Grinspoon Garvey & Young Entrepreneurship Conference: Full Schedule

Welcome to the 2019 Grinspoon, Garvey and Young Conference! We’re excited to have you here. Some important info to help you get started:

This year we are offering four session tracks based on interest and level of entrepreneurial experience.

DABBLE (RED TRACK) - New to entrepreneurship. Want to pick up some instantly usable skills and info.
DIVE IN (GREEN TRACK) - Some background in entrepreneurship and looking to get serious.
LAUNCH (BLUE TRACK) - Have a venture. Want to scale, find collaborators or specialized expertise.
GENERAL (YELLOW TRACK) - These sessions are appropriate for any level of experience.

PLEASE NOTE: Session attendance is first come, first served. Selecting a session in the SCHED app does not guarantee you a seat.

Questions or problems? The Troubleshooting Table is located next to the Registration Table.

Enjoy the conference!

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8:30am EDT

Registration, Food and Networking

Check in and pick up your name tag, then head to the Exhibitor Space to browse the exhibitor tables and network with other attendees.

Friday November 1, 2019 8:30am - 9:00am EDT
Lobby Mass Mutual Center, Springfield MA

Transition & Networking Time

9:00am EDT

Idea Madness

Come be a part of the world’s largest Idea Jam, with close to 400 pitches.We kick off the session with students pitching at every table. In a bracket system, the best ideas are voted on in real time and move on to the next round. We will get to the 10 most promising ideas at the end of this session.Those 10 students will get 60 seconds to pitch their idea in front of judges in a dedicated Shark Tank later in the morning.The top 3 finalists will come back after lunch and the keynote address to share their pitches with the entire audience.

Speakers

Paul Silva

Paul G. Silva - A lifelong entrepreneur and educator passionate about helping people & teams create economic prosperity through innovation. Through his career he has had the privilege and joy to inspire thousands of people to innovate, help hundreds of startups launch, and see those... Read More →

Friday November 1, 2019 9:00am - 9:45am EDT
Upstairs Ballroom

General

9:45am EDT

On the 45s: Networking, and Exhibits

Take a break before your next session to have a coffee or snack and check out the exhibitor tables.

Friday November 1, 2019 9:45am - 10:00am EDT
Lobby Mass Mutual Center, Springfield MA

Transition & Networking Time

10:00am EDT

Effective Strategies for Networking and Creating Your Personal Brand

Cultivating, developing, and maintaining strong relationships is about creating YOUR personal brand and effective networking strategies to demonstrate your Unique Selling Point. This workshop will help you develop a clear and concise message about your value proposition and provide tips and guidance on ways to enhance networking with investors, other entrepreneurs, or industry contacts. This is an interactive workshop so come prepared to work!

Speakers

Stephanie Hockman

Program Director for Careers in Business and Finance, Amherst College

Stephanie Hockman is a seasoned, solutions-focused, and dedicated executive entrepreneur with 25 years of financial service industry, accounting, tax structuring, and talent development experience. She is an energetic leader with proven ability to create businesses, drive strategic... Read More →

Friday November 1, 2019 10:00am - 10:45am EDT
Room 3 Mass Mutual Center

Dabble

10:00am EDT

Emerging Markets: Cannabis, Beer and Wine

New Micro Emerging Markets – The session will examine the tremendous growth in these markets. What is all the “BUZZ” about? What are the real opportunities and concerns?

