Springboard to Success

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The Brad D. Smith Business Incubator in downtown Huntington hopes to hatch hundreds of new jobs in the region.

 

Marshall Visual Arts CenterFor those who know and love Huntington, it doesn’t take a long walk downtown to see that the city has had numerous positive changes in the last 10 years. So, how does that momentum keep building in the next decade and beyond? Marshall University has answered that question with the creation of a business incubator located in the heart of the city. Its goal is to keep entrepreneurial blood flowing through Huntington, the Tri-State region and the entire state of West Virginia.

The Brad D. Smith Business Incubator opened earlier this year, landing its first two clients before the phone system was installed. North American Consulting Services, an international cyber security firm, and Impact Employment, a brand-new startup working to help those coming out of recovery to find employment, set up shop at the incubator as soon as the lights were turned on. While the two businesses appear to have nothing in common on the surface, underneath they are both driven by local entrepreneurs and serve as examples of what individuals from the area can accomplish. What’s more, they serve as a beacon to those outside West Virginia looking for business opportunities within the state.

There are many success stories that originated in Huntington and at Marshall, but one of the brightest is that of Brad D. Smith, for whom the incubator is named. A Kenova native and Marshall graduate, Smith is as homegrown as they come. The former CEO of software giant Intuit, Smith has spent the last five years giving back to the community and school that, as he likes to say, built him. The current chairman of Nordstrom said he is proud to have his name attached to the incubator.

Brad D. Smith“Everything I’ve been able to do in my life is 100 percent attributable to the people who believed in me,” Smith said. “So, when I step back and think of the people of West Virginia, the diverse business opportunities for those who live there and for investors looking to move into the state, I know anything is possible. We have the talent; we just need the support to help them be successful, and that’s what the incubator is trying to do.”

Support. It’s a concept Smith often talks about, and one highlighted on nearly every business incubator’s website. Sometimes it’s an empty concept; sometimes it’s backed up. Marshall backs it up.

Beyond providing the office space, complete with everything a 21st century startup needs from computers and phones to high-speed internet and video conferencing systems, the incubator provides much more. The connection with Marshall’s business school not only offers a steady stream of interns to incubator clients, but also future employees as students graduate. The association also provides access to faculty members and business leaders, as well as assistance with business plans, marketing and more.

Conference at Business IncubatorJust as important, but perhaps not as obvious, is the support provided by the incubator being housed inside Marshall’s Visual Arts Center. Smith, who has made a point of bringing Silicon Valley leaders to West Virginia, continuously highlights the concept of design thinking. One of the core tenants of the concept is creatively approaching a solution. As such, the access to a variety of creative faculty and students just down the hall is a huge benefit to those looking to get their businesses off the ground. Smith looks at Apple Inc. as a great example of how business and art make successful partnerships, and said the combination has been successful in incubators throughout Silicon Valley.

The incubator currently has 13 spaces built and ready to go, with four of those in use between its two clients. The COVID-19 pandemic brought new client intake to a halt, but as things open back up the incubator expects to hit the ground running. As more clients come in, the incubator has the capability to expand to more than double its current space offerings.

Successful Marshall graduates Jim Rorrer and Casey Robinson were recruited by Marshall President Dr. Jerome Gilbert to get the incubator up and running. The duo said the goal of the incubator is to “graduate” its clients after a period of one to two years, and then see them move out into the community. In the next five years they hope to help 100 businesses find their footing.

Leadership team of Business Incubator“It has also been very rewarding to give back to Marshall and the community while, as the same time, enhancing the student experience,” said Robinson, who has 30 years of experience as a certified financial planner and financial advisor. “I am truly optimistic that the incubator, along with Brad Smith’s commitment to the Lewis College of Business, will generate progress for both Marshall and Huntington.”

“I am excited and humbled to be a part of this,” said Rorrer, a former banker, institutional investor and financial adviser. “We are open to everyone, not just West Virginia-grown businesses, but anyone looking to come into the state and grow here. We expect the majority of our clients to be local, but if someone from another part of the country or world wants to work with Marshall’s medical and cyber forensics programs, for example, we are here to help support them. The only limit here is their imagination.”

Imagination is something Marshall and Huntington do not lack. From recognizing the need for a cutting-edge business incubator, to designing a state-of-the-art facility within the Visual Arts Center located just blocks from a leading university, things have been set up for success. Lead by top business leaders with a passion for Marshall, Huntington and the state of West Virginia, the incubator is ready to be a springboard for future entrepreneurs.

Those seeking more information on the incubator, including how to apply for an office within the facility, can find more information at www.marshall.edu/incubator.

 

About the Author: Shane Arrington is a freelance writer living in South Point, Ohio.

 

Photos: (From top) Marshall’s Visual Arts Center in downtown Huntington is home to The Brad D. Smith Business Incubator on the ground floor; the School of Art and Design occupies the rest of the building. The incubator is named for Marshall alumnus Brad D. Smith. Successful Marshall graduates Jim Rorrer and Casey Robinson (top left) were recruited by Marshall President Dr. Jerry Gilbert to get the business incubator up and running. The incubator has 13 spaces avaliable for new businesses looking for office space and support from a panel of experts. (Note: This photo was taken before social distancing and mask requirements resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.) Some of the key players at the business incubator include, from left, James D. Rorrer, Charlotte Weber, Casey J. Robinson, President Jerry Gilbert and Avinandan Mukherjee. The incubator is ready to hit the ground running when COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.

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