There are at least seven reasons why you should have attended October’s Entrepreneur Night. Reason number one: it’s an event free to attend – so, why not? Number two: complimentary appetizers! Nothing could be better than sampling food that the venues are proud of serving each month. The third reason: a cash bar. This is a great means to relax and enjoy the company of many fantastic people. Speaking of, the fourth reason is just that: great people with great ideas, who understand the struggles and rewards that inevitably follow entrepreneurship. Every single month, there’s always somebody new that has an amazing story behind them. These stories that people carry with them to Entrepreneur Night give way to reason number five: amazing opportunities! Being able to meet and connect with people who share entrepreneurial struggles is definitely refreshing, and in some cases encouraging. Add that in with reason six: an amazing dj, and you have a pretty awesome event on your hands – which would never be complete, of course, without the final reason:
Sevyn.
Only the best locally-owned venues are chosen to host Entrepreneur Night each month, and for October, Sevyn was the place to be.
This nightclub is one of the hottest spots in Flagler County – with expressionistic paintings sprawled across every wall and the best collection of Jazz, Latin, and Blues playing in the background.
New businesses pop up all the time, but places as nice as this don’t just appear out of thin air. It was founded on the passions of two dedicated entrepreneurs. Before moving to Palm Coast, Derrick Coleman – one of the founders of Sevyn – lived in St. Louis, Missouri. Being there, he became so accustomed to the culture of nightlife and music, that he felt the need to bring it to Palm Coast when he moved here. Having operated two bars in his time and having a deep passion for music, he knew how to run a place like Sevyn – but he couldn’t do it alone.
Theresa Walloga, the other founder of Sevyn, met Coleman with the same feeling of wanting to build a place where people can “enjoy art up close and personal without going to a gallery”, and music at the same time – right here in Palm Coast. While she might not have the same bar experience that Coleman has under his belt, she holds a burning passion for art by her heart. All of the paintings on display at Sevyn have been curated by Walloga herself. She defines the characteristics of her painting as expressionistic – with very flowing strokes and beautifully distorted scenes to add an emotional effect – each piece suggesting different moods or ideas.
As soon as you enter the building, you’re greeted by a painting of Bob Marley, and right around the corner is a portrait of Jimi Hendrix – along with other musical legends, women and other characters are portrayed in an abstract light.
One such woman, at the end of the hall going to the restroom, actually personifies Sevyn as a person. “That painting is of Sevyn,” Walloga explains. “It’s still not done yet, but I see her as a woman. I’ve been trying to define what that means to me – we’re about diversity and art and culture. I just see her as this other identity, that he [Coleman] is involved with, and I’m involved with as well.”
“This place is an integration of our interests and perceived need for this area: Good music and art.”
While it might not have been Sevyn who controlled the speakers on the night of October 27th, it was still someone who was very passionate about music – Vern Shank, of Pyramid DJs, who has been the DJ for Entrepreneur Night for as long as anyone can remember. He works hard in what he does, and excels at it too.
Just last week – because of his passion and dedication – a post went up on the Entrepreneur Night website that gives an inside-look into the life of Shank: I Want to be Like Vern
With all this talk of passion, it wasn’t at all a surprise to find that someone else working on a passion project made an appearance at this past Entrepreneur Night – Melissa Chipps. She started out as a store manager for Walmart, who went around opening new stores. A while after earning her degree in Veterinary Medicine, because of her love for animals, something very ordinary grabbed her attention that would eventually turn into an extraordinary invention.
“I’m a competitive biker,” Chipps explains. “And whenever I’m riding my bike, there’s always squirrels and other animals jumping in front of my bike. And there is no way I can get my time down if they’re always doing that.
So, I came up with a solution.”
As a result, Chipps began her journey; to not only cut down her biking time, but to deter animals from the path of any vehicle that can potentially put their life at risk. She attended and presented at 1 Million Cups – a program that gathers all types of community members, civic leaders, and entrepreneurs together to listen to two local startups each week as they walk the audience through their company and greatest business struggles. This allows the presenters to not only receive live feedback, but also get the audience thinking about how they can better their own business and learn from other’s mistakes without ever making them.
From there, she pushed on – gathering a couple of students from Embry Riddle to perfect a few prototypes while working on a patent for her device simultaneously. “I’m not an engineer, so I don’t know exactly what I need to make it better. That’s why I need the students – who are geniuses by the way – to help me out.” And by the looks of it, this relationship is mutually beneficial. Chipps gets her design completed, and the students receive shares of company.
She projects that her invention should be on the market by next year.
Not everyone who attends Entrepreneur Night is an entrepreneur – sometimes they’re an investor, other times they’re just there for the free food, and sometimes they’re in the business of supporting and servicing entrepreneurs – but that doesn’t mean that they don’t have that same passion and drive.
Take Katrina Austin, for example, who – before working for the Flagler County Department of Economic Development – acquired so many skills, that her current job description may as well be her birth certificate.
“I’ve been here for a long time,” Austin mentions. “I was a real estate agent, and an office manager, so I’ve been able to gain those clerical administrative skills. I worked with a website developing company — so there’s my marketing; I worked for the county in General Services…” She continued to explain her accomplishments and previous jobs to emphasize the point that she didn’t know where all these skills were supposed to lead.
“I thought I was just spinning my wheels.”
Her at-the-time assistant director said that she seemed frustrated with her job, but it all made sense when it was reiterated later in life. “My current boss said that I was never an administrative assistant, I was a frustrated project manager.” Austin said with a smile on her face, “Implying that I should’ve been a project manager all along. It’s what I was aching to do – born to do.”
While Austin and the rest of the Department of Economic Development typically work with established businesses, she understands the struggles that entrepreneurs have to face. Even though Halloween is over this year, fear is still very much alive. In Austin’s opinion, “entrepreneurs are most afraid of jumping off the wire. They’re afraid of having a great idea and becoming their own boss because, but the security of their current job keeps them tethered – they’re afraid of failure.” And she may be right. It’s difficult to leave your comfort zone, especially if you have a steady income and life is going well – it could be intimidating to step out on your own abilities and assests. But, as cliché as it may sound: Don’t give up. Austin continues with her statement and ends on a positive note when she says,
“It takes a very, very, very special person to be an entrepreneur.
Entrepreneurs are fearless. I would say that as far as entrepreneurs and their fears go – they’ve already conquered their fears by becoming an entrepreneur.”
And that couldn’t have been said any better. If you’re a brave entrepreneur, take your next step and join us for November’s Entrepreneur Night.
Entrepreneur Night is a grassroots event for and by Entrepreneurs, which takes place the last Tuesday of each month – except July, August, and December at a different location and venue. It is free to attend. Complimentary appetizers are provided by the venue hosting the event as well as a cash bar. In each event you can expect to meet many new entrepreneurs, investors and service providers; and have meaningful conversations. You can check out the previous Entrepreneur Night events or RSVP to the Next Entrepreneur Night Event