With dreams of building a more accessible world, Harris helped found The Excel Program at Georgia Tech, a certificate program for students with intellectual disabilities. She and a student advisory board researched comparative programs, drafted a curriculum, and solicited buy-in from the University. In addition, the program focuses on finding internships that prepare students for their careers. When Harris graduated, she stayed on to welcome the first cohort of Excel students to Georgia Tech.

Discovering the Power of Business

But Harris soon came to believe that creating meaningful employment for this demographic must begin inside business, where the jobs are. Harris wanted to make that happen, so at the encouragement of one of her mentors, she started applying to business schools.

I realized business was really the way that change would happen. It will be the business community harnessing the value these individuals bring. 

Marnie Harris 20MBA

In choosing Goizueta Business School, where she earned an MBA in 2020, Harris found a flexible program that allowed her to pursue her natural impulse to innovate.

She spent a semester honing financial modeling skills working with coffee growers in Guatemala and another creating a marketing strategy for a wheelchair manufacturing entrepreneur in Uganda.

Harris received the Woodruff Scholarship, Emory’s most prestigious named scholarship, awarded to Emory applicants who want to make a positive social impact and leave a lasting imprint on the University through their leadership, academic performance, and lifelong relationships.

Launching the Shepherd Hotel

Though Harris is no longer an engineer, in many ways she still thinks like one, seeing opportunities to solve complex challenges. After graduation, a Goizueta classmate and fellow Woodruff scholar introduced her to Rich Davies, president of Pavilion Development Company, who together with Rick Hayduk, a long-time hospitality executive, was building a hotel in Clemson that prioritized employing staff with intellectual disabilities in collaboration with ClemsonLIFE, similar to the Excel program Harris had started at Georgia Tech.  

As part of the development team for the flagship Shepherd Hotel, Harris built the core of the brand and its marketing strategy, and structured a collaboration with Clemson University and ClemsonLIFE. Harris is now developing the Shepherd Hotels brand through franchising. She works with experienced developers and operators looking to bring a Shepherd Hotel to their university home. Harris supports these franchisees to build collaborations with universities and their Inclusive Postsecondary Certificate Programs, driving best practices toward processes, strategies and technology to employ a collective number of adults with intellectual disabilities in hospitality.

“One of the things that we decided very early on was that … local buy-in and ownership was really important,” Harris says.

I love getting to work with our partners and to see the concept become theirs. I know we’re successful when our partners talk about our Shepherd Hotel rather than your Shepherd Hotel.

Marnie Harris 20MBA

Eighty percent of people with intellectual disabilities are underemployed, Harris says.

“If you looked at that statistic across most other populations, it would be staggering. I think as we become staggered by that number, we see a massive population of people that have incredible potential that we’re leaving on the sideline.”

A Humanitarian Vision

The franchise effort has the energy of a startup in the humanitarian space—a priority for Harris.

It’s so fun. I like that it’s creative, and I like that it’s purposeful. We’re creating boutique hotel experiences where we target building teams that include 30 percent individuals with intellectual disabilities. I love the purpose-driven aspect of it.

Marnie Harris 20MBA

All the jobs are mission critical, and many involve customer interaction.

“People want purpose-driven experiences where they feel genuinely appreciated and valued when they stay somewhere,” she says. “I also think employees are just looking for better workplaces. We have tried to create a workplace with a grace-filled atmosphere where people with disabilities can be successful. Everyone benefits, including our non-disabled employees who work in an environment where they feel valued and purposeful in their work.”

Building Inclusive Workplaces

Harris says her background taught her how to “take these massive problems and turn them into solvable parts.” She envisions building a workplace at Shepherd that acknowledges the very full and busy lives employees have, so people can build their careers, their families, and their interests at the same time.

“We’re all people outside of work too, and there is a work-life integration that has to happen in order to make a more diverse and equitable work environment,” Harris says. “I am really hopeful that we can maintain the principles of integrity that we’ve been able to launch the Shepherd brand with, and carry that into growth, knowing some of the challenges that takes.”

Your support of scholarships helps us attract and retain top students and improve the diversity and talent of our student body. Our goal is to create equal access and opportunity for all students with the talent and abilities to drive business forward, regardless of their ability to pay. Support scholarships today!

The post Meet Marnie Harris: Building Hotels with Purpose appeared first on EmoryBusiness.com.

Businesses in Start:ME’s three cohorts—Clarkston, East Lake, and Southside Atlanta—celebrated their accomplishments together in a graduation ceremony this spring. Over 14 weeks and beyond, owners of 50 ventures built lasting bonds with fellow business owners, fellow Start:ME alumni, and nearly 70 volunteer mentors who helped them develop business plans and strategies.

“Yes, you want to exit with a business plan. Yes, you want to exit with a strategy and financials. But a big part of it is the intangibles of building relationships with all of the people in the room,” says program director Erin Igleheart.

During the pandemic, Start:ME sessions took place virtually. In-person sessions have gradually returned since then. However, some virtual programming remains as a convenience for busy professionals.

Start:ME regularly surveys participants to design programming, and founders are eager to sit down with mentors. That’s where we make some of the best connections, Igleheart says. About 60 percent of sessions took place in person this year. That includes key events such as the kickoff, business plan pitches, and trade show—where founders can introduce themselves to capital providers and small-business organizations.

Diverse Ventures Offer Support

Program leaders also announced the recipients of $45,000 in peer-selected grants and $3,000 in awards at graduation. New this year is the resilience award. The prize recognizes the most-resilient entrepreneur in each cohort and comes with a $500 award. Supporters provided the capital that made the program possible this year: Bank of America, Delta Community Credit Union, Regions Foundation, Target, Truist Foundation. The program is delivered in partnership with trusted community-based nonprofits, including East Lake Foundation, Focused Community Strategies, Friends of Refugees, and Purpose Built Schools Atlanta.

Of the 50 ventures graduating in the 2024 class—chosen from some 250 applicants—84 percent are incorporated. Eighty-six percent are led by women, 78 percent by entrepreneurs of color, and 22 percent by immigrants.

