The Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center (ASBTDC), based at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, is offering a new webinar series and free business consulting for college students with entrepreneurial ambitions.

ASBTDC’s new Build Your Own Business initiative is for UA Little Rock students who plan to start a business, have an idea for a side business or startup company, or have research with commercial potential.

College students have founded some of the world’s most innovative companies, including Facebook, Google, WordPress, and Dropbox. State Director Laura Fine said the ASBTDC wants to help all students reach their business potential.

“Starting a business can take many forms: a side gig, a full-time profession, or commercialization of an innovative technology,” Fine said. “Students studying art, engineering, journalism, or other disciplines have an opportunity to turn their ideas and passions into money-making ventures, sometimes with little to no capital. ASBTDC can help UA Little Rock students develop their ideas and get started.”

ASBTDC has announced three new student-focused webinars:

· Sept. 18 – “Getting Ready to BYOB” – ASBTDC’s Heather Robinette will discuss the lean canvas approach to get a new business off the ground.

· Oct. 15 – “Magic Water Drinks, LLC: A Student Startup Story” – Pavithran Tirukazhukundram Sekar (Pavi) Indira, a 2020 graduate of UA Little Rock’s MBA program, will talk about his journey in launching Magic Water Drinks while still a student.

· Nov. 18 – “Tech Launch at UA Little Rock” – Glediana Rexha, intellectual property manager at UA Little Rock, will discuss the Tech Launch program that helps students, faculty, and staff realize the commercial potential of their inventions and research.

“Entrepreneurially minded students generally are those that think outside the box and nurture unconventional talents and skills which result in creative and innovative endeavors,” Rexha said. “Tech Launch can advise you on how to legally protect those endeavors and how to turn that into a viable business strategy.”

ASBTDC business consultants will also hold virtual office hours just for UA Little Rock students from 1-4 p.m. on the first and third Friday of the month, beginning Sept. 19. The one-on-one appointments are free and confidential.

“Time spent preparing on the front end means a greater chance of business success,” said Robinette, entrepreneurial services manager at ASBTDC. “The webinars will help students formulate their business concept, and the consulting will help them refine their business strategy in order for a successful launch.”

For more information or to set up a consulting appointment, contact Robinette at 501-831-9134 or hbrobinette@ualr.edu.