December 19, 2017
A Busy Fall Close for the Miller School
It’s been a busy fall for the Miller School of Entrepreneurship. Here are recent highlights that show the School didn’t slow heading into the break.
Miller School faculty and 15 students from the ECU Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization visited Old Saratoga water bottling plant the day before Thanksgiving break. The plant manager of Old Saratoga, Tony Verdini, gave a tour of the bottling plant including the distillery, three bottling lines, pumping station, and packing and order fulfillment. Old Saratoga is an innovative company that has introduced multiple new products and business model innovations the last five years. The company has experienced rapid double-digit growth in a stagnant industry due to their innovative thinking.
Mr. Verdini also talked with the students about process management, financial management and human resource management.
Students in entrepreneurship pitched their business ideas to a panel of investors and ECU partners Dec. 12. Before their presentations, students first pitched their ideas to classmates early in the semester to help select the top opportunities. Students then spent the remainder of the semester creating team business plans. The semester culminated in the business plan presentations to actual investors that took place at the office of the NC East Alliance.
Student ideas ranged from products to technology to brick and mortar storefronts. For some students, the final presentation is only the beginning of their business’ development.
“From this point forward, the ideas are no longer an academic exercise but a way to create jobs and grow the economy in eastern North Carolina,” said Miller School Instructor David Mayo.