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Apr 16 2020

LaunchNET News: Stay connected online & find a mentor

We coach Kent State founders, innovators, dreamers, and doers!
The latest & greatest from LaunchNET Kent State
Creating a community of Kent State makers, innovators, creators, collaborators, and business owners.
*PLEASE NOTE* In accordance with Kent State's current policy, all LaunchNET venture meetings will be virtual and all in-person events are cancelled for the rest of the Spring 2020 semester.

We are still open and happy to assist with you with any advising and business questions you may have.

If you are a current client, visit ksulaunch.net/appointment to schedule with your advisor and an online meeting link will be included in your confirmation email.

We are working some virtual ways to stay in touch and continue to have group meet-ups, like our new book club, The Entrepreneur Life, All the CEO Ladies, and BYOB. Keep watching your email and this newsletter for announcements as we roll them out! 
Thank
We are screaming a huge THANK YOU to our fantastic student employees at LaunchNET!! 
So many great ideas and help--we would not be able to do what we do without YOU!!
Build your network! Connect with mentors!
Flash Mentors is a new program being piloted by LaunchNET to connect Kent State students with professionals who can help answer questions about careers, ventures, and specific topics.

Powered by WISR and open to all current students, Flash Mentors is also looking for alumni willing to help connect students to information and opportunities.
Sign up now
LaunchNET Blog: Passion, Purpose, and Productivity
“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson
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Nominate someone for The Women of Achievement Awards
The Women of Achievement Awards honors professional women in the public and private sectors who have made an impact in their careers and their communities while encouraging the success of other women. Finalists and nominees are recognized at the annual Women of Achievement Awards luncheon. Recipients are nominated by their peers – individuals, businesses, and organizations.
Know a great woman? Nominate her today!
Connect with other CEO Ladies online!
We have created an online home, through the Flash Mentor website, for the ACL Community to continue to connect. This is a place to connect, share information, advice, ask questions, and generally do what we do in person!

Current ACL members received an email invitation. You can also join the community through the link below. 
sign up now
The City of Akron is looking for mask makers.
If you or someone you know locally is making and selling masks, please send them this link to fill out some info. The Deputy Planning Director of Economic Development is trying to push these names out and get folks to shop local for this need.
(photo credit: Kelsey Meyer)
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Launch Lab Online • Bunker Labs

Launch Lab Online is the next step for active duty military and veterans who want to start their own businesses and jumpstart the next chapter in their life.
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Client Focus
We are always looking for ways to feature our clients and the great work they do!

If you are doing something for the current crisis, have been featured recently, or want to share how your venture is getting through this time, send an email to Tabitha [tmessmor-at-kent.edu]
New client company provides masks for local nonprofit
Holy Smokes LLC realized the seriousness of the PPE shortage because 2 of their co-founders have family in China. They investigated and found the situation is just as bad if not worse than reported.

 Through various connections they have been able to help businesses obtain medical supplies by grouping orders together to obtain better deals and then delivering the items.

Surplus items from the purchases or profits are being donated to those who et us know they are in need. We have donated items to our local grocer, as well as to the governor's office security team, a few to the mayor's office and to the governor himself. We aim to continue donating the surplus from the supplies to those in need.

If you would like to help support their work, you can contact River Travis via the Holy Smokes Facebook page.
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Quarantine DIY Kits– Anne Cate
$20 DIY CRAFT KITS? Perfect for quarantine!
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Introducing the DIY Skyline crayon art kit. This unique craft is a must-do! It brightens up any gray day and is great for all ages. 

And the DIY sew your own skyline pillow kit. Learn how to sew and create the most ADORABLE mini fleece skyline pillow. available in CLE, PARIS, or NYC, this 8x8 inch pillow is not only fun to create, but a cute addition to any room decor.
Get them here!
Crafty Mart shares makers selling masks, including client Kelsey Meyer
Shoppers are asking where they can purchase cloth face covers locally.  Here are a few makers we’ve seen in our news feed this week.  Please visit their websites, Instagram or Facebook pages for ordering information.
find mask, support small business
Competitions, Events, Opportunities
Sponsored by NASA, the program pairs technology developed in NASA laboratories with business and technical talent who aim to create new businesses around breakthrough NASA technology. You will experience a hands-on approach to business model building through lean startup methods.
A 5-day online program for college students who are looking to lead in the future of work.

You will be challenged to think differently and produce your best work. You will finish with a new-found clarity about what’s next for you. This workshop isn’t for everyone. It’s for those who are really excited to learn and put in the time and effort to grow.
The Spanx by Sara Blakely Foundation donated $5 million to support female entrepreneurs in the wake of COVID-19 and teamed up with GlobalGiving to establish the Red Backpack Fund. GlobalGiving will be overseeing the fund, making 1,000 grants of $5,000 each to female entrepreneurs in the U.S. to help alleviate the immediate needs and support the long-term recovery of those impacted by this crisis.
The Collegiate Inventors Competition® (CIC), a program of the National Inventors Hall of Fame®, is a national competition that recognizes and rewards innovations, discoveries and research by college and university students and their faculty advisers.
The competition encourages students who actively pursue invention. Students frequently come from science, engineering, mathematics and technology studies, but creative invention can emerge from any course of study.
Stand
Work & Study

  If you’re struggling to feel settled at the makeshift workspace you’ve set up in your kitchen, or you’re taking work calls from your closet in an attempt to minimize interruptions from your kids, you’re not alone. The “rapid remote” shift many of us have undergone in the last few weeks due to COVID-19 brings its own

Here are eight tried and true tricks to get the most out of learning from the comfort of your couch.
Inspiration

From fitness to fashion, COVID-19 is forcing businesses into unchartered territory. It’s the nimble, community-minded founders leading the way.
Matt, a small-batch chocolate maker whose production was bursting at the seams when the pandemic hit, now questions his retail space vs. online and tries to understand what government intervention will mean for his business.
Welcome to #ASOatHome, a place to connect with your Akron Symphony Orchestra until we are once again able to experience the joy of live music together.
Be Healthy

We have a roundup of our favorite and best books to read for spring 2020, including Power Moves! Career advice for women, Best careers for women, Career tips for women

Worried about your food supply during COVID-19? Three experts, including celebrated Chez Panisse chef Alice Waters, share tips for growing your own fruits and vegetables.

Practices, resources, and articles for individuals, parents, educators, and health care professionals facing COVID-19.
Business Resources
Welcome to The Future Lab. The podcast where we talk with, and about, the people, companies and ideas building the future. In each episode we talk with innovators and creators to learn what they're working on and how they're doing it.
The Office of Small Business Relief (OSBR) is focused on identifying and providing direct support to the state's nearly 950,000 small businesses to help during the current public health crisis and to position them for a strong rebound.
The National Women's Business Council (NWBC) is a non-partisan federal advisory committee created to serve as an independent source of advice and policy recommendations to the President, Congress, and the U.S. Small Business Administration on economic issues of importance to women business owners.
 Apply today to receive $10,000 for your business; grants will be distributed on a rolling basis. In addition to funding, grant recipients will receive ongoing support from the Hello Alice community.
You are eligible for a loan if you are a small business that employs 500 employees or fewer. Sole proprietors, independent contractors, gig economy workers, and self-employed individuals are all eligible for the Paycheck Protection Program.
Keep on Learning
How to Channel Your Skills and Find Your Best Side Hustle

Three key ways to go about finding the right side hustle for you, and how you can channel those skills to help people accomplish something meaningful.
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