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March, 2006 |
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March News
Spring is turning out to be quite
the busy season. There is a lot in store at the
Dingman Center! Between upcoming, partnered and
co-sponsored events there is something to offer
everyone. Also, make sure you check out our
feature article submitted by Laura Koehne, a former
Dingman Scholar and Smith School alum, entitled
"When Opportunity
Knocks...7 Unconventional Ways to Prepare for Your
Chance of a Lifetime."
Venture Capitalists,
you will be interested in our
Tech Visionary Series
Web 2.0 discussion and the upcoming
Alternative Energy
Tech Visionary in April. Also, be sure to not to miss the
Early Stage East,
Digital
Media or
National Women's Business Conferences
or the Grow Fast
Grow Right Business Strategies Seminar!
Entrepreneurs,
check out our Pitch Dingman and
Cupid's Cup
competitions for chances to win seed money for your
start-up business! In addition, be sure to read
Laura Koehne's article “When Opportunity Knocks” and
Eric Spiegel's article “How to Raise Funds for Your
Own Startup.”
Students you too can get in on the
action of Pitch Dingman and
Cupid's Cup, but also be
sure to mark your calendars for the
Self Marketing
Workshop March 6th,
Prospective Scholars
Lunch March 9th, and
Solid Ground
Financial Planning Program March 30th!
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Upcoming Events
Prospective Scholars Lunch
Do you have what it takes to be the next Dingman
Scholar?
If you are interested in entrepreneurship and
starting your own business, then the Dingman Center
for Entrepreneurship is the place for you. Come meet
the faculty, staff, and current scholars that make
up the Dingman Center and learn first hand what the
Center has to offer.
All those interested in this unique opportunity
should attend!
Register Today!
Thursday, March 9th 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. 2509 VMH
Pitch Dingman Competition
This event is held monthly and is a follow-up to our weekly walk-in
Pitch Dingman held on Fridays at 11:00 a.m.
Come to the monthly competition, present your
business idea in 5 minutes to a panel of judges from
the Dingman Center, and you could win $500! For
information about the weekly Pitch Dingman sessions
on Fridays or the monthly Pitch Dingman
competitions, e-mail Derek Vlcko at
dvlcko@rhsmith.umd.edu.
Friday, March 31st, 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., 3570 Van Munching
Hall
Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship's 20th
Anniversary Gala
Save the date of Wednesday, April 5, 2006 for a gala celebration of
the 20th Anniversary of the Dingman Center for
Entrepreneurship. More details will be provided in
future newsletters. Many special VIP guests will be
present at this celebration; it is an event not to
be missed!
Wednesday, April 5, 2006, 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m., Van Munching Hall
To RSVP please contact
Andrea
Galati.
Dingman Day Lunch
The
Marketing and Research and Development Team from
Honest Tea,
a Bethesda based company, will present on their
recent growth explosion and entrance into the
organic food market. Help out the team at Honest Tea
and take part in a taste testing of Honest Tea's
latest products. Give feedback on products and
learn the struggles and rewards of being a part of a
newly developed company that has a total of 7
employees.
Friday, April 21st, 12:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m., 1505 Van
Munching Hall
Register Today!
Tech
Visionary Series -
Alternative Energy (invitation only)
The panel discussion will look at
emerging trends of rising energy prices, increasing
world wide demand and national security concerns
that will drive innovation and investment in the
energy sector. Experts in solar energy, alternative
fuel, fuel cells and control systems will discuss
the current landscape and future horizons. Learn how
these trends are affecting views on energy use
management and are hastening the exploration for new
uses of current sources and development of new
sources of energy. This panel will help you develop
an effective strategy to evaluate alternative energy
ventures.
Wednesday, April 26th, 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m., 2517
Van Munching Hall
Please contact
Andrea
Galati for more information.
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Dingman Co-Sponsored Events
Self
Marketing Workshop
Registration Fee $15
Nail that interview! Make that resume shine!
