Panel 1: The Entrepreneurial Mindset: What It Takes to Start and Grow a Business: This session will explore the entrepreneurial mindset and what it takes to start and grow a business. Participants will learn about the key characteristics of entrepreneurs, the challenges they face, and the strategies they use to succeed.
Sean Kawamura, Founder & CEO of Study Break Beverages
Abby Michaelsen, Founder & CEO of Statement Home
Barney Santos, Founder and Managing Partner of BLVD MRKT
Moderator: Aparna Pande, Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship at USC Marhsall and Strategic Advisor at AP Advisors
Panel 2: Corporate Diplomacy: Navigating the Intersection of Business, Politics, and Society: In today’s interconnected world, businesses don’t operate in isolation. They are deeply enmeshed in the fabric of politics and society, and their actions resonate far beyond their balance sheets. Join us for a panel discussion that explores the intricate dance between corporations, political landscapes, and societal expectations.
Tracy Dennis, Vice President, Business Development, Global Supplier Diversity at JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Hope Garcia, Senior Counsel at Gundzik Gundzik Heeger LLP
Moderator: Nan Jia, Dean’s Associate Professorship in Business Administration and Associate Professor of Management and Organization at USC Marshall
Panel 3: The Future of the Entertainment Industry: The entertainment industry has experienced significant shifts in recent times. The writers’ strike, impact of AI, proliferation of streaming wars, and more have fundamentally altered how we consume and engage with entertainment. This session will showcase leaders in the entertainment industry; we’ll learn how they are responding to these challenges and what opportunities they see ahead.
Tina Diaz, Senior Brand Marketing Manager, Moonbug Entertainment
Andrew Devine, Content Finance & Planning at HBO & Max Original Programming Warner Bros. Discovery
Dave Hoffman, SVP, Content Strategy at Peacock/NBCUniversal
Moderator: Mark Young, George Bozanic and Holman G. Hurt Chair in Sports and Entertainment Business and Professor of Accounting at USC Marshall
Bonus Session 2:Equity Split: A Workplace Simulation: Operating with limited resources and incomplete information, eliciting cooperation and contribution across a distributed workforce, making choices under conditions of uncertainty, satisfying high performance expectations. This is the stuff of everyday work life. Teamwork, communication, quality information, problem-solving, and clear-eyed decision-making are necessary to meet these challenges. Is it possible to gain deep insight that supports practical solutions to these typical organizational challenges in a low-risk environment? Come experience how Marshall’s Office of Executive Education utilizes workplace simulations and interactive and engaging activities to support leadership and executive development.
Facilitator: Terry Wolfe, Senior Faculty and Executive Director, Office of Executive Education