Run It By The Pros Workshop
Watch and Learn!
The Atlanta entrepreneur community is invited to this behind-the-scenes look at the advisor-investor-entrepreneur relationship hosted by the MIT Enterprise Forum. Our panel of experts and the audience will examine and discuss real-life business plans presented by their entrepreneurial founders at this workshop. Listen in and participate as teams talk with the panel about their ventures and receive actionable feedback and mentoring. Each of the presenting companies will have six minutes to give their business pitch a test drive and then receive 10 minutes of feedback from our pro panel and four minutes of questions from the audience.
Our “Run It By The Pros” workshop will be held on Thursday, May 22, 2014 from 3:30 – 6:30 p.m. at the law offices of Alston and Bird. Come be a part of the audience and benefit from the advice given to our presenting companies!
Pro Panel
The startup pros in our panel promise to pass on loads of hard-earned advice and expertise! Plus, our networking reception before and after the presentations will give you plenty of time to make the contacts you need to take your startup to the next level! (bios below)
Allen Nance, Co-Founder, TechSquare Lab (moderator)
Sarah Ernst, Partner, Alston and Bird, LLP
Chip Brown, Managing Director, Willamette Management Associates
Chris Hackney, Founder, Wheedu; VP, Oracle
Presenting Companies
- GradSchoolMatch
- Predikto
- Softwear
- Vehware
Plan To Attend
Be part of the audience as teams talk with the panel about their ventures. Registration and information.
Location: Alston and Bird, 1201 West Peachtree Street, Atlanta, Georgia, 30309
Open to All!
Agenda:
- 3:30 p.m. Networking
- 4:10-6:00 p.m. Program
- 6:00 - 6:30 p.m. Networking
Featured Panelists
Allen Nance
Co-Founder, TechSquare Labs
Allen is a son, brother, husband, dad, entrepreneur, boxer, golfer, author, mentor and technology fanatic. From his rented house in 2000 he founded a company that a decade later would become WhatCounts. Through a series of innovative growth strategies that included seven acquisitions the company has grown into one of the largest email marketing firms in the world delivering billions of targeted messages on four continents in over 35 languages. He is an active investor, advisor, and technology company builder through TechSquare Labs. |
Sarah Ernst
Partner, Alston and Bird, LLP
Sarah Ernst concentrates her practice on public and private company securities offerings, mergers and acquisitions, private equity financings and joint ventures, with an emphasis in the health care sector. Ms. Ernst represents public and private companies and underwriters in debt and equity offerings, including initial public offerings, resale and follow-on offerings, shelf registrations, 144A convertible debt offerings and private equity offerings. She also has significant experience representing public and private companies and private equity firms in mergers and asset acquisitions and dispositions. She also regularly advises clients regarding SEC compliance and reporting obligations and corporate governance matters. Ms. Ernst received her J.D. from the University of Oklahoma College of Law, where she was managing editor of theOklahoma Law Review and a member of the Order of the Coif. Ms. Ernst received her B.S.F.S., cum laude, from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service. She also attended the U.S. Naval Academy from 1997 until 1999. |
Chip Brown
Managing Director, Willamette Managing Associates
F.A. “Chip” Brown, CFA, CPA/ABV/CFF – Chip is a managing director of Willamette Management Associates, a prominent business valuation and financial advisory firm. He is also the director of the firm’s Atlanta office. He provides valuation and transaction advisor (opinion) services to closely held businesses and public companies in various industries. He typically works with (and through) the tax advisors, legal advisors, and other advisors (e.g., private equity firms, venture capital firms, investment banks) for these businesses. Chip provides valuation and transaction advisor services for purposes such as ownership transition, income tax compliance, fund reporting, intergenerational wealth transfer, designing and structuring transactions, dividend recapitalizations, purchase price allocations, gifting and charitable contributions, share based compensation compliance (409A, “cheap stock” pre-IPO issues), gift and estate tax compliance, fairness opinions, and solvency opinions. In addition, he has served as an expert witness on valuation and transaction issues in various litigation matters. Chip holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation and is a certified public accountant (CPA). He is also accredited in business valuation (ABV) and certified in financial forensics (CFF) by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). He holds a bachelor of science in management from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a master of science in accounting from the University of Virginia. |
Chris Hackney
Founder, Wheedu; VP, Oracle
Chris currently runs Oracle’s Customer Success teams for Social, CRM and CPQ business lines. These teams are tasked with helping clients maintaining high value attainment and satisfaction with their Oracle platforms and overall relationship with Oracle. Over 15 years of experience that also includes leading positions in social at Vitrue (acquired by Oracle), digital media as a strategy leader at WebMD, brand marketing manager at Coca-Cola and investment banking at Bank of America.
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