From Liberal Arts to Co-founder and CEO: A Conversation with Brendan Candon ’10

Alumni Highlight Picture

The Innovation Challenge provides students with a unique opportunity to collaborate with local businesses or non-profits, addressing real-world issues and presenting innovative solutions. This year, the challenges are focused on SidelineSwap, an online marketplace for sporting equipment co-founded by Holy Cross alumnus Brendan Candon ’10. In a recent interview with Maeley Nakamura ’26, Brendan shared his journey from a political science major at a liberal arts school to becoming the CEO of SidelineSwap and how his experiences at Holy Cross shaped his entrepreneurial success.

MN: As a political science major at Holy Cross, how did your liberal arts education contribute to your entrepreneurial success?

BC: “As an entrepreneur, there’s no blueprint. You’re constantly problem-solving and learning across a broad surface area. And the learning is often self-directed. There’s no better foundation for entrepreneurship than liberal arts because you learn how to learn and you have an opportunity to study a broad range of subjects – from economics and accounting to political science and psychology. 

Majoring in political science helped prepare me for an environment where the right answer is often far from obvious. I learned to think critically, consider multiple perspectives, understand multiplayer strategy, and communicate persuasively. 

In both politics and business, it’s up to the leader to ask the right questions, distill the information at hand, make the best decision possible and influence their teams to pursue that plan of action. As a political science major and history minor, I had an opportunity to study these dynamics through history’s most challenging conflicts and greatest leaders, and I think that prepared me well for life as an entrepreneur.” 

Long before Brendan founded SidelineSwap, he had a history of starting businesses and talks about his successes and failures along the way, and the story of how SidelineSwap started. 

MN: Did you always know that you wanted to be an entrepreneur? Continue reading “From Liberal Arts to Co-founder and CEO: A Conversation with Brendan Candon ’10”

Unlocking Innovation – The Journey of Flare

Quinn Fitzgerald '11 speaking to students on zoom

On Monday, HC Launch warmly welcomed Quinn Fitzgerald ’11 as the distinguished guest for their first Founder Forum event of the semester. The audience, predominantly composed of aspiring entrepreneurs, had the privilege of hearing an engaging story that intertwined innovation with personal safety. Quinn Fitzgerald shared her journey from her academic exploration in peace and conflict studies to her foray into entrepreneurship, culminating in the creation of Flare, a revolutionary personal safety company.

Quinn’s leap into entrepreneurship wasn’t premeditated but rather spurred by a college assignment that tasked her with launching a startup. The result was Flare, a company designed to tackle personal safety concerns head-on. What fueled her passion for this endeavor was a deeply personal experience – an assault that ignited her determination to address a long-standing societal issue.

Throughout the event, Quinn stressed that entrepreneurship is not just a career but an approach, a unique way of problem-solving and confronting challenges. She also shed light on the soft skills she acquired along her entrepreneurial journey, which proved instrumental to her success.

Flare was in the spotlight during the event, presented as a company specializing in personal safety, with an innovative app and a wristband. Established in 2016 and recently acquired by new ownership, this transition marked a significant milestone in its evolution. Quinn’s current focus is on coaching and mentoring other entrepreneurs, following her successful sale of Flare.

Quinn shared her venture into an industry with a centuries-old history. Her aim was to offer a more comprehensive solution to multifaceted safety concerns, moving beyond conventional methods like pepper spray. She engaged potential users rigorously through surveys and focus groups, gaining profound insights into their needs and circumstances.To develop a product that truly resonated with the market, she began with product sketches and employed 3D printing technology. The search for the right engineers was pivotal, and she successfully assembled a talented team by offering them a modest stake in the company’s ownership. The initial 3D printed prototype evolved gradually, incorporating features such as a chip and a button to enhance functionality.

Quinn also discussed her journey to secure funding. She commenced with competitions as her initial source of financing, ultimately succeeding in securing three rounds of capital. The first round brought in $750,000, the second an impressive $3 million, and the third attracted even more substantial investments, thanks to the support of both venture capitalists and angel investors.

Quinn’s narrative provides a wealth of insights for budding entrepreneurs, illustrating the path from concept to funding. Her story is a testament to the transformative power of innovation and unwavering determination in addressing complex societal challenges, one step at a time.

Thanks to Liz Garfield ’24 for writing this HC Launch recap! 