As a group, the ventures employ two full-time and 43 part-time employees in addition to the founders. Total revenue for the group was $763,227 in 2023, with 82 percent booking revenues.

A quarter of the startups this year were in food and beverage—each with a unique niche, such as tea infusions, seasonings, condiments, and specialty cuisines. Companies in professional services, health, beauty, and fitness; healthcare and social assistance; arts, culture, and creative; and education and tutoring together made up 62 percent of the startups.

Creativity Drives Start:ME Entrepreneurs

Igleheart says creativity is often a driver for entrepreneurs and leads to interesting business ideas. One business owner, a former preschool teacher, creates puppets, inclusive musical videos, and live shows to educate young children. She even sang her final pitch—a Start:ME first.

One venture is creating tools to help students and teachers understand and integrate artificial intelligence into the classroom. This year’s class also included two woodworkers. One makes heirloom furniture out of wood she obtains from felled city trees. Another, who also teaches engineering at a local school, shares her woodworking knowledge with her students.

“Every year I’m amazed. There are always new businesses that absolutely never would have crossed my mind,” Igleheart says. “And the passion that entrepreneurs bring into the room is not only energizing but very heartwarming.”

Start:ME Alumni Are Staunch Supporters

Start:ME alumni also serve as volunteers and mentors: They have made the same kinds of sacrifices necessary to put time and energy into the program—both remotely and in person—while also working on their businesses. Current participants seek out alumni support especially on neighborhood night, when they step up to present their businesses to a live audience and engage in a group Q&A, often for the first time.

“Entrepreneurs make for really great mentors because they understand what it’s like to operate every aspect of a business. They understand what it’s like to start from scratch and build it up and invest in yourself. You really attach yourself emotionally to the business,” Igleheart says.

As their ranks grow, Start:ME is creating more opportunities for alumni to connect with community partners and with each other, from social gatherings to Emory Executive Education and other continuing education classes. Recent offerings include a five-week corporate governance course that helps current cohort members and alumni get their legal house in order and a five-session deep dive into digital marketing, led by Nicole Soltau of Goizueta’s MS in Business Analytics program.

Start:ME Peer-Selected Grants

$5,000

Meagan Naraine – Culturally Relevant Science
Holly Juras – Go Play Shoes
Angela Weadon – Music Therapy for Autism

$4,000

Ashley Jefferson – Nguzo Babies
Sheila Tillers-Tooks and Toshia Tiller – CornbreadSisters
Lindsay and Nebi Berhane – Sugar Loaf ATL

$3,000

Trudy Calder Washington – Recovery Pops
Tinsley Curry – Tinsley Curry OT
Tonya Brown – Tonluvs2styl

$2,000

Kesha Phillips – Soulful Rubber Media
Beth White – ATLWoodDesign
Jeremiah Long – Immutable Access (AI for Kids)

$1,000

Maya Norman – Steeped & Twisted
Whitney Marshall – Whitney Marshall Coaching
Sioux Greaux – Sole Renew

Peer-of-the-Year Awards – $500

Mia Edwards – HARMONIC Therapeutic & Healing Services
Marilyn Latham – The Reiki Coach
Niki (Noushin) Gavahi – Knead to Savor

Resilience Awards – $500

Liudmyla Nimash – Art World Decor
April Payne – Styles by Aprillove
Suzuko Hisata – Candor Life Coaching

Community Impact Awards – $500

Kierra Wilcox and Pamela Stanley – Abena Infusion Specialists
Fareshta Gurbaz – Baran Kabab
Dedra Ridges – There’s Hope

About Start:ME

Start:ME is delivered by Emory University’s Goizueta Business School in partnership with community lead nonprofit organizations East Lake Foundation, Focused Community Strategies (FCS), Friends of Refugees, and Purpose Built Schools Atlanta along with 70+ volunteer business mentors.

Start:ME is made possible by the gracious support of Bank of America, Delta Community Credit Union, Emory University’s Goizueta Business School, Regions Foundation, Target Corporation, and Truist Foundation.

Learn more at startmeatl.org.

Enjoy more images from the 2024 Start:ME program graduation festivities below:

The post Start:ME Entrepreneurs Build Networks and Their Businesses appeared first on EmoryBusiness.com.

Mason, assistant professor of orthopaedics and family medicine at Emory Healthcare, became medical director for USATF championship events in 2022. He coordinates medical coverage for USATF international teams, and national and local championship events.

In his new role, Mason now found himself leading medical operations, staffing, scheduling, budgeting, and human resources for all USATF championship events. However, nothing in medical school or his career had prepared him for this. Mason realized right away that to succeed in this new role, he would need the skills of an administrator.

“These kinds of directorship positions, especially for sporting entities, require a different set of skills. As I’ve progressed in my career, I haven’t had the opportunity to develop these skills,” he says. “Formalized training as a chief medical officer was something that I was lacking.”

Learning the Business of Healthcare

In November 2022, Mason enrolled in the first cohort of the Chief Medical Officer Program through Emory Executive Education. The program bridges clinical expertise and business acumen—filling an urgent need for medical practitioners who can lead in the C-suite.

Over nine to 12 months, the Chief Medical Officer program dives into the business of healthcare. Core modules cover health care leadership and business administration, team building, wellness, turning strategy into action, effective communication skills, DEI, and more. Electives in decision making and innovation provide further options.

For the core modules, participants watch weekly recorded lectures by faculty at a time convenient to them. They then gather online and over email to discuss the material as a group. Weekly online review sessions led by a teaching assistant offer a chance for students to further discuss the lecture material as a smaller group. Every other week, industry experts from around the globe give live online presentations. The presentations are followed by questions and comments with the cohort.

The elective in executive decision-making was particularly impactful. Mason says this course was exactly what he needed for his new role with USATF.

It was phenomenal. It really changed how I think and put things into practice.

