Masterminds, Millionaires and Moguls Pushes Students To Become Entrepreneurs

Courtesy of Darling Media Group

The third edition of YOUniversity Drive’s Masterminds, Millionaires and Moguls™ drew a capacity crowd to UNC Charlotte on Wednesday.

The event marked the one-year anniversary of the organization, which was founded by Michelle Horton to help first generation college students. The event in UNCC’s Student Union movie theater marked an expansion of the program that started at Johnson C. Smith University.

YOUniversity Drive is a finalist in the 2012 Charlotte Venture Challenge competition organized by UNCC’s Charlotte Research Institute and The Ben Craig Center.

Masterminds, Millionaires and Moguls is one of YOUniversity Drive’s signature events. The goal is to make students aware of and provide access to the numerous successful business leaders in the Charlotte region. UNCC’s Division of Student Affairs, the Multicultural Resources Center and United Black Professionals co-hosted Wednesday’s event.

Panelists were: Manwell Bynum, president of Connectivity Concepts; Masherrill Koonce, owner of Charlotte Optometric Center; Nigel Long, founder of Trade Street Advisors; Mimi Sabates, business director at Legacy Talent & Entertainment; and George Forrest, owner of five Charlotte-area McDonald’s.

Forrest, like many students in the audience, is a first generation college graduate. His parents didn’t finish high school. Other panelists grew up in entrepreneurial families. Their mix of life and work experiences is a key element to Mastermind’s formula.