At the University of Dayton (UD), innovating for the common good is part of our mission. We harness our community's entrepreneurial spirit to solve the world's most pressing problems. The L. William Crotty Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership provides a distinctive approach to entrepreneurship education. Through the multidisciplinary entrepreneurship major, students have the opportunity to start actual micro-businesses, gain exposure to rapid growth companies, and engage in regular contact with successful entrepreneurs. In alignment with UD's commitment to the common good, we pursue entrepreneurship for the common good.
Students learn to create profitable ventures, but more importantly, they learn how to leverage those skills to build community and create positive change. This is the hope and vision of the Crotty Center’s two major strategic initiatives - The Hub Powered by PNC Bank and The Greater West Dayton Incubator. Both of these initiatives position the Crotty Center to contribute as a catalyst in the startup ecosystem. Working side by side with Dayton's Entrepreneurs’ Center, the Crotty Center is helping to execute a collective approach in the creation of new resources for local entrepreneurs and social ventures while providing new experiential learning opportunities for UD students.
Whitney Barkley
Ty Corbitt
Stephanie Peters
Director, Greater West Dayton Incubator
Associate Director, Greater West Dayton Incubator
Senior Administrative Assistant, Crotty Center
Director, Crotty Center and Assistant Professor
Associate Director, Crotty Center and Lecturer
Associate Vice President, UD Entrepreneurial Initiatives, Executive Director, Crotty Center, and President, The Hub
So much has happened in The Crotty Center in a very short period of time. Not more than two years ago the space we now call home at the historic Dayton Arcade sat empty. Today, it is once again a vibrant space, in large part, due to the University of Dayton and Dayton’s Entrepreneurs’ Center coming together to form the Arcade Innovation Hub, and become the anchor tenant in a historic redevelopment project. After starting with 14-member companies in March 2021, we now have more than 130 companies housed at The Hub, and every week over 550 students from the University of Dayton and Sinclair Community College take classes there.
It was not that long ago that the Greater West Dayton Incubator was just an idea that developed from conversations between West Dayton Community Leaders and University of Dayton Leadership. In late 2021 we celebrated the launch of the first (albeit temporary) location for the GWDI in West Dayton. Since then, through the GWDI, we have launched myriad programs, like our Urban Elevation Accelerator, The Power Hour, the Business Blitz and bi-weekly Business Clinic. These programs have impacted more than 200 unique entrepreneurs from our community. Whether it is helping an entrepreneur establish their LLC, develop their marketing and growth plans, or find capital to fund their ideas, The GWDI’s impact has been nothing less than remarkable. More than $75,000 in microloans to local entrepreneurs, over 2,000 supervised student consulting hours to local businesses, and with the help of our supporters at Fifth-Third Bank, more than $40,000 in grants to local startups. The GWDI team has certainly hit the ground running and they have not looked back.
The Hub Powered by PNC Bank and the GWDI have had tremendous impact on our community, and our students. With more than 1,000 students involved in Crotty Center Experiential programs from all over UD’s campus, representing myriad academic majors, the center has become a great example of cross campus collaboration. Programs like our Stitt Scholars program in partnership with the UD School of Engineering, where student interns, paid by the university, are working on real world projects for Hub members and GWDI clients, are a perfect example of UD’s commitment to cross disciplinary, experiential learning, and how UD’s School of Business Administration is helping to lead the way in that effort. Another great example is the recently announced minor in Technical Entrepreneurship being housed in our School of Engineering with support from our College of Arts and Sciences and School of Business Administration.
Whether it is through Flyer Enterprises, one of the largest student-run businesses in the country at $2.7 million annually, Flyer Consulting where more than 70 students work with non-profits and small businesses through business consulting and micro-lending, Flyer Angels, where UD students are managing a $1 million Angel investment portfolio, Flyer Pitch, our Stitt Scholars, The Hub powered by PNC Bank or the GWDI, it is clear that the L. William Crotty Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership has grown to be a significant student and community resource, and a valued partner in our regional entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Although the L. William Crotty Center is having significant impact on students from all over UD’s campus, and entrepreneurs in our region, we still aim to achieve more. It starts with the expansion of The Hub powered by PNC, just this month our 3rd Floor Rotunda expansion was completed, adding 46 new offices and a 100-seat classroom/event space. This expansion could increase the number of member companies in The Hub by almost 40%, and significantly increase student engagement. We also hope to increase our impact on community entrepreneurs through our efforts to find a permanent location for the Greater West Dayton Incubator. A move which will allow us to increase programming capacity aimed at West Dayton entrepreneurs and provide more student engagement opportunities. We will continue to strive to enhance and increase our experiential learning programs so that students from all across UD’s campus have an opportunity to explore their entrepreneurial dreams. We will do this by collaborating with our partners on campus and in the community, and we will continually strive to, in the words of our center’s founder, Bill Crotty, “be an incubator for the next generation of entrepreneurs.”