Students Prepare for Bank Visits with Jargon Cheat Sheet

 NYSE Wall Street Signs

This list of finance vocabulary is a sampling of some of the terms and abbreviations students can expect to hear during conversations at the various site visits to banks in Boston and NYC as part of the Certificate in Finance & Banking program.  Get acquainted with industry jargon and concepts, and review courses and guides to gain more from your upcoming experience, including the ability to ask better questions to make yourself stand out from the crowd.  Be sure to access the College’s free readership program for the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) and New York Times (NYT) to connect with these terms in a real world context.

Finance Jargon

Asset: Resource with economic value that a corporation owns or controls with the expectation that it will provide a future benefit; Assets are reported on a company’s balance sheet and are bought or created to increase a firm’s value or benefit the firm’s operations.

    • Asset Allocation is an investment strategy that aims to balance risk and reward by apportioning a portfolio’s assets according to an individual’s goals, risk tolerance, and investment horizon. The three main asset classes – equities, fixed-income, and cash and equivalents – have different levels of risk and return.

Book Building: Process by which an underwriter attempts to determine the price at which an initial public offering (IPO) will be offered. An underwriter, normally an investment bank, builds a book by inviting institutional investors (such as fund managers and others) to submit bids for the number of shares and the price(s) they would be willing to pay for them.

Book Value: Referring to an investment, it is the price paid for a security or debt investment. When a company sells stock, the selling price minus the book value is the capital gain or loss from the investment.

Broker: Individual or firm that acts as an intermediary between an investor and a securities exchange; Buy and sell financial instruments on the behalf of a client and charges a fee for doing so.

Bull and Bear Markets:

    • A Bull Market is a market that is on the rise and where the economy is sound. (Tip: A bull charges “up” with horns.)
    • A Bear Market exists in an economy that is receding, where most stocks are declining in value. (Tip: A bear charges “down” with paws.)

Buying Size: Occurs when a trader offers to buy a large volume of shares

Buy-Side/Sell-Side:

    • Buy-Side is the side of the financial market that buys and invests large portions of securities for the purpose of money or fund management; Includes investment managers, pension funds, and hedge funds.
    • Sell-Side is the other side of the financial market, which deals with the creation, promotion, and selling of traded securities to the public; Includes investment banks, advisory firms, and corporations.

Continue reading “Students Prepare for Bank Visits with Jargon Cheat Sheet”

Annual Business Social Congratulates Business Certificate Graduates

Student collage at an outdoor event

April 27, 2023

Dear student,

Congratulations Business Certificate Program Graduates!

After years of workshops, tutorials, internships, coursework, and job shadowing experiences (not to mention a pandemic!), we are proud to name you as a graduate of the Business Certificate Program offered by the Ciocca Center for Business, Ethics, and Society at the College of the Holy Cross.

As a graduate, you are among a select group of students who will be receiving a Certificate in Business Fundamentals, a Certificate in Entrepreneurship, and/or a Certificate in Finance & Banking.

While others were vacationing, you decided to immerse yourself in business, expose yourself to new concepts, build transferable skill sets, and network with successful alumni in the field. This dedication has made all the difference. Your liberal arts education from Holy Cross has equipped you with the skills to communicate effectively, problem solve, and think critically – the soft skills you can’t learn on the job. To complement this, your business certificate will be a differentiator in the job market and has provided you with competitive technical skills. Take this opportunity to appreciate all that you have accomplished. Continue reading “Annual Business Social Congratulates Business Certificate Graduates”

Local Colleges Attend Inaugural Student Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Summit in Worcester

People chatting in circle

Last month at WorcLab, Worcester’s premier business incubator and coworking space, the city hosted the inaugural Student Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Summit (SEES) to bring the startup community together on Saturday, March 25.  Organizations and local businesses set up tables to share their resources with budding student entrepreneurs. The event brought nearly 25 students together from various colleges in the Worcester area including Holy Cross, WPI, WSU, Clark, Assumption, and UMass. Students had the opportunity to learn directly from local business owners, pitch their businesses and explore resources. SEES provided an excellent platform for students to gain practical knowledge and insights from the successful entrepreneurs next door. 

The event kicked off with food and networking on the 7th floor of the Printer’s Building on Portland Street in downtown Worcester. During the summit, students interacted with business owners from a diverse range of industries including biotech, gaming, and maker spaces. They learned about the challenges that these entrepreneurs faced when starting and growing their businesses, the strategies they used to overcome these obstacles and the many resources available to them in Worcester.  Continue reading “Local Colleges Attend Inaugural Student Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Summit in Worcester”

Major in Sociology and Succeed in Business

My name is Kasamba Amiri ’24 and I am a junior at Holy Cross majoring in Sociology pursuing a Certificate in Business Fundamentals. While working towards my Certificate, I have completed a few workshops including Interview Prep, Global Supply Chain Management, and Marketing Communication, & Sales. I have obtained valuable skills and knowledge in these areas, including the Microsoft Excel Tutorial.

