Need business advice? Meet 1:1 with the specific experts you need – NOW 100% VIRTUAL!

Innovate New Albany created Expert Office Hours to make it easy for business owners & aspiring entrepreneurs to get the answers they need.

And to comply with “social distancing” restrictions, on Friday April 3, Expert Office Hours will be 100% Virtual!

STEPS

1. Review our roster of NINE Experts, below
2. Click on the MAKE APPOINTMENTS NOW link, below
3. Make individual appointments with the experts you need – just one – or up to six
4. Thu April 2: receive an email showing all your appointments – w/ a Google Hangouts link (or a call-in phone number) for each appointment
5. Fri April 3: at the time of each appointment, click on the Google Hangouts link, or call the phone number, to virtually meet w/ your selected expert

NOTES

1. For most of you, a personal computer will be the best means to access your expert meetings; no need to download software

2. If you prefer to use your smartphone, you’ll need to download the Google Hangouts app to have a video meeting – or you can simply access your meetings as phone calls (no video)

3. If you have any questions, please email Neil Collins at “neil@InnovateNewAlbany.org”.

We appreciate our NINE Experts for investing their time to help – during this time when business people have more questions than ever! 

Schedule your 30-minute session(s) below:

Miglena Kotevski | Huntington National Bank
Financing for Early Stage Businesses

Miglena Kotevski is a Business Banking Development Officer Sr/Vice President with the Huntington Business Banking Team in Central Ohio. She has 14 years of experience in banking (all with Huntington), 12 of them working with business clients of different industries and revenue size. Miglena loves assisting Huntington clients with starting their own businesses, growing existing businesses, and going through all stages of a business lifecycle. She works closely with the Huntington Retail banking offices in New Albany, Gahanna, and the surrounding areas to ensure that her clients are being assisted with all their banking/finance needs.

Great questions for Miglena:

• How should I finance a start-up?
• What kind of financing can I obtain to grow my business?
• What do I need to buy a building or to purchase an existing business?
• What kind of bank accounts does Huntington offer on the business banking side?
• How the bank can help a business with day-to-day operations?

Schedule 30 minutes with Miglena using the form below.

Noor Bahhur | Porter Wright
Law – Intellectual Property

An associate in Porter Wright’s Corporate Department, Noor Bahhur focuses her practice on intellectual property, privacy, and data security. Noor has experience assisting with a variety of trademark and copyright matters. Her work included the clearance, selection and adaption of trademarks in both domestic and international contexts. Additionally, Noor has helped with copyright matters for architectural drawings and designs and software disputes.

Great questions for Noor:

• What is the value of securing registrations for patents, trademarks, or copyright?
• How can I best protect my own or my business’s intellectual property on a limited budget?
• Do I own intellectual property rights for things I created while employed by another person/company?

Schedule 30 minutes with Noor using the form 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?

Schedule 30 minutes with Ryan using the form below.

Paul Tela | Buckeye Interactive
Web Strategy & Engineering

Paul Tela is Buckeye Interactive’s VP of Engineering. He’s been with Buckeye Interactive since 2010 when he initially joined as an intern. Paul has been programming and developing web applications since he was 14 years old. Working primarily with smaller companies and startups, Paul enjoys leveraging open source tools to build high quality systems that allow these companies to gain a competitive edge. Paul is a 2015 graduate of The Ohio State University with a degree in Computer Science and Engineering.

Great questions for Paul:

• 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?

Schedule 30 minutes with Paul using the form below.

Manny Larcher | Stopwatch Creative
Growth Marketing & Branding

Manny Larcher is owner of Stopwatch Creative. Manny enjoys helping others find purpose in their work. He’s had the opportunity to work with highly respected brands, as well as amazing mentors, to hone in and develop skills in brand management and business development.

Manny’s firm, Stopwatch Creative, is an agency that specializes in Branding, Strategy, Product Launch, and Growth Marketing. The services offered by Stopwatch include: Brand Identity Design, Animation, Video, Illustration, Ad Design & Management, SEO, Customer Acquisition, Crowdfunding, and Post-Campaign Analytics.

Great questions for Manny:

• How do I create a marketing plan for my business?
• How can I build a compelling brand identity, including logo, other brand assets, color scheme, etc.?
• What technology will you use to promote my brand?

Schedule 30 minutes with Manny using the form below.

Heather Harmon | Rev1 Ventures
Resources for High-Growth Startups

As director of marketing and community outreach, Heather Harmon leads Rev1’s corporate marketing and communications initiatives. Her responsibilities range from creating and producing Rev1 messaging and collateral to managing multiple communications channels, including national online and print publications, www.rev1ventures.com, and social media. The marketing team provides monthly networking and speaker events, as well as Rev1’s annual Innovation Hop and the Impact Report. With Heather’s leadership, they work shoulder-to-shoulder with Rev1 portfolio companies on messaging, presentations, and PR initiatives.

Heather is the first point of contact for community organizations that connect with Rev1 to partner in support of entrepreneurs and startups and is continually expanding Rev1’s strategies and initiatives to broaden awareness of entrepreneur services across Central Ohio.

Great questions for Heather:

• What is Rev1?
• What types of companies typically fit with Rev1’s model?
• How does Rev1 help entrepreneurs build companies?

Schedule 30 minutes with Heather using the form below.

Michael Butler | Footprint Capital
Business Exit Advice & Planning

Michael Butler is Senior Director for Columbus based Footprint Capital. Footprint is a boutique investment banking firm that specializes in advising owners of businesses in the exit process. Michael formerly worked as a certified public accountant in both the audit and consulting practices, a Chief Financial Officer with a manufacturing and distribution company, a senior officer of a Fortune 100 company and a partner in a venture capital firm.These experiences have given him a broad perspective on various industries. He is also a Certified Merger & Acquisition Advisor (CMAA).

Great questions for Michael:

• How should I be preparing to sell my business?
• What are the possible exit options for my business?
• What is the value of having an advisor help me sell my company?
• What are the steps of a sale process and how long does it take?

Schedule 30 minutes with Michael using the form below.

Susan Fortner | Bowers PR
Public Relations & Marketing

Susan Fortner has 20+ years of experience in public relations and marketing. She opened her own public relations firm with a partner firm in Cleveland. Bowers PR 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?

Schedule 30 minutes with Susan using the form below.

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?

Schedule 30 minutes with Kevin using the form below.

*Please note that if you register and don’t attend, that time slot doesn’t get filled, keeping other entrepreneurs from getting expert advice. If you have registered and need to cancel, please email Neil Collins at info@innovatenewalbany.org.

Choose your Expert from the dropdown menu below and click on the event date to schedule your Expert Office Hours Appointment.

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