Chaminade University of Honolulu

Business & Communication

Hogan Students Learn about “Taking the Road Less Traveled” from Chaminade Alums

Chaminade alumni Adam Hoffman and Juno Chung have “taken the road less traveled” and it was an honor to hear their road to success during our Hogan Wednesday Speaker Session.

Adam works for Hangar Technology, a software technology company focused on harnessing the opportunity presented by the mass-adoption of drone hardware and the market demand for the data these drones can provide. Adam began his presentation with our Hogan motto: “Doing business things that make social sense and doing social things that make business sense,” and explained how important this is in our everyday lives. He encouraged us to use vision boards, write down our goals to help the process of manifestation, have a clear mindset, never settle, embrace our fear of failure, find our passion, get outside our comfort zone, never lose confidence, act like we are the CEO, and to always focus on the next assignment. Adam shared with us his daily morning affirmation, which is “I am in alignment with my mind and heart and I will think about things that I want, not what I don’t want.” I was surprised that Adam, just like me, believes in the law of attraction; it is rare to know someone who believes in this. It was also interesting to learn that Adam meditates daily and writes down daily gratifications and affirmations as well. In addition, he shared with us his “feedback loop” which consisted of the many different things that he does to stay focused and keep his mind clear of distractions.

Juno Chung is the owner of Koa Pancake House, Koa Cafe, My Outlet Clothing and co-owner of JCBL Products. It was amazing to hear his story and experiences that led him to where he is now. Juno is an inspiration to many people who are going through or have been diagnosed with depression and anxiety. Juno compared his life to the Matrix because he feels that he is “the chosen one” from the family to run the Koa Pancake business. In addition, he was offered pills to help him overcome his depression and anxiety, and he also joked about getting into a lot of fights similar to the main character, Neo, in the Matrix. During the process of Juno finding his outlet to life, he was given great advice by his psychologist. His psychologist told him that when making decisions change the “or” to an “and” because anything is possible as long as you put your mind to it. Don’t limit yourself. One of my favorite quotes from Juno’s presentation was “as an entrepreneur, you always have the freedom to do what makes you happy.”

“Never be afraid to set higher goals and reach for the moon, because if you miss you’ll land amongst the stars” – Adam Hoffman and Juno Chung.

Written by: Hogan Entrepreneurs Program student, Kristle Henry
Speaker Session with Adam Hoffman & Juno Chung: 3/8/17

Hogan Entrepreneurs Program Ignites Chaminade Student’s Dream Business

When Sheehan Chase entered Chaminade University at the age of 28, he entered a community of learners that would nurture and challenge him to go beyond what he thought were his limits.

Chase had been out of school for a while before he finally returned. He purposely chose Chaminade because of its Marianist connection. As an alumnus of Archbishop Riordan High School, which is sponsored by the Marianists and under the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco, he was familiar with Marianist educational values and was seeking community. He was not disappointed. He found that students and faculty were involved and engaged. So was he, and he thrived in the smaller-sized classes.

Sheehan Chase (BA Communication '17)

“Chaminade has given me a great community and a small tight-knit place to grow in,” said the senior majoring in communications.

His growth took a quantum leap when he entered Chaminade’s Hogan Entrepreneurs Program.

To be eligible for the program, students had to maintain a GPA of 3.0 or better and then continue that performance while in the program. They had to have a record of leadership or entrepreneurial experience and demonstrate evidence of creative thinking and the ability to consider the ethical dimensions of their actions.

Once part of the program, Chase and his fellow student-entrepreneurs learned about the fundamentals of entrepreneurship, the external environments of entrepreneurial organizations, the issues which affect entrepreneurial success and management of entrepreneurial ventures.  Then there were the professional development workshops which develop students’ skills in areas such as professional communications, business etiquette and protocol, media relations, sale and cross-cultural management.

In addition, one of the great benefits offered was that of access to the Hogan Mentors-in-Residence, Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, and the Leadership-Coach-in-Residence — a cadre of expert advisors and business leaders available for students to meet with one-on-one. These experts have been an invaluable resource for student-entrepreneurs.

The program offerings and the network of experts ignited Chase’s entrepreneurial passions. He already had an idea for a business seeded in his mind before entering the program. He had created a journal of his grandmother’s life that was so impressive, people encouraged him to start a business. Could he do it?

Sheehan Chase's biographical book about his grandmother

When Chase shared his idea with his Hogan advisors and mentors, they urged him forward. Dr. John Webster, the director of the program, was the one who advised him to focus on developing a prototype and perfecting that prototype. Following Dr. Webster’s advice, Chase prepared his grandmother’s book with her oral history to perfection.