Struggling to translate your terrific education,
experience, skills and competitive advantages into
services that employers, bosses, and customers want
to buy?
If
you can successfully market yourself, you increase
your chances of landing a good job, getting quick
promotions, and starting your own business smoothly
and successfully.
This interactive workshop will teach you how to
market yourself, a necessary skill that will carry
you profitably into your future.
Register Today!!
Monday, March 6th 6:00-7:30pm 2515 VMH
Solid Ground Financial Planning Program
Registration Fee $20
Are you worried about repaying your students loans,
while juggling living expenses? Unsure what 401K
options are right for you?
If so, then Solid Ground Financial Planning Program
is for you! This program offers a big-picture
approach to personal finance that incorporates past,
present, and future financial decisions. With a
focus on sustainable growth the program explores
budgeting, investing and debt management
opportunities to build financial momentum throughout
one's career.
This event will be held by
Rebecca Schreiber. Rebecca Schreiber, a
fee-only financial planner, advises busy
professionals with a streamlined, objective approach
to meeting their financial goals. While the
financial services industry is focused on the needs
of high-net-worth individuals, Rebecca delivers
solutions to people starting out in their careers
with a lifetime of financial opportunities ahead of
them. Through budgeting, investing and debt
management education her clients utilize these
opportunities to launch their financial freedom.
This valuable and informative seminar will provide
you with
helpful information, tips, checklists, websites and
reading material. Interactive exercises and
financial brainstorming are also useful learning
exercises featured in this event.
Register
Today!
Thursday, March 30th 7:00-9:00pm 2517 VHM
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Feature Event
Cupid's
Cup
Cupid's arrow may have gotten you, now go for his
Cup!
Cupid's Cup is a
ten thousand dollar monetary award
given to the best University of Maryland student
operated business. The student must currently be
enrolled in one of the school's at the University of
Maryland in College Park, or have graduated within
the past three years from either a graduate or
undergraduate program.
The first annual
Cupid's Cup will be awarded by
Kevin Plank,
CEO of Under
Armour on Friday, May 12th,
2006 at a luncheon reception.
The recipient will receive a
$10,000 cash prize and possession of Cupid's Cup's
trophy for a one year period.
The
March 31st deadline is fast approaching for more information and registry details
check out the site!
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Bahamas Business
Development Seminar
BAHAMAS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SEMINAR
AGENT/DISTRIBUTOR EXPO
APRIL 20 & 21, 2006
RADISSON CABLE BEACH AND GOLF RESORT
NASSAU, BAHAMAS
The U.S. Embassy in
conjunction with The Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and
The Bahamas Development Bank will co-sponsor a
Business Development Seminar and Agent/Distributor
Expo at the Wyndham Cable Beach Resort and Casino on
April 20 and 21, 2006.
This event is geared
toward American companies interested in the
lucrative Bahamian market. The EXPO will showcase
company products, and we will arrange one-on-one
matchmaker appointments for all companies
participating.
Benefits of investing in
The Bahamas include: a stable, democratic
government; relief from corporate and personal
income taxes, timely repatriation of profits and
approved investment; proximity to the United States;
extensive air links through nearby Miami, Ft.
Lauderdale and Orlando; well-developed
telecommunications links; a good pool of skilled
professionals; excellent tourism and conference
facilities; and tariff concessions under the
Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act, Canada's
CARIBCAN Program, and the European Union's LOME IV
Agreement. The Bahamian dollar is fixed on par with
the American dollar and the Bahamian Government is
firmly committed to maintaining this exchange rate.
