Student-run businesses on display in Student Center

John Talbott, Junior entrepreneurship major, shares his purified water bottle business at the entrepreneurship showcase, April 16th. The showcase was held on the second floor of the student center. Photo by Emily Martin.

John Talbott, Junior entrepreneurship major, shares his purified water bottle business at the entrepreneurship showcase, April 16th. The showcase was held on the second floor of the student center. Photo by Emily Martin.

Lyndsey Sager

Four student-run businesses displayed their products Monday, day one of the Entrepreneurship Showcase.

The showcase will continue on the second floor of the Student Center Tuesday from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. with six student-run businesses.

“Today was a good experience,” said Chad Radke, a sophomore entrepreneurship major and the showcase host. “We learned a lot about how to attract people to the event, and we’re hoping tomorrow to get a little more traffic, but overall it was a good first day.”

Radke, owner of Oasis Marketing, said the Entrepreneurship Showcase was his company’s first major event.

“The showcase was the first thing we decided we wanted to do,” Radke said. “We sat in front of our entrepreneurial experience class and said, ‘We think it’d be really cool if we could get everyone together at the end of the year.’”

Any student who attended the event Monday or attends Tuesday and talks to at least four business owners has the chance to be entered into a raffle to win a free spray tan, a Kent State water bottle or a Kent State T-shirt.

The free spray tan was donated by one of the showcase businesses, Always Summer Spray Tans.

Jessica Blaine, a senior entrepreneurship major, said she started Always Summer Spray Tans as an affordable and convenient mobile tanning solution for students.

Blaine said her business is home to the $23 spray tan, which undercuts local competition by about 50 percent.

Blaine’s formula is custom-made for Always Summer Spray Tans and will not turn skin orange, she said. Blaine also said her product is scented, quick-drying and includes an anti-aging ingredient that can be as effective as Botox.

Another business, Pura-Fi, provided a free Kent State water bottle.

John Talbott, a junior entrepreneurship major and Pura-Fi owner, also sold his water bottles for $20 at the showcase.

Talbott said his water bottles can filter any water into clean, safe drinking water. He also said the filters last twice as long as a Brita water bottle.

Quest Select Syndicate was another one of the businesses at the showcase. Michael Kirk, the president of QSS, said it specializes in technology solutions.

The company offers many technology services, including computer troubleshooting, website development, iPhone repairs and mobile application development. A full list of its services is available online at www.questselectsyndicate.com .

“We’ve had years of experience,” Kirk said. “We offer immediate repair services for students in need.”

The final business on display Monday was Northern Landscaping Enterprises.

Northern Landscaping co-owners Clayton Manning and Mike Morris are also both entrepreneurship majors.

Manning said their business specializes in a variety of landscaping services, including lawn care, hardscaping, plantscaping, snow plowing and more.

A full list of Northern Landscaping’s services is available online at www.northern-landscaping.com.

“We’ve had a lot of students and adults stop by to ask about our services,” Morris said. “It’s been a net working event for sure and we’re working on getting our name out.”

Brulala Handmade Accessories, a company that creates fun, eye-catching and trendy accessories, along with Bargain Book Hunters, a book bartering and swapping businesses, will join the showcase Tuesday.

“[The showcase] is a great way for us to bring attention to our business and allow the school to see all the student-run businesses,” said Elizabeth Ohlin, Bargain Book Hunters co-owner and a sophomore entrepreneurship major. “Chad has worked so hard to put this event together and we wanted to support Oasis Marketing, as well as all the other businesses involved.”

Contact Lyndsey Sager at [email protected].