Founded by entrepreneur, innovator, inventor, angel investor, and startup mentor Rick Kollmeyer, the CT Entrepreneurs brings together Connecticut-based startup enthusiasts who are looking to connect and create community with fellow entrepreneurs.
Macris Industries CEO Harrison Macris spoke about his entrepreneurship journey at the September 8 CT Entrepreneurs meetup.
“Connecticut already has many excellent networking-focused meetups,” says Kollmeyer. “Having been actively involved in the Boston ecosystem for the last 30 years, I felt I could help the Connecticut startup scene through meetings that provided educational content to help those building their businesses. By combining inspirational talks given by successful Connecticut-based founders, along with practical startup lessons, we’ve attracted a quickly growing and highly enthusiastic group of startup founders!”
The group—which currently has more than 700 members—includes innovative thinkers interested in learning and sharing their experiences with creating and launching startups throughout Connecticut.
Michelle Cote, Managing Director of the Connecticut Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, engaged the audience with an overview of the Business Model Canvas.
The CT Entrepreneurs group welcomes those interested in learning how to evaluate their startup ideas, bring them to life, and create sustainable companies.
The group’s meetings are focused around the featured stories of two to three Connecticut entrepreneurs from various disciplines. On September 8, the CT Entrepreneurs Meetup hosted its third event with a great lineup of speakers, which included:
Harrison Macris, CEO of Macris Industries, who is an enthusiastic entrepreneur, engineer, and inventor. Macris shared tips from his journey of entrepreneurship as a startup through current day with a large project for the Miami Aquarium and an innovative product line sold through West Marine. He advised the audience to “Be authentic. Be honest. Surround yourself with the right people.”
Scott Drozd, CEO of FCP Euro, described some of the challenges of starting and growing his successful startup.
Michelle Cote, Managing Director of the Connecticut Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Connecticut spoke about planning and proving the viability of your business idea. Cote also provided an overview of the Business Model Canvas, a powerful tool to help entrepreneurs think through the early-stage startup process.
Scott Drozd, CEO of FCP Euro and Co-Founder of Young Entrepreneurs Leading Our World (YELOW), who described how his startup’s went from a family-owned retail business to a fast-growing $25MM online retailer—and some of the bumps they hit along the way.
“We welcome people from companies at every stage,” encourages Kollmeyer. “I hope that anyone with an interest in business will attend our free meetings and participate in Connecticut’s entrepreneurial growth.”
The CT Entrepreneurs plans to meet four or five times a year and may host special events. Learn more or join the meetup at www.meetup.com/CT-Entrepreneurs-Meetup.
