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2023 Innovation Challenge – Recap

Brendan Candon '10 speaking

The Ciocca Center, in partnership with HC Launch, hosted the annual Innovation Challenge yesterday afternoon. Yesterday’s competition revolved around business solutions for SidelineSwap, the premier marketplace dedicated to connecting athletes and sports enthusiasts in the dynamic world of sports gear selling. Founded by Brendan Candon ’10 in 2015, SidelineSwap has a remarkable track record of facilitating transactions exceeding $250 million and has earned its place among the fastest-growing global marketplaces, as recognized by the esteemed Andreessen Horowitz A16z Top 100 list. Backed by influential investors, including strategic partners such as Dick’s Sporting Goods and eBay, SidelineSwap is not only a platform for buying and selling sports equipment but a community-driven hub that empowers athletes to access quality gear affordably. The recent addition of the Trade-in Platform further exemplifies SidelineSwap’s commitment to innovation, enabling retail partners to create circular shopping experiences and fostering a sustainable and accessible marketplace for sports enthusiasts worldwide.

Students were tasked with pitching one of three solutions proposed by the CEO himself: 

Identifying Potential Sales Opportunity:

Identify a sport with over $10 million annual secondhand gear sales potential, requiring research on market size and characteristics for a successful second-hand marketplace.

Creating a User Experience Using AI:

Design an AI-driven user experience to address user problems and drive positive outcomes for SidelineSwap.

Designing a Solution For Cleaning Bats and Clubs in Bulk:

Propose solutions for efficiently cleaning baseball bats, softball bats, and golf clubs in bulk before listing on SidelineSwap.

Integrating AI into the UI: Securing 1st place, API-tizer tackled the challenge by suggesting an innovative incorporation of AI into SidelineSwap’s user interface. Rather than taking the conventional route of directly enhancing the user experience, API-tizer put forth a groundbreaking proposal to integrate AI seamlessly into SidelineSwap’s UI. This integration, facilitated through an API, was specifically aimed at photo verification and data-related processes for enhanced verification. The team not only addressed the prompt but also demonstrated forward-thinking by devising cost-effective strategies for the smooth integration of this advanced tool. Their pitch underscored a profound understanding of how strategically deploying AI could fortify user trust and elevate the overall credibility of the platform.

Savvy Sam: Claiming the 2nd place position, Team Sam directed their focus toward creating a more personalized and efficient user experience. Their innovative solution involved introducing a virtual chat assistant, named Sam, to SidelineSwap’s website. This AI-powered assistant was conceptualized to facilitate personalized user interactions, streamlining the process for users to find customized sports gear more efficiently. Team Sam’s approach emphasized the importance of user-centric design and showcased a commitment to enhancing the overall journey for SidelineSwap users, aligning with the prompt’s objective of using AI to drive positive outcomes for the business.

Squeaky Clean Solutions: The Clean Team, securing 3rd place, devised a meticulous solution aimed at optimizing the cleaning process for SidelineSwap. Acknowledging the operational challenge of managing thousands of sports products, especially baseball bats, softball bats, and golf clubs, the team presented an innovative proposal. Their approach involved implementing ultrasonic cleaners for golf clubs, demonstrating a practical and cost-effective strategy to enhance efficiency and reduce costs in the cleaning process. The Clean Team’s pitch showcased a thorough understanding of the operational intricacies within SidelineSwap’s warehouses, highlighting the significance of maintaining product quality through streamlined cleaning procedures.

Thank you to our judges, Tom Brennan ’86, Terry Waters ’81, and Brendan Candon ’10 for their invaluable time, expertise, and thoughtful evaluation during the SidelineSwap Innovation Challenge.

Winners:

First Place team

API-tizers (Meggan Fourie ’25, Maura Switzer ’25, Ivor Teagle ’25)

1st Place – $1,000:  API-tizers (Meggan Fourie ’25, Ivor Teagle ’25, Maura Switzer ’25)

2nd Place – $500: Team Sam (Nico Corporon ’26, Sean Doyle ’26)

3rd Place – $250: Clean Team (Briana Sullivan ’24, Nico Popeleski ’26, Maya Kryzwda ’24)

Written by Liz Garfield ‘24 
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2023 Women in Business Conference Recap

Women in Business Keynote Interview

The 18th annual Women in Business Conference at Holy Cross held on Saturday, November 4, 2023 was an empowering and inspirational event for alumnae and students alike. It focused on various aspects of women’s careers and personal growth within the business world. Here are a few key takeaways from the conference: 

Empowerment and Inspiration: The conference serves as a beacon of empowerment and inspiration for women pursuing success in the business industry. It aims to encourage women to strive for their goals and advance their careers while networking with other alum.

