Weston Gregg ’16 – The fourth week of the LABB program has just come to an end. Over this past week we have discussed in depth how franchising a business works and the pros and cons in opening a franchise compared to a solo operation. We also analyzed in depth Cirque du Soleil, which was different than any of the previous businesses we had looked at due to the unique nature of their shows. We also had the chance to briefly watch part of the Cirque du Soleil performance in class, which was quite impressive and made me want to go see the show live sometime in the near future.
On Wednesday we finally gave our first business proposal presentations. Honestly this was a huge stress relief, not only for myself, but for the rest of the LABB members as well. We have been working on these proposals since the first week and have put many hours into researching and preparing for them. We gave our presentations to Roland Morin ’91, our instructor, Deborah Woods, the Grants Coordinator at Wabash College, and Cassie Hagan, the Administrative and Recruiting Assistant at Career Services. The six presentations consisted of a specific type of restaurant with each team competing for investments for their respective restaurants. There was a bar, deli, food truck, franchise, café, and typical sit down establishment. In the end, the food truck team consisting of Corey Hoffman and myself, was able to secure the most funding. Later on in the week, we were divided into new teams for our next business proposal – a venture of our choosing. Though the workload will be about the same, I believe this next proposal will be much easier to complete because we are now well aware of all the work that needs to be put in to complete a quality proposal.
I would like to thank Deborah Woods and Cassie Hagan for taking time out of their busy schedules to listen to all six presentations and provide valuable feedback for each one. I would also like to acknowledge the Lily Endowment and the generous Wabash alumni who support the LABB program for continuing to educate Wabash men in all aspects of business.
