In a February 2012 interview by Dr. Gerry Hills, Executive Director of the Collegiate Entrepreneurs’(CEO) Organization, founder of Crate and Barrel Gordon Segal answered questions on how to prepare today’s youth for entrepreneurship based on his past experiences. Segal is a CEO Hall of Fame inductee and has spoken at National CEO Conferences. Here are five inspirational lessons taken from Gordon Segal’s experience and success.

1. Passion is Paramount: In regards to what was behind his success with Crate and Barrel, Segal stated “We became good at it because we stuck with it because we loved it!” Never go into a business or career you don’t really love.” The Segal family loved what they did and enjoyed being merchants, and that is what propelled their success. Segal maintains that if you do not love you career or business, you can’t work as much as you need to be successful. He brought products to market that he didn’t just like, but that he loved, because he knew that others would love them as well. If you are not in love with your products or services, how can you expect others to be?

2. Expect, Embrace, & Learn from Mistakes: “As an entrepreneur you’re going to make a lot of decisions, by the nature of a lot of decisions, you’re going to make mistakes. Accept the mistakes, bounce back, fix them when you see them. To think ‘I can’t make a decision because it might be wrong is the worst thing. Then you’re paralyzed.” Segal said he made mistakes from striking bad rental deals to purchasing bad ad space, but knew that mistakes were always going to happen, and quickly accepted them and learned from them going forward.

3. Urgency of Service: Segal’s dad stressed customer service as, “Urgency of Service.” Having the customer always leave happy was an important goal, as was showing them kindness in every aspect of the business experience. Giving great service and showing kindness to the customer assists in building trust which is very important to foster sales. “People won’t buy from you day one.” Building a relationship with customers was always important in the Segal family and was one of the reasons that Crate and Barrel was able to grow their customer base. Sales, in a retail sense, is a whole experience and trust must be built before most customers will ever make a purchase.

4. Build Slowly: Too often young entrepreneurs are focused on growing a business as quick as possible, whether for profits and an increase in wealth, or to sell in 5-7 years. What about building a successful, profitable, sustainable business? Crate and Barrel built their first store in 1962 in Chicago. It was 1968 when the second store was built, and at the end of 1971 there were a total of four locations. “Build when needed,” says Segal. In running Crate and Barrel, Segal “never did anything to put the company in financial jeopardy.” Segal did not take on debt early in the company’s growth stages and refused to take outside investment to make sure that the company would remain private and within his control.

5. Growing People Around Business:

When asked what he felt best about in his entire career with Crate and Barrel, Segal was most proud of the group of people who he helped put together to build the company. Segal took pride in surrounding himself with quality employees and building a great team. In building new stores only as needed, Segal was able to have a hand in selecting and training new management instead of trying to manage at a distance. If trying to grow a national company, you may not be able to manage at a distance, so build your management team carefully and take time to provide them with the tools to succeed.

There are many lessons to learn from successful entrepreneurs like Gordon Segal that are being lost in today’s high technology fast growth world. Too often we forget how some of the most successful business ever were created and try to duplicate them in a couple of months when they spent years growing their business. The Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization would like to thank Gordon for his time and efforts to give back to young entrepreneurs and students.

Gordon Segal founded Crate and Barrel with this wife Carole in December 1962 at the age of 23. Inspired by their European honeym oon, Gordon built this housewares business into one of the world’s most prominent retail chains. What started as a single Chicago store has since expanded to a chain of nearly 170 stores around the world, employing over 7,000 people! Gordon was inducted into the CEO Hall of Fame for his lifetime of entrepreneurial success.

The CEO Startup Simulation Challenge for the second year was held on the Marketplace Live game platform, which allowed students to start a simulated startup computer company. Teams consisting of five students from universities across North America made every decision imaginable for their startup company from marketing ads to product features. Teams had an unlimited number of options in regards to how they ran the company and how they reacted to competitors moves.

