Campus News
May 7th, 2019
Motivation, passion and entrepreneurship well represented at Power of Possibilities Summit
"Passion is everything – it's all about finding your passion and purpose. People with passion can change the world for the better," stated Jodi McClintock, addressing the audience at the recent Power of Possibilities (POP) Summit at Garrett College.
McClintock, director of business solutions at GC, shared how the five participants in the All-In Business Competition are more than just dedicated to their ideas, they are extremely passionate.
POP Winners: From left to right are: Cristey Kordyban, Garrett College business solutions; Chuck Graham, fourth place winner; Jessica Wilhelm, grand prize winner; John Broadwater, second place winner; Jodi McClintock, GC director of business solutions.
During the past few months, each competitor worked to develop and craft a business plan, followed with a final ‘pitch' of their idea and concepts at the annual POP conference.
Jessica Wilhelm, co-owner of Timbercat Enterprises, LLC, was awarded first place along with the $1,000 cash prize, courtesy of TEDCO, for her plan to improve the longevity of her business. Although the business is now in its 17th year, coal is the main commodity for the local trucking company.
"When in business, you do have to think outside the box and this is true for us," stated Wilhelm, who lives in Grantsville with her husband and three daughters. "We've crafted a future vision and better plan of action for achieving sustainability in the midst of the declining coal industry."
Second place winner was John Broadwater, of Reaction Action Pictures. Born and raised in Allegany County, Md., he has roots in Garrett County and has resided in the area for over 30 years.
He has produced over 200 broadcast quality commercials since his company's inception in 2012. He plans to create and produce original video content based in western Maryland for distribution with Netflix, Amazon, and other network television mediums.
"Many thanks to Jodi and her team at Garrett College," Broadwater said. "With help, I was able to hone in on the business plan process and learn so much. I'm beyond grateful and thankful for this experience."
Diane Burns, third place award winner, plans to begin operating her business, Emerge Life Coaching & Massage Services in the fall of 2019. By then, she will have completed the necessary training in life coaching. She is a registered massage practitioner in the state of Maryland.
A lifelong resident of Maryland, Chuck Graham hopes to open a gun shop, Chuck's Gun & Ammo, which will provide opportunities to educate and teach others about proper gun handling and safety. He plans to offer one-on-one individual lessons and group lessons for HQL licensing.
Garrett County resident Sandy Fazenbaker is enrolled in GC's business management and entrepreneurship degree program. She is working towards purchasing an existing restaurant and making it her own – The Rooster's Nest. Her passion is making great food from scratch and seeing the happy faces as customers enjoy her creations.
Jeff Tobe, certified speaking professional and founder of Coloring Outside the Lines, gave the keynote address for the conference. Creativity and customer service expert, he works with companies and organizations looking to increase their bottom line by changing their customer experience and retaining great talent.
Before the competitors presented their business plan ideas, Jeff Tobe, certified speaking professional and founder of Coloring Outside the Lines, gave the keynote address for the conference.
A creativity and customer service expert, he works with companies and organizations looking to increase their bottom line by changing their customer experience and retaining great talent.
As a result, he has worked with hundreds of clients ranging from ones with less than 20 employees to Fortune 500 companies including Microsoft, PepsiCo, Bank of America, ReMax International and many more. He is a bestselling author of the popular book, ‘Coloring Outside the Lines', and co-author of three other books.
Tobe referenced motivation, accountability, and ambiguity, as three highly critical success factors for companies and organizations to move forward and achieve success in today's rapidly changing environment.
This requires individuals to start shifting their focus to a new perspective – one of the customer.
"Organizations and businesses as a whole need to shatter the typical stereotype the customer expects by doing business with you," said Tobe.
The Power of Possibilities strives to improve the economic conditions of rural Appalachia, support small business growth and create jobs with a multi-faceted, inclusive program. The POP Conference is just one of many ongoing sequences of business collaboration events in the tristate area focusing on entrepreneurship and growth.