Speakers

Marshall Epstein

Associate Professor of Marketing, American International College

Lisa May Black

INSA

Lisa Black is the Outreach and Training Coordinator for Insa. She has given several presentations about the benefits of cannabis on topics such and cannabinoids and terpenes. Lisa hopes to help shed the stigma of cannabis by educating people with all levels of cannabis experience... Read More →

Curt Cameron

Thomas Hooker Beer

Jordana Starr

Co-owner, Beerology

Jordana Starr is a local writer, graphic designer, and entrepreneur. She co-owns Beerology, a homebrew shop and education center in Northampton, Massachusetts, chairs the Western Mass Beer Week committee, and writes the libations column for Edible Pioneer Valley. Follow her on Instagram... Read More →

Eric Rogers

Co-founder, TINC

Eric is the Co-Founder of TINC, the first east coast cannabis beverage company located in Georgetown, MA. Before starting TINC in early 2017, Eric spent over 14 years in the advertising industry building blue-chip brands at top agencies and Ad Tech companies in Boston. Eric partnered... Read More →

Friday November 1, 2019 10:00am - 10:45am EDT
Room 2 MassMutual Center

Dive In

10:00am EDT

Entrepreneurial Resiliency: Lessons from Sports

If you are not failing, you are not growing. Entrepreneurship is full of ups and downs, highs and lows. Come learn how to be resilient to the lows, think about lows as learning opportunities, and use these challenges to guide yourself and your new venture to success.

Moderators

Mary Schoonmaker

Assistant Professor, Marketing, Western New England University

Dr. Schoonmaker completed her Ph.D. in Marketing at The George Washington University – School of Business. She has a B.S. in Business Education from the University of Connecticut and an M.B.A. from the University of Maryland. She is a member of the Phi Kappa Phi and Beta Gamma... Read More →

Speakers

Matthew LaBranche

Director of Athletics, Recreational Sport & Physical Education, Western New England University

Matthew LaBranche began his tenure as Director of Athletics, Recreational Sport & Physical Education at Western New England University on July 2, 2018.LaBranche returned to lead the Golden Bears following a five-year stint as baseball coach at Eastern Connecticut State University. LaBranche... Read More →

Friday November 1, 2019 10:00am - 10:45am EDT
Room 5 Mass Mutual Center

Dive In

10:00am EDT

Idea Jam Finalist Selection (SEMI-FINALISTS ONLY)

This is a special semi-final round following the Idea Madness. The top 10 selected from the Idea Madness challenge will pitch and the judges will decide a final 3 to give their pitches during lunch.

Friday November 1, 2019 10:00am - 10:45am EDT
Upstairs Ballroom

General

10:00am EDT

Shark Tank

Are you ready to pitch your business idea to a group of experts? The Shark Tank is an opportunity to pitch your business idea and receive feedback. You or your team will have a chance to deliver a 90-second pitch to our panel of experts, there will be a prize awarded in each session. The sharks will share their advice on how to grow your business and achieve your goals.
The Shark Tank will be an educational opportunity for all, regardless of whether you are in the audience or on the main stage.

Moderators

Pam Baran

Instructor/Program Coordinator, Dept. of Business Management, Springfield College

Amanda Garcia

Associate Professor of Accounting & Finance, Elms College

Speakers

Jay Leonard

Investor, Advisor, Mentor, Springfield Venture Fund

Early stage venture Investor with substantial experience raising capital/building ecosystems/building and managing enterprise.

Brett Gearing

Managing Partner, The Alchemy Fund

Samalid Hogan

Western MA Regional Director, Massachusetts Small Business Development Center

Friday November 1, 2019 10:00am - 10:45am EDT
Room 4 Mass Mutual Center

General

10:00am EDT

Building a Team

So you have a great idea and you are ready to get more people involved in your plan to change the world, how do you build your team and along with it, the culture of your company?
Our panel of experts will give you some insights from their experience but most of all, they will take your questions on how to build a team that is right for your startup.

