The University and its community partners continue to offer the means to become successful entrepreneurs and further aid entrepreneurial success by providing access to experts, coaching by successful practitioners, contact with cutting-edge technology and support in forming companies and licensing ideas.
Now, another UA collaboration will provide local entrepreneurs with even more tools to succeed.
Akron SCORE, the Taylor Institute for Direct Marketing at the University of Akron and the Suarez Applied Marketing Research Laboratories are collaborating to give Akron area small businesses a better venue for SCORE’s workshop series.
“We have entered into an agreement with the Taylor Institute for the use of their facilities for our series of workshops for 2012,” said Diana Bennett, chair of Akron SCORE. “This gives us a home for our workshops in a facility that is second to none in Summit County for programs benefitting Akron’s entrepreneurs.”
Benefit for students
Kathleen Kennedy, executive director of the institute and labs, says the partnership between the University and SCORE not only benefits area entrepreneurs but provides advantages for UA students as well.
“The Taylor Institute is working with SCORE because we believe that our mission and vision can be advanced by this relationship,” Kennedy said. SCORE also has established a counseling office at the institute, adding that it will staff the office on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. “The SCORE counselors will work with not only area entrepreneurs but also students who are seeking additional information about operating small businesses,” Kennedy added.
Kennedy said the new collaboration will achieve a number of goals, including:
- Support business development and economic growth in the Greater Akron area
- Promote best practices in marketing and promotions
- Provide training to both The University of Akron community and entrepreneurs in the critical areas of social commerce, mobile promotion and digital marketing
- Complement the Taylor Institute’s professional workshops which are focused on advanced direct and interactive marketing
Bennett noted that SCORE’s workshops and counseling will be enhanced through:
- Student and faculty involvement in the SCORE organization
- A consistent place for SCORE-sponsored workshops
“Our new collaboration will enable SCORE to increase its counseling with more high tech companies who could emerge as new business models,” said Bennett. “This will add to Northeast Ohio’s vow to increase small businesses and jobs and retain some of our brightest entrepreneurs.”
Above: Akron SCORE, a business nonprofit which provides local entrepreneurs with the tools to succeed, is collaborating with UA’s Gary L. and Karen S. Taylor Institute for Direct Marketing and the Suarez Applied Marketing Research Laboratories at the College of Business Administration to give Akron area small businesses a better venue for SCORE’s entrepreneurship workshop series. Launching SCORE’s new office space in the Taylor Institute with a ribbon cutting ceremony are, from left to right: Steve Brubaker, chief of staff, InfoCision Management Corp.; Bob Bowman, deputy mayor for economic development, City of Akron; Tom Duke, Akron SCORE; Karen Taylor, InfoCision Chair of Board, who, along with her husband Gary Taylor, founded both InfoCision and the Taylor Institute for Direct Marketing; Kathleen Kennedy, executive director, Taylor Institute; Craig Taylor, executive vice president, InfoCision; and John LaGuardia, vice president for public affairs and development at UA.
Seeking new counselors
SCORE will be recruiting new counselors who have experience in direct interactive marketing and marketing research to work on client projects with The Taylor Institute for Direct Marketing and the Suarez Applied Marketing Research Laboratories staff and students.
Those interested in becoming a counselor can indicate their interest by calling 330-379-3163 or accessing www.akronscore.org. The Taylor Institute will provide scholarships for its direct and interactive marketing professional training program to for up to 20 SCORE counselors who commit to assist with Taylor Institute projects.
The series of SCORE workshops has been scheduled through 2012. They include workshops in Business Basics, Business Plan, Financial Management, Marketing Techniques for Success, Not-for-Profit, QuickBooks 1 and 2, Social Media, Intellectual Property, Simple Steps for Starting a Business (six consecutive weeks) and Simple Steps for Growing a Business (five consecutive weeks).
About Akron SCORE
The Akron SCORE mission is to stimulate the Greater Akron economy, which includes Medina, Portage, Summit and Wayne counties, by using the business knowledge and skills of its volunteers to successfully guide and lead entrepreneurs and existing businesses toward their goals. More information about SCORE is available through calling 330-379-3163 or by accessing akronscore81@aol.com or www.akronscore.org.
About The Taylor Institute for Direct Marketing
The Taylor Institute for Direct Marketing is dedicated to education, research and promotion of direct marketing best practices. Located at The University of Akron, College of Business Administration, the Institute is the nation’s premiere direct marketing learning and research venue with over 25,000 square feet and serving over 700 students along with marketing professionals and the business community.
The Taylor Institute is home to seven applied learning laboratories that provide students, business leaders and marketing professionals with real-world learning experiences. The Institute is home to Direct Interactive Marketing undergraduate and graduate degrees programs that focus on emerging marketing trends to better prepare graduating students for the ever changing world of marketing. The Institute also serves the professional marketing community with professional workshops, speaker programs, and direct marketing and digital conferences.
The Suarez Applied Marketing Research Laboratories is dedicated to marketing sciences research and development in marketing communications and product development. The primary
focus of the labs is to develop and quantify the potential of new marketing research and analytics techniques, including neuromarketing and biometric measurement, in advertising pre-testing, brand development, new product concept testing, multimedia communications, usability and pricing and promotions.
The Suarez laboratories on the web.
Media contact: Laura M. Massie, 330-972-6476 or massie1@uakron.edu