The first round of the competition placed student teams against computer simulated companies. Only the top eight advanced to the final round. The final eight teams were:

-Clarkson University (2011 Champions)
-Worcester Polytechnic Institute
-California State University, Fresno
-University of South Florida St. Petersburg
-DePaul University
-University of Pittsburgh
-University of Nebraska Omaha
-Louisiana State University

The final round of the competition was head to head with no computer simulated teams. The Clarkson University team had nearly all of their team back from a victorious 2011 championship, and took first place out of all 26 teams in the first round with ease. Competition heated up in the Final round as DePaul jumped out to an early lead, while Worcester Polytechnic held on to second place. As moves were made and teams reacted to their competitors moves, things changed dramatically. The teams that came out on top for the 2012 CEO Startup Simulation Challenge were:

-1st Place: University of South Florida St. Petersburg: $1,000 in prizes
-2nd Place: Louisiana State University
-3rd Place: University of Nebraska Omaha

The top three teams will all be recognized and rewarded certificates at the 2012 CEO National Conference in Chicago, which will be held November 1-3. The competitors were not only playing for cash prizes, but for the chance to gain mentorship from successful entrepreneurs. The entrepreneurs that will give their time to students include: Duane Spires (Extreme Youth Sports), Nancy Nguyen (Sweet T Salon), Cheri Garcia (Luminous Envy), Jerome Love of Texas Black Expo, Paul Spiegelman (The Beryl Companies), and Jim Billington, serial entrepreneur.

Networking can be like dating - you have to take a chance to get anywhere. Half of the battle is realizing that networking is important, and then selecting who you need to network with, not specific people per se, but the type of people who will help you in your entrepreneurial journey. This article will touch on why networking is important to a current or future entrepreneur and tips on how to be a successful networker.

Why is Networking Important?

How important is networking? As much as I hate answering a question with another question, how successful do you want to be? There is a reason that competitions and entrepreneurship classes focus on elevator pitches so much. You have to take advantage of any big opportunity that might come your way, whether it is an hour lunch with someone or a 30 second elevator ride. Networking can make or break your career in a matter of seconds. Not to scare you, think of it more as potential opportunities that you don’t want to let slip by. Just making a couple of contacts can lead to a friendship, then a partnership in business, and so on. In my short career, I have held 10 different jobs either part time or short term. Eight of those 10 came from connections I had made through networking somewhere along the way. The two that I didn’t get from connections were the ones I had to work the hardest to get.

Think of the greatest entrepreneurial success stories of our time, almost all of them became successful not only because of their work, but because of people they met along the way. Do you think that Mark Zuckerberg’s “The Facebook” would be what it is today if he would have never met Sean Parker? Would Steve Wozniak (CEO Hall of Famer) have been as successful if he hadn’t made a connection with Steve Jobs? Probably not. These are only two of many examples of how networking is vital for success, whether it is meeting a partner, investor, mentor or future customer.

At the 2011 CEO National Conference, Sean O’Morrow, a culinary graduate and business student at the University of Michigan Flint, made the most out of a networking opportunity. After Tom Walter, the CEO of Illinois based catering company Tasty Catering, spoke at the conference, Sean decided to overcome his fears of approaching new people and introduced himself to Tom based on a mutual interest of one day becoming an entrepreneur in the food industry. Not only did Sean receive an hour long meeting over lunch with an experienced entrepreneur, but Sean was given the chance to have a week long, hands-on, intense work experience at the Tasty Catering headquarters to learn “the business,” all while making money like a real employee! Without introducing himself to Tom, Sean would have never had this terrific opportunity that will serve him well in the future.

Tips for Successful Networking

• Make the First Move. Don’t wait to be approached by others; introduce yourself to people who you admire and can potentially from, whether for your professional development, your career, or your business.
• Be Prepared. Always be prepared and have a business card ready. Even if you don’t own your own business or have a full-time career, create a personal business card that details how someone can get in contact with you. Don’t expect someone to remember who you are without something in writing. Make sure to ask for a business card of whoever you are networking with; this will prove you are interested and serious with developing a relationship. Networking doesn’t end with an exchange of cards, but it takes time to develop a real connection. Follow up with your networking contacts immediately after the initial meeting. Send an email to thank someone for their time and suggesting a time to talk further if you would like to do so.
• Show Them You Are Serious. Prove to your networking connections that you are someone they should get to know. Sharing your business idea with a stranger may be scary, but you don’t want to miss out on an opportunity to gain an asset. Just as following up from an initial meeting is important, so is regularly following up to keep yourself on their radar. Cultivating a relationship takes time and effort, so be dedicated in getting to know them.
• Look for commonalities. You will not instantly mesh with everyone you meet, but you may be able to find a common interest that will help them like you and remember who you are. If the person you are approaching is a well-known entrepreneur or professional, you can usually guess their interests , or find them on the internet.
• What Can You Do for Them? If a conversation is not worth someone’s time, why would they invest their time in you? There are a lot of great mentors and people who are willing to help, but some may be more interested if you can help them with something. Offer your help and/or expertise. This is a key to creating a mutually beneficial relationship.
• Build a Mutual Relationship. A common mistake in networking is the idea that it is a one-time conversation, which often times results in the inability to connect with the person you want to network with. It is called networking, not introducing – a simple hello and an exchanging of business cards does not go a long way in building rapport. Start with the introduction; always follow up with an email or phone call after the initial meeting thanking them for their time. Then, you need to keep in touch. Keeping in touch may be a simple email every few months, or going out to lunch once or twice a year, all depending on the relationship. The important thing is to value your contacts and to follow through with building a meaningful and lasting relationship.

