On Nov. 5, the BYU Marketing Association and the BYU Creators hosted a startup panel.
The startup panel included professionals from young startups to larger companies. The event began with introductions from each of the professionals. Then, it led to a question and answer session, which started with questions from a moderator and then turned to questions from the audience. The event also provided students with macaroni and cheese bowls from Roni's, a new business that opened in Provo on Oct. 5.
The panel included Pete Larkin, the Silicon Slopes Marketing Chapter chair; Erika Mahterian from Leland, a Utah-based startup that specializes in career coaching; Natalie Jenkins House, the senior director of content and communications at Weave; and Mike Mahoney and Brett Shields, co-partners of Alta Medical Specialties.
The moderator's first question concerned the differences in the professionals' experiences when it came to marketing for a smaller company versus a larger company.
Shields began the conversation by explaining at a small business, you are usually given a role related to marketing, among other things.
Jenkins House stated that the bigger the company you are at, the more specialized your role is going to be. She also explained she found her sweet spot with growth companies, explaining that there, she feels, you have resources, but you can also make an impact on the organization because it is still growing.
Larkin rounded out the conversation by stating it is easier to transition from a bigger company to a smaller one, than from a smaller company to a bigger one.
Most of the panel conversations revolved around what marketing in startups entails and how to gain an edge.
"I think a lot of time in marketing is spent evaluating how do we reduce friction for people," Jenkins House stated.
Many of the panel answers concerned customers' experiences. Jenkins House stated consumers are no longer comparing small companies to their competitors but instead to the largest companies in the world.
Students were also able to approach the professionals with more specific questions when the panel concluded.
The Creators club is the Rollins Center for Entrepreneurship club that helps students "develop the skills that set you apart in your career, broaden your impact, and bring you closer to your divine potential," according to the website. The BYU Marketing Association explains on its website that its mission is to provide resources to students that can help them become successful marketers. Larkin said the Silicon Slopes Marketing Chapter is another resource for marketing students that aims to connect them with marketing professionals.