Dixie State University’s Business Resource Center Helps Entrepreneurs Launch Toward Success

By Allie Garrow

Did you know a 2020 report by WalletHub ranked the city of St. George, Utah, number one in the nation for the best small cities to start a business? If you have an awesome invention or business idea but have no clue where to start, the Business Resource Center (BRC), located at Dixie State University’s Atwood Innovation Plaza, has the resources and information you need to create and launch your business. The BRC offers the Launch Series, designed to teach new business owners and entrepreneurs in southern Utah how to successfully launch and grow a business. This four-week virtual series and follow-up business advising are free thanks to a grant provided by the U.S. Economic Development Administration. Participants learn about market testing, business development, financial strategy, and more.

CEO and founder of OG Creative, Oreo Ogunsola, is just one example of how the Business Resource Center has made a difference. The BRC has not only increased his knowledge but also molded his future as a digital design business owner.

“I developed a business model that I believed had good potential, but there was still a lot of uncertainty,” said Oreo. “The Launch Series helped clear my clouded vision about starting an actual business, providing me access to valuable resources, mentorship, and a good platform to grow a business from the ground up.”

After moving to St. George from Nigeria in May of 2017, Oreo started his college career at Dixie State University with big dreams. Participating in the Launch Series provided Oreo with opportunities to collaborate with other business professionals. Now finishing his About the Author senior year, Oreo spends most of his time hitting the books and After graduating with her building his business, OG Creative. associate degree from Brigham Young UniversityIdaho, Allie Garrow transferred to Dixie OG Creative is a Utah-based digital marketing agency that partners with brands and agencies to create effective and sustainable State University to become strategies for all aspects of digital marketing. They focus on search a Trailblazer. Now a senior engine optimization, logo creation, content marketing, and websites. at DSU, Allie is currently Their recent Take Off initiative is a pricing package designed to help pursuing her bachelor’s degree in media studies with an startup businesses. emphasis in public relations. BRC Outreach Manager Colette Cox expressed delight in the She is also minoring in diversity they’ve seen since the program launched in October 2020. communication studies and marketing. When Allie’s not hitting the books, she enjoys “One notable highlight is that 49 percent of the Launch Series participants are women, and 28 percent of participants are minorities, hitting the road in pursuit of which is outstanding considering our service area make up has only an adventure. 8 percent minority population.” Within the past six months, Innovation Plaza has provided 316 business consultations and is home to nearly thirty incubating companies, including OG Creative, Eden Tech, SoftCell, and the Trula Foundation. “My greatest accomplishment is witnessing these businesses succeed,” Cox said, “Even through the challenges and difficulties of launching our program during COVID-19, we have found much growth and success; however, it feels like we are just getting started.” To learn more about the Launch Series, visit innovation.dixie.edu/ businessresourcecenteratdsu/brclaunchseries/. For more information about OG Creative, go to ogcreative.net/.