April 1, 2016
Marketing Program Graduate Provides Entrepreneurial Advice
On Tuesday, March 29th, students from the Association of Information Technology Professionals (AITP), Pirates Entrepreneurship Program (PEP), and American Marketing Association (AMA) clubs hosted a guest speaker event for entrepreneurially-minded College of Business members.
Will Hardison
The speaker, Will Hardison, is a graduate of the College of Business Marketing program. He entertained and educated attendees with stories of his experiences across multiple entrepreneurial ventures, starting when he was just 13-years old. Throughout middle and high school, Hardison developed a thriving online shoe business, during which time he learned that success is about drive, determination, and chance: “There’s a lot of hard work and perseverance in business, but there’s also a little bit of dumb luck.” He parlayed his early success into multiple businesses after graduation, including his current role as Chief Evangelism Officer (CEO) at Fanbase, LLC, a full-service marketing firm based in Raleigh.
Students and faculty alike were impressed by Hardison’s candor and enthusiasm. “It’s great to see students and alums interacting” said Dr. Aneil Mishra, who particularly enjoyed Mr. Hardison’s description of his many leadership roles in community organizations and events, including RTP180 and Verge NC.
MBA student John Hoppe added, “I really enjoyed hearing the perspective of someone who had so much hustle so young. He was very down to earth and he had great advice for us.”
Anyone interested in hearing more from Mr. Hardison is invited to attend the “Three Entrepreneurs and How to Start and Build from an Idea” panel featuring Vin McCaffrey of Game Theory Group, Joshua Schwager of Sports Porch, and Mr. Hardison on April 13th from 11 to 11:45am at the COB Business Leadership Conference in MSC 244.