Changing the Game to Ensure Your Business Succeeds

Entrepreneurs to Learn Key Components to Building a Successful Business at NSHMBA's Conference & Career Expo

ANAHEIM, Calif., Sept. 27, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --  The National Society of Hispanic MBAs (NSHMBA) and Nationwide Insurance will convene noted business experts in its Entrepreneurial Success Program 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Saturday, October 15 at the Anaheim Convention Center. This specialized series on entrepreneurship will highlight best practices for potential and current business owners striving for success in a challenging economic environment. For more information and registration, visit www.nshmba.org.

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In the Entrepreneurship Series' first session, entrepreneurship educator, Dr. Larry Cox, Pepperdine University, will explain how entrepreneurs generate game-changing business ideas, and then train participants in the skills and processes that produce innovative businesses.

Working with the business idea generated in the first session, Susan McManus, vice-president of Brand Management for Nationwide Insurance, and Dr. John Mooney, associate professor of Information Systems at the Graziadio School of Business and Management, Pepperdine University, and a research affiliate at the MIT Sloan Center for Information Systems, will demonstrate how social media can be used to quickly establish a new venture such as this in the marketplace. In the process, participants will learn the benefits and key strategies for deploying social media to reach potential customers worldwide.

Building on the previous two sessions, Salvador Enriquez, Chief of Business Development for the Minority Business Development Agency, U.S. Department of Commerce; and John Shearer, former CEO of several tech ventures who currently serves as Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Pepperdine University's Graziadio School of Business and Management, will discuss the options for financing a new venture. Participants will gain insight from interacting with you and a distinguished group of angel investors and venture capitalists, and will find direction for obtaining the necessary funds for their own business ventures.

"While Hispanics are leading the way in this country as entrepreneurs," said Manny Gonzalez, NSHMBA CEO. "Studies show that small, minority-owned businesses are suffering a high rate of failure. Since the recession began, Hispanic-owned businesses have been hit hard, forcing nearly one in every five to close. Our goal is to help improve business owners' fiscal knowledge and provide the tools and services they need to succeed."

"We're looking for candidates with a strong entrepreneurial spirit to become Nationwide Insurance agents and we're excited about the opportunity to recruit the best and brightest NSHMBA members to work in all kinds of roles within our company." said Candice Barnhardt, vice president, diversity and inclusion, Nationwide Insurance.

The Entrepreneurial Success Program will conclude NSHMBA's 22nd Annual Conference and Career Expo at the Anaheim Convention Center and Hilton Anaheim Hotel October 13-15. More than 8,000 Hispanic MBA professionals and students are expected to assemble for the nation's largest Hispanic MBA career expo and benefit from interview preparation, career coaching and professional and leadership development seminars as well as job opportunities with America's Fortune 500 companies. Lead sponsors are Sara Lee, United Technologies Corporation and the University of California Colleges of Business.  

Other key events include:

The Conference & Career Expo features several unique one-day opportunities for local students, job seekers, professionals and executives seeking employment and career advancement opportunities. One-day passes are available for purchase for the following:

Professional Development Day, Thursday October 13, offers workshops that teach the skills demanded by today's market, including: career development, technology, leadership, marketing and strategy. The sessions are taught by leading corporate executives from: McDonald's, Coca-Cola, Target Corp., Sears Holding Corp., Vanguard, Northwest Mutual and Pitney Bowes. University of California MBA Programs alumni will speak on career success.

Career Management Center provides individuals with coaching from leading resume, career management and human resources experts in job search and career advancement strategies. The Center is free to Conference attendees. The Center is open to the public only on Saturday, October 15.

The Executive Forum addresses core leadership topics and provides opportunities for executives attending the NSHMBA Conference & Career Expo to connect with their peers while engaging in thought-provoking sessions. The Forum includes an Executive Forum reception, sponsored by BMW, at the Hilton Anaheim Hotel Porte Cochere, 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. Thursday, October 13th; Executive Coaching Sessions October 13 and 14; and Executive Forum Educational sessions. Registration is required.

About Nationwide Insurance
Nationwide Insurance, based in Columbus, Ohio is one of the largest and strongest diversified insurance and financial services organizations in the U.S. and is rated A+ by A.M. Best. The company provides a full range of personalized insurance and financial services, including auto, motorcycle, boat and homeowner insurance; life insurance; farm, commercial insurance; administrative services, annuities, mortgages, mutual funds, pensions and long-term savings plans. Visit www.nationwide.com. Follow Nationwide Insurance on Twitter and http://www.facebook.com/nationwide?ref=ts .

About The National Society of Hispanic MBAs (NSHMBA)
The National Society of Hispanic MBAs (NSHMBA) was created in 1988 as a non-profit organization. Widely known as the "Premier Hispanic Organization," NSHMBA serves 36 chapters and nearly 10,000 members in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. It exists to increase the number of Hispanics graduating from MBA schools through scholarships, awareness programs and mentorship; enhance career management opportunities for Hispanic MBAs from school to leadership positions, through job placement and world class professional development; to be the partner of choice for organizations seeking to hire and develop Hispanic talent; and recruit and retain as life-long members a majority of Hispanic MBAs. For more information visit www.nshmba.org.

LEAD CONFERENCE SPONSORS:

Sara Lee Corporation
Each and every day, Sara Lee (NYSE: SLE) delights millions of consumers and customers around the world. The company has one of the world's best-loved and leading portfolios with its innovative and trusted food and beverage brands, including Ball Park, Douwe Egberts, Hillshire Farm, Jimmy Dean, Sara Lee and Senseo. Collectively, our brands generate nearly $9 billion in annual net sales from continuing operations. Sara Lee has approximately 20,000 employees in its continuing operations worldwide. Please visit www.saralee.com  for the latest news and in-depth information about Sara Lee and its brands.

United Technologies Corporation
United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX) provides energy efficient products and services to aerospace and building industries. UTC's products include Carrier heating, air conditioning and refrigeration, Hamilton Sundstrand aerospace systems and industrial products, Otis elevators and escalators, Pratt & Whitney aircraft engines, Sikorsky helicopters, UTC Fire & Security systems and UTC Power fuel cells. In 2011, INROADS named UTC the largest provider of corporate internships for the fourth year in a row, and DiversityBusiness.com ranked UTC 12th on the list of "Top 50 Organizations for Multicultural Business Opportunities." UTC has been a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes since the indexes began in 1999, and was named the "greenest" aerospace & defense company by Newsweek in 2010. To learn more, visit www.UTC.com.

University of California
The University of California, recognized worldwide for its academic distinction, includes more than 235,000 students, 186,000 faculty and staff, and a $21.8 billion annual budget at its 10 campuses. The university offers programs in more than 150 disciplines, many of which are ranked among the top 10 nationally, and for the last 17 years has generated more patents than any other university in the nation. The University of California has 6 MBA Programs with campuses in Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Riverside and San Diego. Diversity is a defining feature of California's past, present and future and is central to the mission of the University of California. The diversity of the people of California has been the source of innovative ideas and creative accomplishments throughout the state's history into the present.

SOURCE National Society of Hispanic MBAs - National Office