Networking is vital in life and in business, although many get along without it. Those who wish to be successful in life surround themselves with successful people. The chances of surrounding yourself with these successful people by are slim to nil if you don’t put yourself out there. You have to actively pursue these relationships. You never know what great things could come out of the next relationship you build through networking.

Tom Walter, CEO of Tasty Catering, has a long standing relationship with the Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization (CEO). Tom is a frequent speaker at the CEO National Conferences and has gone out of his way to serve as a mentor to students and future entrepreneurs. Tasty Catering is a diversified corporate event planning company that specializes in catering, breakfast, lunch, picnics, barbecues, entertainment, holiday parties, and special events for the Chicago area. As part of its entrepreneurial culture, every employee is required to read the popular James Charles Collins book “From Good to Great.” They encourage employees to be innovative and to share their ideas. Tasty Catering has launched six companies all started by their young entrepreneurial minded staff. The company has won numerous awards since they transformed their business back in 2005, but what they haven’t been awarded for is their tremendous efforts in helping to mentor young students and entrepreneurs.

Kaitlyn Caraway, a student at Ball State University in Indiana, met Tom Walter at the 2011 National CEO Conference in Fort Worth, Texas. Kaitlyn is working on her new start-up company, 360°mobile. She mentioned that “Since the conference, I have kept in touch quite often with Mr. Walter, and was invited to see Tasty Catering’s facility in Elk Grove. On my tour, he taught me about his business’s well-known management style, and some of the history of his business ventures.” Tom is now on the advisory board for Kaitlyn’s company and is helping mentor her along the path to success.

Trent Infield, a student at Miami University of Ohio, co-founder of Talon Mobile LLC, also met Tom at the CEO National Conference and stated that “Tom’s help has been indispensable for my entrepreneurial journey.” Among other things, Tom helped Trent work through LLC partnership agreements and some of his other questions and concerns related to his start-up venture.

Sean O’Morrow recently graduated from the University of Michigan-Flint with a degree in international business. Sean was present at Tom’s presentation at the 2011 National CEO Conference and based on his culinary interests , decided to approach Tom for more information on opportunities in the food industry for new entrepreneurs such as himself. Tom invited Sean to have lunch with him, and that was only the start of Sean’s hands-on experience with Tom and Tasty Catering; “they put me up in a hotel for all of my stay, paid me a good wage, and even did my laundry. As for work experience at Tasty, I was able to work in various departments including culinary, delivery, and banquet serving. I also had a crash course in marketing, ordering, logistics, and management.” In summing up his overall experience, Sean said, “In total, I put in about 85 hours in 6 days and couldn’t have loved it more. I appreciate that entrepreneurs like Tom, Larry, and Kevin Walter are willing to take the time to show a younger generation ‘the ropes.‘” Tom had only great things to say about Sean as an aspiring entrepreneurial mentee; “Sean joined us on December 14^th during the height of our holiday season. His work ethic, his knowledge of culinary skill and the hospitality industry is amazing.” This relationship that began with networking at the National CEO Conference led to a great experience for both Tom and Sean.

