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

Innovate New Albany offers Expert Office Hours as an easy way for business owners & aspiring entrepreneurs to get the answers they need.

On Friday April 9, Expert Office Hours will be 100% Virtual!

 

 

 

 

STEPS

1. Review our roster of Experts, below
2. Click on the MAKE APPOINTMENTS NOW link, below
3. Make individual appointments w/ the experts you need – just ONE – or, up to a maximum of SIX
4. You’ll receive an email & a calendar invitation – w/ a Zoom link (or call-in phone #) for each appointment
5. Fri Apr 9: at time of each appointment, click on Zoom link or call phone #, to meet w/ your selected Expert

NOTES

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

2. Questions? Email Neil Collins at “neil@InnovateNewAlbany.org”

 

Schedule up to six 30-minute meeting(s) below:

Cassandra Rice | Porter Wright
Startups, Company Formations & Small Business Law

At Porter Wright, Cassandra (Cat) Rice focuses her practice on emerging business and real estate, plus estate planning and wealth preservation.

In the area of emerging business, Cat represents small and closely held businesses on a wide range of matters unique to the entrepreneurial community. She often helps clients determine the appropriate organizational structure and foundation for each business. She offers ongoing counsel to keep businesses thriving, including purchase and lease of real estate, contract review, contract disputes and negotiations, and other general business issues.

Great questions for Cat:

• 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?

Schedule 30 minutes with Cat using the form below.

 

Miglena Kotevski | Huntington National Bank
Financing for Early Stage Businesses

Miglena Kotevski is a Program Manager for Huntington National Bank’s Lift Local Business Program, as part of the bank’s community plan commitment. Participants in Lift Local Business include women, veterans, and racially and ethnically diverse business owners.

Miglena has over 14 years of experience in banking (all with Huntington), 13 of them working with business clients of different industries and revenue size. She 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.

Great questions for Miglena:

• How should I finance the launch of a start-up or a new small business?
• What kind of financing can I obtain to grow my business?
• What are the basic requirements to buy a building? Or to purchase an existing business?
• What kind of bank accounts does Huntington offer on the business banking side?
• How can a bank help a business run its day-to-day operations effectively & efficiently?

Schedule 30 minutes with Miglena using the form below.

Manny Larcher | Stopwatch Creative
Growth Marketing & Branding

Manny Larcher is the CEO of Stopwatch Creative and Founder of Collaborate and Elevate. He is a first-generation American who enjoys helping others find purpose in their work and is passionate about solving the challenges businesses face around growth. 

Stopwatch Creative, a boutique marketing agency, with a portfolio including numerous industries from Start-Ups to highly respected brands and high profile individuals. A full-service agency with the clear goal of driving a positive return on investment for clients, Stopwatch Creative assists their clients in numerous ways website/nas/content/live/innovatena development, brand development and growth, storytelling, digital advertising, social media, and more. Manny was recently recognized as one of the Top 20 Young Professionals in Columbus by CityPulse.

Great questions for Manny:

• Am I using best design practices to provide a great user experience and engagement?
• How can I generate more sales?
• How can I maximize the results of advertising efforts with my analytics?
• Is my website or my marketing generating good results?

Schedule 30 minutes with Manny using the form below.

 

Susan Fortner | Bowers PR
Public Relations & Marketing

Susan Fortner has 20+ years of experience in public relations and marketing. Her firm 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?
• How can I get my products featured on shopping channels like QVC and HSN?

Schedule 30 minutes with Susan using the form below.

 

Satish Albert | E2 Infosystems
Custom Software & App Development

Satish Albert is Founder & CEO of E2 Infosystems. Satish offers a unique combination of experiences: enterprise software development and practical entrepreneurial a, the latter gained while bootstrapping and then selling his own successful SaaS startup. Satish has an advanced degree in computer science and deep experience leading development teams at premier tech companies including: AT&T, Lucent Technologies (Bell Labs), and Docomo Intertouch.

Satish launched E2 Infosystems to help emerging and scaling companies by engineering software solutions that meet their unique needs.

 

 

 

 

E2 Infosystems has developed software and mobile applications serving:

• SaaS startups
• Healthcare & Assisted Living businesses
• Travel, Manufacturing and Enterprise Legacy Systems

Great questions for Satish:

• How do I turn my idea into a software product or application?
• What factors influence the price of development of a software or application?
• What are the latest trends or best practices in software/nas/content/live/innovatenalication development?
• How do I know if my software or application is built to grow as my business grows?
• What is a realistic timeline and what milestones can I expect when developing my products?

