The Jackson County Chamber wrapped up Global Entrepreneurship Week with big thinkers and new ideas on the horizon.

Global Entrepreneurship Week was started in 2008 and is designed to celebrate and empower entrepreneurs around the world.

The week began Nov. 13 at Rails Craft Brew & Eatery in Seymour, where entrepreneurs, business service providers and big thinkers were invited to connect with each other at an event the chamber called Entrepreneurial Speed Dating.

Then the chamber invited experts to speak on three major topics when it comes to the entrepreneurial world. The topics of discussion were intro to design thinking, building your brand and navigating free ecosystem resources.

On Nov. 15, students involved in the Maverick Challenge were invited to have some coffee and listen to advice from experienced entrepreneurs at Moxie Coffee Company. Local business owners shared their stories and took time to talk to students about their ideas.

The Maverick Challenge is a business planning competition for high school students in southern Indiana that aims to further develop the innovative spirit of the region by reaching out to students and showing them viable career opportunities through entrepreneurship.

Senior Levi Emmons from Medora High School, who is participating in the Maverick Challenge, was excited to hear what the professionals had to say.

“I am excited and hopeful to receive some good advice for my business idea,” he said.

Emmons pitched an idea for a swivel socket tool that mechanics could use to reach tight places when working on vehicles.

“I am really proud of him,” said Angie Emmons, Levi’s mom.

Counselor Jessica Wischmeier said this is the first year for Medora to be involved in the Maverick Challenge, and all 14 seniors currently are involved in the project.

“It’s a great initiative, and it’s pushing these students to see what’s involved in starting their own business,” she said.

Joe Rust of Set Sail Services in Seymour is serving as project manager of the first phase of SPARK that will include a variety of elements.

“People are hungry to share their ideas, and people want to support,” he said. “This week is a great start to build awareness and to start that spark.”

Rust said it’s important to welcome the next generation into the SPARK initiative as many of them have the potential to grow in the community as entrepreneurs.

“As long as we support our youth, make them feel comfortable and confident, they will go far,” he said.

Chamber Director Dan Robison welcomed students and introduced Sam Markel, vice president of manufacturing and operations for Guardian Bikes; Kelly Trask, owner of BK Media Solutions; and Montica Chambers, owner of Moxie Coffee Company, to speak on their experience as entrepreneurs.

Markel shared the story of Guardian Bikes’ journey to “Shark Tank” in 2017 and now having its first U.S. factory in Seymour with the goal to bring bike production back to the United States.

“One of the things I would say, especially when you are young and starting out, is that you don’t know everything,” he said. “It’s important to find an adviser that you trust and listen to their advice.”

Chambers shared her journey from stay-at-home mom to business owner. She started this venture by first googling “Coffee School” and then flew to Arlington, Texas, to participate in a three-day crash course on how to open a coffee shop.

“My biggest thing for me was figuring out my why,” she said. “Why am I doing this? I love what Moxie means for me, and I wanted it to be a place for community. I think it’s important to figure out the why when you are starting out your brand.”

Trask has been working in radio broadcasting since 1999 and shared how marketing and the digital world in regards to entrepreneurship has evolved over time.

“It’s important that we answer the major question of ‘Who cares?’” she said. “If you are able to answer that question, then you are able to make connections.”

Trask brought up three aspects companies often change at least once to make connections, which are awareness, attitudes and behaviors.

“This is where the fun comes in because it’s like you are juggling three balls in the air because not everybody is in the same mindset about a certain business or product,” she said. “Somebody may know about a product but might not have purchased it yet.”

Trask challenged the students as they put their marketing plans together to answer the major question “Who cares?”

The following day, the chamber gathered entrepreneurs and big thinkers in downtown Seymour, where they were tasked to develop solutions and present ideas to real-world problems local business owners or organization leaders were facing.

The crawl started at San Marcos Mexican Restaurant before progressing to Vat & Barrel and ended at Schwätzer’s German Restaurant.

The “problem presenters” were Kate Garrity with Child Care Network, Drew Royalty with Crane Hill Machine & Fabrication and Solomon Rust, owner of Schwätzer’s.

Global Entrepreneurship Week wrapped up Nov. 17 with a breakfast that included local legislators of the county, state and federal level, where big thinkers could interact with elected officials.

After a global week of celebration and big ideas, the chamber now prepares for the SPARK Tank pitch competition that will award a total of $15,000 in prizes to those who have an innovative solution to a problem or a great idea for a startup business. Nominations are now open.