Building a Business Networking Event

February 5, 2019 | 5:30-8:30pm
@ J Malden Center
190 Pleasant Street

Malden, Massachusetts

MATV, Malden’s Media Center will host a networking event for startup and creative business owners. Thanks to the collaboration of several individuals and groups working together to provide the programming, space, and planning, this event will take place February 5, 2019, 5:30-8:30pm at the
J Malden Center amenity room at 190 Pleasant Street (floor 2), Malden MA 02148.

REGISTRATION REQUIRED

About

The “winner take all” mentality in business and entrepreneurship pales in comparison to a much more expansive, impactful and fun approach to sharing the economy and meeting needs. This perspective of generosity in business is not new, but it is becoming more defined and can be seen in the kinds of problems businesses are solving, how they are solving them, what the business goals are, how success is measured, where resources and investments come from, how growth happens, and how businesses give back to the community.

Startup and creative business owners and supporters or investors are invited to an evening of business stories, insights, networking, and fun.

5:30-6:30 Networking and Speed Coaching

The evening will begin with a bit of networking and optional speed coaching offered by finance and business experts eager to share insights about developing a business plan, finances, and other important topics relevant to starting and growing a business.

6:30-7:30 Panel Discussion

At six-thirty, Rowan Walrath, editor of The Beat will moderate a discussion with five entrepreneurs about their evolution building a business and the role generosity hase played and continues to play in their success.

7:30+ Networking, Food, and Open Mic at Hugh O’Neills

Enjoy post event food, networking, and an open mic at a local favorite, Hugh O’Neills restaurant.

Panelists

Five entrepreneurs will discuss the role of generosity in the trajectory of their business.

Nicholas Mathews
Nicholas Mathews, Co-founder & CEO of MainVest

Nicholas Mathews

Coming off of nearly seven years of experience at Uber, Nicholas is an expert in GoToMarket Strategy and business operations for marketplaces. He played various roles at Uber: launching Uber’s marketing presence in New England, scaling its marketing team, going to market with every Uber core product—from UberBLACK to UberPOOL—and more. After experiencing the power of boosting economic development through transportation, Nick was inspired to make an even greater impact. Upon the passage of RegCF in 2016, Nick saw an opportunity to empower entrepreneurs and everyday investors at a local level. With over $2MM invested in dozens of small businesses within just a year of operations, Mainvest is ready to expand its reach and take back Main Streets across the country.


Tiago Pradio, Founding Partner and CEO of Best Rate Zone (BRZ)

Tiago Prado

Tiago Prado is an entrepreneur and immigration advocate. Originally from Brazil, Tiago Prado graduated from Tufts University, worked in Wall Street, and moved back to the Boston area specifically to channel his own experience as an immigrant in service to his own people. As Founding Partner and CEO of Best Rate Zone (BRZ), he works with an exceptional team of people who help Latinx make educated insurance purchase decisions. BRZ has been recognized by Progressive, Utica First, and other insurance companies as one of the fastest-growing agencies in Massachusetts. 


Marcel Schwab, Finance
and Business Development
Director, The Gallery@57

Marcel Schwab

Marcel Schwab is a Workforce Analyst at Fidelity Investments. Weekends and evenings, however, Marcel serves as Finance and Business Development Director for The Gallery@57, a new gift shop selling hand crafted products provided by local artists, artisans, and cultural entrepreneurs. Along with the artist-led team, Marcel envisions a business that offers more than products for purchase. This community enterprise fosters community and an appreciation for the art of thoughtful and generous commerce.


Heather Yunger, Founder and CEO of
Top Shelf Cookies

Heather Yunger

Before Top Shelf Cookies was a bakery, it was a superstition. A Boston hockey girl through and through, Heather first came up with the Black & Golds as a good luck charm to share with her fellow fans for every home game. Not only were the cookies a hit, but the team kept winning. A few months later a trophy got raised, the Duck Boats paraded down Boylston Street and an idea was born.

With a broad selection of unique, delicious cookies, Heather launched Top Shelf Cookies in 2014. What started as a passion became a calling and Boston’s Craft Cookie company was now a reality. Using high quality, often unexpected ingredients, a creative spark for combining flavors, and meticulously crafted recipes, Heather creates cookies that aren’t just one of a kind, they’re also very tasty. If she can work in a reference to the city she loves while she’s doing it, all the better. After all, these are “Cookies as Fresh as the City They Come From.”


Myrna Diaz, ESQ, Founder of Diaz Law

Mirna Diaz

Attorney Diaz represents clients in need of legal assistance pertaining to criminal defense, post conviction relief, divorce, custody, child support, or family based immigration. She supports those who find themselves in difficult stages in their lives with with passion and diligence no matter the complexity of the case and circumstance. She stands by clients and family.


Moderator

Image Courtesy Rowan Walrath

Rowan Walrath

Rowan Walrath joined BostInno in April as a staff writer covering innovation in Massachusetts, bringing a unique perspective to Boston from her time as a freelance journalist in San Francisco.

Walrath has an impressive journalism background, having spent time writing and fact-checking for WIRED, Mother Jones, Eater, HuffPost and more. While known for her ability to cover an expansive range of topics, Walrath has spent dedicated time on the future of transportation beat at WIRED, and during her editorial fellowship at Mother Jones, she reported on health, science, climate and related policy. Her new role at BostInno is a bit of a coming-home party. Walrath is a graduate of Northeastern University, and she cut her reporting teeth in Boston covering local news for the Boston Globe, Boston Magazine, and WGBH.


Speed Coaches

The following individuals will be offering speed coaching 5:30-6:30pm.

Daniel R. Martiniello

Lender Relations Specialist
Massachusetts District Office
U.S. Small Business Administration

Dan joined the SBA Massachusetts District Office in the fall of 2018 from Century Bank where he worked for the past 14 years and was most recently a Branch Manager in Salem.  He worked primarily with small businesses in the North Shore community to provide them with proper bank products and technical assistance to help their business grow. He was in the United States Army Reserves for 8 years and served 1 tour of duty in Iraq. As a Lender Relations Specialist Dan provides program training and support to all of our lending partners throughout Massachusetts. Dan also provides Economic Development assistance in the North Shore region by partnering with area small business organizations to provide technical assistance to the small business community.

Mo Saeed

Entrepreneur and Business Leader
AI Financial, LLC.

Mo is an Entrepreneur and Business leader. He was the founder and President of Firefly Capital, a Technology brokerage firm for institutional investors. Currently, among other fintech projects, he is developing a financial application that will help hourly workers access wages in real-time.

Mo has an entrepreneurial spirit and has an interest in applying process and technology to produce profitable growth. Mo has experienced in developing business plans, conceptualizing product and service offerings, product development, marketing, and operations.

Mo likes to hike in winter – Cold is good for Soul!