Moderators

Eric Crawley

Entrepreneur-in-Residence, UMass College of Engineering

Eric Crawley is an Entrepreneur-in-residence and Lecturer for the College of Engineering at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He helps people turn crazy ideas into companies. He has lived through a few startups in technology and telecommunications and has worked and managed... Read More →

Speakers

Tricia Canavan

United Personnel

Janet McKenna Lowry

Founder, 9 to Thrive

Eric Ashman

Startup Advisor, Executive Coach

Eric is a startup advisor, executive coach and interim CFO, focused on helping founders of early stage VC funded companies chart the path to sustainable, profitable growth. Eric has over 30 years of business experience, including ten years building high growth venture backed companies... Read More →

Friday November 1, 2019 10:00am - 10:45am EDT
Room 1 MassMutual Center

Launch

10:45am EDT

On the 45s Self-care Break: Mindfulness at Work

The frenetic pace of our entrepreneurial lifestyles often cause us to put our own well-being on the back burner, leaving us overwhelmed and overextended. However, even small pockets of time can be an opportunity to slow down and regroup. Join Ompractice cofounder and CEO Chris Lucas to gain insight into how and why an entrepreneur's mindset is their greatest competitive advantage. Learn simple, short practices that purposefully shift your focus and energy in the moments that matter most to you and your business.

Speakers

Chris Lucas

Co-founder, CEO, Ompractice

CEO & Cofounder of Ompractice :)

Friday November 1, 2019 10:45am - 11:00am EDT
Upstairs Lobby

Transition & Networking Time

10:45am EDT

On the 45s: Networking and Exhibits

Take a break before your next session to have a coffee or snack and check out the exhibitor tables.

Friday November 1, 2019 10:45am - 11:00am EDT
Lobby Mass Mutual Center, Springfield MA

Transition & Networking Time

11:00am EDT

Curiosity: The Fuel That Sparks Entrepreneurship

In this interactive session, attendees will develop their curiosity skills that could lead to ideas for new ventures in a range of settings. As people walk around, most look forward – glancing at their phones on the way. Innovators and entrepreneurs see the world by looking up, down, behind them and take in the aromas and sounds of the environments they explore.
Stephen has interviewed hundreds of innovators about how they ignited their curiosity on their journey to become an innovator. We will hear their stories and attendees will try out some of their techniques to spark their own curiosity – fueling their entrepreneurial passion.

Speakers

Stephen Brand

Lecturer, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Stephen is a entrepreneurship and innovation leader, coach and educator helping individuals and organizations launch new ventures and scale existing ones. Academic administrator, organizational manager and consultant, who has a broad range of experience working with teams in a wide... Read More →

Friday November 1, 2019 11:00am - 11:45am EDT
Room 3 Mass Mutual Center

Dabble

11:00am EDT

Emerging Markets: Cannabis, Beer & Wine (Repeat)

New Micro Emerging Markets – The session will examine the tremendous growth in these markets. What is all the “BUZZ” about? What are the real opportunities and concerns?

Speakers

Eric Rogers

Co-founder, TINC

Lisa May Black

INSA

Curt Cameron

Thomas Hooker Beer

Jordana Starr

Co-owner, Beerology

Marshall Epstein

Associate Professor of Marketing, American International College

Friday November 1, 2019 11:00am - 11:45am EDT
Room 2 MassMutual Center

Dive In

11:00am EDT

How We Did It: Grinspoon Award Winners Tell Their Stories

A panel of Grinspoon Spirit Award alumni share their personal stories of what it took to turn their ideas into businesses. Learn how they addressed funding challenges, intrigued customers, networked to nd people who could help them succeed, and managed through tough times.

Speakers

Erin Baker

New England Salvage Works

New England Salvage Works strives to explode the architectural salvage market. Not only do we buy and sell all forms of architectural salvage, we repurpose, restore, and reconstruct many items we come across. Theres no better feeling than taking items some people consider to be worthless... Read More →

Matthew Madden

Deadeye Sports, Blueprint Brothers LLC

Blueprint Brothers offers custom branded items and apparel with exceptional service and quality. We operate out of Derry, NH and Amsterdam, NY.