None of what has happened, or will happen, does so without help all of our supporters. From our key partners like PNC Bank, Dayton’s Entrepreneur’s Center and myriad others to all of our mentors, volunteers, judges and community entrepreneurs, everyone has an impact. On top of this we are very fortunate to have tremendous support from our Dean of the UD School of Business, Trevor Collier, our EVP of Business and Admin Services Andy Horner, our Provost, Paul Benson and President Eric Spina. This combination of campus and community resources is what has led to UD being named a top 50 school for undergraduate entrepreneurship for the 17th year in a row, and in the top 10 for schools with fewer than 10,000 undergraduate students for the first time this year. For all of this we are extremely grateful, the entire Crotty Center team, David, Kat, Ty, Whitney, Stephanie and I just want to thank all of you for supporting us in his effort as we continue to grow and develop as one of nation’s top entrepreneurship programs.
- Vince Lewis, AVP UD Entrepreneurial Initiatives
The Hub is a transformative environment that brings together a diverse community to foster creativity, growth, and entrepreneurship.
The Hub's Vision is to have a sustainable impact and inspire others to do the same.
Andy Horner, Board Chair
UD's Business and Administrative Services
Trevor Collier
UD's School of Business Administration
Nancy McHugh
UD's Fitz Center for Leadership
Scott Koorndyk
Entrepreneurs' Center
Gul Kremer
UD's School of Engineering
Craig Jennings
Entrepreneurs' Center
Stacy Thompson Speare-Hardy Keybank Corp
The Hub is a quintessential transdisciplinary space that provides opportunities for networking, internships, and rich learning. We have no doubt it will continue to be a significant aspect of our students' education in entrepreneurship. It is a community-engaged, experiential learning platform like no other
Managed and Operated By Flyer Enterprises
The Greater West Dayton Incubator (GWDI) is an organization powered by the University of Dayton and the Entrepreneurs' Center that is designed to accelerate the growth and success of entrepreneurial ventures founded and operated by underrepresented entrepreneurs.
The Greater West Dayton Incubator, an initiative of the L William Crotty Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership expanded its operations, footprint, and impact in 2022-23, with significant achievements and milestones The growth of our programs and collaborations demonstrate and affirm the need to serve entrepreneurs in the Greater West Dayton area while leveraging the enthusiasm and talent of our UD students and faculty As we progress forward, we are excited to move closer to identifying our permanent location. One of the major highlights of the year was the successful acquisition of $1 8 million in state and federal funds to enable the establishment of this endeavor for the incubator. This substantial investment will provide the necessary resources and infrastructure to support budding entrepreneurs in the Greater West Dayton area, fostering economic growth and revitalization in the community
Another notable accomplishment was building stronger collaborations between the Greater West Dayton Incubator and student groups and faculty at the University of Dayton. By working together, they were able to offer a wide range of entrepreneurial services and educational opportunities to underrepresented entrepreneurs in the region These initiatives aim to bridge the gap and provide equal access to resources and support for aspiring business owners, empowering them to succeed and contribute to the local economy
Additionally, the GWDI provided over $100,000 in diluted and non-diluted funding, further bolstering the financial support available to entrepreneurs in the area, thus promoting innovation and fostering a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem in Greater West Dayton. We are looking forward to what 2023-24 will bring We are excited to continue our mission and provide entrepreneurs and students with experiences that help elevate their growth.
-Whitney Barkley, Director of the Greater West Dayton Incubator
The Business Blitz is a three-week bootcamp that helps new and existing entrepreneurs learn how to legitimize, digitize, and capitalize in business. For the 2022-2023 year, we held two Business Blitz in September 2022 and February 2023 and served more than 50 unique business owners, with participation from Launch Dayton, SBDC, Urban League, City of Dayton, MBAC, and local entrepreneurs
The Greater West Dayton Incubator Fellowship is a 12-month initiative designed to help underrepresented entrepreneurs access space and education through the Urban Elevation Accelerator at The Hub Powered by PNC Bank For 2022-2023 We have 10 fellows represented from a variety of businesses and industries. You can learn more about them here: https://www thegwdi com/gwdi-fellows-cohort
The Urban Elevation Accelerator (UEA) is modeled after the Urban Poverty and Business Initiative (UPBI) at the University of Notre Dame. This 11-month accelerator includes a six week boot camp called the Elevation Academy, six months of mentorship, and a connection to student consultants for business projects. This program served 24 entrepreneurs throughout the year On average entrepreneurs completed 50 out of 80 steps outlined to creating a sustainable business. We provided more than $40,000 in microgrants to businesses with a generous donation from Fifth-Third Bank
The GWDI is a partner of the Cultural Capital Microlending Program with Flyer Consulting and Citywide Development. Through this program, underrepresented and under-resourced entrepreneurs apply for loan funding that go towards working capital, equipment, marketing, etc. at a low interest rate. In the 2022-2023 year, we provided $24,500 to businesses in childcare, tutoring, non-emergency transportation, and the food industry
The Power Hour is a support group for underrepresented entrepreneurs and highlights special topics such as mental health, generational wealth, education, and professionalism. Participants dialogue in an open roundtable to discuss topics that strengthen their mental fortitude for being an entrepreneur and leader in the community.
