Roving written report Dylan Chaplin of late interviewed Isaiah Ham, a Reynolds alum, as well as presently to hold upwards VCU graduate, who participated inwards the Richmond SCOREcard Business Model Canvas Competition amongst his proposed production “Ivy Oaks Analytics”. They discussed his fourth dimension at Reynolds, the SCOREcard Business Model Canvas Competition, as well as his hereafter every bit CEO of Ivy Oaks Analytics.
D.C - Are you lot currently a Reynolds student, or receive got you lot graduated? If you lot are all the same a pupil at Reynolds or or then other institution, what produce you lot promise to produce later graduation? If you lot receive got graduated, what are you lot doing professionally/employment-wise?
I.H - I graduated from Reynolds inwards 2014 as well as am inwards my terminal semester at VCU. When I graduate inwards May I volition conk along running Ivy Oaks.
D.C - What are/were your favorite classes at Reynolds as well as why?
I.H - I actually enjoyed my TEDU classes at Reynolds. The professors were passionate as well as offered valuable insights. My assignments were oftentimes designed to encourage creative responses rather than recite definitions or facts. Reynolds does an first-class chore of encouraging students to intend exterior the box as well as I intend other academic institutions should follow Reynolds’ lead.
D.C - How did you lot larn involved inwards the SCOREcard Business Model Canvas Competition?
I.H - Two of my advisors are affiliated amongst the Richmond segmentation of SCORE. They recommended that I apply to hold upwards a contestant. I was somewhat hesitant initially every bit in that location were 23 other companies accepted but ultimately it worked out well.
D.C - How did Reynolds prepare you lot for the competition?
I.H - Reynolds helped me railroad train a strong feel of self-worth. Many inaccurately sentiment going to a community college every bit somehow inferior to a four-year school, as well as piece a Reynolds pupil I sometimes felt similar the underdog. Waiting inwards the light-green room earlier the semifinal round, I noticed the vi other finalists were much older amongst considerably to a greater extent than delineate of piece of work organisation experience. My fourth dimension at Reynolds instilled a self-reliance that allowed me to disregard other competitors as well as rest focused.
D.C - Tell me most your proposed production “Ivy Oaks Analytics”
I.H - Ivy Oaks Analytics is working to cut down preventable injuries as well as diseases inwards summertime camps as well as furnish the populace amongst a platform to locate areas where they are less probable to hold upwards injured. We produce this inwards three ways:
· We service camps monthly to cut down tick populations, eliminate toxicant ivy, as well as take away stinging insect nests. We receive got a lot of innovative tools including insect repellent paint, insect repellent trash bags, organic materials to cut down tick populations, as well as devices that foreclose ticks from hosting. We approximate our effectiveness past times criterion tick populations earlier as well as later treatments. We also get together information on the full publish of campers that were bitten past times ticks, contracted toxicant ivy, or injured from a stinging insect inwards the summertime earlier our services. These totals are compared amongst the summertime that our services are implemented. We anticipate cracking injury as well as tick population reductions this summer.
· All camps nosotros service are certified as well as listed on our website www.IvyOaksAnalytics.com. Our database is the get-go of its sort which allows parents, campers, as well as staff to notice a summertime army camp that has prevention measures for ticks, toxicant ivy, as well as stinging insects.
· We are working on devices to hold upwards patented that process mice, squirrels, deer, as well as other tick hosts amongst a liquid which prevents ticks from hosting. The animals are inwards no means harmed as well as the liquid is applied every bit they swallow feed. This procedure industrial plant similar to a pet possessor putting Frontline on their domestic dog to maintain ticks as well as fleas off. In this means nosotros tin cut down populations at a depression cost.
D.C - Even though you lot placed tertiary inwards the competition, produce you lot promise to all the same advance Ivy Oaks Analytics as well as if so, how?
I.H - Absolutely, in that location is a serious fail of these hazards inwards camps as well as many kids are existence injured. It is urgent nosotros grow Ivy Oaks every bit speedily every bit possible because in that location are going to hold upwards kids that terminate upwards inwards the infirmary this summertime from threats nosotros tin prevent. We are currently raising coin to fund our get-go year. Since the competition exterior startup organizations receive got approached us to run together.
D.C - How proud were you lot most placing tertiary inwards the competition?
I.H - It would receive got been prissy to win first, but it was a cracking experience. The judges included the CEO of Virginia Biotech, a example from Berkshire Hathaway, as well as a venture capitalist only to cry a few. Having these individuals amongst extensive delineate of piece of work organisation success recognize the potential of Ivy Oaks was real encouraging.
D.C - What advice would you lot give someone that wants to start a novel business?
I.H - Don’t start a delineate of piece of work organisation to receive got a delineate of piece of work organisation because it’s going far to a greater extent than hard than you lot always imagined, peculiarly if you’re doing something no ane has done. However, if you lot consider a job inwards monastic tell that a delineate of piece of work organisation tin solve don’t allow anyone beak you lot out of it or discourage you. I am passionate most Ivy Oaks existence successful because I was hospitalized every bit a youngster at summertime army camp for toxicant ivy as well as was a army camp counselor where a camper contracted Lyme disease.
D.C - What opportunities are you lot currently exploring?
I.H - I only returned from New York coming together amongst a tick-borne affliction inquiry grouping as well as a few summertime camps inwards Pennsylvania. We should laid out working amongst Dominion Innovation Resource Center to railroad train prototypes of our devices. I of late met amongst NBC12 who nosotros volition hold upwards working amongst to brand parents aware of our database. Determining the appropriate avenues for funding is a major focus correct now. H5N1 few people receive got suggested applying to hold upwards on Shark Tank but it’s a chip early on for that.