Diversity: Marybeth Kearns-Barrett ‘84 P22 27, the Director of the College Chaplains, emphasized the importance of diversity in her message. This underscores the significance of inclusivity in the business world.

Holy Cross Impact: Christine Anderson ’99, who is the Global Head of Corporate Affairs at Blackstone, served as the keynote speaker. She discussed the value of her liberal arts education in her career journey and highlighted that success in business is not limited to specific majors. Anderson pointed out that the finance industry, though still male-dominated, is a great place for women to work. She encouraged women to actively participate in discussions and engage in the field. She mentioned that Holy Cross’s mission statement still resonates with her, suggesting that the college’s values of “being women for and with others” continue to guide her in her career. 

Networking and Support: Anderson called for students and alumni to support each other and work to strengthen their network at Holy Cross. This highlights the importance of networking and building a supportive community which Holy Cross fosters.

Continuous Improvement: The call for students to always strive to be better indicates the importance of personal and professional growth and development.

Overall, the conference provided a platform for women to learn from successful women in business, gain insights into career development, and foster a sense of community and support among students and alumni. It emphasizes the value of education, diversity, and the importance of women’s active participation in traditionally male-dominated fields like finance.

Special thanks to the conference student organizing committee led by Liz Garfield ’24, Bridget Hayden ’24, Sydney Ives’ 24 and Alexandria “Sasha” Paradise ’24.  Your year-round leadership and enthusiasm in bringing together alumnae and students has been notable.  Thank you! 

Written by Liz Garfield ‘24 & Ariana Clark ‘25.
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From Liberal Arts to Co-founder and CEO: A Conversation with Brendan Candon ’10

Alumni Highlight Picture

The Innovation Challenge provides students with a unique opportunity to collaborate with local businesses or non-profits, addressing real-world issues and presenting innovative solutions. This year, the challenges are focused on SidelineSwap, an online marketplace for sporting equipment co-founded by Holy Cross alumnus Brendan Candon ’10. In a recent interview with Maeley Nakamura ’26, Brendan shared his journey from a political science major at a liberal arts school to becoming the CEO of SidelineSwap and how his experiences at Holy Cross shaped his entrepreneurial success.

MN: As a political science major at Holy Cross, how did your liberal arts education contribute to your entrepreneurial success?

BC: “As an entrepreneur, there’s no blueprint. You’re constantly problem-solving and learning across a broad surface area. And the learning is often self-directed. There’s no better foundation for entrepreneurship than liberal arts because you learn how to learn and you have an opportunity to study a broad range of subjects – from economics and accounting to political science and psychology. 

Majoring in political science helped prepare me for an environment where the right answer is often far from obvious. I learned to think critically, consider multiple perspectives, understand multiplayer strategy, and communicate persuasively. 

In both politics and business, it’s up to the leader to ask the right questions, distill the information at hand, make the best decision possible and influence their teams to pursue that plan of action. As a political science major and history minor, I had an opportunity to study these dynamics through history’s most challenging conflicts and greatest leaders, and I think that prepared me well for life as an entrepreneur.” 

Long before Brendan founded SidelineSwap, he had a history of starting businesses and talks about his successes and failures along the way, and the story of how SidelineSwap started. 

MN: Did you always know that you wanted to be an entrepreneur? Continue reading “From Liberal Arts to Co-founder and CEO: A Conversation with Brendan Candon ’10”
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Unlocking Innovation – The Journey of Flare

Quinn Fitzgerald '11 speaking to students on zoom

On Monday, HC Launch warmly welcomed Quinn Fitzgerald ’11 as the distinguished guest for their first Founder Forum event of the semester. The audience, predominantly composed of aspiring entrepreneurs, had the privilege of hearing an engaging story that intertwined innovation with personal safety. Quinn Fitzgerald shared her journey from her academic exploration in peace and conflict studies to her foray into entrepreneurship, culminating in the creation of Flare, a revolutionary personal safety company.

Quinn’s leap into entrepreneurship wasn’t premeditated but rather spurred by a college assignment that tasked her with launching a startup. The result was Flare, a company designed to tackle personal safety concerns head-on. What fueled her passion for this endeavor was a deeply personal experience – an assault that ignited her determination to address a long-standing societal issue.