Not only is Tasty Catering growing in its success as a company, but the mentorship opportunities that Tom and the other Tasty Catering team have provided to students is helping to enhance the success of young entrepreneurs and the entrepreneurial community itself. In addition to mentoring individual students, Tasty Catering has opened its doors to CEO Chapters and groups of promising students; the CEO Chapters at the University of Nebraska-Omaha and DePaul University have been invited to visit the their headquarters, experience an entrepreneurial culture in action, and share their entrepreneurial ideas with the Tasty team. CEO and aspiring entrepreneurs are fortunate to have a passionate and dedicated mentor such as Tom Walter of Tasty Catering.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/8401603/ceo_chats_live_with_the_young_entrepreneur.html?cat=4

“Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization (CEO) is the premier entrepreneurship network with chapters on university campuses across North America. Our mission is to inform, support and inspire college students to be entrepreneurial and seek opportunity through enterprise creation.”

CEO is best known for their chapters in over 180 campuses throughout America and several international chapters. CEO holds an annual National Conference and also hosts multiple business competitions open to college students for cash prizes and exposure.

2011 National CEO Conference

The 2011 CEO Conference will be held in Fort Worth, Texas. The conference will feature over 80 entrepreneurs as speakers in sessions and will have over 1,600 students all eager to learn and network. The 2011 CEO Conference will be held at the Omni Forth Worth Hotel on October 27-29th.

The Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization is currently taking sponsors for the 2011 conference. They will be accepting promotional material that will be given to the over 1600 visitors in a gift bag that will be given at check-in for the conference. There are exhibit tables available and recognition in the official program, on the gift bags, and other opportunities. For more information on being a sponsor or even a speaker at the 2011 National CEO Conference, e-mail us at CEOSponsorship@c-e-o.org

CEO Regional Conferences

Other than the annual National conference, CEO also helps to host regional CEO conferences with competitions and keynote speakers from the areas around where the conference is held. Regional conferences around the country are expanding and growing at a fast pace. The 2011 Southeast Entrepreneurship Conference (SEEC) in Tampa, Florida, saw a 100% increase in attendance and had 24 competitors in their elevator pitch competition. A regional event also took place at Eastern Michigan University, and Chris Miller, co-founder of the SEEC is also working on bringing a regional conference to Omaha, Nebraska.

CEO Social Network

CEO has created a social network for CEO members to network together, learn from mistakes, and come up with new ideas. This is a private network, membership with the Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization is required, visit C-E-O.org for more information or contact at CEO@c-e-o.org.

Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization Student Businesses

The students who are a part of the Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization are not only just interested in entrepreneurship, many of them are already entrepreneurs and have created businesses through their experience with CEO. The following are businesses that current or former CEO members have started:

www.birdcagebridal.com
www.collegecardboard.com
www.dailymav.com
www.oneselfventures.com
www.Bridgeye.com
www.auditrax.com
www.vanarsdalephoto.com
www.myspace.com/boredstudentrocks
www.wallstreet1929.com
www.belmontevents.com
www.HarrisonJlloyd.com
www.northshoresolutions.com
www.newaperio.com
www.nineapair.com
www.tyten.com
www.goingoutrules.com
www.simpleesocial.com
www.tanquis.in
www.inspiregreeninc.com
www.thirstyclothing.com

Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization on the Internet

Links to CEO Related Blogs and Social Media

CEO has many ways to keep updated on competitions and the current ventures of college entrepreneurs around the country. See below for more information.

Official Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization Facebook Page
Stay updated on Facebook with CEO’s Official Facebook Page

Official CEO Website
Visit C-E-O.org for information on the Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization, events, partnerships, and more.

2011 Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization National Conference in Forth Worth, TX
Information on the 2011 CEO National Conference in Fort Worth, Tx.

CEO Online Community
The online community for CEO members to network each other. This private community helps students connect across the country without the clutter of a larger social network atmosphere.

2010 National Elevator Pitch Competition Winners
Interviews with young entrepreneurs. The top three finishers from the 2010 National Elevator Pitch Competition by CEO were interviewed by Michael Luchies, Special Projects Coordinator of the Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization.

Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization on Twitter
Follow Twitter updates from CEO!

2011 National Elevator Pitch Competition
Information on the 2011 National Elevator Pitch Competition.

CEO Elevator Pitch Competition

“The CEO Elevator Pitch Competition presents students with a great opportunity to pitch their business idea to a panel of judges and a chance to win cash prizes. Elevator pitch is a frequently used term, which literally means “tell me about your business within the time that it would take to ride up an elevator.” Presenting yourself effectively is an essential tool in the business arena. A well-planned elevator pitch can open the doors to success in your future endeavors. Please note that ideas may be at any stage of development from creation of concepts or ideas to an established business.”