R. Amadeus Mason

“I shared some of the things I was learning with my wife—who is a C-suite executive with degrees from Wharton and Kellogg—and she was impressed,” Mason says.

Practical Application: Reaching the Podium with Preventative Medicine

The core modules laid the foundation for Mason to develop the regional provider program at USATF. The goal was to provide injury prevention and mitigation. One of the biggest issues at USATF was that their elite athletes—potential medal winners—were showing up to high-stakes track meets nursing injuries. 

With no protocol in place to stay on top of their elite athletes’ condition, Mason says, “we were leaving potential medals on the table.” Athletes had injuries that prevented them from performing at their best or at all—injuries that should have been identified and treated earlier.   

Even though USATF is the national governing body for track and field, creating a program for injury surveillance, treatment, and prevention for their elite athlete population was a big task. Athletes live and train all over the country. Many potential medalists are still in college, and their schools conduct their own injury surveillance, treatment, and prevention. On top of all that, the more than 40 different disciplines within USATF all have vastly different support needs. 

USATF’s solution was to establish the regional medical provider program, a network of athletic trainers based in areas with a high concentration of USATF athletes. They travel to and regularly touch base with athletes in their region. This provides comprehensive yet specialized medical coverage for eligible athletes. Regular visits foster trust and familiarity, increasing the likelihood that athletes and coaches will use the medical services.

The regional medical providers report to a physician with oversight duties. That physician orders and reviews imaging studies and labs as indicated, arranges consultations, and visits training camps to do sports medicine wellness checks. The program also leverages relationships with local and regional medical systems. 

Putting New Tools to the Test

“I used the tools I learned in the Chief Medical Officer Program to think about and implement this program,” Mason says. “We had to make decisions about how the system would be set up and how it would be executed. Then we had to share it with the athletes and coaches and get their buy-in.”

The regional medical provider program was in place leading up to the World Championships last June, Mason notes, and Team USA was healthier than ever and performed better than it ever has in Europe.

Mason says he gained tools that help him communicate with more presence and clarity while in the Chief Medical Officer Program, which, as a result, have improved his decision making.

“The program has given me a lot more confidence as a communicator,” he says. “The way in which I communicate and I write emails has really changed. When I put out a request, I’m being a lot more intentional, a lot more available, and also a lot more in a hearing mode, so I can hear what is going on and incorporate that into my thinking moving forward, as opposed to trying to come up with things on my own.”

Mason says that others in his CMO program cohort reported similar results as they put theories learned into practice. He has already recommended the program to other physicians.

The program would benefit anyone seeking to lead effectively in health care, whether on a committee or in a division, department, or hospital system.

R. Amadeus Mason

“I was able to immediately and directly apply things we covered in the modules,” he says. “It made things so much easier.”

Are you a medical professional looking to level up your leadership skills? Learn how the Chief Medical Officer Program from Emory Executive Education can prepare you to advance your career and maximize your impact from the C-suite.

The post Meet R. Amadeus Mason: Leading USA Track & Field to Success appeared first on EmoryBusiness.com.

In today’s data-driven business climate, employees need to understand how to leverage technology more than ever. Digitally fluent teams contribute proficiency in a variety of technology tools that make companies more innovative, collaborative, and competitive.

Emory Executive Education helps senior leadership teams of Fortune 100 companies reimagine how to increase digital fluency among their employees.

The digital landscape today is rapidly evolving,” says Anandhi Bharadwaj, professor of information systems and operations management and Goizueta endowed chair in electronic commerce. “It’s crucial for organizations to advance digital fluency to stay competitive and.”

“Many of the companies we work with are 50 to 100 or more years old. Making a plan to advance digital fluency helps them think through how to compete and how to transform and reimagine themselves. It also helps them see opportunities in a new light.”

Bharadwaj says any digital fluency program must be endorsed at the top to be successful.

“Leaders should lead by example. They have to actively participate in digital initiatives and model the behavior they expect,” she says. “This sets a tone for the importance of digital fluency at all levels of the organization.”

Tips for Advancing Digital Fluency

Top Tips for Companies

Many of the elements of a program they created for one of their Fortune 100 clients are built around five capabilities. Bharadwaj says these capabilities will benefit companies of any size and in any industry.

• Digital-First: Foster a company culture that embraces digital innovation and transformation. This includes encouraging a mindset shift among employees to think and operate in a digitally forward manner.

• Continuous Learning: Develop a culture of ongoing learning by offering courses, workshops and training sessions on new technologies and digital trends. This helps employees stay up-to-date with the latest advances.

• Fail-Fast Innovation and Curiosity: Create an environment where it’s safe to experiment with new technologies. A fail-fast approach allows employees to follow their curiosity, learn from mistakes, and innovate without fear.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaboration between departments with different  ideas, skills, and digital expertise can lead to a more digitally fluent workforce.

• Digital Goals in Business Strategy: Make digital fluency a core component of your business strategy. This includes setting specific digital objectives and key performance indicators.

Companies also should regularly assess the level of digital fluency their employees have, Bharadwaj adds. “Solicit feedback to understand gaps and areas for improvement. Then adjust your strategies to address what you find.”

Top Tips for Individuals

In many ways, it’s up to individuals to take the lead in honing their digital skills. Becoming more digitally fluent is essential for their own professional growth and goals. A sense of curiosity helps. Digital technology is changing all the time, so professionals need to be able to adapt quickly to new information.

Bharadwaj offers these tips for individuals to improve their digital chops:

• Self-Assessment: Identify where your digital skills are strong and where they need to improve. This could involve understanding basic digital literacy, software proficiency, or more advanced technical skills.

• Clear Goals: Based on your assessment, set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals for your digital learning journey.

• Continuous Learning: This is where curiosity really kicks in. Dedicate time regularly to learn new digital skills. This could be through online courses, webinars, tutorials, or reading up on the latest digital trends

• Hands-on Practice: Use the technology while you’re learning about it. Work on personal projects, use new software tools at work, or experiment with new apps and platforms. Then put your skills into practice, whether in your job or through volunteer opportunities. Real-world application cements learning and demonstrates your growing expertise. Seek feedback from colleagues and mentors; constructive criticism is an effective guide.