Throughout the event, Quinn stressed that entrepreneurship is not just a career but an approach, a unique way of problem-solving and confronting challenges. She also shed light on the soft skills she acquired along her entrepreneurial journey, which proved instrumental to her success.

Flare was in the spotlight during the event, presented as a company specializing in personal safety, with an innovative app and a wristband. Established in 2016 and recently acquired by new ownership, this transition marked a significant milestone in its evolution. Quinn’s current focus is on coaching and mentoring other entrepreneurs, following her successful sale of Flare.

Quinn shared her venture into an industry with a centuries-old history. Her aim was to offer a more comprehensive solution to multifaceted safety concerns, moving beyond conventional methods like pepper spray. She engaged potential users rigorously through surveys and focus groups, gaining profound insights into their needs and circumstances.To develop a product that truly resonated with the market, she began with product sketches and employed 3D printing technology. The search for the right engineers was pivotal, and she successfully assembled a talented team by offering them a modest stake in the company’s ownership. The initial 3D printed prototype evolved gradually, incorporating features such as a chip and a button to enhance functionality.

Quinn also discussed her journey to secure funding. She commenced with competitions as her initial source of financing, ultimately succeeding in securing three rounds of capital. The first round brought in $750,000, the second an impressive $3 million, and the third attracted even more substantial investments, thanks to the support of both venture capitalists and angel investors.

Quinn’s narrative provides a wealth of insights for budding entrepreneurs, illustrating the path from concept to funding. Her story is a testament to the transformative power of innovation and unwavering determination in addressing complex societal challenges, one step at a time.

Thanks to Liz Garfield ’24 for writing this HC Launch recap! 
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Tom Patton ’86 Returns to the Hill to Teach Entrepreneurship Course

 

Headshot of alum in a grey suit

Tom Patton graduated from Holy Cross in 1986 studying economics and accounting while playing on the football team.  Following HC,  he attended law school at Georgetown.  “After five great years of practice as a litigator at a D.C. law firm, I leapt naively into a general counsel job at an orthopedic device company in Memphis, TN” shares Patton. ” Five years after that, as the company was circling the drain, I was asked to be the Chief Executive Officer (CEO, a.k.a., the Boss.)  Our team fixed the company and sold it, and just like that, I became a medical products “turn-around” specialist, meaning, I was the person to jump in and run companies when things were really bad.  I did that three more times.  In between CEO jobs, I worked with private equity firms that invest in healthcare companies.  I also started a healthcare diagnostics company with two doctors as partners.  We sold that start-up after six years of hard work to a multinational medical products company.”   He goes on to add that he learned constantly which included good and bad decisions, good and bad hires, and good and bad investments. “Over time that accumulation of hard-earned experiences turned into what people my age call wisdom,” Patton closes.

Over the years as an alum, Patton supported the Ciocca Center programs by co-teaching during various business workshops such as the Executive Leadership Workshop and most recently Business Ethics & Principled Leadership.  This fall he will be returning to campus in a new capacity as an adjunct professor to teach Entrepreneurship.  Through this class, its readings, interactions, and experiences, “I hope to relay some of that wisdom and give you the chance to learn some of the entrepreneurial stuff I wish I knew before I was handed my Holy Cross degree” shares Patton. Students can expect to come away from this course with:

  • an understanding of the component parts of a successful entrepreneurial enterprise.
  • a new vocabulary and a new lens to see, understand, and critically analyze business techniques and entrepreneurial opportunities that surround you every day.
  • entrepreneurial confidence to apply sometime in your career if or when those entrepreneurial opportunities arise.
  • the tools to follow a rigorous process to maximize the likelihood that your entrepreneurial venture is successful.
  • honed your writing, communication, and interpersonal skills.
  • understanding that all business endeavors, whether for-, or not-for-profit, can be consistent with a purpose-driven life and the mission of being men and women for and with others.
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Student Highlight: Nick Lazzaro ’23

Male student sitting outside

“Holy Cross helped foster my passions as an entrepreneur” shares Nick Lazzaro ’23, “and helped me to learn how to take risks.”  Nick was a long time participant in the Entrepreneurship & Innovation Program and heavily involved in HC Launch, the student entrepreneurs group.  “Encouragement from professors and advisors at the College’s Ciocca Center for Business, Ethics, and Society allowed me to network out of my comfort zone” states Lazzaro, “and created a space for me to flourish in business. I learned that taking risks academically and professionally are crucial to success and the best way to accomplish your goals is to be your unique self.”

