An Affinity for Entrepreneurship

“I’ve always been active at networking and start-up events around town and heard good things about the Innovation MBA program. I felt the curriculum and faculty could help fill the gaps that I thought were missing from my experiences,” shared Collin Gallus, University of Louisville 2023 Innovation MBA (IMBA) alum and Marketing Manager for 2023 Vogt Awards cohort member and local startup company Affinna – a business focused on providing event management solutions.

Growing Innovation

Passionate about being part of a company developing from the ground up, Gallus began his professional career by joining the growing start-up Victory Hemp Foods after earning his undergraduate degree in economics from UofL’s College of Business. While he enjoyed the experience of being in that role due to his commitment toward sustainability and quality food, he wanted to learn how to develop his own company and live the unique set of challenges and victories that come from launching your brand. “I enjoyed working in a start-up. I liked the pace, the challenge, the grit, but even with a very active role in the company, I missed a lot of aspects of starting a venture from scratch.”

Starting a Start-Up

Gallus’s IMBA experience through UofL’s College of Business allowed him to do just that – develop his brand and learn what it takes to brainstorm, design, and implement an entrepreneurial endeavor. Through opportunities provided by the College of Business, he and his team of fellow MBA students had the chance to create and present their start-up concept, ClaimsGenie, in the 2023 Cardinal Challenge competition sponsored by Brown-Forman and presented by UofL’s Forcht Center for Entrepreneurship, part of the College of Business. Participation in additional programmatic and leadership opportunities, such as the College’s graduate international trip for MBA students and acting as the president of his IMBA cohort, left a lasting impact on Gallus. The connections made and experiences gained through the IMBA program have and continue to fuel his drive to develop and lead future entrepreneurial endeavors. “I aim to stay curious,” Gallus shared. “I want to keep an open mind on life and my career path.”

Are you a curious and open-minded creative thinker? Whether you are building your brand as an entrepreneur or implementing innovative concepts and strategies in your start-up or large-scale company through intrapreneurship, UofL’s IMBA program allows you to earn a prestigious graduate business degree tailored to you – the outside-the-box thinker. Are you the kind of business leader that utilizes new and emerging technology and business strategies that can spearhead change on a global scale? Are you a changemaker? Set yourself up for success with a degree to help you stand out. Let us show you how at https://business.louisville.edu/academics-programs/graduate-programs/imba/

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About the UofL College of Business:

Founded in 1953, The UofL College of Business fosters intellectual and economic vitality in our city, region, and the global business landscape. Our academic programs, research, community outreach initiatives, and commitment to student success inspire lives and businesses to flourish through entrepreneurship, innovation, critical thinking, diversity, and the power of people.

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