Image Provided by Susquehanna Communications
By Grace Tesoro Staff Writer
Students learned about the experiences of a startup company at the Break Through panel “Startups: The Culture of Entrepreneurship” presented by Susquehanna alumni on Feb. 8.
The panel featured four Susquehanna alumni: Sara Jane Luley Baublitz ’08, Phil DeMuro ’12, Kelly Gardiner ’09, and Gabrielle Stahl ’18.
Baublitz, DeMuro, and Gardiner shared that they originally started with a corporation, but later in their careers made a switch to a startup. As for Stahl, she joined Careerlist, a start-up that works to make the recruiting process more efficient, after graduation.
One of the central themes of the panel that the alumni discussed was the importance of embracing change, taking risks and being smart about decision making.
“Changing from a corporation to a startup depends on your field, you need to have an understanding if there is an opening in your field to take that opportunity,” Baublitz said.
Each panelist had unique insights into what inspired them to become part of a startup company.
“I bought in for my leader,” Stahl said. “The leader is the person who is going to drive the force. Being able to work alongside the CEO also is a huge benefit because I get a say in what the mission and vision is going to look like.”
Sophomore Julianna Innocenti, a management major, attended the panel and said that it was helpful.
“Just hearing the advice from the alumni about the different paths that they went on was really valuable because it teaches you that even when you have a different idea, it’s okay to change it,” Innocenti said.
The discussion also highlighted the importance of research that needs to occur to make the jump from a corporation to a startup. DeMuro provided helpful advice about researching the financials of a startup before deciding to work for one.
“Crunchbase.com is a great resource to research the funding information of companies,” DeMuro explained.
The panelists also discussed the importance of the liberal arts education that they received from Susquehanna and how it greatly benefited each of them.
“When you a receive a liberal arts education, you can be so many things for a company. Susquehanna also helped me create a network by making authentic relationships with people,” Baublitz said.
Gardiner, a Susquehanna public relations major, talked about the communications department’s emphasis on the importance of creating relationships through effective communication.
“Public relations is a people business, it’s key to be able to understand their behaviors based on how they’re communicating,” Gardiner said.
