Build Your Own Business (BYOB) is designed for 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock students with entrepreneurial聽ambitions who want to learn how to bring their concept to life. The first free virtual session,聽“How to BYOB,”聽is Tuesday, Sept. 15,聽while the Oct. 6 session will feature Rhonda Aaron — an alumna, entrepreneur, and past president of the Alumni Association board — for a “Startup Story” program.听

“We all deserve to be poured into — it helps you grow — and it’s important for me to take any wisdom, knowledge, and experience I have and give back,” said Aaron, founder of BL Brand PR Agency and the non-profit Sister Friends United. “Blaze your own trail — what works for someone else may not work for you — educate yourself, use any resources, and get in every room you can to network, because you never know who might be able to help you.”聽

Aspiring聽entrepreneurs聽should also remember that passion alone won’t make them successful — nor will solely business acumen — both are necessary to flourish, added Aaron. “Be a lifelong learner so you’re always (adding more) tools to your toolkit.”聽

Sister Friends United Inc., a 501c3 non-profit organization of minority women with a mission to support, uplift, and empower its members to better serve the community, was founded and incorporated in the State of Arkansas in October 2007.

鈥淚 saw a need for women to have a space where we could connect, support one another, and grow together,鈥� Aaron said. 鈥淚 wanted to create something that not only strengthened women, but also allowed us to make a meaningful impact in our community through scholarships, service, events, and other initiatives.鈥�

Aaron was honored with the Just Communities Humanitarian Award for giving back to her community, and she received the Shelley Mehl Empowerment Award, which recognizes an individual woman or organization that champions female empowerment.听She has a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication with an emphasis in Strategic Communication from 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock.

At 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, she was able to “connect with like-minded individuals, who were a boost and support for me,” she said. “I always had resources” at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, and “we uplifted, encouraged, and empowered one another.”

In addition to the live sessions, BYOB also encompasses consulting services.

Students who may simply want advice for their “side hustles” to those attempting to embark on聽entrepreneurial聽career paths can utilize BYOB, said Gwen Green, marketing and communications manager for ASBTDC. “We want to give them a hand.”

Consulting is free and available to help students plan and grow their business ventures. To request a meeting, contact ASBTDC Startup Specialist Ashley Murguia Topete at聽axmurguia@ualr.edu听辞谤听501-553-3644.

BYOB聽sessions聽can also fulfill certain requirements students may have for outside-the-classroom, career-readiness experience, like Career Catalyst for those in the School of Business, added Green. Students can register for and online.

For more information about BYOB, please contact Laterika Staton, ASBTDC education and event specialist, at聽lstooks@ualr.edu听辞谤听501-804-4530.听

The ASBTDC assists new, existing, and innovation-based small businesses across Arkansas. The center is a partnership program of the Small Business Administration and 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock.

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鈥淎rgentina is quickly becoming a leader in AI innovation, with companies like Celara driving the future of AI-powered business transformation,鈥� said Marla Johnson, 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 tech-entrepreneur-in-residence. 鈥淔rom streamlining operations and reimagining knowledge management to creating new revenue opportunities, Celara is redefining AI鈥檚 real-world impact.鈥�

The event, held at the Schueck, Lexicon, McCarty Auditorium in the Engineering and Information Technology Building, will feature presentations from experts at Celara followed by a networking reception at the Windgate Center of Art + Design.

The program begins at 1:30 p.m. with a keynote talk, 鈥淏eyond the Buzz: Where AI is Headed in 2025.鈥� Zubair Talib, an AI expert with an MIT background and executive director at Celara Labs, who will explore what鈥檚 next for AI in 2025.

鈥淎rtificial intelligence is rapidly transforming industries across the globe, and we are excited to bring international experts to campus to share their knowledge with our students, faculty, and business community,鈥� said Dr. Brian Berry, vice provost of research and dean of the Graduate School at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock as well as a board member of the Little Rock Technology Park. 鈥淭his event is an incredible opportunity to learn from those international experts on the cutting edge of AI innovation.鈥�

A panel discussion at 3 p.m., 鈥淚nvesting in AI,鈥� will dive into AI investment trends, examining how Celara is integrating AI-first products and identifying new business opportunities. The panel will feature Talib and Pablo Abdian, CEO and co-founder of Celera Labs.

“Celara is at the forefront of AI investment, building strong AI teams and identifying emerging opportunities,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淭heir firsthand experience offers valuable insights into the future of AI investment and what truly drives impact.”

Following the discussions, attendees are invited to a 4:30 p.m. reception at the Windgate Center, where they can meet the visiting entrepreneurs, network with industry leaders, visit the art galleries, and enjoy Argentine wine and refreshments.The tech event is sponsored by Gadberry Financial Group, the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce, and the Associated Industries of Arkansas. This event is free and open to the public, but space is limited. To RSVP, visit this webpage.

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Johnson is a tech entrepreneur and business leader with more than 30 years of experience in technology innovation, company building, and digital transformation. She has a proven track record in leading innovative companies and pioneering the use of new technology to accelerate business value.

鈥溙切腣log传媒 Little Rock already boasts global leaders in research in several fields, including cybersecurity, nanotechnology, and AI,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淢y job is to bring together the amazing resources we have to offer entrepreneurial programs, workshops, certifications, and commercialization services to increase our economic impact in the greater Little Rock area.鈥�

As CEO and cofounder of Aristotle, Inc., Johnson led a successful internet service provider and interactive marketing agency. During this time, Johnson provided workshops in 33 states and Canada on how companies can benefit from Internet, digital advertising, search, data analytics, and mobile technologies.

Johnson has an extensive history of leadership and innovation across multiple industries. She led Smart Media, a northwest Arkansas-based omnichannel shopper marketing agency, where she leveraged retail analytics to drive successful campaigns. At Blockchain Ready Studio, Johnson collaborated with IBM Hyperledger to help agricultural suppliers implement blockchain solutions for food traceability and played a pivotal role in advocating for smart contracts legislation in Arkansas.

In her role as CEO and cofounder of LeapXL, Johnson led the creation of a rapid application development platform used by banks and major clients like Ernst & Young. She oversaw critical aspects of corporate operations, including compliance, customer onboarding, and investment strategy. Johnson鈥檚 entrepreneurial journey began with Monserrata Productions, a video production company that contributed to groundbreaking video game development with electronic arts.

Dr. Brian Berry, vice provost of research and dean of the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Graduate School, emphasized that Johnson will play a pivotal role in boosting Little Rock鈥檚 economy by connecting students, faculty, and the business community with valuable university resources and employees with expertise in technology and artificial intelligence.

鈥淢arla鈥檚 creativity and energy are already helping us understand the needs of our businesses and rise to meet them,鈥� Berry said. 鈥淚鈥檓 especially excited to see how Marla will help our innovative and gritty students fulfill their dreams of building businesses in Arkansas by providing training and support from ideation to seed funding and beyond.鈥�

Additionally, Johnson writes an entrepreneurship series on LinkedIn called “Soul Food for Founders” and creates short video documentaries about Arkansas technologists. She serves on the boards of Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield, International Women鈥檚 Forum Arkansas, Ark Angel Alliance, and the Arkansas Academy of Computing. She received a certification for AI Product and Service Development from MIT this summer.

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