• Online Communities: Participate in digital forums or social media groups that focus on the technology you’re learning. These platforms are a great way to ask questions and stay up to date with the technology.

Be sure to stop and reflect on what you’re learning, Bharadwaj adds. Do you enjoy it? What do you find useful? Are you curious about exploring something new? Pausing to think periodically will help you see where you need to adjust your course along the way.

“Be open to adapting your approach as you discover more about your interests and the evolving digital landscape,” she says.

Are you looking to level up your career or push your company forward? Emory Executive Education offers market-relevant professional development courses and for both individuals and organizations. Our offerings create an educational experience to fit your learning and development goals. Learn more here, and we’ll show you what it means to go above and beyond.

The post Top Tips to Drive Team Digital Fluency from Emory Executive Education appeared first on EmoryBusiness.com.

“One reason sponsors choose to partner with us is they want to hear from this generation, and they are interested in what our students really think. They appreciate the evidence-based recommendations our students provide them,” says Lynne Segall, associate dean of management practice initiatives.

But another big benefit is that students bring an outside perspective. They’re not constrained by organizational realities or past decisions. That perspective is refreshing.

Lynne Segall

Monica Parker, founder of Hatch Analytics and author of “The Power of Wonder,” was the featured speaker at the Showcase event. She engaged in conversation with John H. Harland Dean Gareth James.

Experiential learning opportunities like IMPACT are a big priority at Emory, Dean James says. “This gives them the real-world experience and problem-solving skills they need to secure first-class internships and full-time offers in their field of choice.”

This year’s 16 organization sponsors included lululemon, Coca-Cola, Lowe’s, PAWS Atlanta and Theragenics. Fourteen sponsors attended the showcase in person. Segall says organizations often have rave reviews about the depth of analysis and perceptive questions their assigned student teams bring to the projects.

The IMPACT course is a core part of the curriculum and required for every MBA student. Over the course of a semester, students serve as consulting problem solvers. They apply concepts they learn in the classroom, including an IMPACT class they take the semester before.

One of the principles of the program is to let questions do the heavy lifting.

“That really plays out throughout the whole process, giving sponsors a fresh perspective, helping students focus their work. And at the showcase, hearing the questions the judges were asking gave sponsors different insights into the problems they’re hoping to solve,” Segall notes.

For the Win…

Emory University was the client for the winning student team of Zana Hekmat 24MBA, Lauren Elliott 24MBA, Alex Gonzalez 24MBA, Trang (Lily) Trinh 24MBA, Jesus Castellanos 24MBA, and Katharina Fickendey-Engels 23MBA. The university and Emory Healthcare—together the largest employer in metro Atlanta—access the bond market as a single entity to fund major capital projects and operations. The question on the table was should Emory University and Emory Healthcare issue debt as independent entities. To answer this, the team developed a recommendation framework, analyzing the impact on the Moody’s credit rating as standalone entities.

They also analyzed the industry, competitors, debt capacity, cost of debt, and the strategic and reputational impact of the potential spilt.

“While the actual recommendations made by the team are protected by a non-disclosure agreement, we can share that the team’s recommendation predicted what a resulting rating would be,” says Hekmat, who ran a multilinear regression model to tackle the question.

Hekmat says he knew the team was hitting the mark during the client presentation when gathered executives started nodding their heads and smiling at one other. And during the Q&A with the judges, he and his teammates were contributing equally—a testament to a good rapport they felt from the start.

“We are immensely proud of winning first place in the IMPACT Showcase Competition, as it recognizes our team’s exceptional dedication and expertise in navigating a challenging strategic valuation project and providing a crucial credit rating recommendation,” Hekmat says. “We are grateful for this achievement and the opportunity to make a positive impact on our client’s success.”

A Catalyst for Connection

The signature Goizueta Business School event drew nearly 200 judges. Over half were alumni, Segall says, adding that the showcase is consistently one of Emory’s biggest alumni gatherings of the year. They join hundreds of students, faculty and sponsors in an atmosphere super-charged with excitement and possibility.

“It’s such a fun day,” Segall says. “During the plenary, I had everyone raise their hand if they were an alum who had done a project. Something like 75 percent of the hands in the room went up.”

“What’s special about the showcase is, to my knowledge, no other school does anything like this,” Segall adds. “It’s really a showcase of all of the above and ends up serving as the catalyst for longstanding connections in career and beyond.”

Goizueta IMPACT provides an opportunity for students to accelerate career readiness by learning proven structured problem-solving principles, tools, and frameworks and then applying them to real-life business situations. Client partners span a wide range of industries and projects offered vary each year. Overall, projects are focused on an issue of strategic importance to the organization and provide a “messy, ambiguous problem” to be solved. Learn more about this invaluable experiential learning.

The post IMPACT Students Offer Fresh Solutions for Big Brands and Business Challenges appeared first on EmoryBusiness.com.

This year marked Start:ME’s 10th anniversary. Start:ME founder Peter Roberts, professor of organization and management, spoke at the ceremony to commemorate the milestone and reflect on its growth from an optimistic idea to a thriving program.

A Hybrid Model Accelerator for Small Business Founders

The 2023 program also marked a return to in-person gatherings where face-to-face meetings are especially critical—like the kickoff, business plan pitches, and business financials. The program’s popular trade show also made its return this year, allowing founders to meet with capital providers and other organizations that serve small businesses.

Some sessions remained virtual for the sake of convenience for busy entrepreneurs, guests, and more than 70 volunteer mentors from around the region. Organizers found that meeting in the comfort of their homes also meant participants for whom English is a second or third language could enlist a family member to help translate.

“We have enjoyed having that hybrid model. We tried to embrace the best of both in-person connection and virtual convenience,” says program director Erin Igleheart.

