By Ain Center Staff

On Tuesday, October 6, the Ain Center hosted the first webinar in the Buzz Lab Special Edition: Managing through Uncertainty series. Designed to help entrepreneurs and business owners operate under the uncertainty of our current public health crisis, these workshops run from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesdays from October 6 through November 3. This program is supported by a University Center grant from the Economic Development Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

The first workshop featured Gemma Sole ’09 and Jason Barrett, who shared their experiences of pivoting business models during times of crisis. Though their businesses are quite different (Gemma’s company, N.A.bld is a design-to-delivery production platform for digital brands of the future; Jason’s Black Button Distilling is a distillery in Rochester), Gemma and Jason both had to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic in unexpected ways.

The remaining workshops in the series will explore similarly important topics:

• Financial Resources with Baye Muhammad (CEO, Rochester Economic Development Corporation)
• Adapting Operations with Janine Caschette (Owner, AVVINO Restaurant) and Kim Gaylord (Executive Director, TechRochester)
• eCommerce & Digital Marketing with Matt Weaver (Director of Digital Marketing, Mason Digital)
• Self-Care & Work/Life Balance with Melissa Mueller-Douglas (Founder, MYRetreat)

Those interested in participating in the upcoming webinars can register online, browse the schedule, and learn more about the presenters on our Buzz Lab Special Edition webpage. Once you register, you’ll also receive links to any workshops you miss, including Tuesday’s session featuring Gemma and Jason.

Are you an entrepreneur or small business owner looking for additional resources through the Ain Center? Explore our website and be sure to check out the Buzz Lab Boot Camp program, as well as our Experts-in-Residence, who provide free 30-minute advising sessions. If you have any questions, please contact AinCFE@rochester.edu!