Empowering a New Generation: GSB Workshop Sparks Inspiration Among Aspiring Entrepreneurs

November 14, 2024By Matthew Milotakis '25

Students gain firsthand insights from successful entrepreneurs on the essentials of launching and growing a successful business.

BRISTOL, R.I. - The student-led Women in Business (WIB) club and Collegiate Entrepreneurs' Organization (CEO) hosted an interactive seminar on Oct. 16 for students interested in learning how to transform their skills into successful businesses. At the event, two women entrepreneurs shared their inspiring journeys and tips on how to use passion as a stepping stone to create a successful venture.

Held in the Mary Tefft White Cultural Center, 29 students from diverse disciplines attended the two-hour session, gaining insights from Erin Medeiros, Head of Partnerships & Operations for Workflow Mamas, and Jen Mello, Partner and Managing Broker at the Mello Group, and sharing their business ideas with one another.

The event started with an introduction by Management Lecturer and WIB Club Advisor Catherine Hall, who spoke about the intangibles that make a great businessperson. "Leadership is about resilience. It's about vision. And most importantly, it's about lifting others along with you as you rise." She added that creating a support system is important when building something new. Then, Mario J. Gabelli School of Business Dean Diya Das thanked the two entrepreneurs for coming in and introduced the speakers.

Erin Medeiros shares her entrepreneurial story with students, offering inspiring guidance on building partnerships and overcoming business challenges.

Medeiros had worked in the corporate world as a recruiter prior to founding Workflow Mamas. She continuously found it challenging to find childcare, which sparked her idea to create a network of nannies who were looking for more career-building opportunities and were high-achieving on their own. She paired nannies with clients who were also working women professionals, and they formed a mentorship relationship where the nanny could learn about the workplace and develop skills to be successful on her own.

That's how Medeiros met Mello, who became a client of Workflow Mamas and formed a mentorship with a nanny working for Medeiros. "What I'm hopeful for you to see is that you can see in real-time just how powerful mentorship is. It can change the trajectory of your personal life, your professional life, and even your business," Medeiros said.

Jen Mello urged students to embrace a broad range of opportunities and approach each step as a learning experience.

Mello, managing broker and owner of The Mello Group, Inc., a boutique real estate firm with more than 300 clients and $100 million in annual sales, encouraged students to keep their interests and opportunities wide-ranging. She added that entrepreneurs should be willing to explore different ideas and avenues without limiting themselves to just one path or business type.

"If we use everything in a positive way, then there will be positivity all around us," said Mello. "Every step is either progress or a lesson." Even when making a mistake, Mello noted that a business-savvy person can use it as a way to get more input on what is needed in the market and understand the needs of the consumers. Being able to reframe a mistake can be extremely empowering when starting a new business, she said.

Students engage in crafting business plans and setting entrepreneurial goals in the Mary Tefft White Cultural Center, fostering creativity and collaboration.

WIB President Alexa Simoniello attended the event and also helped introduce it. The student from Southington, Conn., found the event important and as a woman, seeing other women speak about the businesses they created was especially awe-inspiring to her. "It's amazing to see that the values of our Women in Business club exist in the real world as well," said Simoniello, a Management and Financial Accounting double major with a minor in Human Resource Management & Leadership. "Both Erin and Jen have surrounded themselves with strong women in the business field, and have worked to connect women with each other."

CEO President Ryan McLaughlin, a senior Marketing major from Braintree, Mass, appreciated learning about the entrepreneurial mindset and how it's important to be adaptable and resilient to the many challenges that come with creating a business. McLaughlin felt that the workshop equipped him with helpful insights into how to recognize problems around him as a potential business opportunity that will help push him in his future career. "I learned just how beneficial peer feedback offers unique perspectives," said McLaughlin. "It allows for your ideas to be challenged and refined, helping to build a stronger foundation for them."