Meet 1-on-1 w/ the Experts you need –
100% VIRTUAL Format
Innovate New Albany created Expert 😎 Office Hours to make it easy for business owners & aspiring entrepreneurs to get the answers they need.
Please set all your appointments by 12 Noon, Weds 12/4/24.
We will end registrations at Noon, so our Experts can plan their Thursday schedules.
STEPS
1. Review our roster of Experts
2. For each Expert you choose, click link below the Expert’s name to schedule appointment
3. Make individual appointments w/ the Experts you need – just ONE – or up to FIVE
4. You’ll receive an email & a calendar invitation – w/ a Zoom link for each appointment
5. Thurs Dec. 5: at time of each appointment, click on Zoom link to meet w/ your selected Expert
Questions? Email Neil Collins: neil@InnovateNewAlbany.org
Schedule up to FIVE 30-minute meeting(s) below:
Ryan Steele | Porter Wright
Startup & Emerging Business Law
At Porter Wright, Ryan Steele helps early stage entrepreneurs choose optimal business structures and complete the documentation needed to establish their business foundation, grow and expand, and ultimately exit on their own favorable terms.
Ryan also handles corporate contractual matters to bring mergers, acquisitions, financing, startup operations, and other general business transactions to fruition. Combining business operations knowledge with legal acumen, Ryan efficiently executes complex business contracts so that rapidly growing companies, business owners and early stage entrepreneurs can cost-effectively achieve their growth goals.
Ryan also brings great business savvy to his client relationships. Having managed an office of over 100 people, Ryan can apply his first-hand knowledge of everyday business functions including project management, employee management, and independent contracting, providing practical counsel to fast-growing entities so they can overcome challenges and achieve their business goals.
Great Questions for Ryan:
- Incorporating Your New Business – What forms are possible and the pros/cons of each
- Capital Tables – How to structure company ownership to ensure achieving my long term goals?
- Business Operating Agreements – What are these and when does my business need one?
- Liability – How do I protect myself and my business?
- Written Contracts – When and why should my business use them?
- Regulation & Red Tape – What docs must I file to comply with laws/rules for my industry?
Click here to schedule 30 minutes with Ryan.
Brad Griffith | Buckeye Innovation
Web Strategy & Engineering
Brad Griffith is President of Buckeye Innovation, the web strategy and engineering agency he started in 2009. Prior to starting Buckeye Innovation, Brad spent several years consulting and developing web applications in-house for a variety of companies including JPMorgan Chase, QUALCOMM, and the Go Big Network. Brad earned his Masters in Business Administration after completing his Bachelor’s in Electrical and Computer Engineering with honors, both at The Ohio State University.
He has more than 20 years of web development experience and has worked from coast to coast with small and large companies, educational institutions, non-profit organizations and government agencies to build innovative web solutions.
Great questions for Brad:
- What is the best way to get my website started?
- How do I start planning an application for my business?
- How can I improve my site for better SEO?
- What different ways can I start building my company’s brand?
- How can I refresh or redesign my website?
Click here to schedule 30 minutes with Brad.
Ron Savoia | Stratus Innovations Group, LLC
IT Consulting, Azure PaaS Application Development
Ron Savoia has over 30 years of experience in IT consulting, starting with his first engagement with CompuServe in 1993 to help with their migration to WindowsNT and SQL Server for their new Email platform. He used this experience to join Microsoft’s new Enterprise Consulting Team, Microsoft Consulting Services (MCS), where he worked Nationwide, Limited and JPMC (BankOne at the time), and eventually running MCS’ Central Region Financial Services practice. He spent the last 3 years in MCS incubating the professional services needed to deploy the Microsoft offering that eventually became Office 365 and Azure.
Ron continued the focus on Cloud Services when he founded Stratus Innovations Group in 2010, working with local and global organizations to help develop their Cloud strategies, including Nationwide Childrens Hospital and Cardinal Health. Stratus Innovations Group now has a global reach of reach of working with Enterprise and Mid-Market companies in deploying Cloud Services for their IT infrastructure and line-of-business applications, including Ceridian, MKS/Spectra-Physics, Hexagon, PowerGrid Services, OrthopedicONE, BroadStreet Partners, and The Energy Cooperative.
Stratus Innovations Group’s vision is to become a software platform startup, where they recently released IT-Gig.com, which is a platform specifically for IT Service Providers.
Great questions for Ron:
- What is the best way to get your first IT services customer?
- Why do customers utilize IT contractors vs using FTEs?
- Is it possible to have an IT contracting side-job while having a full-time job?
- What is the difference between Azure and AWS from a Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) applications, and why would you use one over the other?
- How do you differentiate the IT services you provide vs the many other providers in the market?
- How do you scale/grow a sole proprietor IT Services organization?
Click here to schedule 30 minutes with Ron.
Brian Thomas | Impact-Social
Go-to-Market Strategy & Execution
For the past 12 years, Brian has implemented go-to-market strategies for small businesses and startups. He has assisted small businesses across numerous sectors in identifying, developing, and implementing growth strategies. From local beverage distribution, to international commodity markets, and IoT to Web3, businesses have used these go-to-market systems to find success or pivot into a welcoming niche. Whether it’s growing a social media page to 1 million followers, building a local customer base to 50+ customers, or reaching into international markets to diversify importers, the fundamentals of market-fit, sales, and marketing are the foundation for any business to grow. At Impact Social, our business is to accelerate your business.
Great questions for Brian:
- Who will buy my product or service?
- How do I price my product or service?
- What is the most effective distribution channel to reach my market?
- How do I sell my product or service?
- Why have my sales plateaued?
- What systems do I put into place to grow my business?
Click here schedule 30 minutes with Brian.
Susan Fortner | BPR International
Public Relations & Marketing
Susan Fortner has 20+ years of experience in public relations and marketing. Her firm BPR International manages accounts throughout the country specializing in health care, talent, banking, and packaged and soft goods. In addition the firm is recognized as a broker/partner with QVC, HSN, and Evine shopping networks.
Fortner has won awards and sits on the accreditation board to advance candidates in the Accreditation in Public Relations process. In 2013 Susan received special honors for her work in crisis management.
Great questions for Susan:
- How can I promote my company on a limited budget?
- How do I set Marketing & PR budgets that are sufficient to drive results?
- What simple steps can I take to improve my social media visibility rapidly?
- Which charities, like-minded businesses, and complementary companies should I partner with?
- How do I create and execute events that will differentiate my business in a crowded market?
- How can I get my products featured on shopping channels like QVC and HSN?
Click here schedule 30 minutes with Susan.
Kevin Hammond | Ohio SBDC
Business Management Advice
Kevin Hammond has been a business management consultant for 13 years, mostly focused on small businesses and start-ups. Kevin has been on the SBDC team for almost ten years as a consultant. Prior to consulting, Kevin was in financial services at Chase Manhattan. Kevin has an undergraduate degree in Business Administration from Ohio Dominican University and an MBA from Capital University.
The Ohio SBDC is part of America’s SBDC national network comprised of over 1000 Centers across the U.S. including 28 in Ohio. The Ohio SBDC Network provides one-on-one advising, by Certified Business Advisors, at no cost and conduct no or low cost business training.
Great questions for Kevin:
- I have a business idea. What is my next step?
- How do I market my services and products?
- How can I take my business to the next level?
- How and where can I get money for my business?
- How do I keep track of my financial records and assure I’m tax compliant?
