La Verne students supporting cancer research through business program

Ten University of La Verne business students are going to great lengths to run their classroom-based start-up company ConnecTech.

Their product – a 6-foot charging cable for mobile phones and tablets – is simple. But the process of running the company is not.

“It definitely takes up a lot of time,” said ConnecTech Chief Executive Officer Nicole Miller, a business administration major. “We’re full-time students and full-time workers.”

The project is part of the Integrated Business Program through the College of Business and Public Management. The students develop a 60-70 page business plan, present their plan to a bank to secure a loan, and assign themselves titles seen in a typical organizational structure – from CEO to sales manager. A second team, whose company is named XBand, is selling an “activity bundle” – a pair of earbuds and a fitness armband that holds cell phones.

Their objective is to successfully market and sell a product, while donating proceeds to charity.

The ConnecTech team chose to support the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

“Everyone knows someone who has been affected, either indirectly or directly, and we felt that since we would be selling in October (Breast Cancer Awareness Month), we would partner and try to raise more awareness,” said junior Matthew Chang, director of marketing for the company.

The long cables – available in white, blue, black and pink – fit Apple’s 30-pin Lightning and universal Android smart phone and tablet ports. They are Apple certified and cost $15 each or two for $25. The team makes it convenient for customers by delivering the product directly to them, saving the time of driving to a store or waiting for an online order to be shipped. Some orders have been delivered as far as Arizona, though the team member who made that delivery had already planned to go there to visit family.

“We have been traveling all over Southern California,” Miller said.

After the team recoups its costs, proceeds will be donated to the foundation. Members aim to raise $5,000 in profits. By the end of October, they had already generated nearly $2,000 in profits.

But it has required a lot of work. They set up booths during homecoming weekend, the alumni dinner and at the Ontario Reign game Oct. 25. Students also sell the products on campus during the week when they are out of class. They will be selling the cables until Dec. 6

The Integrated Business Program takes a theory-to-practice approach that helps students learn the process of running a business.

Chang, who wants to become a financial adviser when he graduates, says the experience he has gained in this project will help him in the real world.

“This program will definitely be able to help me because I have learned the necessity it takes to start a business. In addition, I have worked with a group of people and understand what needs to be completed and done in order to make a company successful,” Chang said.

Associate Professor of Marketing Dr. Sue Caple says she is astounded at the start-up businesses students come up with every semester. And she applauded ConnecTech’s success.

“They’ve done wonderfully. They’re way ahead of their sales forecast and I think they’re just going to do great,” she said.

ConnecTech consists of students Priya Patel, chief financial officer; Brandon Nguyen, chief operating officer; Nicole Miller, chief executive officer; Matthew Chang, director of marketing; Anais Hidalgo, vice president of sales; Alexis Garcia, accounts manager; Ryan Burchett, operations manager; Danielle Garcia and Kyle Jennings, marketing managers; and Khadijah McKinley, sales manager.