Get Started hosted by Cox Communications

Get Started Pensacola will highlight up to five entrepreneurs who will pitch their idea to a distinguished panel of experts.

One winner will be named to receive OVER $20,000 in prizes including a one year Cox Business technology package.

Local businesses not competing are encouraged to attend this free event for networking and learning opportunities from accomplished leaders in digital marketing, funding and business growth strategy.

• $5,000 cash from Cox Business
• 1 year of business services from Cox Business
• Video Production & Consultative services from Cox Media
• Training and development services from Studer Community Institute
• Announcement as winner of Get Started Pensacola in 850 Magazine

Whether you’re a start-up or looking to grow your current business with a new idea, join us to learn from an esteemed panel of experts to turn that idea into a revenue generating success.

In our pitch competition, you’ll get the chance to win a prize package valued at over $20,000

Cox Business is bringing Get Started to Pensacola (#GetStartedPensacola) , in partnership with Inc.

• WHEN: Wednesday, November 2, 2016 – 5:30 – 8:00pm
• WHERE: Pensacola Cultural Center, 400 S Jefferson St. Pensacola, Florida
• ADMISSION: This event is FREE and open to the public but you must register to attend.

Reception and Networking
Complimentary cocktails & hors d’oeuvres at one of the best networking events you’ll attend this year! (served before and after the competition)

Registration is now open – Limited Seating – Reserve Your  Seat Now

Moderator: David Deliman, Market Vice President Cox Gulf Coast

David Deliman serves as Market Vice President for the Gulf Coast area of Cox’s Southeast Region. This includes the communities of Pensacola, Fort Walton Beach, Destin, Crestview and Niceville. In this role, David oversees the day-to-day operations for Cox and serves as an advocate for customers, employees and Cox in the community.

David joined Cox in 2004 and has served in a number of Public Affairs positions at both the field and corporate levels. He was the company’s product PR lead for Cox High Speed Internet and also represented Cox as the national media spokesperson. Prior to assuming his current role in February 2016, David oversaw external communications for the Southeast Region, including media relations, social media, community affairs, charitable giving, and local programming. His team’s work has earned the company numerous national awards.

Prior to Cox, David worked in broadcast journalism for nearly a decade. He served as a reporter for the ABC television affiliates in Panama City and Pensacola, Florida and led the day-to-day operations of the newsroom at WEAR-TV (ABC-Pensacola) as the station’s managing editor.

David is a graduate of the University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communications. He has also completed several leadership development programs, including Leadership Okaloosa, the Cox Emerging Leaders program and the Cox Enterprises Mentoring program (both as a mentee and mentor).

David is actively involved in the community, representing Cox on the board of directors for the Pensacola Chamber of Commerce, the Escambia County Public Schools Foundation, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Emerald Coast and Ronald McDonald House Charities.

Emily Ley – Creative Director & Founder, Emily Ley Paper Co.

Emily Ley is a noted branding expert, speaker, and the creator of the Simplified Planner® – a bestselling agenda for busy women balancing work, life, and family. Raised in Pensacola, Florida, Emily graduated from the University of West Florida with a bachelor’s degree in English Writing and a master’s degree in Public Administration.

She was the Executive Director of Ballet Pensacola by age 23 and worked in nonprofit management and public relations before launching her own brand in 2008. Following the success found at its online home –EmilyLey.com,

Emily Ley quickly grew to be carried in over 750 retail stores around the world. Emily has been featured in Forbes Magazine, Better Homes and Gardens, Glamour, Good Housekeeping, and Family Circle Magazine and has been recognized with numerous awards, including Best New Product at the National Stationery Show and Top 10 Designers to Watch.

Emily also recently authored her first book, Grace, Not Perfection: Embracing Simplicity, Chasing Joy, released in October 2016. Emily is a proud wife and mother to a preschooler and toddler twins in Tampa, Florida

Quint Studer – Businessman, Visionary, Entrepreneuer, Mentor

Quint Studer is a businessman, a visionary, an entrepreneur, a mentor to many, and extremely dedicated to his community. For more than 30 years, he has given his life to designing the building blocks in organizations that will guide them to achieving and sustaining a culture of high performance.

Quint Studer is the founder of Studer Group®, a recipient of the 2010 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. In 2011, Studer sold majority ownership to a growth equity firm, JMI. In 2015, JMI sold Studer Group to Huron Consulting Group, Inc. Studer left Huron in March of 2016 to focus on a number of other ventures. Inc. magazine named Studer its Master of Business, making him the only healthcare leader to have ever won this prestigious award.

Quint was recognized as one of the 40 smartest people in health care by Becker’s Magazine. In September of 2014, Quint was the first ever recipient of Modern Healthcare’s Healthcare Marketing Visionary Award. Breaking ground in May of 2016, Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola, Florida announced that their new children’s hospital would be named The Studer Family Children’s Hospital.

Dr. Sherry Hartnett – Marketing & Leadership Consultant & Professor UWF

A marketing and leadership consultant and professor, Dr. Sherry Hartnett finds personal satisfaction in assisting individuals, teams, and organizations in achieving solutions that benefit both the employee and the organization. As a senior-level executive for more than 20 years, Sherry has led and coached teams in various not-for-profit and for-profit industries. As owner/principal consultant for Hartnett Marketing Solutions, her areas of specialization include: Corporate Strategic Planning, Marketing Strategy, Brand Development, Organizational Learning, and Executive Mentoring.

Sherry has extensive professional experience in the healthcare and marketing fields. Prior to consulting, she was Vice President, Chief Marketing & Development Officer at Baptist Health Care and before that was a marketing executive for Gannett Co., Inc., one of the world’s largest media companies. A multiple award-winner herself, Sherry has been sought out to judge top marketing competitions for the American Marketing Association and other national organizations. Wanting to make a difference in the lives of the next generation, Sherry has joined academia as a Professor and Director of the Executive Mentor Program at the University of West Florida to help prepare students for successful careers and lives.

Julie Weber, Senior Director of People, Southwest Airlines

As Vice President People, Julie leads all aspects of Human Resources (at SWA we call it the People Department), including hiring the right People at the right time with the right attitude, providing Employees with equal opportunity for learning and personal growth, providing competitive and attractive benefits packages, and assuring quality and depth of Leadership throughout the Company.

Julie has over 20 years of domestic and international Human Resources experience. She began her career in Human Resources with Babich and Associates in Dallas. She joined MetaSolv Software (now an Oracle Company) in 1996 and served as Vice President, Human Resources from 2000-2006. Julie joined Southwest as Director of Employment and most recently served as Senior Director of People.

Peter Nowak, Nowak Enterprises

For the past 25 years, Mr. Peter Nowak of Nowak Enterprises, Inc. has owned and operated McDonald’s restaurants in Pensacola. Starting with two in 1991, he now owns and operates six.

Besides building a business that employs over 300 people, Peter Nowak the entrepreneur formed three LLCs. One develops and designs cloud-based visual communication tools, mobile marketing solutions, and isolated wireless audio stations. Another produces visual communications and a third is launching Pensacola Socialdesk, a coworking site.

Pete is on the board of Innovation Coast, contributes to the Pensacola Young Entrepreneurs Academy, and donates his communication tools to advance early childhood education and help the Pensacola Police Department improve officer-children relations.