We have really seen a greater opening up than we were expecting and a greater level of comfort, but also a demand for gathering in person.

Erin Igleheart, Start:ME program director

Start:ME Alumni Pay it Forward

As their ranks grow, many alumni stay involved, Igleheart says. They bring inside knowledge and constructive feedback to events like Neighborhood Night, when founders present their business story before a live audience, engage in audience Q&A, and receive constructive feedback. Having alumni present who understand what they’re going through can be reassuring to nervous participants. They also return as volunteer business mentors, sharing their own experiences and insights with their peers.

“Those who have gone through the program, who are entrepreneurs in their own right, really do understand the complexity of being an entrepreneur and how it can feel incredibly empowering and inspiring—but it also can be really lonely,” Igleheart says.

Program leaders also announced the recipients of $45,000 in peer-selected grants and $3,000 in awards at graduation.

Our team doesn’t make the capital decisions. The entrepreneurs and mentors determine who within their cohort is most promising and best equipped to use that capital.

Erin Igleheart

Increase in Capital Supports Diverse Ventures Across Atlanta

This year’s program brought with it a 50 percent boost in the amount of capital available to fund the grants, from $10,000 to $15,000 for each of the three cohorts, based in Clarkston, East Lake, and Atlanta’s Southside neighborhoods. Supporters—who make delivery of this program free to all entrepreneurs—include Bank of America, Delta Community Credit Union, Emory University, Regions Foundation, Target Corporation, and Truist Foundation.

Of the 44 ventures graduating in the 2023 cohort—chosen from among more than 220 applicants—80 percent are women, 84 percent are people of color, and 14 percent are immigrants. As a group, they employ 90 people in addition to the founders – 19 full time and 71 part time. Total revenue for the group was $1.9 million in 2022, with a median of $21,000 for those reporting sales.

The companies involved offer a wide range of products and services, including art and design; beauty, health and wellness; education and childcare; food and beverage; home care and repair; media and photography; and professional services.

Start:ME Garners International Attention

The success of Start:ME has drawn international attention. Kate Golebiowska, an Australian Fulbright scholar, shadowed the program in Clarkston this year. She focused on how the accelerator worked for migrant women micro-entrepreneurs, with a plan to launch a similar program for migrant women in the Northern Territory capital city of Darwin, where she lives and works.

Start:ME 2023 Grant and Award Recipients

Start:ME Grow Grants – $5,000
Savannah Samples – Angel Assistance
Jeannette & Ken Katz – Buenos Dias Cafe and Pupuseria
Datavious Lucas & Fatima Manson – Fun Freddie Enterprise

Start:ME Grow Grants – $4,000
Kali Arnold – Sati Yoga & Wellness
Bejanae Kareem – BK International Education Consultancy
Amy Parsons – My Elderberry Fairy

Start:ME Start Grants – $3000
Janale Harris – Family’s Favorite Foods
Raven Bennett – Accessible Tx
Kirsten Chervenak – Gatherings

Start:ME Start Grants – $2,000
Shawnta’ Hooks – Mindful Culture Creators
Virginia Chu – CocoonATL
Natifa Mustafa – The Bridge Athletic Scholars Program

Start:ME Start Grants – $1,000
Diamond Hood – Diamond Rule Coffee
Ericka Wigfall – PhysiCollective
Tanis Beatty – Simone’s Sweet Treasures

Peer-of-the-Year Awards – $500
Stephen Churn – ATL DART CLUB
Denise Brewley – Nyansapo Wellness Institute
Christian & Jo Lopez – Lucita’s Bodega

Community Impact Awards – $500
Lee-Ann Davidson – CreativeLee DeeSigned   
Markeal King – Silver Lining Sports Academy
Pamela Mack – Synergy Medical Transport

About Start:ME 

Start:ME is delivered by Emory University’s Goizueta Business School in partnership with community lead nonprofit organizations East Lake Foundation, Focused Community Strategies (FCS), Friends of Refugees, and Purpose Built Schools Atlanta along with 70+ volunteer business mentors.

Start:ME is made possible by the gracious support of Bank of America, Delta Community Credit Union, Emory University’s Goizueta Business School, Regions Foundation, Target Corporation, and Truist Foundation.  

Learn more at startmeatl.org. 

The post Start:ME Celebrates 10th Anniversary of Elevating Entrepreneurs appeared first on EmoryBusiness.com.

Most of these microbusinesses launch with less than $50,000. To that end, Start:ME—the business accelerator housed in The Roberto C. Goizueta Business & Society Institute—welcomed its newest cohort of startups at a kickoff event on January 29. Start:ME partners with organizations in three Atlanta communities—Clarkston, East Lake, and Southside.

More than 360 businesses and their founders have taken part in the three-month accelerated training program since 2013. Venture-building tools and connections position them to grow their offerings of services and products and help nurture their local neighborhoods in the process.

“The stories we hear of successful startups in the U.S. fit a very narrow profile,” says Erin Igleheart, program director. “They’re often high-growth tech businesses run by white men who have resources and family connections. That is part of the entrepreneurial ecosystem, but it really misses the vast majority of the businesses started in this country each year.”

Indeed, of the 57 ventures in the current cohort of founders—chosen from among more than 250 applicants—72 percent are women, 82 percent are people of color, and 21 percent are immigrants. As a group, they employ 25 people in addition to the founders and generate $660,000 in annual revenue.

Forty-five percent of new businesses in the U.S. close within five years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. But Start:ME entrepreneurs are especially resilient. Sixty-eight percent of alumni ventures are actively operating, creating 500 jobs, operating 46 stores and offices around Atlanta, and earning $10.5 million per year. Many have gone on to start second (third or even fourth) companies, broadening their local impact.

“Their passion is really strong,” Igleheart says. “They bring so much enthusiasm to what they do. It’s enlightening to work with entrepreneurs to build stronger, more vibrant communities.”

