Build Your Own Business Sessions Aim to Help UA Little Rock’s Aspiring Entrepreneurs
The Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock is once again reaching out to help students who want to build their own businesses.
Build Your Own Business (BYOB) is designed for UA Little Rock students with entrepreneurial ambitions who want to learn how to bring their concept to life. The first free virtual session, “How to BYOB,” is Tuesday, Sept. 15, while the Oct. 6 session will feature Rhonda Aaron — an alumna, entrepreneur, and past president of the Alumni Association board — for a “Startup Story” program.
“We all deserve to be poured into — it helps you grow — and it’s important for me to take any wisdom, knowledge, and experience I have and give back,” said Aaron, founder of BL Brand PR Agency and the non-profit Sister Friends United. “Blaze your own trail — what works for someone else may not work for you — educate yourself, use any resources, and get in every room you can to network, because you never know who might be able to help you.”
Aspiring entrepreneurs should also remember that passion alone won’t make them successful — nor will solely business acumen — both are necessary to flourish, added Aaron. “Be a lifelong learner so you’re always (adding more) tools to your toolkit.”
Sister Friends United Inc., a 501c3 non-profit organization of minority women with a mission to support, uplift, and empower its members to better serve the community, was founded and incorporated in the State of Arkansas in October 2007.
“I saw a need for women to have a space where we could connect, support one another, and grow together,” Aaron said. “I wanted to create something that not only strengthened women, but also allowed us to make a meaningful impact in our community through scholarships, service, events, and other initiatives.”
Aaron was honored with the Just Communities Humanitarian Award for giving back to her community, and she received the Shelley Mehl Empowerment Award, which recognizes an individual woman or organization that champions female empowerment. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication with an emphasis in Strategic Communication from UA Little Rock.
At UA Little Rock, she was able to “connect with like-minded individuals, who were a boost and support for me,” she said. “I always had resources” at UA Little Rock, and “we uplifted, encouraged, and empowered one another.”
In addition to the live sessions, BYOB also encompasses consulting services.
Students who may simply want advice for their “side hustles” to those attempting to embark on entrepreneurial career paths can utilize BYOB, said Gwen Green, marketing and communications manager for ASBTDC. “We want to give them a hand.”
Consulting is free and available to help students plan and grow their business ventures. To request a meeting, contact ASBTDC Startup Specialist Ashley Murguia Topete at [email protected] or 501-553-3644.
BYOB sessions can also fulfill certain requirements students may have for outside-the-classroom, career-readiness experience, like Career Catalyst for those in the School of Business, added Green. Students can register for this month’s session and next month’s online.
For more information about BYOB, please contact Laterika Staton, ASBTDC education and event specialist, at [email protected] or 501-804-4530.
The ASBTDC assists new, existing, and innovation-based small businesses across Arkansas. The center is a partnership program of the Small Business Administration and UA Little Rock.