Hello
Friends
and
Supporters
of
the
Venture
MBA!
It’s
been
a
whirlwind
first
half
of
the
Spring
semester,
with
stacks
on
the
go!
From
our
Spanish
escapades
in
Barcelona
and
Madrid,
to
masterclasses
and
a
trip
to
the
Capitol.
We
even
welcomed
4
new
Venture
students
in
January!
Upcoming
Events
College
of
Business
Speaker
Jeff
Korzenik
April
10
Breakfast
with
Mike
Huyler
April
12th
Executive
Speaker
Barbra
Hoeft
April
26th
International
Trip
to
Amsterdam
&
London
June
17th
-
June
24th
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Masterclass
Megan
Grassell -
December
1st
The
final
Masterclass
of
2023
was
taught
by
YellowBerry
CEO
and
founder,
Megan
Grassell.
At
just
17-years
old,
Megan
kickstarted
her
business
after
recognizing
the
limited
selection
of
bra
and
underwear
options
available
to
her
younger
sister’s
age
group.
She
felt
compelled
to
create
a
brand
offering
a
variety
of
comfy,
affordable,
and
age-appropriate
bras.
A
brand
that
young
ladies
can
grow
up
with
as
they
transition
into
different
stages
of
their
lives.
Megan
focused
primarily
on
supply
chain
and
marketing,
but
also
shared
her
start-up
background
and
experience.
As
our
youngest
MBA
guest
speaker
and
proud
Wyomingite,
Megan’s
story
is
truly
admirable.
By
exposing
our
students
to
successful
entrepreneurs
like
Megan,
we
hope
to
stir-up
excitement
and
determination
about
the
state’s
entrepreneurial
ecosystem.
Megan,
thank
you
for
being
an
inspiration
to
our
aspiring
entrepreneurs!
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MBA
Trip
to
Spain
-
January
4th
to
13th
Our
year
got
off
to
a
great
start
as
we
traveled
abroad
to
Barcelona
and
Madrid.
Our
trip
was
filled
with
cultural
and
business-related
activities.
From
company
visits
and
historical tours,
to
embracing
cultural
differences
and
divine
tapas.
Two
of
the
entrepreneurial
companies
we
visited
were:
Pier
01
Barcelona
Tech:
A
start-up
hub
and
incubator
company
who
aims
to
empower
Barcelona’s
digital
and
tech
ecosystem.
Barcelona
Activa:
Barcelona’s
economic
development
agency.
Aside
from
company
visits,
we
had
guest
lecturers
present
on
the
political
landscape
of
Spain,
behavior
and
incentives
for
the
Spanish
professional
sports
industry
and
the
local
and
international
importance
of
the
Port
of
Barcelona.
We
even
had
our
very
own
Associate
Director,
Quique
Girones,
present
on
the
Spanish
economy
and
business,
as
a
precursor
to
his
class
Global
Business
Environment.
Big
thanks
to
Barcelona
SAE
for
helping
us
plan
and
execute
this
incredible
trip!
We
look
forward
to
future
MBA
trips
to
Spain.
Mental
Health
Workshop
with
Alice
Burron
January
26th
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Executive
Guest
Speaker
Personal
Code
of
Ethics
Kent
Noble
February
2nd
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Company
Visit
HIVIZ
Shooting
Systems
February
9th
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Executive
Guest
Speaker
Lieutenant
Hanson
UW
ROTC
February
16th
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Visit
to
the
Wyoming
State
Capitol
to
attend
the
legislative
session
February
23rd
Our
first
stop
along
our
day
trip
to
Cheyenne
was
to
Sierra
Trading
Posts’
Fulfilment
and
Distribution
Center.
Our
students
toured
the
extensive
350,000
sq.
ft
warehouse
and
caught
a
glimpse
into
the
logistics
and
wholesale
distribution
industry.
After
visiting
Sierra
Trading
Post,
we
were
fortunate
enough
to
visit
the
Secretary
of
State,
Chuck
Gray
and
attend
a
legislative
session.
We
are
extremely
thankful
to
Chuck
and
his
team
at
the
Capitol
for
their
time.
We
believe
exposing
our
Venture
MBA
students
to
the
state’s
political
landscape
is
paramount
to
their
success
as
future
business
owners
in
Wyoming.
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Women
In
Business
Panel
-
March
1st
Thank
you
to
the
four
inspirational
businesswomen
who
enlightened
our
students
on
the
path
to
business
and
life
success!
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Amy
C.
McGarrity,
CFA
Interim
Executive
Director
Chief
Investment
Officer
Colorado
PERA
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Shayna
Carpenter
Co-owner
Four
Hand
&
Physical
Therapy
Wyoming
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Kim
DeVore
President/CEO
of
Jonah
Bank
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Masterclass
Richard
McGinity
&
Joe
McGinley
-
March
22nd
Our
latest
Masterclass
was
taught
by
Dr
Joe
McGinley
and
Dr
Richard
McGinity.
With
many
of
our
Venture
students
aspiring
to
eventually
launch
their
own
start-up,
or
raise
capital
for
a
current
venture,
we
saw
value
in
having
a
masterclass
which
solely
focuses
on
raising
funds
and
pitching
a
business
idea.