In 2022, Lazzaro won first place during the annual Shark Tank Competition for his pitch on Nick’s On-Site Auto Detailing business.  The company not only details cars but we seek to help others via a scholarship fund for Millbury students, where the business has donated more than $1,500 to future college-bound entrepreneurs.  He was also named one of Worcester Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 in 2022.
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Fenwick Scholar Max Hendrix ’23

student headshot

Max Hendrix ’23, Fenwick Scholar, recently presented on April 25, 2023 to discuss his work on Intricacies of Agency: Rational Choice, Behavioral Economics, and Our Normative Commitments, after a year long research project to explore the image of agency and rationality in economics through a philosophical lens.

He is a Finance & Banking Certificate graduate pursuing a double major in Philosophy and Economics. Following graduation, he plans to pursue a career that will give him the opportunity to combine the critical thinking, writing and communication skills that he has developed in the classroom as a liberal arts student along with his interests in working with markets, investment strategies, and financial institutions.

Congratulations to Max!
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Annual Business Social Congratulates Business Certificate Graduates

Student collage at an outdoor event

April 27, 2023

Dear student,

Congratulations Business Certificate Program Graduates!

After years of workshops, tutorials, internships, coursework, and job shadowing experiences (not to mention a pandemic!), we are proud to name you as a graduate of the Business Certificate Program offered by the Ciocca Center for Business, Ethics, and Society at the College of the Holy Cross.

As a graduate, you are among a select group of students who will be receiving a Certificate in Business Fundamentals, a Certificate in Entrepreneurship, and/or a Certificate in Finance & Banking.

While others were vacationing, you decided to immerse yourself in business, expose yourself to new concepts, build transferable skill sets, and network with successful alumni in the field. This dedication has made all the difference. Your liberal arts education from Holy Cross has equipped you with the skills to communicate effectively, problem solve, and think critically – the soft skills you can’t learn on the job. To complement this, your business certificate will be a differentiator in the job market and has provided you with competitive technical skills. Take this opportunity to appreciate all that you have accomplished. Continue reading “Annual Business Social Congratulates Business Certificate Graduates”
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10th Annual Shark Tank Winner Announcement

Shark Tanke winner holding large check

The 10th annual Shark Tank Competition was held on Sunday, April 16th in the Performing Arts Center, hosted by HC Launch through the Ciocca Center. Held in person for the first time since 2019, this year’s competition displayed a new generation of Holy Cross entrepreneurs. From photography, candlemaking, to tech solutions, there was a variety of creativity and problem solving involved.

Three well-seasoned business professionals volunteered their time to select this year’s winners. The judging panel included former Ciocca Center Director David Chu, Venture Forum Executive Director Zak Dutton, and Inmedix Co-Founder Tim Sciarrillo ’82, as teams competed for $9,000 in prize money. Along the way, each team was connected with a mentor who provided guidance and feedback. Thank you to our mentors Brendan Candon ’10, Rob Murner, Larry Naughton ’93, Bill Phelan ‘04, Nalani Ramos Ruiz ‘21, Kelly Shaw ‘09 and Eamon Troy ‘11. Continue reading “10th Annual Shark Tank Winner Announcement”
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Entrepreneurship Club Visits Local Startup

Experience shared by Alexander Christie ’24, Administrative Director of HC Launch.

This week I was one of fourteen Holy Cross students accompanied by the Ciocca Center director and entrepreneur-in-residence, Rob Murner, to get off campus to visit a local stuartup on February 21. HC Launch, the entrepreneurship club within the Ciocca Center, organized a site visit to Geisel Software, a software development company focused on robotics and artificial intelligence located in Worcester.  We were able to hear from a number of different people within this growing company including the office manager, a few engineers, and the founder/CEO, Brian Giesel. Feedback from students was that this site visit was an extraordinarily positive experience. 

Giesel has something for everyone. There were a number of computer science majors in attendance who certainly benefited from hearing about the career experiences of the engineers. Those of us who weren’t specifically interested in software learned a lot about the intricacies of this field, which will only become more important to understand as technology continues to emulate life. Brian also talked about the founding and growth of the company, as well as the challenges that led the company to where it is today.

There are two primary takeaways from this experience for me and according to Brian, these are two of the key ingredients to his company’s success.  Continue reading “Entrepreneurship Club Visits Local Startup”