Schedule 30 minutes with Satish using the form below.

 

Heather Harmon | Rev1 Ventures
Resources for High-Growth Startups

As director of marketing and community outreach, Heather Harmon leads Rev1 Ventures’ 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 Ventures?
• What types of companies typically fit with Rev1’s model?
• How does Rev1 help entrepreneurs build companies?
• Can Rev1 help me secure funding to grow my startup?

Schedule 30 minutes with Heather using the form below.

 

Ann Martin | Book+Street
Cash Flow Forecasting & Financial Modeling

Ann Martin joined Book+Street in April 2019 and has provided strategic financial services to multiple early stage companies as one of their contract Chief Financial Officers. Ask Ann for support in creating financial models, forecasting cash flow, and if stock options are right for you or your employees.

Prior to joining Book+Street, Ann served as Vice President, Operations for Citi Securities Services and Issuer Services Operations where she managed a team of professionals responsible for the division’s annual budget planning, monthly forecasting, headcount planning and tracking, productivity tracking and cost recovery. She provided guidance and recommendations to senior management if productivity and financials went off track. She was also responsible for managing the technology financial plan, partnering with technology and product organizations to develop a strategic prioritization of the annual spend. She also has experience delivering key insights and financial models for strategic M&A transactions.

Ann has more than 25 years of experience in finance, accounting and administration with a strong focus on financial measurement, risk and compliance, and continuous improvement. Her diverse experience includes strategic planning, budgeting and forecasting, management reporting, financial modeling, vendor negotiations, contract administration and leading global, multi-functional project teams. She has an established track record of improving business performance with strategic financial modeling and analysis.

Great questions for Ann:

• How do I know if I’ll have enough money to pay my bills/payroll next week/month/quarter/year?
• How do I develop a revenue forecast?
• What type of financial information do potential investors expect when considering an investment?
• Do I need to give my employees equity?

Schedule 30 minutes with Ann 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.

 

Brian Laliberte | Oak Moon Consulting
Big Picture Strategy for Growth (Including Post-Pandemic)

Brian Laliberte is a big thinker who knows how to execute. He provides rational and clear-headed analysis and direct advice designed to build and grow highly competitive, valuable, and sustainable companies. Brian and his team collaborate with their clients to define their objectives, design a plan, and help them execute it. His firm is industry agnostic and driven by a natural curiosity that allows it to approach each client and problem with open and agile minds.

Brian is the Founder and Managing Director of Oak Moon Consulting. Before he founded Oak Moon, Brian practiced law for more than 20-years in Columbus, Ohio as a trial lawyer, litigator, and counselor to businesses of all sizes. He uses this background to help portfolio companies navigate complex legal issues and build highly investable and sustainable firms.

Great questions for Brian:

• Here is our strategy. Tell us what you think. Have we chosen the right one?
• What are we doing right? What can we do better?
• Where do we go from here (wherever here is at present)?
• How do we get there?
• What aren’t we considering in pursuing our strategy?
• How do we anticipate emerging opportunities?

Schedule 30 minutes with Brian 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.

Jake Epling | Compass Business Group
IT Solutions & Support

Jake Epling is an expert at providing IT security, support and infrastructure management services – with a particular focus on early stage companies, small businesses, and health care practices. Jake is Founder & CEO of Compass Business Group (CBG) which provides these services. CBG’s goal is simple: to give you the tools and resources you need to focus less on managing your IT environment and more on what matters most to YOUR customers and to YOUR business success. CBG’s services include anti-virus and security management, security training, helpdesk support, and project management services (server, network, wireless internet, PC/Mac deployments, etc.).

Great questions for Jake:

• Given the size and goals of our business, what core technologies would you recommend?
• What are some common security pitfalls & risks for new and established businesses?
• In today’s virtual world, what technology tools can enable excellent remote collaboration within my team?
• My company is too small to invest in full time IT support, but sometimes things stop working & we need help ASAP. Can we outsource that kind of quick-response support?
• My business has a wired phone system in the office, but is there a better, more modern solution for today?

Schedule 30 minutes with Jake using the form below.