The 2010 Elevator Pitch Competition Prizes:

1st Place: $2,500, Featured in the CEO Newsletter and website, and participation certificate

2nd Place: $2,000, participation certificate

3rd Place: $1,500, participation certificate

Up to Four Final Round Honorable Winners: $500 each, participation certificate.

For
more information
please visit: http://www.c-e-o.org/bin/pdf/natl_conf_page_10/Elevator-Pitch-Competition-Guideline-Booklet-2010.pdf

CEO Startup Simulation Challenge

In 2011, CEO launched a new competition for teams of 3-5 students. The 2011 CEO Startup Simulation Challenge consisted of 22 teams and was narrowed down to just 6 after the first round of competition. The competition is operated through the Marketplace game.

1st Place: Clarkson University 2nd Place: LSU, 3rd Place: Quinnipiac University

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/7974403/2011_ceo_startup_simulation_challenge.html?cat=4

CEO Chapter Websites

CEO Chapter Websites:

http://www.clarksonceo.com/
http://leeds.colorado.edu/club/ceo
http://www.emich.edu/studentorgs/ceoclub/
http://jmi.fsu.edu/Students/Collegiate-Entrepreneurs-Organization-CEO
http://www.isuceo.org/
http://frank.mtsu.edu/~entre/ceo.htm
http://sluceo.com/
http://www.siueceo.org/
http://www.tcuceo.com
http://www.ubalt.edu/template.cfm?page=2715
http://www.uic.edu/cba/ies/ceo.html
http://www.unoboss.com/
http://uncgceo.awardspace.com/Site/Welcome.html
http://www.ceofresno.com/
http://www.uwwceo.org/

RoommateFit is in its first year of operation and has serviced several customers. Mares will soon be in front of actual Angel Investors to present his pitch for venture capital to help his business grow.

“I decided to compete in the competition because my professor of entrepreneurship suggested that I do so, and it ended up being a fantastic experience”, said Mares about how he came to enter the competition. The competition happened only months ago, but he has been very busy since, “I have signed a new customer, incorporated, been asked to present in front of an angel group, and further developed the technology behind the matching algorithm”

A portion of the funds have been used to pay for the creation of a new logo. Using the crowdsourcing site 99designs, RoomateFit now has a trendy new logo. The funds have also been used to allow the company to incorporate, buy a domain name and create a basic website for the business.

Finding compatible college roommates can be a difficult challenge for many and can result in added stress. Finding a compatible person to share a living space with is important for your mental health as well as physical safety. Many articles have been published outlining problems that you can encounter with potential roommates and how to avoid them, but often even good friends can turn out to be bad fits when they are thrown into an apartment together.

During the 2010 National Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization Conference held in Chicago, Mares was able to meet Sam Yagan, founder of OkCupid. Yagan provided guidance and advice that has helped Mares to grow his business. “This has been especially helpful, as we have similar businesses that target different audiences. I also met several other students who I am still in contact with and who provide a good network of young people interested in entrepreneurship.”

Mares has advice for aspiring collegiate entrepreneurs ;”You can take as many classes as you want, read as many books as you want, and attend as many conferences as you want, but if you don’t take action and take a few risks and implement what you have learned, that knowledge is just sitting there and not doing any good. Don’t be afraid to reach out to people who can push you, and then go do something.”

According to Jennifer Wright from California State University, Fresno who helped organize the event, there were 60 students who competed this year in the National Elevator Pitch Competition hosted by CEO. They competed in 4 rounds of 15 students and from each round 3 competitors were selected to advance to the final rounds. The 2010 National Elevator Pitch Competition awarded 3 winners and 4 honorable mentions. The 1st place winner received $2,500, 2nd place received $2,000 and 3rd place received $1,500. The four honorable mentions each received $500.

First Place: Alexandra McCoy, St. Mary’s University, It’s a Snap! Convertible Heels
Alexandra McCoy and her father designed a high heeled shoe that has interchangeable/detachable heel shafts. This design allows one pair of heels to become comfortable flats when walking or standing for long periods of time. McCoy is currently working on finalizing the design and acquiring a patent to protect her business idea. McCoy pursued this idea because it was related to one of her deepest passions, shoes!

