Lavin Entrepreneurship Center Community Newsletter
December, 2015
Lavin Intern Drives Branding and Marketing at Sandal Company
Starting this past summer, Josh Houghton, a Lavin Entrepreneur and a senior finance student, began working with a local entrepreneur through the Lavin Entrepreneurship Center’s internship program. Josh was hired as a marketing intern in an effort to upgrade the company’s products while at the same time re-launching the brand, Toe Joez Sandals. Initial projects involved redesigning the company’s logo, then the ecommerce website and finally the core sandal products which are imported from Guadalajara Mexico. Today, with a refreshed brand, product line-up, and website, Toe Joez is an amazing example of what happens when you put aspiring student entrepreneur interns together with local founders.
The Lavin Center's internship program strives to connect SDSU students with local entrepreneurs and non-profits with the goal of promoting learning and hands on experience in both the non-profit and for-profit sector. In the past, students have assisted local entrepreneurs in the development of short and long-term strategy, competitive marketplace due diligence, financial analysis, and much more. Strategic projects range from operations, finance, and management to business development, research, and marketing.
If you have a business or organization and are interested in hiring a student intern please contact Sara Sica at ssica@mail.sdsu.edu or Sean Pierce at sspierce@mail.sdsu.edu for more information.
2016 LeanModel™ Competition: Register Your University Team!

With the fall semester coming to an end, we are now two and a half months away from hosting our 4th annual LeanModel™ Competition! The LeanModel™ Competition rewards students for identifying and defining assumptions, testing those assumptions in the marketplace, and then pivoting their business model based on customer interactions. The competition is for students with new, independent ventures in start-up or early growth stages.
The competition will feature two days filled with pitch events, presentations, and networking with the opportunity to win up to $20,000 in cash and in-kind prizes. In addition, we have added an element of mentoring to our competition. Before arriving at the competition each team will be paired with a mentor via video conferencing to provide valuable feedback. The addition of mentoring is intended to increase the value and competition level of every team participating.
To find out more information about the LeanModel™ Competition check out the overview page.Registration is open now with the deadline quickly approaching if you know of a student team that has what it takes to compete! If you have any questions, feel free to email Kathryn Boyles at kboyles@mail.sdsu.edu or call her at (619) 594-2781.
2016 California Educators Conference: Uniting Entrepreneurship Educators.

The Conference, organized around entrepreneurial research, and pedagogy, will feature a number of leading entrepreneurship educators, researchers, and thought leaders who will serve as session facilitators. To learn more about those participating, please check out our speaker bios page . We also encourage you to browse the conference website page for more information.
Register today to secure your spot!
2016 Golf Tournament: Making a Difference

The golf tournament will be housed by The Crosby at Rancho Santa Fe on February 9th, 2016. There will be a limited player field of 120 golfers to guarantee a great golfing experience. Participation includes lunch, gold player reception, an awards dinner, and a live auction featuring an array of travel and leisure items, sports items, and much more! For more information about the golf tournament or to register please visit our website page or contact Alissa Thompson at Alissa@TenthandMarketDesign.com
Strategic Internship Opportunities
Let an SDSU intern move your company forward. Learn how they can work for you!
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Attend the 2016 California Entrepreneurship Educators Conference and gain new perspectives! Mark your calendar for March 10 – 12, 2016.
Maximize Your Non-Profit’s Impact
Hire an SDSU Graduate MBA intern to strategically analyze and improve your non-profit’s marketing plan. Learn how they can help you achieve your mission.
Move Your Company Forward
Are you looking for a strong SDSU student to assist in the advancement of entrepreneurially driven projects? Participate in our paid internship program today!
Building the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs
The Lavin Entrepreneurship Center at San Diego State University serves SDSU students, entrepreneurs and business leaders through entrepreneurial curriculum, workshops, internships, resources and events. For information browse the Programs section of our website, subscribe to the Lavin Center Calendar and sign up for the Center's Entrepreneurial Fuel Newsletter. Entrepreneur resources such as the Lavin Center resume guide, marketing and business planning tools and more can be found in the Resources section of our site.
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