classepodcast

In this episode of the Class E podcast, we talk with Furman alum Mark Kaiser ’79 about his varied career. Kaiser is an expert in deploying M&A, innovation, and corporate venturing to drive meaningful growth. He has been involved in the acquisition of over 100 companies and designed and supported over 40 Fortune 500 corporate venture capital funds, innovation centers, and incubators including the $250M Cigna Ventures, $150M Tyson Ventures, Nestlé New Business Ventures, General Mills’ 301INC, and the Venturing and Emerging Brands (VEB) unit at The Coca-Cola Company.

He is a senior advisor to the global consulting firm Bain & Company and an advisor to FOCUS Investment Bank, a middle-market investment banking firm. In this conversation, we talk about how learning to code while at Furman gave him thought processes he uses today to approach market problems and help his customers speak the right language.

Host: Mary Sturgill

Producer: Rachel Page

In this episode of the Class E Podcast, we talk to brother-sister team Libby ’11 and Andrew Phillips ’14 on the value found in impact investing. Join us as we sit down with the owners of Big Al Mowing and the mission-oriented Phillips Family Office to learn how quality investments have both considerable profit potential and strong community impact.

Host: Mary Sturgill

Producer: Rachel Page

Today on the Class E Podcast we are joined by the president of Metropolitan Properties and 2003 Furman alumni Zach Johnson. Zach shares how his love of reading as an English major led him to rediscover himself as an entrepreneur, as well as his advice for small business owners and entrepreneurs, especially during the time of COVID-19.

Host: Mary Sturgill

Guest: Zach Johnson

Producers: Rachel Paige and Harris Wellborn

One of the most common mistakes that entrepreneurs make in the early stages of starting their own company is choosing to work with the wrong people. In this episode, founder of Coastal Corrugated Jim Bozard shares the biggest mistake he made when he started his own business, as well as other advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.

In this episode, serial social entrepreneur and former member of the US national kayaking team, Jonathan Shanin shares how he developed programs, non-profits, and businesses that make a social impact. Why he says being your authentic self and having social-emotional intelligence is more important than anything else. He explains how his competitive nature led him to be one of the first online marketing professionals in the world.

In this episode, Furman Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneur in Residence, Derek Pedersen talks with Jon Scott, founder of ScopeStack, an early-stage software platform that helps companies scale the work they perform faster and efficiently. They talk about how to streamline your company’s processes and find scalable solutions to problems. Jon explains how he started his company and who you should talk to, and when, in the process of building your company. They discuss how to keep relationships solid as you grow and stay focused on what will keep your company prospering. Jon also talks about how to balance being customer-focused and making your product fit the market and retain customers.

In this episode, Furman Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneur in Residence, Derek Pedersen, shares the pitfalls most new entrepreneurs make and how you can avoid them.  He also outlines what Furman Innovation is doing to help great ideas come to light. 

This is the second part of the two-part episode in which we talk to Professor Meghan Slining about what she and her sister learned while creating an App that allows for Pediatric Cancer families to connect with one another.  Meghan shares the things they didn't know and the power of saying Yes.  

In this Episode of the Class E Podcast, Furman University Professor, Meghan Slining shares the family tragedy that leads to the creation of the App CoHeals and a non-profit aimed at helping help cancer families connect.  The conversation takes us through how they rallied the troops to build the App, even when they had never done anything like this before.  Meghan shares the lessons they learned along the way.