Tim Zych

Owner, Hampshire County Hot Rods

We specialize in the sale of investment quality classic cars. From 30s street rods and 50s cruisers to thee most popular muscle cars of the 60s and 70s we do it all. We are experts in the acquisition, restoration, and sale of classic cars of all makes and models. Using state of the... Read More →

Barrett Mully

Co-founder, Aclarity

Barrett Mully received his MBA in 2018 from the Isenberg School of Management. He received an undergraduate engineering degree from Massachusetts Maritime Academy in 2003. Barrett spent the first part of his career in the Merchant Marines sailing as a licensed engineering officer aboard ocean... Read More →

Eric Grigoryan

Grig Cinema

A filming company with the goal to create, motivate, and inspire. We focus in creating original content that stands out amongst the oversaturated media world today. Some of our clients are: Bueno Y Sano, Toyota and Ford of Greenfield, New England Air Museum, Park Square Realty, Kemph... Read More →

Diane Sabato

Faculty, Business Administration, Springfield Technical Community College

I am a full time entrepreneurship faculty member at STCC. I also in and run a women's scarf and accessories company.

Ellen Majka

Business Professor, Holyoke Community College

Friday November 1, 2019 11:00am - 11:45am EDT
Room 1 MassMutual Center

General

11:00am EDT

Shark Tank

Moderators

Pam Baran

Instructor/Program Coordinator, Dept. of Business Management, Springfield College

Amanda Garcia

Associate Professor of Accounting & Finance, Elms College

Speakers

Jay Leonard

Investor, Advisor, Mentor, Springfield Venture Fund

Early stage venture Investor with substantial experience raising capital/building ecosystems/building and managing enterprise.

Brett Gearing

Managing Partner, The Alchemy Fund

Samalid Hogan

Western MA Regional Director, Massachusetts Small Business Development Center

Friday November 1, 2019 11:00am - 11:45am EDT
Room 4 Mass Mutual Center

General

11:00am EDT

Totally Fun: Create and Lead an Organization

Learn about organization structure options: not-for-profit, for-profit, Benefit Corp., LLC, Chapter-C (stocks), private company (self-owned, family-owned) by creating one. Pitch your idea, get feed-back.

Moderators

Rick Feldman

Lecturer in Economics and Entrepreneurship; Chair of EOS, Mount Holyoke College

Speakers

Rick Plaut

Co-founder, Launch413

Rick Plaut is Co-Founder of Launch413 - "Taking startups to their first $10,000.00 in revenue," an investor, and Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Smith College.

Friday November 1, 2019 11:00am - 11:45am EDT
Room 5 Mass Mutual Center

Launch

11:45am EDT

On the 45s Self-care Break: Mindfulness at Work

Speakers

Chris Lucas

Co-founder, CEO, Ompractice

CEO & Cofounder of Ompractice :)

Friday November 1, 2019 11:45am - 12:00pm EDT
Upstairs Lobby

Transition & Networking Time

11:45am EDT

On the 45s: Food, Networking and Exhibits

Take a break before your next session to have a coffee or snack and check out the exhibitor tables.

Friday November 1, 2019 11:45am - 12:00pm EDT
Lobby Mass Mutual Center, Springfield MA

Transition & Networking Time

12:00pm EDT

Female Founders

Learn and network with four female entrepreneurs from vastly different industries about their experience running and operating successful businesses! This session will cover how to get started on your venture idea, be a resourceful entrepreneur, how to scale your business, find funding, and more. Come prepared with questions and be ready to learn from these amazing founders.

Moderators

Berthiaume Center for Entrepreneurship

Operations & Student Engagement Specialist, UMass Berthiaume Center for Entrepreneurship

Carly Forcade is the Operations and Student Engagement Specialist for the Berthiaume Center for Entrepreneurship. She manages student facing programming for the Berthiaume Center and works with diverse student ventures coaching and connecting them to various resources and opportunities... Read More →

Speakers

Shiri Dori-Hacohen

Founder, AuCoDe

Shiri Dori-Hacohen, shiri@controversies.info, Founder of AuCoDeResults-driven machine learning expert with proven track record of execution on both technology and business aspects. PhD in Machine Learning from top ten AI school. 15 years of experience, including Google and Facebook. Team building and leadership experience... Read More →

