Panel dishes on essentials of startup success

Last night, students in Huntsman Hall were greeted by a man dressed in bags of beef jerky.

However, this wasn’t a new dining option — the Wharton Entrepreneurship Club was hosting a panel discussion on business startups.

During the panel, 1994 Wharton graduate Brian Levin, founder of Perky Jerky — a caffeinated meat snack that his business partner 1995 Engineering graduate Art Holscher was wearing at the event — shared his experiences in the business world. His father, 1964 College graduate Alan Levin, and 1967 Nursing graduate Rene Kozloff also offered advice for those who wish to start their own companies.

As an introduction, Brian Levin talked about his work with a number of notable businesses, including Jagermeister, Grey Goose and Mobliss, the company that developed the texting services for American Idol.

Thanks to Mobliss’ design, “Voting for American Idol is probably more secure than any government election we’ve ever had,” he said.

However, his successes did not outshine the other speakers’.

Levin’s father, Alan, founded three businesses, including Glamorene Rent-O-Mat, which rents out carpet shampooer machines, KSKE Radio and Fine Arts Industries.

Kozloff described the difference between her service business, KAI research, and the Levins’ companies, which were mainly focused on products. While she had no prior business experience, Kozloff and a colleague decided to start a company together in 1986 to do clinical research and run drug trials.

All of the panelists expressed their desire for freedom and flexibility in their work life, driving them to create businesses of their own rather than working for one.

“My reason was [that] I wanted freedom, similar to what Thomas Jefferson wanted … I wanted to decide my own fate,” Alan Levin said.

However, he also warned that “startups aren’t for everybody. I’ve seen startups ruin people’s lives; it can drive you crazy.”

Throughout the event, speakers asked questions of each other and fielded questions from students in the audience.

In particular, they stressed the importance of knowing how to sell and talk to others, as well as making good business relationships.

For example, Alan Levin described a colleague who would use a speech impediment to his advantage, and another who brought flowers to the secretaries who worked at companies he was meeting with.

“What’s the most important part of the sale?” he asked the audience. “The appointment! If you don’t get the appointment you won’t have the opportunity to make the sale.”

The alumni also warned students that they won’t learn everything they need to know simply in the classroom.

“I had no business training; everything I learned I learned on the job,” Kozloff said.

Brian Levin explained his method of selling and promoting his product outside of stadiums and sporting areas. “We’ve turned the guerilla style into an art.”

Evan Rosenbaum, president of the Wharton Entrepreneurship Club, was pleased with the panel’s turnout.

“Our goal is to bring action-oriented speakers who can show students what it takes to start a business and not just speak in generalities,” he said.

College junior Ryan Park read about the panel on the display screens in Huntsman. “I came because I am interested in marketing and startup businesses … It’s great to meet these kinds of people who have experience in the field, and I wanted to take advantage of it.”

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