The Discover Entrepreneurship program is a two week immersive and interactive experience for Dayton Public School and DECA students to build their professional skills and learn to apply essential business practices to design their own business plans and pitch their business idea in a final pitch competition Our curriculum helps students identify viable business opportunities and explores how such opportunities are transformed into new ventures. Emphasis is placed on how entrepreneurial ventures successfully compete for financial resources, identify and reach their target market, and establish business processes and systems Students have an opportunity to receive college credit and scholarships at the program's pitch competition finale.
Received $1 8 million dollars from federal and state government to begin the build out for the permanent location
Established survey and Task Force to identify preferred West Dayton neighborhood for the permanent location from community members.
On-boarded three Business Associates to GWDI staff to support marketing, data collection, and operations
Provided more than 2000 supervised student consulting hours to underrepresented businesses
Engaged with Flyer Consulting, the STITT Scholars program, and the Entrepreneurship Capstone course to engage GWDI clients in the Urban Elevation Accelerator.
Worked with six minority-owned suppliers to execute events and programs for the GWDI.
Facilitated nearly $300,000 in contracts for local Black-owned businesses at The Hub Powered by PNC and Dayton Arcade
Developed Business Clinics, which are bi-weekly engagements that allow entrepreneurs to work 1:1 with an advisor We have served 50 amount of businesses thus far
GWDI participated in 75 external events in our entrepreneurial ecosystem and community.
Kicked off mobile office hours to further reach of GWDI in underserved areas through area resource providers including Easter Seals and Montgomery County.
The GWDI hosted three events to promote Gem City Black Business Month, a collaboration among local resource providers and entrepreneurs
Event registration totaled to more than 200 registered; approximately 130 people attended all three events Events included Rooftop Social (See recap below), Gem City Capital & Resource Fair, and the Power Hour
Channel 2 highlighted Resource Fair as a segment on television
Overall Feedback Survey results were positive from resource providers and participants; several suggestions were provided to improve next year ’ s event.
Director, GWDI
Associate Director, GWDI
Community Development Banker
Whitney Barkley
Tywan Corbitt
Stacy M Thompson Speare-Hardy
*Advisory Council Chair
Dayton Chamber of Commerce
Leidos Innovation Center
Equitable Entrepreneurship Ecosystem-Builder
Greater West Dayton Entrepreneur
Greater West Dayton Entrepreneur
Greater West Dayton Entrepreneur
Greater West Dayton Entrepreneur
Montgomery County Business Services
Entrepreneurs' Center
Entrepreneurs' Center
UD AVP Real Estate Management
UD's Crotty Center
UD's Crotty Center
UD's Procurement and Payable Services
Flyer Consulting President
FC Local Microlending Team Lead
Flyer Enterprises President
Belinda Mathews Stenson
Scott Murphy
LeKeisha Grant
Cherrelle Gardner
Christina Mendez
Clarece Richardson
Deirreon Durant
Marvene Mitchell Cook
Scott Koorndyk
Kim Frazier
Brian Heitkamp
Vincent C Lewis
Kat Cordier
Sara Harrison
Amanda Bush
Brock Swind
Macy Buck
In spring 2020, the University of Dayton launched The Flyers' Plan for Community Excellence driven by our Catholic and Marianist mission and aligned with the University's commitment to be a University for the Common Good. To achieve inclusive excellence throughout the University, each unit and department was charged with developing a diversity strategic plan specific for their area.
In the Crotty Center, we strongly believe the entrepreneurial process can be leveraged for the common good. Creating opportunities for all entrepreneurs to start, grow, and sustain their ventures is key. We strive to create a space where students and community entrepreneurs feel empowered to be their whole selves. We are contuniing our efforts to use our resources to mitigate practices and systems that have intentionally and unintentionally harmed historically marginalized entrepreneurs. In partnership with our local partners, we are working to create a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive startup ecosystem.
In alignment with UD's Common Good, we have been working toward achieving the goals below. In addition to our goals we have provided initiatives to meet the goals.
01
The GWDI and Flyer Consulting team have supported the Cultural Capital Microloan Program for underserved and under-resourced entrepreneurs and small businesses in Greater West Dayton
The Capstone class has provided consulting support to locally owned businesses in market research, feasibility testing, and other various analysis
Create and sustain a welcoming, safe, and inclusive environment for all students to fully engage in Crotty Center academic programs and sponsored student experiential learning opportunities to develop entreprenuerial skills. 02
Advance the University's institutional learning goal of diversity by exposing all entrepreneurship students to the values of diversity, equity, and inclusionand its relevance to the field of entrepreneurship.
