The Department of Entrepreneurship & Strategy, in partnership with the Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute at the David Eccles School of Business of the University of Utah, has recently welcomed 20 founders into the prestigious Master of Business Creation (MBC) program, starting in the spring of 2024. These founders will be accelerating their startup companies in this rapidly growing program with the help of personalized mentoring, applied curriculum, generous scholarships, access to grants, and more.
The founders have started 18 companies and will be enrolling in the MBC Online option, which offers a virtual, flexible, and part-time experience that spans over three semesters. Some of the startups have more than one founder in the program.
The new founders joining the MBC program have already made progress in establishing their companies and are looking to increase sales and attract investors, among other goals. Below is a complete listing of the startups and founders.
“We are always impressed with the founders who join the MBC program and the potential of their startups,” said Paul Brown, co-director of the MBC program and a professor in the Department of Entrepreneurship & Strategy. “We look forward to working with the new cohort and giving them all the resources, information and connections they need to reach their goals. We expect the program to help them reach their business and career potential.”
The MBC Online and Full-Time programs for fall 2024 will be accepting applications starting in August. The preferred deadline for scholarship consideration is March 20, while the general application deadline is June 15. As space and scholarships are limited, early applications are highly encouraged.
“We welcome anyone with a startup to explore what the MBC program offers and consider the ways we can help you improve your business plan, sharpen your revenue model and position your startup for long-term success,” Brown said. “We have many experienced professionals helping teach the lessons and providing one-one-one coaching for the startups in the program. The founders also learn a lot from each other as they trade ideas and expertise.”
The MBC program was created by the Eccles School to combine the top features of a high-quality business curriculum with a startup accelerator. During the program, founders develop their startups while taking classes from leading experts and receiving extensive resources and mentorship to help them address their immediate business needs.
All founders in the program are entrepreneurs who focus on creating a new business through applied curriculum, practicum labs, and learning by doing. The MBC program is one of the latest additions to the Eccles School entrepreneurship program, which has been ranked among the top-10 in the country by U.S. News & World Report. Moreover, it has received several awards, including the “Excellence in Entrepreneurship Teaching and Pedagogical Innovation” award from the Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers for 2024.
Krystal Christensen, from Riverton, Utah, is one of the new founders in the MBC Online program. She is the founder of Utah Medical Massage & Wellness, which offers therapeutic and medical massage as a form of complementary alternative medicine. Their therapists help patients by taking assessments, co-creating goals, and developing customised plans to help people get out of pain and stay out of pain.
“My company is important to me because it allows me to help people in really meaningful ways,” Christensen said. “Now more than ever, people are turning to holistic and sustainable methods to manage their health and wellness. It is the most rewarding thing to meet a person in pain and give them back a part of their life that brings them joy and fulfilment.”
She joined the MBC program to acquire the knowledge, tools, and guidance necessary to elevate her business.
“The MBC is unique because it is made for the creators – the people who love seeing something delightful and helpful come together,” she said. “It goes further than other programs because it allows founders the opportunity to not only learn about business, but to apply that toward something meaningful and that they are really passionate about.”
Christen chose the MBC Online format because of the flexibility it offers her to grow her business from anywhere and between her other commitments. “The online option allows me to work towards something exceptional and challenging while still tending to my personal, family and work needs,” she said.
Kory Fluckiger, who resides in Woodruff, Utah, is a recent addition to the founders in the MBC Online program. He is the co-founder of Space Gnome Studio, a company that offers game design, consulting, art production, and development services to small, independent game studios. The company’s main focus is on creating educational games.
“The specific niche of educational games is sorely underserved when it comes to fun, great-looking titles,” Fluckiger said. “I am passionate about gamified education and want to raise the bar.”
He is a serial entrepreneur and joined the MBC program to fill some of the gaps he has in his experience.
“It is truly one-of-a-kind in education as the teachings, theories and techniques are put into immediate practice and application,” Fluckiger said. “I am not studying things to one day apply to a business. I am directly applying what I learn to my current business, have access to a great network, and have consultants on my business that I could never afford at this stage otherwise.”
A new founder, Sharon Salmon from Park City, Utah, is now part of the program. She is the founder of High Top HR, which is a human resources consultancy agency. The agency offers comprehensive people services that are customized to meet the needs of individuals and organizations. High Top HR provides expert guidance and solutions for talent acquisition, performance management, employee training, and development to optimize the workforce.
“People are the heart and soul of an organization,” Salmon said. “There is a complex relationship between people, business needs and customers. I enjoy solving problems and helping each interchange of these complex relationships work better together.”
She expects the MBC program to help her grow and scale her company and overcome many business challenges.
“I am great at helping others, but I needed the MBC program to scale my business into a long-term sustainable practice, to help more people and organizations,” Salmon said. “The fact that this program functions similarly to an incubator but does not take a portion of our business is beyond valuable. They intend to help us, not to put their interests above ours. It feels more wholistic and puts the full responsibility on us to own our success.”
She was also attracted to the low cost of the MBC program. “There is no other master’s program in the U.S. from a reputable university that is affordable,” Salmon said.
Learn more about the Master of Business Creation program and apply at eccles.utah.edu/mbc.
