Small Business Week Networking Event Empowers Student Entrepreneurs

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Wednesday, May 28, 2025
Careers
Eleven attendees of the small business networking event pose together for a group photo in front of a Rio Salado College podium. They are dressed in a mix of business and casual attire, smiling warmly at the camera in a spacious event room with wood-paneled doors in the background.
Shaniqua Hopkins, founder of the nonprofit 7th Dream Helping Hearts, presents at the front of a conference room with a microphone and printed notes in hand. Behind her, a large screen displays a slide titled “My Journey with Maricopa Colleges to Being an Entrepreneur.” The room is softly lit, and the speaker stands near a wooden podium with dual computer monitors.

Shaniqua Hopkins, founder of the nonprofit 7th Dream Helping Hearts

A group of people sit around two round tables in a conference room at Rio Salado College, engaged in discussion during a small business networking event. Soft drinks and snacks are on the tables, and one participant speaks while others listen attentively. The atmosphere is casual and collaborative.

In celebration of Small Business Appreciation Week (May 4–10, 2025), Rio Salado College— alongside the Blackstone LaunchPad Program and the Innovation Think Tank (ITT)— hosted a dynamic speed networking event designed to connect and empower the next generation of business leaders. The intimate setting allowed for personalized coaching and high-impact interactions, transforming the event into a collaborative, hands-on workshop.

The morning began with Rio Salado’s own student entrepreneur, Shaniqua Hopkins, founder of the nonprofit 7th Dream Helping Hearts, sharing her session: “Do’s and Don’ts for Student Entrepreneurs.” Following her talk, Professor Ross Karshen delivered a high-energy workshop titled “Network Like a Godfather,” providing sharp strategies for building meaningful professional connections. Dr. Lily Davidov closed the formal session by presenting a range of valuable resources available to student entrepreneurs and reviewed the Re-Understanding Entrepreneurship book and systems thinking is a problem-solving approach.

During the networking lunch, Davidov, Karshen, and Arizona Small Business Development Center’s George Kimble provided real-time coaching, helping students refine their elevator pitches and networking skills. As one attendee shared, “The feedback I received on my pitch was incredibly encouraging— I’ll carry that confidence forward.”

The event was interactive and student participants were engaged. Here are a few take aways from the event for student entrepreneurs:

  • Karshen explained the elevator speech framework he created for his students, “I help [target audience] to achieve [their educational or business goals/aspirations] without [the problems they face].
  • Always consider the value proposition to your customers/clients, “What’s in it for them?”
  • How can this be an exchange of benefits?
  • Verizon provides a number of grant opportunities, including the Digital Ready Grant Program was promoted. In partnership with LISC, awarding $10,000 and $25,000 respectively in small business grant funding.
  • Keep watch for Rio Salado’s next Small Business Pitch Competition.

“I really appreciated the constructive feedback on our elevator speeches and the meaningful engagement between attendees and guest speakers,” said Rio Salado Social Media Specialist Brandi Lucero, who joined in the event for photos and student engagement. “The collaborative environment helped us better understand each other’s networking goals and refine our messages into statements that were informative, compelling, and insightful.”

A special thank you goes to the generous donors, the Blackstone LaunchPad Program.

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