Open4Business

Local Businesses & Non-Profits Feel Early Impacts of Corona Virus Pandemic

By Danielle Gilliam

With the coronavirus pandemic occurring, many local businesses and non-profits were left to feel the early impacts. These businesses dealt with financial and operational challenges while also trying to meet the needs of their customers, the public and their suppliers.

Hampton Roads business owner of For Stage Rentals, Brian Milliken, was deeply affected by the coronavirus pandemic. As venues began to shut down and tours were cancelling one by one, promoters stopped needing additional gear for their shows. To this day, Milliken and the industry in which he works in are still struggling to run their businesses.

Fortunately for Milliken, and businesses like his, ODU's Strome College of Business launched the Open4Business initiative to address the economic difficulties that many companies and non-profits have faced in 2020. Beginning this fall semester, Strome students will be supporting these local companies and non-profits through projects led by Strome faculty members. Not only is this a great help for the businesses, but it also gives the students practical hands-on experience they will need to develop and hone their professional skillsets to the next level as they prepare to enter the workforce.

Dr. Jeff Tanner, Dean of Strome College of Business, notes that hands-on experience for students is hard to come by in today's economic environment. In addition, Dean Tanner sees "Open4Business as a pathway for our eager new faculty to do class projects and build relationships in the community to find clients. It works the other way, too. Open4Business opens our doors to work with businesses that are new to Strome."

Open4Business is "a triple win" said Tanner. "Our students will be better prepared for the tight labor market, individual companies and non-profits will benefit with actionable strategies, and our region will accelerate economic regrowth," he said.

Many of the professors and students involved with the Open4Business program believe it is important to give back to the workers and business owners who were affected by the coronavirus in the Hampton Roads region.

Professor Josh Steinfeld, director of Strome's Public Procurement and Contract Management certificate program, believes that Open4Business is important because he wants to "Contribute to those we depend on - the Hampton Roads workforce - probably one of the most skilled in the country. My experience in contracts and procurement involves entering new arenas, starting small, and then becoming successful with others."

Other professors at Strome, like Michelle Carpenter the Marketing Senior Lecturer, have been assisting companies in growing their business for the long run before Covid-19 ever entered the picture. "During the past five years, I have helped facilitate marketing projects with organizations including Dollar Bank, Radical Skin Care and the Society of American Military Engineers," she said. "Businesses are given a variety of fresh ideas from an outside perspective that they can use immediately to help their business grow," said Carpenter.

Incorporating professors like Steinfeld and Carpenter, who already have experience growing businesses, will ensure that the needs of Hampton Roads companies and non-profits needs are met during this challenging time, and their business can be taken to the next level.

Open4Business has the potential to further set the Hampton Roads region apart from other areas.

With the Open4Business program, Strome College of Business is uniting the Hampton Roads workforce with ODU's community and resources, this powerful intersection in terms of human potential and professional techniques will advance the region, the students, and the local business community.