As
Founder
and
CEO
of
McGinley
Orthopedics,
Joe
presented
his
personal
business
pitch,
as
well
as
advice
and
tips
on
how
to
successfully
raise
capital.
Richard,
as
CFO
and
investor
for
McGinley
Orthopedics,
guided
our
students
through
important
considerations
and
decisions
when
starting
a
business.
Huge
thanks
to
Joe
and
Richard
for
passing
along
invaluable
advice
to
our
MBA
students!
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Hometown
- Cache,
Oklahoma
Undergraduate
Degree
- Entrepreneurship
Current
Entrepreneurial
Endeavor
- “I am
currently the
owner of
Tele-Hope, a
local
nonprofit in
Laramie that
has been up
and running
since May 23rd
of 2023.
Tele-Hope is a
student
athlete
mentorship
program. My
goal of
starting
Tele-Hope was
to create hope
and
belongingness
for kids in
the community
who feel left
out or have
given up
because of
incidents that
may have taken
place in their
life. We have
partnered with
the
university’s
athletes, who
are viewed as
“heroes” to
children who
look up to
them. At
Tele-Hope, we
pair middle
and high
school
students with
an athlete
based on
similarities
and
backgrounds.
At Tele-Hope
we believe
everyone needs
someone to
listen, no
problem is too
big or too
small, and
everything is
possible.
I want
to be able to
create. Create
jobs for
others, create
opportunities
for someone to
grow, create
hope, and most
importantly
help others. I
want to do
what is deemed
“impossible”
while helping
others. I love
to learn from
people before
me and those
who are much
smarter than
me. This is a
different type
of MBA; this
is an MBA that
I want.”
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Hometown
- Cheyenne,
Wyoming
Undergraduate
Degree
- Mechanical
Engineering
Future
Entrepreneurial
Aspirations
- “In the
long term it
is my goal to
open my own
engineering
firm. I first
plan to work
for an
aeronautical
engineering
company. After
gaining the
necessary
tools to
succeed in the
industry, I
would like to
apply my
knowledge from
the Venture
MBA to create
my own firm. I
would like to
partner with
my brother who
is a software
engineer and
former MBA
graduate from
the University
of Wyoming.
However, if an
opportunity
presents
itself to
enter the
entrepreneurial
space before
then, I would
be eager to
pursue the
venture.”
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Hometown
-
Fort Wayne,
Indiana
Undergraduate
Degree - Communications
Future
Entrepreneurial
Aspirations
- "After the
program I plan
on starting my
own distillery
and meadery
and working in
the spirits
industry. I
plan on
experimenting
with the way
different
spirits are
created to
bring a unique
flavor profile
onto the
market such as
reusing the
mead barrels
to age rye
whiskey in as
well as seeing
if aging gin
in wooden
barrels could
potentially
bring out a
unique flavor
profile. I am
looking to
revolutionize
the spirit
industry into
a new age and
enhance it to
new levels. I
plan on
creating a
premium line
as well as a
high quality
affordable of
line of
products under
two different
brand names
owned by the
same parent
company and
made in the
same
distillery
After I get
started and
become
established, I
want to create
the gold
standard of
which spirits
should be by
creating high
quality but
also
affordable
spirits that
most people
can afford and
would
enjoy."
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Hometown
- Laramie,
Wyoming
Undergraduate
Degree
- Entrepreneurship
&
Management
Current
Entrepreneurial
Endeavour
- “Growing
up in
Laramie with
a
business-oriented
family has
given me an
interesting
perspective
on
entrepreneurship.
Working with
my uncles,
who own
their own
construction
companies in
town, put me
on the
ground
level. I
learned how
important it
is to treat
employees
with respect
and manage
effectively.
I also
learned that
a big part
of business
is the
connections
that you
make along
the way. As
I got older,
I saw my
grandpa open
the Big
Dipper Ice
Cream Shop,
and with
that brought
an entirely
new aspect
of
entrepreneurship.
Starting a
business
isn’t black
and white,
and I
learned that
you may not
know what
you’re doing
at the
start, but
it is
important to
be
persistent
and not give
up when
things get
tough.
Having
learned from
my family, I
started my
own lawn
care company
when I
graduated
from high
school. This
experience
taught me
about the
logistics,
financial,
and
managerial
side of
business
that is
seldom
learned
unless you
jump head
first into a
venture. I
managed
several
employees,
set up
routes,
worked with
mechanics to
repair
equipment,
and kept my
books to get
the full
experience.
I have since
decided to
pursue real
estate,
getting my
license in
Wyoming and
studying the
aspects of
this
business as
I go. I am
thankful for
each
experience
that I have
had because
each step of
the way I
have learned
something
new and
vital to
entrepreneurship
and business
as a whole.
I am
applying to
this program
due to my
lifelong
interest in
business,
and its
importance
in all of
our daily
lives.”
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Stay
Tuned
We
were
in
Kansas
City!
April
3rd
-
6th
Details
coming
in
the
Summer
newsletter!
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