Entrepreneurs Conference, Day 2: Attendees Learn How to Win Corporate Clients

Day two of the Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference, sponsored by Nationwide, continued, with attendees enjoying networking and education via panels and the Small Business Awards luncheon.

Entrepreneurs learned how to win corporate clients via an early afternoon panel of business leaders including Edgar Smith, CEO of World Pac Paper, Rumia Burbank, president of VMS365 and Frantz Tiffeau, director of supplier diversity at Nationwide Insurance.

Panelists, whose conversation was guided by Black Enterprise editorial director and moderator, Alan Hughes, gave insight on how entrepreneurs can find ways to navigate the supply chain to corporate giants, beat the competition and fill lucrative contracts profitably.

Attendees also got the chance to get an early afternoon lesson on methods of raising capital. Business experts including Eugene Cornelius of the Small Business Administration and Keith S. Burgess of Huntington National Bank, talked about traditional and nontraditional ways to get funding and how to make the pitch to lenders.

A big highlight of the afternoon was the awards luncheon, where top leaders in entrepreneurship, from teenpreneurs to franchise owners, were honored for their exemplary leadership and enterprising acumen in their communities and industries. Black Enterprise chief content officer, Alfred Edmond Jr., then sat down for a one-on-one with faith-based philanthropist and business powerhouse T.D. Jakes, the cover subject for the magazine’s April issue.

Stay tuned for more updates from the conference!