For further
information, contact Anne Marie Bain,
Economic-Commercial Assistant, U.S. Embassy Nassau,
tel: 242-322-1181, ext. 4226, email –
baina@state.gov
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Event Summaries
Tech
Visionary Series “Web 2.0” - February 8th
"Web
2.0" has popped up as one of the hottest buzz terms
in venture and entrepreneurial circles during the
past year. But what exactly is Web 2.0? And what are
its implications for entrepreneurs, investors and
the "new" economy? This and more was at the Web 2.0
Tech Visionary Series. Other topics included were
which companies, business models and technologies
are leading the way in this next generation of
Internet business. Adam Lehman, Entrepreneur in
Residence moderated the event. Panelists included
Ben Bederson, Associate Professor of Computer
Science and director of the Human-Computer
Interaction Lab at the Institute for Advanced
Computer Studies at the University of Maryland,
Robert Hoffer, Managing Director of San Mateo based
Newforth Partners, LLC, Luis Derechin, CEO and
Co-Founder of JackBe Corporation, and Leslie A. Jump
of Jump Walker International Group.
For a complete overview of the
event please view the video re-cap.
Tech Visionary
Series - Web 2.0
Power point presentations from
our panelists can be viewed below:
Ben Bederson
Luis Derechin
Robert Hoffer
Leslie Jump
Also, be sure to read Leslie
Jump's blog
www.marketerblog.net
Dingman
Day Lunch – February 17th
Students, faculty, staff, alumni and entrepreneurs
gathered in Van Munching Hall to hear first hand
from two
Dingman Scholars and
Portfolio Company founders just what it's like
to be in the world of entrepreneurship. Matt
Fleischer of
Hook &
Ladder Brewing Company and Aviral Singh on
behalf of Zoey Rawlins of
Shop DC,
spoke on the ups and downs of being an entrepreneur
and how the Dingman Center helped them establish
their companies in the marketplace.
Matt
Fleischer began the presentation by giving an
overview of his company. He explained how his
business grew out of a hobby he and his brother
enjoyed. Matt came to the Dingman Center with a
clear vision and plan of execution for Hook & Ladder
and the center provided advice, mentoring and
financing to help his business become a reality.
Matt's unique beer won Hook & Ladder a
Gold Medal at the Great American Beer Festival in
2001, and one penny per pint of beer is donated to
the D.C. Firefighters Burn Foundation making Hook &
Ladder a charitable company. Matt concluded that
being an entrepreneur can be stressful and one must
wear many hats to succeed, but in the end he would
not want to do anything else for a living.
Aviral Singh, a current Dingman
Scholar and partner to Zoey Rawlins of Shop DC spoke
on behalf of Shop DC magazine. Aviral explained the
magazine's founding at the Dingman Center and its
recent success. With the second issue published to
date, Shop DC has already almost completely
saturated the DC hotel distribution market. Aviral
explained that while Shop DC is happy with its
current accomplishment, they are constantly trying
to tap into new markets and take the magazine to the
next level. Aviral concluded the presentation with
an internship opportunity open to undergrad and MBA
students with an interest in marketing and of course
fashion.
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Partner Events
Grow Fast Grow Right
Business Growth Strategies
Seminar
April 5th 2006
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
UMBC Technology
Center Building
Today's business leaders are too
busy running their companies to invest in
motivational seminars or useless general business
guidance. Grow Fast Grow Right focuses exclusively
on the development and implementation of powerful
and effective growth strategies to increase and
maximize shareholder value. This program helps the
leaders of emerging growth and middle-market
companies select and implement the strategies that
best fit their business.
To register online go to
www.growfastgrowright.com or call 866-GRO-RITE.
Registrations received before March 24th will
receive and Early Registration Discount of 15% off.
Grow Fast Grow Right Brochure
Early Stage East 2006 Ninth Annual Venture
Conference
May 8th and 9th 2006 DuPont Country Club & Brantwyn
Estate
Early Stage East has remained
geographically the largest venture conference
focused on early stage companies from New England to
the Carolinas since 1998. More than 375 companies
have presented at Early Stage East conferences and
have gone on to raise more than $650 million in
venture funding. Some featured industries include
information technology, life sciences, enterprise
software, pharmaceutical industries, industrial bio
technology and many more. For more information on
Early Stage east visit
www.earlystageeast.org.