Jaida Fonfield

Founder, Sinclaire

A third year Economics and Education undergraduate student at UMass Amherst with an interest in Business and Corporate Banking.Last summer I was a Merchandise Associate Intern at The TJX company where I resolved merchandise issues with buyers and vendors, visited stores to analyze... Read More →

Melissa Paciulli

Founder, DrivingMyADHD

A higher education administrator in STEM, with experience developing programs and practices to increase student persistence and retention. I have experience collaborating with regional stakeholders, school administration and K-12 teachers, college faculty, and managing staff and students... Read More →

Sheila Coon

Founder, Hot Oven Cookies

I own Hot Oven Cookies, a retail and mobile bakery specializing in fresh-baked, gourmet cookies in over 100 innovative flavors.

Friday November 1, 2019 12:00pm - 12:45pm EDT
Room 2 MassMutual Center

Dabble

12:00pm EDT

Building a Killer Pitch Deck

Your pitch is often your first impression. Telling a meaningful story is essential, but what about your slides? In this workshop you'll get advice on what to include (and not include) on a pitch deck, Power Point tips, and how to maximize your time in front of your audience.

Speakers

Kristin Leutz

CEO, Valley Venture Mentors

Friday November 1, 2019 12:00pm - 12:45pm EDT
Room 4 Mass Mutual Center

Dive In

12:00pm EDT

Design Thinking

Dive into the world of hands-on making, rapid prototyping, and MVPs (minimum viable products) in this interactive session. Learn how to communicate an idea with objects as well as words. Fast. Fun. Free. Fabrication!

Moderators

Erin Park Cohn

Director, Wurtele Center for Leadership, Smith College

Erin Park Cohn is the Director of Wurtele Center for Leadership at Smith College. Through a variety of workshops, intensives, speakers, and other learning experiences, the Wurtele Center works to build students’ capacity to raise their voice and galvanize others in designing inclusive... Read More →

Emily Norton

Director of the Design Thinking Initiative and Lecturer of Practice, Smith College

The goal of the Design Thinking Initiative is to develop agency in individuals and communities to make positive social and environmental change and to facilitate an ongoing dialogue through critical perspectives on the role design plays in shaping the human experience. Additionally... Read More →

Friday November 1, 2019 12:00pm - 12:45pm EDT
Room 3 Mass Mutual Center

General

12:00pm EDT

Pop-up Advice Space

Got questions? Need a little encouragement? Want to know more? Come have a chat with one of our entrepreneurial experts. Our pop-up space is set up so students can walk in and sit down for some quick, on-the-spot mentoring, advising or brainstorming. Each time slot is set up for 10 minutes so it’s fast and focused! Our entrepreneurial experts have a range of experiences and a diversity of backgrounds.Whether you are just starting or further down the road on your entrepreneurial journey they are here to help.

Topics:
1. The Journey From Student to Successful Entrepreneur
Mitchell Cullen, Founder, Temgrams

2. Collegiate Accelerator, Mentor Nights and Other Resources for Entrepreneurs
Janice Jackson, Valley Venture Mentors

3. Entrepreneurial Resources Specifically for College Students
René Heavlow, Operations and Special Programs Director, Smith College Conway Center

4. Starting a Business, Understanding Your Customer, and Overcoming Challenges
Dawn Leaks, CEO, The Lioness Group

5. Branding and Marketing Your Business; How to Use Social Media to Grow Your Business
Anthony Furnelli, Assistant Professor, Economics and Management, Westfield State University

6. How to Start and Sustain a Successful Food-related Business
Bob Lowry, Founder, Bueno y Sano Restaurant

Moderators

Kim Sherman

Assistant Professor, Economics and Management, Westfield State University

I am an assistant professor at Westfield State University. Prior to getting my PhD I worked in Human Resources for a number of companies including a small consulting firm and IBM. I love to help people with interviewing, building their resumes, hiring, etc. If it has to do with people... Read More →