Chase showcased the work to the Hogan Advisory Board and landed his first client. In December 2016, Chase’s business “Tale to Tell” was launched. As a communication major and a Hogan entrepreneur, Chase was uniquely qualified to blend the telling of a good story with a business niche.

“For any student with business ideas, the Hogan Entrepreneurs program is a great facilitator and a great provider of resources,” said Chase, who delved into program offerings with gusto and met regularly with Hogan experts regarding his new business.

Chase’s network of Hogan people did not let him stop at just having a business. They pushed him to compete in the state regionals of the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards, which recognizes the best in student-led business innovation. Hosted by the Entrepreneurs’ Organization of Hawaii, the competition judged competitors as entrepreneurs and on their business plans.

Chase made his presentation to a panel of seasoned entrepreneurs and competed with college business students from across the state. He had his doubts, but his mentors were confident. In January, Chase was recognized as one of this year’s top three regional finalists and was mentioned in Hawaii Business.

“I love Chaminade and what it has done for me,” Chase said. Chase is especially grateful for the Hogan Entrepreneurs because it equipped him with new skills, extensive connections, and the mindset to start new things wherever his career may lead him. “It has been such a great experience,” he emphasized.

Hogan Students Learn About Social Entrepreneurship from Chris Marvin

It was a privilege to hear from Mr. Chris Marvin, principal for Marvin Strategies, a strategy and communications consulting practice that specializes in social innovation, civic engagement, defense policy, and the veteran narrative. He is also the founder and former Executive Director of Got Your 6, a nonprofit campaign that advocated for accurate portrayals of veterans in film, television, and popular media. He served for seven years as a US Army officer and Black Hawk helicopter pilot and is a combat wounded veteran of the war in Afghanistan.

Chris Marvin and Desiree Depondicchello
Chris Marvin (principal at Marvin Strategies) and Desiree Depondicchello (Hogan Entrepreneurs Program student)

Mr. Marvin took us through his journey of being a veteran of the U.S Army. While serving in Afghanistan as a platoon leader, at the age of 25, he came upon a difficult situation. He was involved in an aircraft accident which left him with two broken legs and a broken arm. Many people thought negatively of the situation, but Mr. Marvin’s mentality showed otherwise. He stated, “It was the best thing that happened to me.” Overcoming a difficult situation, creating a positive outcome of obtaining his MBA and working with non-profit organizations are amongst the accomplishments achieved by Mr. Marvin.

His mission is to change how the public portrays veterans. Veterans, as shown in various movies, are portrayed as heroes or victims. He made it questionable as to why we have these stereotypes of veterans and why we only thank them but not bother to learn more about their life. Mr. Marvin is motivated to help the public understand that veterans are a part of the community, a group that should not be segmented out. His mission inspired him to become a social entrepreneur through Got Your 6. Through this organization, he collaborated with Hollywood by networking with TV shows and movies to assist in how military characters should be portrayed. He continues his mission on working with the veteran community as well as integrating his leadership skills and entrepreneur-ism to create social change and shift cultural perceptions.

Mr. Marvin revealed that one of his biggest challenges is being labeled only as a veteran and not who he truly is as a person. Through his inspirational speech, he provided us with advice on positive impact. His speech took us on an educational journey, learning not only about veterans but also about ourselves. Mr. Marvin left us with this message: “Find projects that you are interested in and involve those you enjoy working it.”

Written by: Hogan Entrepreneurs Program student, Desiree Depondicchello
Speaker Session with Chris Marvin: 3/1/17

Maya Rogers Motivates and Inspires Hogan Student

Maya Rogers and Krys Romanczak
Maya Rogers (President and CEO of Blue Planet Software) and Krys Romanczak (Hogan Entrepreneurs Program student)

It was a privilege to hear from Ms. Maya Rogers, President and CEO of Blue Planet Software, where she has led the worldwide business initiatives of the Tetris® brand since 2007. Her expertise encompasses game development, global licensing, brand management, merchandising, and IP enforcement. Prior to heading Tetris, she steered cross-culturalization and development efforts for Tetris Online China, Sony Computer Entertainment America, and American Honda. In addition, she co-founded Blue Startups in 2012 and serves as Partner. She was named Pacific Business News Women to Watch Honoree in 2016 and was selected as one of Hawaii Business Magazine’s 20 for the Next 20 in 2015.

