By Jessica Landman
Four members of the SUNY Plattsburgh chapter of the Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization attended the organization’s “Frame Your Future” conference in Chicago from Oct. 28 to Oct. 30.
The “Frame Your Future” conference featured keynote speakers such as Jason Feifer, editor in chief of Entrepreneur magazine; Rebecca White, a former president of national and global non-profit organizations, and Cary Singleton, founder of Singleton Foundation for Financial Literacy and Entrepreneurship.
Founder and President of Plattsburgh’s CEO club Vladamiere Perry, a senior with a double major in entrepreneurship and business, attended the conference hoping to learn more about starting his own business and how to be successful in his career. He left with much more. He made great connections and advanced his LinkedIn account as well as learning the ins and outs of the field.
“It’s a great way to meet the other presidents, the other people involved with the CEO, learn how to develop the club further and gain entrepreneurial skills all around,” Perry said.
Perry was especially excited to participate in many of the chances to win money to put toward his business. Plattsburgh’s CEO club participated in the national pitch competition. Being only a few out roughly 700 pitches, they did not advance to further rounds, but the experience for them was rewarding. The winner of this competition would receive $20,000.
There was also an esports competition for a business startup that the students would be able to participate in to win $10,000, if they were the top performer. Perry said he stayed on the leaderboard for about an hour.
Also featured at the event were networking opportunities with companies that would attend the conference and set up a table. The goal of these businesses was to promote entrepreneurial mindsets and give away money.
Perry founded one of CEO’s 250 chapters across the United States in February together with Nancy Church, distinguished service professor of marketing and entrepreneurship, because he is passionate about creating opportunities for his fellow students and learning more about becoming an entrepreneur.
The club is currently in its second semester on campus.
Perry has a snack food business that he runs with his friend from the University of Vermont. The idea is to turn insects into healthy and delicious snacks. They have recently acquired a grant that would allow them to further their company and the testing process of their products.
For Perry, entrepreneurship is his ultimate goal. He wants to create his own ideas and start his own business. That is precisely the reason that he went to a conference in Chicago through the CEO club.
Another attendee of the conference, Mrudangi Purvesh Trivedi, learned quite a bit about business as well. One of the points made by the keynote speaker at the conference really stuck with Trivedi.
“What I learned is to be really honest,” Trivedi said. “A speaker there also told us sitting in front of her that we have to believe in ourselves. That is hard for students to do, but you have to believe.”
Trivedi lived in India for several years and moved to the United States to attend college and create a good life for herself. She was never really interested in school or going to college, but her parents wanted her to receive the next level of education.
She chose business because she didn’t really know what she wanted to do, and it seemed like a good option. She realized quickly, however, that she had a fondness for entrepreneurship and business, and it soon became her goal to work high up in a large firm.
When entering this major, she had no idea how to go about starting a business or what to expect when working in the business field. This conference allowed her to better understand what the future might look like for her.
She attended the conference to learn more about her major and possible paths for her future. Trivedi is only a freshman, so she has plenty of time to figure out exactly what she wants from her career, but the speakers and events at the conference helped her expand her horizons.
The CEO club offers opportunities like these that help advance the education of students who may be interested in a career related to the field of business or entrepreneurship.