Gregory Thomas

Executive Director, UMass Berthiaume Center for Entrepreneurship

Gregory Thomas is Executive Director of UMass’ Berthiaume Center for Entrepreneurship, a pan-campus resource, and lecturer in the Isenberg School of Management. He works with constituents on campus and throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to develop and execute partnerships... Read More →

Speakers

Anthony Furnelli

Assistant Professor, Economics and Management, Westfield State University

With over 20 years of combined teaching and consulting experience, Anthony has a wide array of knowledge related to entrepreneurship and business. Currently an Assistant Professor of Marketing at Westfield State University, he has taught a variety of courses related to electronic... Read More →

René Heavlow

Director, Operations & Special Programs, Conway Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center

The Jill Ker Conway Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center catalyzes innovative solutions, entrepreneurial thinking and financial literacy at Smith College. Our mission is to cultivate change agents prepared to succeed in a complex world.I have helped to develop programming and activities... Read More →

Dawn Leaks

CEO, The Lioness Group

Dawn Leaks is CEO of The Lioness Group, a mass media company dedicated to creating innovative ways to empower and engage women around the globe. Under her direction, the company’s popular and award-winning digital magazine, Lioness, has grown exponentially, adding live and virtual... Read More →

Bob Lowry

Founder, Bueno y Sano

Bueno Y Sano opened in Amherst, Massachusetts on January 22 of 1995 and was founded by University of Massachusetts alum, class of 1993, Bob Lowry. Bueno Y Sano’s recipes and different menu items are the result of ideas from staff members at the restaurant and some of Bob’s original... Read More →

Janice Jackson

Partnerships and Events Associate, Valley Venture Mentors

Janice Jackson was born in Paderborn, Germany and moved to Springfield, Massachusetts at a young age. As she attended Bay Path University, pursuing a B.S. in Marketing, she also began to run her own jewelry business. Ran out of her parent's basement, she was passionate and dedicated... Read More →

Mitchell Culler

Founder, Temgrams

Mitchell Culler is CEO and co-founder of Snack Shapes, LLC—makers of Temgrams, a healthy snack and a fun toy that provides nourishment for the body and mind. He is also a PhD Candidate in Food Science at UMass Amherst. Additionally, he holds an MS and BS in Food Science in addition... Read More →

Friday November 1, 2019 12:00pm - 12:45pm EDT
Room 5 Mass Mutual Center

General

12:00pm EDT

Crowdfunding 101

Instead of struggling to find an investor – help them find you! Crowdfunding is a method of bringing small investors and small businesses together to raise capital. By giving you a single platform to build, showcase, and share your pitch resources, this approach enables friends, family, customers, and investors to participate in your growing company by aggregating small investments, typically in increments of $100 - $1,000. In this session, we will examine some of the most popular crowdfunding platforms available.

Moderators

Thom Simmons

Professor Emeritum, Greenfield Community College

Dr. Simmons is a graduate of Hofstra University and Law School, where he focused on Economics, Business, and Law. After brief periods working in various business capacities, Thom was hired as the Administrator of the Martha’s Vineyard Planning and Economic Development Commission... Read More →

Friday November 1, 2019 12:00pm - 12:45pm EDT
Room 1 MassMutual Center

Launch

12:45pm EDT

Lunch, Keynote Speaker, Idea Madness Finalists and Prize Raffle

Join us for a lunch (pasta and taco bar) and a keynote address by Emily Levy, founder and CEO of Mighty Well and find out who are the top Idea Madness finalists.
Fill out a conference survey to be entered in a prize drawing.

Speakers

Emily Levy

Founder, CEO, Mighty Well

Emily Levy is an award-winning social impact entrepreneur and patient advocate through her work as the CEO and Co-Founder of Mighty Well. Mighty Well creates innovative products in the emerging Adaptive Wear market that is focusing on inclusivity in the chronic illness and disability... Read More →

Friday November 1, 2019 12:45pm - 2:00pm EDT
Upstairs Ballroom

General