Throwing around words like “profit margin,” “promotion” and “mission statement,” a gathering of individuals from around the Baton Rouge area tried to nail down details for possible business plans this weekend.
The inaugural Startup Weekend for Baton Rouge operated out of Pleasant Hall on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
 Startup is a non-profit, global organization out of Seattle that helps manage local events to educate people on how to launch a business, said Maris McEdward, communications manager at Startup Weekend.
“We have a network of about 140 volunteers who run and market events,” McEdward said. “It’s usually a person of local presence who will use the Startup name and platform to make an event.”
Wendy Overton, assistant executive director of Continuing Education, organized the weekend’s events.
“Startup Weekend is designed for people to learn how to start a business,” Overton said. “This is the first one for Louisiana, and we’re excited for it to be at LSU. The program is about building community from grassroots levels.”
Participants came together Friday night for a chance to get to know one another and form groups to develop a business plan. Speakers, mentors and experienced entrepreneurs shared their knowledge and provided assistance. By Sunday night, groups had a full plan to present to a panel of investors and professional entrepreneurs.
Overton said a city the size of Baton Rouge would normally have about 30 registrants, the Baton Rouge Startup had 45, one-third of which were students.
“This says something significant about the interest of our community in learning firsthand about entrepreneurship,” she said.
Treosha Blue, a Baton Rouge resident, said she came to Startup to learn more about putting together a real business.
“For me, it’s more about confidence,” Blue said. “If I can do something like this in a short amount of time, in the future I’ll be able to put together a real plan, and I’ll know what it takes.”
McEdward said Startup Weekend expects to hold about 150 events worldwide in 2011, and Baton Rouge is encouraged to host more events in the future.
“We really try to support and grow the individual economic systems in each community,” McEdward said.
 
____
Contact Morgan Searles at
[email protected]