2nd Annual National Women's Business
Conference
Jun 12th
2006 J. W. Marriott in central Washington, DC
This conference features
exemplary speakers, workshops, exhibit hall, and
loan fair. All of this in addition to government
agency matchmaking sessions and the media interview
roundtables make this conference one not to be
missed. Register for this event and find out more
at
www.businesswomensconference.com.
3rd Annual
Digital Media Conference
June 23rd 2006
Ritz-Carlton in Tysons Corner
Don't miss the event the Washington Post calls “a
confab of powerful communicators and content
providers in the region.” This information
gathering and powerful networking event is intended
for media, entertainment and technology businesses,
educational institutions, and government agencies
involved in the digital distribution of media. For
sponsor packages, speaker information, contacts, and
additional information visit
www.DigitalMediaConference.com.
When registering be sure to mention you are a
Dingman Community Member and receive a 25% discount
on your registration fee!
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In the Know and In the News
When Opportunity
Knocks…7 Unconventional Ways to Prepare for Your
Chance of a Lifetime
By Laura Koehne
Usual advice to entrepreneurs
focuses on practicalities like learning to evaluate
the market, write a business plan or raise money.
But this assumption that we've already found the
perfect idea or business opportunity is just plain
wrong!
As a kid I dreamed that someday I
would have my own business. In my 20's I kept my
eyes open, freelanced a bit and even had a little
web start up with a friend that turned out to be
more of a hobby than a sustainable venture. I
completed an MBA and studied entrepreneurship, and
along the way I wrote a number of appealing business
plans. Unfortunately, none of those businesses were
appealing to me.
Truth was I didn't know what my
dream looked like. I was surrounded by great
opportunity but I hadn't spent enough time honing my
receptors to know which opportunity was right for
me.
What was missing was the atypical
business advice: To find my perfect business
opportunity I had to find myself first. I needed to
assess ME before I could even look at the market!
How will you recognize the idea
or business opportunity that is the perfect fit for
you? Do you know what gives you the passion and
energy that you'll need to start a business? Steel
your courage and get ready to dive in: knowing
yourself objectively, good and bad, inside and out,
is essential for recognizing your perfect
opportunities.
Here are some unconventional
ideas to help you prime your entrepreneurial pump:
1.
Specialize – in Yourself
Take the time to inventory your
most important values and goals. Evaluate your
strengths as well as your blind spots. Remember
that it's not easy to read the label when you're
inside the bottle, so solicit help from friends you
respect and who know you well. My friend Jim was
stunned to realize that not everyone loved talking
to people the way he does. He had discounted his
talent for networking because for him it's as
natural as breathing and he assumed everyone could
do it. These overlooked gifts are often our
easiest, most energizing and valuable skills.
2.
Generalize – in the World
You're an expert in your field,
no doubt, but don't forget that there is a whole
world out there. Be curious and pay attention to
different industries, trends and patterns. Many of
the biggest breakthroughs come from making
connections between previously unrelated needs.
Visit the newsstand once a week to pick up a
publication you would otherwise never read. Watch
the ideas start flowing. Collect the ideas that are
most intriguing to you. Are there any patterns?
3.
Take a Vacation
Sometimes a break from your
routine is needed to reconnect with your creativity,
insights and passions. Have you ever been driving a
car or daydreaming in the shower when suddenly an
amazing revelation pops into your head? A relaxing
vacation can have the same effect on a grander
scale. Give yourself time to dream.
4.
Prepare Your Financial
Attitudes
You've heard all the advice about
preparing your bank account for the big leap, but
you must also tune up your money attitudes. An
off-kilter relationship with money can derail your
entrepreneurial dream. My client Lori, whose
business was slipping, examined her beliefs and
found she wanted to protect money, and thus failed
to take needed risk. Now that she's more
comfortable with money, and bolder, her business is
thriving! Appreciate money as your would a business
partner and create a good relationship with it,
before you start the company.
