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In these challenging economic times, many HBS grads and others are thinking of starting new businesses. There’s precedent for this: many of today’s corporate giants such as P&G, GE and IBM were founded in recessions. And at the other end of the spectrum, small businesses have for decades been the chief driver of national employment by creating the most new jobs.

Club members considering launching a new business, and especially anyone considering entering the HBS Alumni/HBSCNY New Venture Competition, which features a $25,000 cash prize for the winner, are encouraged to attend.

This 1 hour session will cover:

Idea Generation – where do those entrepreneurial ideas come from?
Forming a Team – ideal sizes and skill-sets
Early Funding – where to look for money
Crucial Early Legal and Accounting Decisions
The Morphing Phenomenon – what happens when your business model has to change?
The Entrepreneurial Lifestyle – work and family tradeoffs
The Exit Decision – timing and variables for consideration

Panelists
Hassan Miah - CEO urfilez.com
Ted Browne - Alston & Bird
Rajeev Kaul - Kaul CPA, Founder 
James G. Kollegger - Chairman and CEO, Genesys Partners

Hassan Miah
Hassan Miah is an investor and entrepreneur focused on strategic investments in digital media, software and technology. He currently is the Chairman of MyPRGenie and the CEO of urfilez.com, and on the board of Four Spots, Inc. Hassan formerly worked for Intel Capital, where he led worldwide digital media investments. Previously, Mr. Miah was the CEO of Xing Technology, the Company that created the first consumer MP3 recording software. He is the former head of New Media for Creative Artists Agency (CAA), one of Hollywood’s leading entertainment and talent agencies. Before joining CAA, Mr. Miah was a Management Consulting Partner for KPMG LLP, specializing in digital media and technology. Mr. Miah is a CPA and received a B.B.A. in Accounting from the University of Michigan and a M.B.A. from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business.

Ted Browne
Mr. Browne is a corporate attorney with extensive background in cable television, telecommunications and technology. As Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Charter Communications, Inc., Mr. Browne was responsible for all legal matters affecting the fastest growing cable television company in the United States. His major projects included acquisitions and finance, contract negotiations and drafting, the management of complex transactions and regulatory compliance. Mr. Browne structured, managed and closed numerous cable system asset and stock acquisitions totaling in excess of $1.6 billion. He coordinated financing and refinancing activities totaling approximately $1.2 billion. Mr. Browne has extensive experience negotiating and working with investment and commercial bankers in developing and executing sophisticated financings.

Mr. Browne also worked for Gaylord Entertainment Company in Nashville, Tennessee, as general counsel to its Communications Division, including The Nashville Network, Country Music Television, Z Music, cable television systems and broadcast properties, including four television stations and three radio stations. He supervised and negotiated hundreds of programming agreements for the cable networks and broadcast stations. He negotiated and completed Gaylord’s 20 percent investment in Bass Pro Shops and structured and negotiated Gaylord’s acquisition of Z Music television. Mr. Browne also negotiated international contracts and music license agreements for CMT International throughout the United Kingdom and Europe.

Rajeev Kaul
Rajeev Kaul is a CPA based in New York City. The clients of his firm include fortune 100 companies, major financial institutions, hedge funds and top tier technology companies. He has been involved in cross border acquisitions, mergers and financining of companies between India and USA. He is currently involved in setting up a technology(park in India.

Rajeev has set up lease/finance companies in the past and currently advises companies on financing relating to M & A activities. Rajeev is on the board of UW India Friendship Alliance and US Pan Asia Pacific Chamber of Commerce.

James G. Kollegger 
James G. Kollegger is one of the pioneers of the electronic information industry: founder of one of the earliest database publishing companies, technology venture capitalist, and industry leader who helped build the Information Industry Assocation (now SIIA), which named him their first "Entrepreneur of the Year".

Genesys Partners, Inc. is an investment banking, venture capital and development company that specializes in the digital information technology industry. Genesys acts like a merchant bank and accelerator for its portfolio companies: It helps jump-start young companies to make the crucial transition from angel-funded to venture-backed operations.  Genesys follows a "jewel in the rough" strategy to help build its portfolio companies.  Founded in 1989, Genesys has helped raise more than $300 million for its ventures.

Mr. Kollegger was founder and CEO of EIC/Intelligence, Inc., one of the industry's first database companies which he sold to Reese-Elsevier Ltd in 1988.  Additionally, he was instrumental in the growh of IIA - the Information Industry Association, a trade group of 6000+ members.  He was founding chairman of the Public Policy Council, served in the U.S. Army Strategic Communications Command during the Vietnam era, and helped found the Environmental Planning Lobby in New York State.  He is a graduate of Boston University, the U.S. Army Signal School, and is a member of the Union League Club of New York.

 This event is intended to support those who have submitted or are considering submitting plans to the Alumni New Venture Competition (NVC).  Details can be found through the following link:  http://www.hbscny.org/article.html.  The deadline for registration is January 25th and business plans are due on February 1.  The HBS Club of NY will conduct local judging conducted by a panel of leading New York venture capitalists and prominent angel investors on March 24.  The Club’s winning team will present its plan along with finalists representing eight other clubs representing four countries to a panel of judges at HBS on April 26 for final consideration.  The HBS Club of New York will sponsor travel arrangements to Boston for the local finalist to participate in the Finals Competition.  HBS will award the winning team a $25,000 cash prize.  In addition, each finalist team will receive mentoring from an HBS faculty member prior to the judging, as well as participate in an educational session on campus during the Finals.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Location:  Boston Consulting Group, 430 Park Avenue at 56th Street
Time: 6:30 pm registration, 7:00 pm Program, Please register by 4:00pm on January 19th
Cost: $5 Members; $15 Non-members & Guests
Organizers: Hemali Dassani, '99 Keiron Hylton '86

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