McCoy said that the business was originally a school project that is now blossoming into an actual business. She felt that the passion behind her idea is what drove her to success during the CEO elevator pitch competition. When asked to give advice to others who were interested in bringing their idea to the elevator pitch competition, Mccoy had this to say; I would tell them that they need to make sure that they have passion behind their business idea. If the idea is mediocre, the passion behind it will be mediocre as well, making the elevator pitch unsuccessful.

Second Place: Justin Mares, University of Pittsburgh, RoommateFit
Justin Mares was inspired by his professor of entrepreneurship at the University of Pittsburgh and decided to enter the 2010 National Elevator Pitch Competition with his company RoomateFit. RoommateFit creates compatible roommate pairings based on personality traits, much like an eHarmony for roommates.

RoommateFit is in its first year of operation but has gained the attention of a local Angel investment group that Mares will be presenting in front of in the near future. Mares has incorporated his business and worked on further developing the technology behind RommateFit since the completion of the competition in November.

Justin credits his practicing to his success in the competition, “I practiced 25 times the night before the pitch, 15 times the day of, and 20 times more before the final round, and listened to my pitch on my iPod before falling asleep and on the plane ride to Chicago. It made all the difference.”

Third Place: Cassie Meyer, Bradley University, Knotty Outdoors
Cassie Meyer from Bradley University also pursued her business idea in something that she is passionate about, outdoors apparel for women. Knotty Outdoors will aim to provide “a modern alternative for women’s hunting apparel and accessories. Our focus is on high quality, perfect fit, stylish clothing that can also be worn casually”, said Meyer.

After the November competition, Meyer has been working on partnership agreements, finding quality wholesalers, and setting up tax information. Meyer was rewarded a prize of $1,500 to help grow her business that serves an often overlooked market in women who are involved in hunting and other outdoors activities. The funds will initially be used for website development and purchasing products.

Honorable Mentions:
Brian Schaffer- School Bus GPA
Brennon Garthwait- Renwig Customs
Jessica Cui- How High Shoes
Shannon Dolan- Truly Pure Skincare

The competition will consist of four preliminary rounds on Friday, October 28th, each having 15 student competitors, three of those from each preliminary round will advance to the semi-final round on Saturday, October 29th. The top 6 finalists will then advance to the final elimination round from which the winners will be determined. In each round of the competition the competitors will to a panel of judges consisting of actual entrepreneurs and venture capitals along with other academic advisors and working professionals. The contestants have the opportunity to win up to $2,500 to use towards their businesses. Seven places, including four honorable mention places were given at least $500 in last year’s competition.

The 2010 competition was won by Alexandra McCoy from St. Mary’s University with her company “It’s a Snap! Convertible Heels”. McCoy explains her product as “a fashionable high heeled shoe that has interchangeable/detachable heel shafts, which allows one pair of heels to be extremely versatile. This product provides a high-value solution for women who love the look of heels, but want the comfortable feel of flats when walking or standing for long periods of time”. McCoy took her prize of $2,500 and is currently working with professionals to help finalize the design and acquire a patent to protect her fantastic business idea.

The “Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization (CEO) is the premier entrepreneurship network with chapters on university campuses across North America. CEO’s mission is to inform, support and inspire college students to be entrepreneurial and seek opportunity through enterprise creation”.

Fort Worth is home to one of the premier CEO University chapters at Texas Christian University. TCU is recognized as a leading and innovative CEO Chapter and has won many chapter awards at the National Conferences. For more information on the TCU CEO chapter visit www.tcuceo.org.

The National CEO Conference includes an Elevator pitch competition, chapter awards, the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA), exhibits, networking opportunities, keynote speakers, and much more. The conference is a great experience for all college students, and especially those who want more information on starting their own business while attending school or after graduating. There are plenty of opportunities for student involvement from competing in one of the competitions to being a moderator for a session.

My Experience
I attended the 2008 and 2009 National CEO conferences in Chicago at the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place. I thoroughly enjoyed the sessions as they offered something for every student. I attended several sessions on Internet based businesses that explained how to build a revenue model. I used what I learned to help compete in and win my school’s business plan competition.

In 2009 I participated in the Elevator Pitch Competition. Although I didn’t place in the money, the experience of competing and seeing how the other students prepared and their unique ideas made it worth all the time and effort I put towards it.

For more information visit the Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization website at: www.c-e-o.org.