Flyer Consulting and Flyer Enterprise participate in Cultural Competency trainings for their team to learn best practices with working with diverse teams, clients, and suppliers
The Sophomore ENT classes are exposed to local and diverse entrepreneurs during their class time and the Entrepreneurs At The Table breakfasts They also selected a minority owned nonprofit founder to provide a 20% of their profits to help the venture grow
03
All faculty and staff engaging with the Crotty Center, as well as the physical Crotty Center spaces, provide an inclusive environment for discussion of personal and academic topics related to race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, disability/ability, nationality, and other areas of diversity.
The Hub encourages and serves diverse representation of businesses and members in our space and have created a fellowship for minority owned businesses in need of office space.
Flyer Consulting and Flyer Enterprises have developed strategic plans and progressive metrics with the Multi-Ethnic Education and Engagement Center to create and sustain an inclusive organizational climate
04
Dayton entrepreneurs, businesses, and organization have equitable access to Crotty Center resources, programs, events, and services.
The GWDI has launched several programs to educate and create equitable access for the West Dayton community such as the Business Blitz, Power Hours, the Urban Elevation Accelerator Program, and Discover Entrepreneurship Summer Program.
The Crotty Center and GWDI have build partnerships around the Dayton Entrepreneurship ecosystem and City of Dayton such as Parallax, Launch Dayton, Chamber of Commerce, and the Downtown Dayton Partnership
51.2% of the Hub memberships are made up of Minority Owned, Women Owned and Veteran Owned entrepreneurs
The Micro-Company Course, or Sophomore Experience, is a course where students launch, operate and exit a micro-company over the academic year. We start the year with each student presenting their ideas to the class in a sixty-second elevator pitch The classes evaluate the concepts and choose the ones they would like to pursue The person that pitched the idea becomes the team founder. We then host a recruiting day in class, where students network and recruit in the class to formulate their team
Once their team is together, the Crotty Center provides $5,000 in startup capital, and the businesses move toward launch. At the end of the academic year, the companies repay their loans, and divide the profits between a local charity, an experiential learning program for UD students, and divide the remaining profit among their team Of this year ’ s nine teams, seven were profitable These teams generated more than $44,000 in revenue, over $8,000 in profit, and donated $3,400 to charity Products ranged from a thrift store to cooler stands to UD themed outdoor games. This year ’ s teams leveraged their own creativity, connections, and marketing strategies to race to success.
Although managing their startup is the primary focus of students in the Micro-Company Course, we layer in lessons in entrepreneurship
Throughout the year, students learn fundamental pieces of creating a business They formulate business plans, discuss marketing research and strategies, identify opportunities, and apply the entrepreneurial mindset We accomplish this through engaging discussions, panelists of various topics and industries, attending workshops in Dayton’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
One of the highlights of the program are the Entrepreneurs-At-TheTable (EATT) events The event brings entrepreneurs together with our students four times per year to discuss the entrepreneurs’ journeys More than 60 local entrepreneurs met with students over the course of the year to discuss business ethics, the necessity of taking risks, current challenges and raising capital
The Micro-Company Course continues to be one of the most memorable and challenging of a UD Entrepreneurship student’s classroom experience The course, which features many lessons in entrepreneurship and connections to successful entrepreneurs, is a hallmark feature of UD’s Entrepreneurship program.
The Capstone Seminar in Entrepreneurship is the culminating curricular experience for UD Entrepreneurship students. The course involves a semester-long consulting assignment with a local startup venture or social enterprise.
Students collaborate with their client and their assigned mentor to develop project objectives and a Letter of Engagement. Leveraging market research through customer surveys, focus groups, and one-on-one conversations, the students develop actions the client can implement to achieve their objectives. Students present the recommendations with estimated implementation costs and timelines Student teams can put in more than 200 supervised consulting hours during the semester, and the projects are all done pro-bono for the clients
This past year we worked with 9 diverse clients in our Capstone Course with a wide range of project types These projects have included business plan development, brand development, business strategy, social media planning, and expansion opportunities The clients include an array of for-profit and mission-based ventures ranging from brick and mortar retail to mobile services to non-profits. All in all, our 9 capstone teams, along with their mentors, delivered more than 2,040 consulting hours to clients at no charge.
Special thanks to our clients and our mentors Without each of them, the Capstone Seminar would not be possible.
2022-2023 ENT Capstone
This past year, the annual Flyer Pitch Competition launched three tracks (Tech, Main Street, and Nonprofit) to support every type of startup. Put on in partnership with the Entrepreneurs’ Center and Greater West Dayton Incubator, this year's competition awarded $163,000 in cash prizes and support services
Tripling the amount of in-kind prizes, we had 14 sponsors provide packaged to assist the teams with marketing, accounting, and grant services Some of the sponsors included Bandila Studios, Enterprise Roofing, Propel Dayton, and others The competition's legacy includes more than 95 new ventures that have completed the experience and have collectively raised over $24 million in follow-up capital This year we had 100 submissions We had 24 teams compete in the cameo round and 13 teams in the live final round held at The Hub in three spaces.