Forty-four percent of current Start:ME participants have been in business for at least three years; an equal percentage have been in business for less than two. Nearly 80 percent of the startups are in five industries: food and beverage, health and beauty, arts and culture, professional services, and healthcare and social assistance. Their goals vary, from aspiring to take these business ventures from part-time to full-time, to hiring a large team, to opening a local storefront, to scaling to sell.

Many of the Businesses Grow out of Founder Pain Points

“We’ve really seen a shift in that even in the last five years,” Igleheart says. “Local businesses start out serving their own needs and frustrations, then realize there’s a larger need.”

For example, companies in Start:ME over the years have built businesses providing health and beauty goods for people of color—from color-matched makeup to hard-to-find salon services and products for people with curly or kinky hair. It’s a market ripe with opportunity.

“This has not historically been a well-served market by large retailers, but it’s a multi-billion-dollar industry,” she says.

Some in the current cohort offer mobile bicycle repair services, luxury floral and gift delivery, and urban agricultural products such as liquid compost and garden beds. One venture bakes bread with ingredients sourced locally, closing the loop on the local food economy.

Founders are “deeply committed, hardworking people,” Igleheart says. “They are pursuing work that is deeply personal.”

It can be lonely work at times, she adds—something Start:ME was designed to alleviate.

Start:ME’s Signature: Building a Supportive Ecosystem for Founders

“What’s so exciting about bringing together a cohort is that while they’re all running very different businesses, they form this really supportive ecosystem. Instead of going on this journey by themselves, they go on it together. They’ve got peer entrepreneurs in and around their community and then across Metro Atlanta.”

Meetings are held weekly—over Zoom during the pandemic—and 80 mentors from throughout Atlanta coach and guide program participants one-on-one and in small groups.

“This is not a cup of coffee mentorship,” Igleheart says. “Mentors are there for every session. They walk hand in hand with our entrepreneurs, asking good questions, testing assumptions. We also engage volunteers from the communities the businesses serve. We have a neighborhood feedback night where guests see presentations on the businesses and give feedback.”

In workshops, volunteer attorneys answer questions about the legal complexities of running a business. Small-business lenders demystify the capital experience and provide feedback on business plans.

“We want everybody to exit with a solid business plan, a solid understanding of financials, and a clear idea of where they’re headed in the months and years ahead,” Igleheart says.

In a twist on “Shark Tank,” the business reality TV series, Start:ME offers its own, friendly, feedback forward “dolphin tank” for entrepreneurs to pitch their business plans. Mentors and founders in each neighborhood program decide together which ventures should receive part of a $10,000 seed grant.

“It’s like friends and family money,” Igleheart says, to allow entrepreneurs to pilot, test, and grow. Past grant recipients have used capital to build out an office space, invest in woodworking equipment, purchase a hand tractor and supplies for the upcoming growing season, and earn industry-specific certifications.

Sponsors provide funding for the grants and other costs of the program. Crucially, they allow Start:ME to deliver programs for free. (Read the Impact Report here.)

“Philanthropic funding that advances economic mobility is one example of how we invest in our community, and particularly those who are traditionally underserved,” says Al McRae, president of Bank of America Atlanta, a lead sponsor. Partnering with Start:ME provides “unique opportunities to diverse entrepreneurs, ultimately fueling innovation and economic mobility within the next generation.”

Sponsors say the value of the program is evident in the communities it serves.

“There is no healthy community without a thriving small business scene,” adds Marta Self, head of corporate philanthropy for Regions Bank and executive director of the Regions Foundation, a key sponsor.

Joining with boots already on the ground makes Start:ME “a best practice on how to foster small businesses in local communities,” she adds. “Local partners were already addressing housing, education, safety, and other issues. They close the circle.”

Start:ME businesses have thrived because neighborhood institutions, schools, and nonprofits have all said yes to doing their part, Igleheart adds. This is so important that Start:ME launches cohorts only in neighborhoods with a built-in network of partners.

“This is the community’s program,” she emphasizes. “Emory is a piece of the puzzle, a part of huge local coalitions in each of these neighborhoods. We build strong, enduring partnerships to ensure that we build and tailor a truly local program in each place—partnering with the East Lake Foundation in East Lake, Friends of Refugees in Clarkston, and both Focused Community Strategies and Purpose-Built Schools Atlanta on the Southside. All of those collaborations allow us to deliver quality content, allow us to build positive relationships with mentors, and provide that early-stage grant capital in a way that welcomes all.”

Become part of the movement to build stronger communities by supporting local entrepreneurs to become business owners. Generous supporters allow Start:ME to deliver its programming free of charge to participants, including Bank of America, Emory University, Delta Community Credit Union, Regions Foundation, Target, and The Goizueta Foundation.

Meet the 2022 cohort of The Roberto C. Goizueta Business and Society Institute Start:ME program. Browse the Start:ME Shopping Guide here.

2022 Start:ME Kickoff Photography credits: Bonnie J Heath Photography (Clarkston and East Lake) and Addison Hill Photo (Southside).

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“I get a lot of satisfaction watching from the sidelines,” she says. “If I can set things up and think through challenges and complexities, and it runs as if it was easy and straightforward, thenI’ve  succeeded in my job.”

Igleheart is program director of Start:ME, the business accelerator housed in The Roberto C. Goizueta Business & Society Institute. She is in awe of the hardworking Atlanta entrepreneurs who go through the three-month training program and of the mentors who show up every week to guide and support them.

“They’re really passionate about what they do, whether it’s baking or fashion or construction. They bring so much enthusiasm to what they’re doing,” she says.

Participants live and work in Clarkston, East Lake, and Southside Atlanta. Start:ME has worked with 257 ventures since 2013. Two-thirds are led by women, 84 percent by people of color, and a quarter by foreign-born entrepreneurs. Together they employ more than 500 people and generate about $12 million in annual sales. A new crop of 49 businesses and 80 mentors are in the 2021 cohorts.

Bringing together good people to build networks and connections is a key ingredient in Start:ME’s formula: A power-washing company partners with a housecleaning firm. A designer and a seamster find ways to collaborate.

