Joy King
palmettoreport@gmail.com

(Rock Hill, S.C.) – Winthrop University students had the opportunity to showcase their talents and network their businesses at the school’s Student Entrepreneurship Fair.

“It started from a Instagram story, to an Instagram DM (direct message) and then emails to the right people,” said Deanndra Brown, a student entrepreneur at Winthrop.

Brown, who helped organize the event hosted by the Office of Student Activities, discussed her self-empowerment brand called Good JuJu Only at the entrepreneurship fair Feb. 28 at the DiGiorgio Campus Center.

“I decided to (organize the fair) with my partner Niageria Bey, because there are so many businesses and student entrepreneurs on campus. I was like why not? I wanted to share a spotlight on student entrepreneurs at Winthrop,” Brown said.

At least 15 student entrepreneurs participated in the student-run event.

“Meeting other people and learning about their brands and business can help you start your own brand or business,” said Bey, a licensed cosmetologist who specializes in manicures and pedicures.

“We weren’t looking for anyone specific. We want anyone who has their own self established brand.”

Bey said the event provided some important networking opportunities.

“You may never know who people are connected to so networking is a major key,” said Bey.

“This is a point and time of our lives where we (as students) will never see each other again and this is the time to network and to get business. So why not start now,” Brown said.

She said a brand can be very personal, because it can be something a person believes in and wants to share with the world.

“It is something that represents you. It has to come from some kind of value. For me personally, my brand is myself,” said Brown.