The competition provides participants with the opportunity to enhance their entrepreneurial skills and strengthen their ventures through training, mentorship, and feedback from expert mentors and judges. Between each round, workshops were provided to help teams prepare for the final 30-minute live pitch but the competition ultimately provides entrepreneurs with the hands-on support to successfully launch their new venture Marketing, business canvas, business plan, and financial projection workshops were provided.
Corinne Brion, founder of Turtle Up, shared "One of the highlights of my 20222023 year was my participation in the Flyer Pitch Competition The competition is what propelled my social venture to a new stage. I, as an entrepreneur, matured and my non-profit organization, Turtle Up, went from just being an idea (a very vague and grand idea) to being a reality. I walked away with a solid plan on how to execute my ideas and implement what I had learned from my peers and mentors."
Further, eleven out of the thirteen finalist teams were minority-owned firms, 49% of total submissions were minority-owned, and 32% of total competition submissions were Dayton community members
Next year, we plan to continue hosting three tracks, increase the cash awards, and host a student pitch competition to increase student engagement. We will be utilizing the Upper Deck's new third floor lecture hall space and supporting up to five finalists in final round.
Interested ventures can expect the 2023-2024 application to be open in September and the first elevator pitch round to be in early November
"The entire Flyer Pitch experience really catapulted Unlisted over the last six month. As the pitch competition was building, so too was the business. We were able to advance our thinking about the company thanks to the thoughtful design of the Flyer Pitch programming combined with incredible guidance and coaching throughout. Further, we were also able to execute effectively by having gates and targets along the way. It's unmistakable that the Crotty Center team, together with the Flyer Pitch sponsors and supporters, truly understand the entrepreneurial experience and are invested in our success. There are not enough words for the gratitude I feel for the Flyer Pitch opportunity. "
The ESP Venture Track is open to startups and businesses that are scalable and have high growth potential. These businesses contain a service or product that is technology-focused, tech-enabled, or manufacturing-focused and has the ability to disrupt, diversify, and/or add value to a current or expanding market.
UNLISTED
Founder: Katie Hill
UNLISTED has presented a new opportunity to start conversations about property plans among neighbors, allowing homeowners, homebuyers and real estate agents to tap into the property market before a house is officially “for sale”.
Founder and CEO Katie Hill has a record for success with startups as a Flyer Pitch winner in 2010 with the company CommuterAds, and advisor and entrepreneurin-residence for 2022 startup winner, Lunnie.
Founder: Chris Danis
CJD designs and develops innovative products for a wide range of consumer needs. CJD Innovation’s flagship product Wet Wipe Wizard, is a US patented device which automatically dispenses wet wipes.
WakEdrive
Founder: Caleb Dunn
WakeEdrive offers a complete motor, battery, control, and integration solution to boat manufacturers and aftermarket modification for existing boat owners.
Founders: Luther Palmer d
e STEM-focused ooks that are mobile app that ents appreciate
suture medical utures with the moses.
Main street businesses can include brick-and-mortar, vendor-based or ecommerce businesses. By nature, these businesses are operated locally and are typically small firms; however, they can also have the potential to scale in size and location based on the goals of the owner.
Founder: Tastee Smith
Care Task serves seniors with NEMT and home services in three surrounding counties with non-medical emergency transportation.
Founder: Zachary Logan
Empowering to Elevate is an organization based around providing educational facilities with the tools needed to tackle mental health challenges from within
Founder: Taylor Johnson
Haya Healing was created to help community members and professionals heal and elevate the mind, body, and spirit utilizing a natural and holistic approach in healthcare.
$5,500 IN CASH
Founder: Kourtney Terry
Taste T Love Baby Foods is a provider of healthier, fresh baby food options to mothers who might want to make their own without the time, patience of know-how.
The nonprofit track is for 501c3 organizations currently serving or planning to expand to the Greater Dayton area. The Nonprofit must be a qualifying charitable organization.
Blooming Circle
Founder: Nicole Carter
The Blooming Circle is a digital health and wellness advocacy education and navigation system.
The Well for Wellness Founder: Kelsie Beitel
The Well for Wellness is a wellness center in Kettering, Ohio specializing in whole-person nutrition and care for women, babies and young children. $
Youth House is a youth development space that partners with community organizations to provide quality educational and after-school programming
$2,400 IN CASH, $1,200 IN ACCOUNTING AND QUICKBOOKS SERVICES, $800 IN GRANT SERVICES, AND $500 IN CONSULTING SERVICES
Turtle Up is aimed to develop ecotourism to provide resources to support increasing awareness for sea turtles and generating revenues to fund conservation
UNLISTED
CJD Innovations
WakEdrive
Saga Surgical Solutions
iSquared Learning Solutions
AXE.AI
WeQuip SPEED
Main Street Venture Track Semi Finalists
Care Task LLC
Empowering to Elevate
Haya Healing
Taste T Love
Baby Foods
Harlem Healers
Renee's Catering
Chef's Kitchen
Be Kind DaILY Clothing
Traveling Pendants
Nonprofit Venture Track Semi Finalists
Blooming Circle
The Well for Wellness
Youth House
Turtle Up
Library for Africa Inc.
