of the five business plans created by the students will be used to start the business in the coming months.
“I gained experience leading the team, improved my time management skills, and learned about the components of a business plan,” says Sopariwala, who served as the team leader.
Faila, a finance concentrator, had the opportunity to work with financial statements, while Kmetz, a marketing concentrator, gained experience developing promotional materials for the company.
“We learned all the work that goes into a business plan and would definitely use this knowledge if we ever open our own business,” says Calnan.
Preparing to excel
Taking third place was “Galactic Lazer Warz,” a multi-level laser tag facility. The team included Gregory Brown ’12 (Methuen, MA), Chelsea Heath ’12 (Windsor, CT), Jason McClurg ’12 (North Providence, RI), Steven McDonald ’12 (Southbury, CT), Kelly McDonough ’12 (Wallingford, CT), and Brendon Pierce ’11 (New Bedford, MA).
The team determined there would be a large demand for affordable entertainment like laser tag in the current economy.
“I learned that starting a business takes a lot of research,” says Brown. “Just because you have an idea does not mean that it will work and be profitable.”
Adam Rubin, a management lecturer and Business 101 professors, says that after several years of overseeing these projects, he has become accustomed to high-caliber work.
“The students will only continue to grow their skills,” he says. “I know that by the time they reach their senior year, they will be prepared to excel in their chosen career paths.”
The team of Nicholas Bayliss ’12 (Millis, MA), Lauren Ginnetty ’12 (South Glastonbury, CT), Jennifer O’Hearne ’11 (North Smithfield, RI), Todd Stewart ’12 (Longmeadow, MA), Jonathan Stickley ’12 (Franklin, MA), and Michael Wagner ’12 (Aspen, CO) created “GWBOSS ADA Bats,” a baseball bat manufacturing company. The project captured first place in the Business 101 Marketing Plan competition at Bryant.
The business venture, which was judged the best out of more than 70 projects, could quickly turn into a grand slam as the group prepares for a meeting with a bat manufacturer in Connecticut to talk about getting the business off the ground.
“Team GWBOSS worked as a highly effective team, executed a first-rate presentation, and presented a well-researched business plan to back it all up,” says Chris Brodersen, adjunct management professor. “The lessons learned will surely be used in future courses at Bryant and beyond.”
Stewart, a catcher on the Bryant baseball team, came up with the idea for the business that would create and customize bats with different colors and engravings. He created the name “GWBOSS” with the first letter of each member’s last name and added the Cherokee word for wood, “ada,” to create the company’s slogan “ADA bat to your collection.”
As part of the competition, which was co-sponsored by McGraw-Hill, the winning team’s picture will be featured in the official Bryant “Business 101” textbook, “Everything You Wanted to Know But Were Afraid to Ask.” Each member also received Best Buy gift cards.
First-rate work
Stewart looked to create a strong team dynamic by identifying everyone’s strengths. “At our first meeting, I told the group to be extremely cocky for a little bit,” he explains, “and asked them to tell me what they were amazing at. Once we established what everyone was good at, we could start to work and really get the project off the ground.”
Adds Stickley, “Every person in our group was an expert at something, which made our project that much better.”
Ginnetty says that the project gave her a forum to apply concepts she learned in the classroom. “We learned the parts that go into a business plan, as well as how to talk to a potential investor, market your product, and give a professional presentation.”
“The project was very helpful in giving us a real sense of what starting your own business would really be like,” says O’Hearne.
Wagner, who served as the team leader, says that for him, the project provided a glimpse into the future. “I was able to develop a real idea of what life is like after school – whether it is working for a corporation or starting your own business,” he says. “The project gave us a firsthand view of what is expected of us in the business world.”
Learning the ins and outs
Earning second place in the competition was “Vet Tech,” a team from one of the honors “Business 101” classes. They worked with a local nonprofit organization to create plans for a computer repair facility to be run by veterans.
The team, which included Talia Aviani ’12 (East Rockaway, NY), Tara Calnan ’12 (Bellingham, MA), Meredith Faila ’12 (Williston Park, NY), Brittany Kmetz ’12 (Westerly, RI), and Joelle Sopariwala ’12 (Old Saybrook, CT), was one of five groups in Management Lecturer Dave Greenan’s class that worked with the Capitol Region Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), a Providence, Rhode Island-based nonprofit organization. Components from each of the five business plans created by the students will be used to start the business in the coming months.
“I gained experience leading the team, improved my time management skills, and learned about the components of a business plan,” says Sopariwala, who served as the team leader.
Faila, a finance concentrator, had the opportunity to work with financial statements, while Kmetz, a marketing concentrator, gained experience developing promotional materials for the company.
“We learned all the work that goes into a business plan and would definitely use this knowledge if we ever open our own business,” says Calnan.
Preparing to excel
Taking third place was “Galactic Lazer Warz,” a multi-level laser tag facility. The team included Gregory Brown ’12 (Methuen, MA), Chelsea Heath ’12 (Windsor, CT), Jason McClurg ’12 (North Providence, RI), Steven McDonald ’12 (Southbury, CT), Kelly McDonough ’12 (Wallingford, CT), and Brendon Pierce ’11 (New Bedford, MA).
The team determined there would be a large demand for affordable entertainment like laser tag in the current economy.
“I learned that starting a business takes a lot of research,” says Brown. “Just because you have an idea does not mean that it will work and be profitable.”
Adam Rubin, a management lecturer and Business 101 professors, says that after several years of overseeing these projects, he has become accustomed to high-caliber work.
“The students will only continue to grow their skills,” he says. “I know that by the time they reach their senior year, they will be prepared to excel in their chosen career paths.”