With a liberal arts education, we are taught to think about the people behind each facet of a larger functioning body, a skill that proves helpful in developing and maintaining relationships. My relationships with the faculty and staff on campus have helped me understand why I want to pursue a career in business. Working with and meeting alumni through the Ciocca Center has assisted me in networking with professionals as I explore my career options. I was able to connect with Maegan Moriatry ’20 and discuss both the industry and life as a Holy Cross post-graduate! The connections formed through the Ciocca Center have not only helped me prepare for a life in business but for a life as an adult.

My relationships with the faculty and staff on campus have helped me understand why I want to pursue a career in business.

Continue reading “Major in Sociology and Succeed in Business”

HC Launch Student Group Host Local Serial Entrepreneur

two men sitting at the front of class

This year, HC Launch has been connecting with the local Worcester startup community.  Recently, the club visited MultiScale Systems, Geisel Software, and is planning a visit to Redemption Rock Brewery later this spring. As with many startups though, one of the companies we were working with only had a desk at a coworking space.  This, we decided, wasn’t suitable for a site visit so we pivoted!

On Monday, March 20th, the HC Launch student group hosted local serial entrepreneur, Jonathan Lincoln. Rob Murner, director of the Ciocca Center and entrepreneur in residence, started the conversation and students were able to learn from Jonathan’s three ventures: Continue reading “HC Launch Student Group Host Local Serial Entrepreneur”

Students Pitch Solutions for Local Business at Innovation Challenge

Group presentation

On Sunday, March 19th, HC Launch hosted its first in-person Innovation Challenge event since the pandemic. It was also Launch’s first event in the newly-built Prior Performing Arts Center.  The challenge was coordinated with a local business, Giesel Software Inc. (GSI), and some of the real-world problems they are facing.  Students pitched in response to one of two challenges; 1) to develop a product or 2) propose a real-estate solution for a rapidly growing business.

GSI’s CEO and founder, Brian Giesel, sat on the judging panel, along with alums Will Spangenberg ‘22 and Ted Pidcock ‘88. Continue reading “Students Pitch Solutions for Local Business at Innovation Challenge”

Entrepreneurship Club Visits Local Startup

Experience shared by Alexander Christie ’24, Administrative Director of HC Launch.

This week I was one of fourteen Holy Cross students accompanied by the Ciocca Center director and entrepreneur-in-residence, Rob Murner, to get off campus to visit a local stuartup on February 21. HC Launch, the entrepreneurship club within the Ciocca Center, organized a site visit to Geisel Software, a software development company focused on robotics and artificial intelligence located in Worcester.  We were able to hear from a number of different people within this growing company including the office manager, a few engineers, and the founder/CEO, Brian Giesel. Feedback from students was that this site visit was an extraordinarily positive experience. 

Giesel has something for everyone. There were a number of computer science majors in attendance who certainly benefited from hearing about the career experiences of the engineers. Those of us who weren’t specifically interested in software learned a lot about the intricacies of this field, which will only become more important to understand as technology continues to emulate life. Brian also talked about the founding and growth of the company, as well as the challenges that led the company to where it is today.

There are two primary takeaways from this experience for me and according to Brian, these are two of the key ingredients to his company’s success.  Continue reading “Entrepreneurship Club Visits Local Startup”

Holy Cross Student Investment Fund Attend Stock Pitch Competition in Michigan

Students on a plane

McKenna Best ’23 shares details of the recent stock pitch competition on February 9th, 2023 where twelve Holy Cross students jumped on a jet to the University of Michigan to attend the annual ENGAGE Undergraduate Investment Conference at Michigan’s Ross School of Business. This year was a particularly big deal as the conference experienced a post-COVID return to form: in-person networking, live-action presentations, and one-on-one engagement were all finally back. Having access to all of these opportunities provided invaluable insight and expertise to all attendees, arriving from prestigious universities across America and Canada.

The Holy Cross Student Investment Fund could have attended the conference without competing, but thanks to the hard work of the students involved, Holy Cross was chosen among hundreds of applications to compete including Thomas Keane ’24, JP McCarthy ’24, Maddie Ingram ’23 and John (Jack) Daly ’25.