Extraordinary Men Mentorship Group
Sophia Learning Center
Caring Cafe
Judges:
Aaron Delidow, Provest Inc.
Jordan Roe, The EC
Troy Lindo, PNC Bank
Becky Blust, UD School of Engineering
Scott Murphy, Leidos Innovation Center
Alexandra Anh Chu, Stitt Scholars Student
Mentors:
Mike McQuiston, The Connor Group (UNLISTED)
Patricia Kukulka, Slone Gear (WakEdrive)
Jordan Roe, The EC (iSquared Learning Solutions)
Andy Cothrel, Blue Marble Medical (Saga Surgical Solutions)
Sibu Janardhana, The EC (CJD Innovations)
Judges:
Bernard Dalichau, Lavender Home Care Solutions and THEIA
Kim Woodbury, Small Business Development Center
Dwight Dewberry, PNC Bank
Joshua White, UD School of Business
LeKeisha Grant, The EC
Gabby Rullo, UD Flyer Enterprise Student
Mentors:
Reginald Henderson, Parallax (Care Task LLC)
Lindsey Deck, Space 3 (Haya Healing)
Brian LaDuca, UD's IACT Department (Empowering to Elevate)
Dabria Rice, Divine Catering (Taste T Love
Baby Foods
Judges:
Peter Benkendorf, The Collaboratory
Shannon Isom, Community Shelter Board
Alex Abell, PNC Bank
Dan Tuss, UD Advancement
Cherrelle Gardner, Westside Makerspace and Co-op Dayton
Eric Fisk, Liza Drought, and Molly Stillwagon, Flyer Consulting Students
Mentors:
Nicole Dalichau, TiER1 Performance (The Well for Wellness)
Lela Klein, Co-op Dayton (Turtle Up)
Sarah Kallile, Lunnie (The Blooming Circle)
Ty Corbitt, The GWDI (Youth House)
Housed within the Crotty Center at the University of Dayton, Flyer Consulting is a student-run organization which provides pro bono consulting services to non-profit organizations and small businesses while promoting economic growth locally and internationally through two microlending pipelines. Over the past year, Flyer Consulting has seen significant growth in the schools and majors hired consultants from, demand from clients in the community, and development of internal initiatives and goals.
In the Fall of 2022, Flyer Consulting had the opportunity to work with 6 different organizations, 5 of which were nonprofit organizations and 1 small business. The small business client was Harlem Healers, and the 5 nonprofit organizations included You Matter 2, Dayton Hispanic Chamber, The United States Small Business Administration, League Bound Prevention Institute, and Vandalia Youth Threatre In the Spring of 2023, the team worked with 7 different organizations which included 3 nonprofit organizations and 4 small businesses The small businesses clients included Sweet Lala’s Bakery, Chipmunk Chronicles, Hall Hunger Initiative, and Harlem Healers The nonprofit clients included Seven Seed Sowers, CityHeart, and CRIS.
While working with 13 different organizations over the past year, Flyer Consulting had the opportunity to expand solutions portfolio and work with different software ranging from Wix to Zoho Books. Powered by the hard work of all consultants, all of which possess a variety of skills and ideas, Flyer Consulting was able to create a meaningful impact within the Dayton community and beyond. Additionally, since the launch of the small business consulting program in Spring 2021, Flyer Consulting has seen immense growth in both the number of clients served, as well as the different solutions that have been able to implement, such as the completion of pricing analysis and the implementation of Zoho Books.
Microlending is the second vertical of Flyer Consulting, which is comprised of a Local and International Program. The Local Microlending team is partnered with the Greater West Dayton Incubator and CityWide Development to provide capital and specialized services for businesses with a focus on championing the dignity of historically underresourced, underrepresented, and marginalized business owners and entrepreneurs for the common good through the Cultural Capital Microlending Program The International Microlending Team is partnered with the IMANI Marinists and working towards a goal of raising the impoverished to high placed by financing the fruitful young businesses of Nairobi, Kenya.
Over the past year, the Cultural Capital Microlending Program has loaned $24,500 to 5 local businesses. The International Team has loaned a total of $3,735 over the past year as well Since the launch of the International Team in 2019, Flyer Consulting has helped create over 60 new jobs in Nairobi.
In addition to consulting clients and microlending programs, Flyer Consulting achieved several internal initiatives. Since the launch of the initial Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion goals and strategic plan in 2020, Flyer Consulting has been committed to achieving these goals and tracking metrics outlined in the plan as well as determining additional areas of opportunity for the organization. With that, one notable change made is the language adjustment from ‘DEI’ to ‘EID’ to better reflect the mindset that in order for diversity to occur there must first be equity which leads to inclusion – and equity and inclusion together leads to diversity. The Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity Committee had the opportunity to meet with individuals from the Human Rights Center, the Office of Diversity of Inclusion as well as the Multi-Ethnic Education and Engagement Center to further develop strategic plan and goals.