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic upended everything. Start:ME’s lively in-person meetings had to jump to Zoom, and Igleheart worried that the group energy would be lost.

But moving program content into videos meant participants could view it at their own pace. Meetings became more interactive, with discussions in breakout groups. Another bonus: a larger and more diverse group of mentors and experts could pitch in.

With a master’s degree in international policy from Stanford and a decade of finance experience, Igleheart has a wide-open, optimistic view of what’s possible for Start:ME entrepreneurs. “I see the success of our program in the success of the people we serve,” she says. “Not that it runs itself, but in some ways it does. People take what you give them—the structure, the knowledge, the relationships—and they independently start to share it with others and apply it to new ventures.”

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“That was my biggest fear: Will people still value me when I’m detached from a massive organization that’s great at what they do? You never know the answer to that until you actually leave,” she says.

Fagbemiro, an electrical engineer, launched Aneden Consulting in 2017. The Seattle firm helps electricity providers prepare for a future that can be hard to predict given rising energy consumption, changing weather patterns, and rapidly evolving technology. The company builds models and runs simulations to test multiple scenarios. 

“The grid is aging. But it needs to be reliable as the technology changes,” she says. “We ask the ‘what if’ questions. What are the issues of the future—five, 10, 20 years from now—and how do we build the infrastructure?”

Fagbemiro doesn’t try to compete with the large firms that dominate the industry. Her strategy is to dig a little deeper, to offer more than a menu of the usual services.

“I started asking people what they really needed, not what they thought a consultant could do for them. Sometimes they say we’re really struggling with this, but we don’t use consultants for it. And I say, Why not? It helps them see how they can tackle problems differently.”

At Goizueta, Fagbemiro’s analytical brain enjoyed her Decision Modeling class with Patrick Noonan, professor emeritus in the practice of Information Systems & Operations Management, who she remembers as an “exceptional teacher.” Years later as a thriving entrepreneur, the accounting budgeting course helped her develop break-even numbers and design a framework for her startup—one that has let her scale up as planned with a team of employees and contractors.

Balancing Entrepreneurship and Family Creates Cycle of Giving

A primary reason Fagbemiro opened her own company was to create more balance in her life. While still at her former job, she conceived her first child, Anike Eden, through two rounds of in vitro fertilization, an emotional and physical roller coaster ride. When she returned to work, she stepped back into long hours and frequent travel. After several trips involving pumping breast milk on flights to see clients, she knew change was needed.

“I wanted to spend more time with my daughter. After everything I’d been through, there was a sense of I didn’t go through all of that just to settle for a life that I didn’t think was worth it any longer,” she recalls.

Running her own business also helped her see creative ways to give back. In 2018, Fagbemiro launched Aneden Gives, a 501(c)(3) that gives fertility grants to would-be parents to offset the cost of treatments through partnerships with clinics. Each treatment can cost upwards of $20,000. The nonprofit has granted $120,000 in the U.S. since 2019. This year it launched a similar effort in Lagos, Nigeria, where Fagbemiro was born. 

As an engaged alumna, she also has established a scholarship fund at Goizueta, Timi Giving Fund, named for her son. Her commitment, to be funded over four years, will support a woman of color studying in the Evening MBA program as she did. 

“Giving back to Emory is something I’ve always wanted to do, and it’s about time,” she says. “When you start small, it grows. It’s fun to give.”

Learn more about giving to Goizueta Business School.

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Apple founder Steve Jobs once said, “Everybody in this country should learn a computer language because it teaches you how to think.” That’s the intent behind Think.Code.Make, a popular undergraduate course that uses coding as the foundation for creativity.

“The overarching principle of the course is that it’s not just about coding. It’s about the nexus of technology, imagination and creativity,” says Benn Konsynski, George S. Craft professor of Information Systems & Operations Management, who created the course six years ago with Adjunct Professor Scott Blanck 12MBA. “The Think part is the main principle. You learn to code to learn to think in the 21st century.”

Students take the class with an eye toward broader thinking that future careers will demand.

“We state at the beginning of the course that they’re not going to go out and become developers. They’re not going on to become computer science grad students,” says Blanck, who teaches the class. Instead, they’ll gain an aptitude for the language of coding and systems thinking, giving them another way of communicating with developers, project managers, and marketing strategists down the road.

Decision Systems Impact Workers

“In today’s digital world, decisions are increasingly made by systems,” Blanck says. “Workers need to understand how such decision systems operate and are built.”

Open to juniors and seniors, as well as graduate students, Think.Code.Make is an elective in Goizueta’s STEM portfolio. Students in computer science, public health and other areas take it as well. The course has expanded to meet demand and is now offered twice in the spring and once in the summer. A growing number of juniors take the class to create projects that will help them land summer internships. 

“They very much like to have built apps, to have done coding, and used APIs. Those are nice things to place on your resume for internships,” Konsynski says.

API, or application program interface, is a software go-between that allows two or more apps to talk to one another. Students use APIs to tap online data, and they develop basic skills in Python, a flexible, beginner-friendly programming language, to massage that data. Some also learn web design and JavaScript. They build projects based on their interests, using computer languages and apps best suited for the job. 

Class activities mirror maker practices popular with hobbyists. One student made a device that captured flight data over radio waves to track flight patterns over Atlanta. Other projects determined where political donations were coming from, created a budgeting tool for use by financial analysts, and measured the success of momentum investing.

“From a business and analytics standpoint, their programming skills are needed for data preparation and organization, and Python is particularly useful there,” Konsynski says. “JavaScript is used for pulling information off the internet and for visual displays they might want to create.”

The class is part of a growing portfolio of computer courses at Goizueta; a new course focusing on Python for business started last year. Goizueta’s STEM degree, a Master of Science degree in business analytics, also centers on Python. 

“Python has been used in data analytics courses for some time, and we expect as we develop more and more STEM requirements that programming will be a key part of that,” Konsynski says.