Ms. Rogers provided Hogan students with motivation and inspiration. Through the use of her own daunting journeys and struggles, Ms. Rogers sheds light by revealing her inspirations within each journey. Her speech provided us with valuable lessons and advice to be used in both the business world and in life. She spoke of how a company can be successful with careful thought and consideration to the current market conditions. She shared with us stories about her non-traditional upbringing of being half Japanese in Japan yet still being considered an outsider to most. During her educational journey here in the United States, she was able to rediscover her roots and passion—automotive and gaming industries. Her focus, attention to detail, and inspirational messages left us awake, alert, and wanting more. She left us with this inspirational message: “Be yourself, and remember where you came from.”

Written by: Hogan Entrepreneurs Program student, Krys Romanczak
Speaker Session with Maya Rogers 2/15/17

Chris Eldridge Teaches Hogan Students that Failing is Part of Success

Chris Eldridge and Jordan Caputy
Chris Eldridge (Koa Capital Partners) and Jordan Caputy (Hogan Entrepreneurs Program student)

It was a privilege to hear from Mr. Chris Eldridge, co-founder and Managing Operator of Koa Capital Partners, LLC. Koa Capital Partners invests in Hawaii companies with great potential and strives to create long-term value for shareholders, managers, employees and customers. Their goal with each investment is to help management grow revenue and earnings by expanding sales channels, improving operations, identifying and recruiting talent and providing hands-on, real-world strategic insights along with capital for add-on investments.

Mr. Eldridge is also an entrepreneur and has experience in start-up and management experience in Hawaii having founded and sold companies including America’s Mattress Hawaii, PortaBox Storage and FileMinders.

His story began in a souvenir company in Anchorage, Alaska where he discovered his love of selling and people. One striking similarity I found is Mr. Eldridge’s similar outlook on life as Sylvester Stallone’s character of Rocky Balboa: “if you get knocked down you get back up and you keep on going.”

Mr. Eldridge advised us to be careful of the naysayers and always surround ourselves with positive people who want us to succeed. He also stressed that it is okay to fail because it is a learning opportunity. Learn from your mistakes and do better the next time around. Lastly, he stressed the power of perseverance: as long as you persist, you will be successful.

“If you have the energy and the drive, you can make your mark” – Chris Eldridge.

Written by: Hogan Entrepreneurs Program student, Jordan Caputy
Speaker Session with Chris Eldridge 2/1/17

Chaminade Communication Student Takes on the Big Apple

It’s been a whirlwind week for Chantelle Aguilar, a senior Chaminade communication major, who was named to the American Advertising Federation (AAF) 2017 Most Promising Multicultural Student Class. Flown into New York City by AAF, she spent Feb. 13-16 meeting with professionals from top advertisers, media companies and advertising agencies at the exclusive Most Promising Multicultural Students Recruiters Expo.

Held in conjunction with the Expo, an Industry Immersion program provided her with invaluable networking and learning experiences. The Industry Immersion component of the program allows students to experience the excitement of a career in advertising firsthand by visiting major advertisers, ad agencies and media companies and attending workshops led by industry leaders. In addition, at the “Building Bridges for Our Future Awards Luncheon,” she dined among leading executives and multicultural industry pioneers. The luncheon provided an opportunity for networking and mentorship.

Representing 34 schools, the Most Promising Multicultural Student Class was a carefully selected group of top-tier students in advertising and marketing programs from across the country.  The class was selected for their excellent GPAs, demonstrated talent, leadership and service abilities.

In his recommendation letter, Aguilar’s adviser Dr. Cliff Bieberly said, “Chantelle is an extremely conscientious student who works hard and always takes on new challenges.”  Adding that she is an officer in Chaminade’s American Advertising Federation College Chapter, he pointed out Aguilar’s exceptional GPA.  “This very high-grade average has been earned despite the fact that she is a commuter student, works and is highly involved in our Hogan Entrepreneurs Club, Communication Club, our AAF Student Chapter and the university’s student government where she serves in a marketing communication role,” Dr. Bieberly said.

The 2017 MPMS Judges Committee reviewed the applications from more than 100 highly accomplished students.  Judges came from several top agencies in the advertising profession, including Arc Worldwide, Bloomberg, Droga5, FCB, fluent360, mcgarrybowen, Momentum Worldwide and Omnicom Health Group.  According to the AAF, the judges “were blown away by the talent pool” and that the final selection was quite difficult.

Chantelle is the seventh student from Chaminade to receive this honor since the Communication program began participating in 2004.