In December 2022, Flyer Consulting launched a new website! This website development involved a transition to Wix, providing more advanced capabilities. In addition to the revamped look of the website, the team now has the ability to better develop the client and community outreach process through the assistance of the new customer relationship management software built into the platform The team is grateful to donors who made the transition possible and are looking forward to the continued development of the website
Finally, Flyer Consulting is extremely excited to announce that over the past year, the team has been working alongside the School of Business Administration to obtain a location within the SBA Starting in Fall 2023, Flyer Consulting will be housed in Anderson Hall Room 135! Our team is very excited to have a brand-new space to hold various team meetings, intern training sessions, mini course classes, and most importantly, make memories and connections within the organization
The 2022-2023 school year was full of growth, memories, learning, and development and Flyer Consulting cannot wait to see what next year brings!
Flyer Enterprises is one of the largest student-run businesses in the country, ranking 5th nationally. Flyer Enterprises is a part of the Crotty Center, and was established in 2001, when a group of innovative UD students made history, putting the plans into place for a student-run business on campus Since then, FE has experienced tremendous growth, introduced and discontinued divisions, and adapted to changing campus needs, all while providing an unmatched learning opportunity for students Flyer Enterprises has gained a name for itself among students, faculty, alumni, and other student-run businesses across the nation. FE prides itself on cultivating a unique customer service experience, bringing to life their motto, “For Flyers, By Flyers.” All the way from Sales Associate to CEO, the 240 student employees are part of the FE community and have the ability to make an impact at their divisions and beyond.
This past year, quite a bit has been accomplished within Flyer Enterprises as a whole To begin, Flyer Enterprises has had another revenue setting goal, surpassing 2.7 million dollars.This revenue stream is split between our 13 fully operating divisions, a few that have recently taken off, in hopes of reaching their full potential To begin, this year the employees of Flyer Enterprises had a successful basketball season, when fully staffing and working all outlets of The Flight Deck, an area for individuals to gather, eat dinner, and socialize at the UD arena Here, FE employees get to have an external opportunity to gain experience whether they manage all events at this space, or just work a game or two. Additionally, another division of Flyer Enterprises, Rudy’s Runway, reached a revenue increase of over 100% from the previous year This merchandising division of FE saw a great increase in sales, due to the increased presence on campus, including a rack in the UD bookstore. This was very exciting for the company, as this has been a division of concern in the past Furthermore, two divisions were recently acquired, Brown Street Bistro located in Fitz Hall, along with Startup Grounds, located at the Hub These two divisions have seen great improvements in sales, when creating new menus, new branding, and establishing new management positions at each. All divisions of Flyer Enterprises have seen great improvements over this past year, with the help of an incredible executive team, management team, and sales associates as well.
To continue the growth of Flyer Enterprises, a few other changes have been made to the company overall. To begin, the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion plan is fully integrated into the corporation, with hopes of seeing tremendous growth in the near future Thus far, a new hiring practice has been implemented in hopes of creating a more fair and equitable hiring program, the establishment of goals regarding company statistics, and opportunities for individuals not in the school of business to learn and grow professionally in a way that is beneficial to them personally
Additionally, a new management position has been created to greater the impact of Flyer Enterprises within the greater Dayton community. As so many individuals constantly give to this company, it is important that Flyer Enterprises makes it a priority to give back to the community as well This led to the newly developed management position, entitled the Community Outreach Coordinator who is responsible for creating and developing service opportunities and responsibilities for the employees of Flyer Enterprises Each division of Flyer Enterprises is on track to fulfill a service opportunity that is unique to them, in hopes of making a large impact on the community around us Also, a few of these divisions have been incorporating more and more “takeovers” from different organizations on campus, in which FE donates a percentage of its profits to a beneficial organization, usually creating a charitable donation to those in need.
Also, Flyer Enterprises has increased their presence within the Student-Run business association, in which employees of Flyer Enterprises have the opportunity to network with students from other large student run businesses within the nation, many being Ivy League. Students in FE have loved these opportunities thus far, and are excited to see what the future holds. To conclude, the 2022-2023 school year was filled with large success and growth within the company, and the individuals
flyerenterprises.com
Through a generous donation by Jim '71 (chairman of Cutco Corporation and Chairman of Olean Business Development Corporation) and Carol Stitt, the Stitt Scholars Program (SSP) was created to offer multidisciplinary collaborative experiential learning opportunities for Business and Engineering students at the University of Dayton. The first cohort of twelve students started during the fall of 2021 Students in the program commit to one academic year by working with entrepreneurs and startup companies at the HUB (Powered by The PNC Bank). Each semester, multidisciplinary teams work on multiple client-based projects with our community clients. During the 2021/22 academic year, the students worked on over ten unique projects Our clients provide a unique learning opportunity for the Stitt Scholars, while the students also create value (pro bono) to support clients’ entrepreneurial efforts. The scope and nature of the projects vary. While some projects have significant technical business and engineering content, others are also exploratory in nature.
