Building an Enduring and Profitable Business: Insights from Silicon Valley
2024-08-23 16:00 - 17:00 UTC | Bradley University, Business & Engineering Convergence Center, 1422 W Main Street, Room 1150/1160
Please join the Turner Center for Entrepreneurship and the Turner School of Entrepreneurship and Innovation for a chance to learn from a leading expert in business growth and strategy.

What is the secret of a business successfully reinventing itself? Or for a startup to create an enduring and profitable business? Join us as we hear from an entrepreneur who has the benefit of a front-row seat in Silicon Valley to watch how businesses continue to reinvent themselves over and over from semiconductors in the 70s to personal computers in the 80s, to Networking in the 90s, to internet companies in the 2000s to EVs in 2010s and now AI. This talk explores key insights contributing to building a business that survives and thrives over time. Drawing from the experiences of successful Silicon Valley ventures, we will delve into elements of sustainable growth, resilience in the face of challenges, and the art of balancing innovation with profitability.

TOPICS OF DISCUSSION:

How to create a culture of adaptability and resilience

How to leverage technology for a profitable competitive advantage

The challenges of disruptive innovation

What makes sustainable growth

Insights into raising capital

Tips on leveraging international trade to support sustainable growth

A personal view of the success of Silicon Valley

Who should attend:

Entrepreneurs

Founders

Current business owners especially with a scalable business plan

Entrepreneur resource partners

Students interested in entrepreneurship, startups, business strategy and business planning

OUR SPEAKER:

Rahm Shastry, Managing Director of DriveU

Mr. Shastry completed his undergrad in Electronics & Communication Engineering from NITK, Surathkal (India), and his MSEE from Stony Brook University, New York specializing in semiconductor engineering. Rahm was involved in chip design and verification at Standard Microsystems and Apollo Computer before he migrated to design automation companies including Viewlogic and Cadence Design. Rahm has co-founded or led five such startups in the Silicon Valley over the years. In 2015, Rahm co-founded DriveU, a driver aggregator startup based in India.

Mr. Shastry is an accomplished executive with proven track record leading companies to profitability and successful exits, specializing in startups and turn-arounds. His broad experience spans general management, marketing, strategic planning, product development and international business. He has particular expertise in financial modeling, raising venture investment, operational efficiency, talent development & utilization, managing diverse teams and marketing/branding for both enterprise and consumer-focused companies. Rahm has helped foster dozens of startups over the years.

Cosponsors: Turner School of Entrepreneurship & Innovation, Foster College of Business Global Business Association, and Distillery Lab