Think.Code.Make gives students the chance to play and create in a whole new language. For most, it is a first step into a new way of thinking they will build on for the rest of their lives.

“It’s about how you approach problems and how you think,” he says. “It’s important to look at the programming per se as a process of taking the discipline of the language and using the language itself as a means of influencing how you think and express.”

Goizueta Business School offers a STEM-Certified MBA Track. Learn how to make better decisions through business analysis. 

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Bola Olusanya 03MBA says it is essential that his work supports efforts to safeguard the future of the planet. “Climate change is an existential threat that we face, and people of color will feel the brunt of it.“

An internship in Emory University’s endowment office pointed Bola Olusanya 03MBA in an unexpected direction: nonprofit and higher education finance.

“I thought I knew what I wanted to go into,” he recalls. “I was typical of Nigerians coming to the U.S. to obtain their MBAs. We wanted to go into investment banking or, if not that, consulting. So, I had that in the back of my mind.”

When it came time to apply for a summer internship, Olusanya landed several interviews. But investment banks weren’t interested in his background at Nigerian banks. That turned out to be a blessing in disguise: The internship for the endowment office launched a career he loves in finance for nonprofits, foundations, and universities.

Today Olusanya heads the Office of Investments at The Nature Conservancy (TNC), the largest environmental nonprofit in the Americas. Headquartered in the U.S., TNC has 4,500 employees around the world, operating in 72 countries. As chief investment officer, Olusanya helps oversee $3 billion in assets for TNC. This includes the endowment and long-term investments.

With his hiring in March 2020, TNC brought investment management activities in-house to reduce costs, and more closely align the portfolio with its broader mission. Their endowment is the engine that powers TNC’s conservation efforts. Olusanya is building a team of internal investment experts to help manage it.

“That is a very, very important piece of what we do. It was almost a no-brainer when I was offered the job,” he says. “I strongly believe in the mission of the organization, and it’s rare to find a job you feel that way about.”

Acknowledging Climate Change to Safeguard our Children’s Future

A father of two boys, Olusanya says it is essential that his work supports efforts to safeguard the future of the planet. “Climate change is an existential threat that we face, and people of color will feel the brunt of it.”

After earning undergraduate and master’s degrees in computer science in Nigeria, where he grew up, Olusanya put his technical skills to work in financial services. He was about to enroll in a local MBA program when his mentor intervened. “He said it would be wasteful for someone as talented as myself to not maximize my potential,” he says. “And in Nigeria, it’s understood that to go beyond the shores of Nigeria is the way to do that.”

Olusanya arrived in the U.S. a month before 9/11, one of four fellow countrymen in his class. Three other classmates were also from Africa: two Ghanaians and one Kenyan. They quickly bonded and remain in regular contact.

Olusanya chose Goizueta for an unusual reason: While researching MBA programs, he found out that Wole Soyinka, the first African Nobel Laureate in Literature and one of his inspirations, was teaching at Emory. Soyinka was named the Robert W. Woodruff Professor of the Arts in 1997. Olusanya is both a poet and a quant, and the author of two volumes of poetry, Nocturnal Notes and Àdùké.

The lure to attend Goizueta Business School also stemmed from its more intimate class sizes. Favorites were Professor Emeritus in the Practice of Information Systems & Operations Management Patrick Noonan’s Decision Science course and Equity Derivative Pricing with Professor in the Practice of Finance Nicholas Valerio were favorites.

“Some of the big lessons I’ve learned are helping me in this role,” he says, “like being able to identify those things that are very consequential and using the right data, persuasive skills, and emotional intelligence to make your case.”

Still in touch with his alma mater, Olusanya guides MBA students in the Goizueta IMPACT program. Students are helping TNC build a framework to analyze its investment strategies using ESG (environmental, social, and governance) principles.

In the years between graduating and joining TNC, Olusanya filled managing director roles focused on nonprofits, corporate pension plans, and higher education. Two of his favorite jobs gave him the opportunity to innovate. He was recruited by a former Emory colleague to help build Vanderbilt University’s in-house investment management operation. And in KeyBank’s asset management business, he found a welcoming environment for new ideas, leading a team of 10 and helping to oversee $40 billion in assets.

“Business school is a combination of the classes you take and the experiences you have. It was a good mix of that, especially being a small and collegial school,” he says.

“My time at Emory served as a crucible to learn about America—the paradoxes, complexities, rich diversity, and immense opportunities.”

To find out more about Goizueta’s commitment to social and environmental impact and the critical role that business plays in driving change, check out The Roberto C. Goizueta Business & Society Institute.

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A new book co-authored by Wesley Longhofer, associate professor of organization and management at Goizueta Business School, offers new insights into a persistent problem—how to curb carbon emissions from top-polluting power plants around the world.

In Super Polluters: Tackling the World’s Largest Sites of Climate-Disrupting Emissions (Columbia University Press), Longhofer and co-authors Don Grant and Andrew Jorgenson argue that reducing pollution from fossil-fueled power plants should start with the dirtiest producers.

From data they gathered over eight years on the carbon emissions of every power plant in the world, they found that a small number of plants contribute the lion’s share of pollution. For instance, if just the top five percent of carbon-emitting plants in the U.S. reduced emissions to the average intensity of all plants, overall emissions from the electricity sector would fall 22 percent.

The book also questions claims that improvements in technical efficiency will always reduce greenhouse gases.

“It’s the paradox of efficiency,” Longhofer says. “Just because a plant produces power more efficiently doesn’t mean they’ll pollute less. It just becomes cheaper to produce.”

As sociologists, the authors are the first to put the problem into context, investigating global, organizational, and political conditions that explain super-polluter behavior. They demonstrate energy and climate policies most effective at curbing power-plant pollution and show how mobilized citizen activism shapes those outcomes.

“Climate change is fundamentally an organizational problem. Even if you think about the Paris Accords, it’s the power plants and the cars within those states that produce the emissions, not the states themselves,” Longhofer says. “What do we do with what we already know? How do we develop policies to help us achieve our climate goals?”

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