In one project, students designed an experiment to determine the absorbency of a material. Another team also helped a client improve traffic to their business site by conducting social media and website audits. In June of 2022, Grace Silverberg, one of the Stitt Scholars in the first cohort presented one of the projects she worked on at the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) national conference in Minneapolis, MN. The second cohort in the SSP also had an eventful 2022/23 academic year.
The program expanded to include students from the College of Arts and Sciences, and they presented at the Spring 23 Stander Symposium Teams of two to three students took turns to share with the audience the projects they have worked on, and the impact they’ve made in our community The deliverables from one of the projects helped the client to secure $75,000 to support the renovation of the Courthouse Square in downtown Dayton, Ohio The next cohort of 15 students will start at the beginning of the 2023/24 academic year. We are looking forward to creating more value for startup companies and entrepreneurs in the Dayton area while providing multidisciplinary student teams with invaluable experiential learning opportunities.
If you are interested in working with the Stitt Scholars, or if you want to learn more, visit the website below and contact Mike Moulton (mmoulton1@udayton.edu) and Dr Philip Appiah-Kubi (pappiahkubi1@udayton edu) if you have any questions
https://udayton.edu/engineering/connect/stitt-scholars/index.php
Established in 2010 via a generous alumni donation, Flyer Angels is a seven-figure startup investment fund As part of UD’s signature lineup of experiential education programming, Flyer Angels is managed and operated by undergraduate students interested in careers in venture capital, private equity, and startup companies. Through this unique opportunity, students analyze deal flow, conduct due diligence, make investment decisions, manage investment portfolio, and network with local venture capital and angel investment groups
Flyer Angels primarily makes seed and/or Series A round investments in nascent ventures doing business in knowledgeintensive/high tech industries in Ohio (and surrounding regions) Student leaders believe that the growth of the tech industry and the increasing demand for innovation drive the success of Ohio-tech based startups and actively seek out companies led by a strong management team, have a direct solution to problems in the market, and align with the University of Dayton’s Marianist values.
To date, Flyer Angels has deployed over $200k in venture capital and have generated returns from several successful venture exits. In 2022, Flyer Angels restructured in order to include network management as a core focus In this way, Flyer Angels intends to enhance its relationships with other University-based student investment groups in hopes of developing synergies and enhancing learning opportunities. Likewise, network management allows for growth within the Ohio-based startup investment ecosystem by focusing on accelerator/incubator and investment group relationships to increase internship and career opportunities for program members. Also, in 2022 Flyer Angels developed goals to boost its reach to a more diverse set of startup founders by devising plans for DE&I focused investments.
If you are interested in working with Flyer Angels, or if you want to learn more about the program, visit the website below and contact Missy Oei (oeim01@udayton.edu) and Izzy Abreau (abreui1@udayton.edu) if you have any questions.
9 capstone clients
100 Flyer Pitch submissions
$24,500 worth of microloans
$2,700,000 Flyer Enterprise revenue
4,040+ total consulting hours with entrepreneurs and businesses
$163,000 in Flyer Pitch awards
10+ United Nations Sustainable Development Goals met through support to entrepreneurs and organizations
Whitney Barkley - Greater West Dayton Incubator
Rebecca Blust - UD's Innovation Center
Dawn Brown - InSource Consulting, Inc
Ty Corbitt - Greater West Dayton Incubator
Kat Cordier - UD's Crotty Center
Jim Danis - G/C Contracting Group
Aaron Delidow - Provost Properties, Inc
Russ Gottesman - Commuter Advertising
Michael B. Green - MV Residential Group
Steve Harlamert - Harlow-HRK Sales & Marketing, Inc.
Stephen Hayes - SKH Quest Centers
Tom Homan - Allied Supply Company
Jay Janney - UD's Management and Marketing Dept.
Donald W. Jennett - Fifth Third Bank
Jeff Klank - Canal Holdings
Patricia Kukulka - Slone Gear
Scott Koorndyk - Entrepreneurs' Center
Ann Kyne - Fifth Third Bank
Vince Lewis - UD's Crotty Center
Nicole Dalichau - Aileron
David Marshall - UD's Management & Marketing Dept.
Mike McQuiston - The Connor Group
Scott Murphy - Leidos Innovation Center
Jack Murray - Fix Media
Connie Neace - UD's Crotty Center
Michelle Parker - MI Consulting & Research LLC
Stephanie Peters - UD's Crotty Center
Stuart Seltman - Crescent Paper Tube Company
Diane Sullivan - UD's Management & Marketing Dept.
Liz Todia - Mutual Capital Partners
Craig Voss - Voss Auto Network
Alex Waibel - Waibel Energy Systems
Bill Winger - Hyde Park Electronics Corp.
Chataun Denis - 2022
