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Russell Sage College is among the sponsors of Techstars Startup Weekend, a three-day opportunity for entrepreneurs to learn, network, and meet mentors, investors, cofounders, and more. The weekend will take place February 2 through February 4 in the Armory at Russell Sage College, 140 New Scotland Avenue in Albany.
The event kicks off in the evening beginning Friday, February 2, followed by two full days of learning on Saturday and Sunday.
Startup Weekend features deep experiential learning guided by Russell Sage College School of Management Professor Robert Manasier, who is serving as leader of the event. Manasier is a serial entrepreneur and branded growth builder, with experience in over 167 international startups, 125 operational growth/scale companies, and 70 exit projects.
Participants can pitch an idea they’ve been thinking about for years or something they think of during the event. The point of the event is to learn how to go from ideation to product. Pitching provides invaluable practice for public speaking.
Register for the event online. Russell Sage College students can attend for free using the following promo code: Sage
The cost for registration for other attendees ranges from $17.85 to $28.52.
Mentors include:
Michael D. Lanuto, AWMA®, CRPC®: For over 17 years, Lanuto served as a law enforcement professional dedicated to protecting and serving members of the community. Now as a financial professional, Lanuto has dedicated his practice to protecting and serving his clients to help them feel safe financially for themselves and their families. He is the co-founder of the nonprofit 510-c(3) International Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum located at the MVP Arena in Albany, New York, and is a board member for the Greene County Chamber of Commerce. Lanuto also serves as an advisory committee board member for Catskill Senior High School’s Career & Technical Education (CTE) program.
Dr. Eileen V. Brownell: Brownell is an associate professor of management at Russell Sage College and principal consultant at ReGenIGNITE, who specializes in leadership, organizational change, and conflict management and mediation. Since 2005, she has had a special focus on well-being coaching and supporting people experiencing major shifts in their lives, such as career changes, promotions, divorce, aging, retirement, and students moving from college to career.
MaryEllen Tedesco, M.S.: Tedesco is an assistant professor of practice in the field of management at Russell Sage College and specializes in all areas of human resource management, leadership, and organizational behavior. With 40 years of progressively responsible expertise as a director of human resources, she focuses on labor management and negotiation, recruitment and retention, and position classification.
Pam Ko: Ko is an associate professor of law at Russell Sage College and teaches in the areas of business law, sport law, and intellectual property. She specializes in contract drafting, legal research, and the use of IP as a business asset. Ko has researched and written about business start-ups, entrepreneurship, and business development in addition to publishing articles and book chapters on university technology transfer and community economic development. Prior to joining Russell Sage, Ko was a visiting professor at Albany School of Law and worked in the corporate sector as an attorney for MapInfo/Pitney Bowes Business Insight. While at Albany Law, Professor Ko was instrumental in the creation of the Center for Law and Innovation’s Legal Handbook for Early Stage Business.
Dr. Huimin Xu: Xu is an associate professor of marketing at Russell Sage College and teaches digital marketing, marketing research, advertising, consumer behavior, and other courses. Prior to receiving her doctorate from University of Arizona, Xu worked in international trade and advertising. She has published in Journal of Consumer Marketing, Journal of Consumer Behavior, Basic and Applied Social Psychology, Management Research Review, and the Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, among others.
Katrin Haldeman: Haldeman is a Capital Region entrepreneur and founder of both Dali Mamma and IF boutique marketing. She is a natural food chef and yoga and meditation teacher. She has spent the last 15 years developing branding and marketing strategies as the idea generator for local entrepreneurs. Haldeman works with both start-ups and established businesses that need energy infused into their messaging and delivery as well as those that want to pivot to a new industry. Her portfolio of businesses she has mentored spans various industries, from food service, product creation, app development, junk removal, and personal brand development for a UFC fighter. In addition to her work as an entrepreneur, she is an activist at heart. She serves as the director of marketing and communications at Disability Rights New York, a nonprofit providing free legal and advocacy services for people with disabilities. Her commitment to social causes is a testament to her character and dedication to making a positive impact in the community.
Chris Jones: Jones is a podcast services provider and content creator. He has spent the last 40 years understanding and providing what clients and customers need. Podcast listeners are highly engaged, more than radio listeners, TV consumers, or phone scrollers. Chris gets companies prominently featured on podcast episodes. Chris also designs and gets your website maximum exposure, along with creating content for your social media, and is a voice actor. He resides in Glens Falls, New York, and enjoys science fiction, internet radio, and gaming in his spare time.