5.
Kick Butt at Work
While you develop your
entrepreneurial dreams, redouble your commitment to
your current job.
Do great work for co-workers and
clients. Develop relationships and a sterling
reputation. So what if these people are not among
your first customers, they can become your greatest
advocates! Do your day job to the best of your
ability and be someone that others are proud to
refer.
6.
Befriend Your Fears
We all have them – big,
tummy-knotting fears or little nagging, “I'm not
good enough” worries. Learn to recognize the
limiting perceptions or attitudes that may become
speed-bumps on your way to success. When
acknowledged, these fears become allies that will
actually make you more successful: Business owner,
Lisa, is a creative visionary who shivers at the
thought of implementation. For sure, she will want
to hire a crackerjack implementer for her team.
Seek opportunities that minimize the effects of your
fears, or consciously prepare to accommodate them
with additional training, specific people in your
team or advantageous alliances.
7.
Discover – and Live --
Your Personal Brand
When people's perception of you
is in sync with the real you, life gets a
whole lot easier. Act consistently on your values
and beliefs, and people will recognize what you
stand for, what you can be counted on to do, and how
you will do it. This makes it easy for others to
introduce you to the perfect people, the perfect
companies, and perfect ideas. An authentic personal
brand gives you a high likelihood of finding the
perfect opportunity. After all, your unique dream
comes from who you really are.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Laura Koehne, founder of
THRIVE Against the Grain, coaches you to take
the road less traveled with complete confidence.
She is a former Dingman Scholar with an MBA from RH
Smith, who has realized her entrepreneurial dream by
helping others find theirs. For coaching, guidance
and additional exercises to help you prepare for
your chance of a lifetime, visit her website at
www.ThriveAgainstTheGrain.com or write to
Laura@ThriveAgainstTheGrain.com
Eric Spiegel, CEO of eXpert
Technology Solutions, Recommends the Dingman Center
for New Entrepreneurs
February 16, 2006
earthweb.com recently ran an
article by Eric Spiegel called “How to Raise Funds
for Your Own Startup.” This IT entrepreneur received
guidance and support from the Dingman Center. In the
article Spiegel lists ways for entrepreneurs to get
advice, connections, and funding. He sites the
Dingman Center as a good example of an advisory
program. For the full article, hit the link below.
► Full Story
Le
Monde
Profiles Dingman Fellow Dan Goodman's Biodiesel
Venture
February 11, 2006
Dan Goodman, our very own
Entrepreneur in Residence, is in the process of
building his own biodiesel refinery, which caught
the attention of
Le Monde, France's largest
newspaper. Le Monde used Goodman's venture as
a backdrop for the burgeoning biodiesel industry in
America, which is rapidly growing because of the
easy availability of cooking oil (the raw
ingredient), its friendliness towards the
environment, and the potential for biodiesel to
decrease America's dependence on foreign oil.
► Full Story
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THE DINGMAN
CENTER FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Founded by Rudy Lamone in 1986, the Dingman Center was one of
the first of its kind in the country and has emerged as a
top-ranked entrepreneurship center. Thanks to initial funding
with a generous grant from Michael D. Dingman, founder of the
Signal Corporation (now part of Honeywell International), the
Dingman Center continues to grow as a regional and national
catalyst in the field of entrepreneurship. The Center is now
aggressively evolving, and in some areas, is expanding its
services to further its role as a leader in the student,
regional, and academic entrepreneurial communities.
The Dingman Center is currently led by:
Asher Epstein, Managing Director
Dr. Charles Heller, Chairman of the Board and Director Emeritus
Dr. Scott Koerwer, Associate Dean,
Professional Programs and Services
Please visit our website at
http://www.rhsmith.umd.edu/dingman.
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