Starting your start-up – free event at UC Blue Ash

From creating a business accelerator that supports female entrepreneurs to launching a start up in their spare time, the guests for the next edition of the UC Blue Ash College Entrepreneur Speaker Series have learned a lot about what it takes to make a new business succeed.

Nancy Aicholtz, president/CEO of Aviatra Accelerators, and Jennifer Morales and Jason Stitt, co-founders of Mixicles, will share their advice and lessons learned on Wednesday, Nov. 6 from 7 to  8:15 pm in Muntz Auditorium on the UC Blue Ash College campus.

Aviatra Accelerators is a statewide nonprofit organization that helps educate female entrepreneurs and provide them with the tools to be successful. It serves more than 2,000 women who generated more than $240 million in combined revenue in 2018.

Mixicles is an example of combining an interest with a great idea and launching a new product. The start-up was created by Morales and Stitt, local attorneys and longtime colleagues with a shared love of cocktails. Mixicles are all-natural frozen botanical mixers. They contain all the ingredients for handcrafted cocktails, other than the alcohol, in the form of an ice cube.

Kent Lutz, professor of entrepreneurship and finance at UC Blue Ash, created the speaker series and serves as host. He interviews the guests on stage, asking about their experiences and what advice they would offer others. This is an interactive event; the audience can also ask questions. A free reception follows and offers additional opportunities for attendees to talk with the guests.

The speaker series began in 2014 and is conducted each fall and spring semester at UC Blue Ash. It features successful entrepreneurs from the region sharing helpful advice for anyone who is  operating their own business. Past guests include Jeff Wyler, Buddy LaRosa, Patty Brisben and Tony Maas.

The UC Blue Ash College Entrepreneur Speaker Series is free, but seating is limited. For more information and to register, go to the UC Blue Ash website.