Entrepreneurs flock to Ypsi

By David Gomez
Feb. 9, 2010    ·    9:59 a.m.

The Eastern Michigan University's College of Business will play host to the 2010 Sesi Midwest Entrepreneurship Conference beginning at 8:30 a.m. Friday at the EMU student center.

The conference is designed to increase interest in entrepreneurship and offer different insights on all aspects of being an entrepreneur according to Melissa Heatlie, an apparel textile merchandising major, and president of EMU's Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization.

“This event offers so much to students,” Heatlie said. “There is so much knowledge that is passed from each speaker to the audience about real world experience and helpful advice about what worked for them and what didn’t.”

The speakers for this year include Chris Holman, publisher of the Greater Lansing Business Monthly; Tom Root managing partner of the world famous Zingerman's in Ann Arbor; Joe Venuto a recent Eastern graduate who has operated several business; David Merritt, owner of IMU T-Shirts and several more.

Heatlie said the CEO club is in charge of most of the planning, and most importantly securing all of the guest speakers for the conference.

“This is one of the hardest parts of the conference,” she said. “I first began drafting letters to a few big name entrepreneurs in hopes that they could make time with their busy schedules to come and spread the entrepreneurial spirit.”

According to Heatlie, Ari Weinzweig and Paul Saginaw, the founders of Zingerman’s, were both busy.

“They were both so interested in having Zingerman’s present at the conference that they went out of their way to ask other partners in the business to see if they could speak in their place,” Heatlie said. “This is exactly how we were fortunate enough to get Mr. Tom Root.”

Another highlight of the conference will be the Skandalaris business plan competition according to Heatlie.

The competition offers an opportunity for high school and college students to submit their ideas compete for cash prizes totaling more than $5,000. The top three plans at each level present to a panel of judges and the judges make their choice based on the overall plan and presentation.

“This is one of my favorite parts of the conference as you get to hear six great ideas that are all very different,” Heatlie said. “I can still remember from last year a young lady who had an idea to create an online Web site for full-figure teen girls.

“Her presentation was moving and she was only 14 years old,” she said. “I was astonished.”

All college and high school students, as well as teachers, faculty and professionals that are in a business-based curriculum are encouraged to attend this free event. Registration is required. Click here to register online or call Paul A. Nucci at (734) 487-0902 for details. The Student Center is located at 900 Oakwood Street in Ypsilanti.

For more information on the Sesi Midwest Entrepreneurship Conference Click here.