Michael Robinson was exposed to the world of entrepreneurship from a young age. Robinson's parents own a Crown Trophy franchise, and his brother operates a wine and beer lounge in Winston-Salem. Robinson knew he wanted to own his own business. Still, it wasn’t until he became a student at The University of North Carolina at Pembroke that he discovered his self-assurance.
“(UNCP) is where my confidence was born as an entrepreneur,” said Robinson ’12, who opened Bingo-Bango Fresh Fruit Soda Company in 2017. “The interactions, the relationships I built––it all began here at UNCP.”
Robinson vividly recalls a conversation with his business law professor, Dr. Joseph Lakatos, which awakened his entrepreneurial spirit.
“He told me about my potential, my analytical skills and how creative I could be as an entrepreneur. That’s what ignited the spark for me,” he said.
Robinson returned to his alma mater to share his inspiring story with future entrepreneurs and business students as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week, sponsored by the Thomas College of Business and Economics. Robinson later joined a group of entrepreneurs for a panel discussion. Other featured events included a youth entrepreneurship summit, a women entrepreneurs’ networking session and an induction ceremony for the newly-charter Sigma Nu Tau Entrepreneurship Honor Society.
Dr. Caroline Glackin, the Thomas Family Distinguished Professor of Entrepreneurship, said the weeklong activities provide students with opportunities to engage with successful entrepreneurs through networking and workshops.
“Events like the Pop-up Shop and Brave Hawk Pitch Competition give students opportunities to build and grow their student businesses and to receive feedback and advice to move forward,” Glackin said. “The new Sigma Nu Tau Entrepreneurship Honor Society highlights strong students and helps them to uplift principled entrepreneurship, and the Youth Entrepreneurship Summit brought entrepreneurs to campus to get a taste of the UNCP student experience and to support their growth and development.”
Nelysa Rosario, a junior business student and budding entrepreneur, hopes to follow in Robinson’s shoes and achieve the same level of success with her digital platform, Genesis 7. Her seed-stage company connects customers to local lawncare providers. Rosario’s spirited elevator pitch impressed the judges, earning her a $1,500 prize at the annual BraveHawk Pitch Competition.
“It feels beyond amazing!” Rosario said. “I am very grateful to have been given this opportunity and to immerse myself around like-minded individuals with great ideas.”
Kennedy Hamlin finished second and took home $1,000. Santiago Pimienta placed third, which came with a $500 cash prize. While Hamlin, a former preschool teacher, was competing in her first pitch event, Rosario is a seasoned vet. She competed in a recent event on campus and then placed in the Top 24 at the CEO Global Pitch competition in Tampa, Fla., in October.
The experience has boosted her confidence, resulting in powerful deliveries for the Raleigh native.
“The most vital business skills are communication skills,” she said. “These competitions not only help my public speaking skills, but they help me communicate my ideas in a way that people understand, allowing them to see the vision.”
