Business

Selling with Enthusiasm

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It was a cold and rainy Wednesday morning when Tanya Martin, the Director of Admissions here at GCC, walked into Mr. Dudkowski’s Professional Sales class. Tanya glided into the classroom with enthusiasm not willing to let the dreary weather influence her or her presentation. Tanya was invited to class because of her enthusiasm and energy. My Professional Sales class was given an assignment to interview or bring in a salesperson to speak to our class about the real world of selling. Mr. D suggested Tanya Martin, the Director of Admissions here at GCC, because she has the responsibility of selling GCC to prospective students. I jumped at the chance to bring Tanya in and I immediately raced to Admissions to persuade Tanya to come to class to speak. Tanya agreed and came in on September 30th.

Tanya had an immense amount of wisdom to give in the short fifty five minute class. She started off her presentation by saying that as a salesperson you should never be late because it makes a terrible impression, however if you bring donuts and coffee it does soften the fact you were late.

She continued her presentation by following a timeline of her life by telling us where she was from (Alfred, NY), what she majored in (Business, but later switched to Communications), where she previously worked (New York Chiropractic College and St. John Fisher), and how she sells GCC to prospective students.

Tanya sells GCC by the features and benefits the college has to offer. She asked the class to write down what they thought some features of the college were and share them with the class. The three major features the students brought up were:

  • GCC is affordable
  • GCC has small classes
  • GCC offers flexible scheduling

The benefits that go along with those features are:

  • GCC is affordable- all of your credits transfer to a 4 year college or university and you do not have to worry about paying a lot for college.
  • GCC has small classes-offers hands on learning and as a student you are able to interact with your professor. The professor genuinely wants you to succeed and they will do everything in their power to get you where you want to go. Professor Dudkowski is a great example because he sincerely wants his students to excel and he has an amazing network to help his students do just that.
  • GCC offers flexible scheduling- GCC understands that the majority of students here have a job or family and they offer the students the ability to receive a degree while working.

Tanya gave us additional advice and information throughout the presentation and included:

  • Accept as many responsibilities and opportunities as you can.
  • Job shadow or intern to find out what you want and do not want to do.
  • Find a job you love.
  • When selling, make the customer understand that they could be a part of something bigger if the purchase the product.
  • Build a relationship with the customer and genuinely care about the customer.
  • Network as much as possible.
  • Do not promise something that you cannot deliver.
  • Be persistent, but not aggressive.
  • Smile and remember that public speaking is a comfortable conversation not a scary situation.
  • Do not miss out on something in life because you are not comfortable speaking.
  • Do not ever forget that everybody is somebody.

Tanya gave an amazing presentation and it was a great reminder of what is going on in the industry and how it relates our class. Her presentation was fast paced and filled with anecdotes.  Each student in the class took away something different from the presentation and the most important thing I took away was to never treat anyone differently or rude because you never who you are going to meet or interact with in the future. I am very thankful Tanya had taken the time out of her busy schedule to come and speak with us!

Giving Tanya our GCC plaid as a thank you for coming into class.

Giving Tanya our GCC plaid as a thank you for coming into class.

Peter Cumbo: Keynote Speaker at the 2015 Creativity Conference

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Untitled.jpgWe are thrilled to announce that the keynote speaker for the 2015 Creativity Conference will be Peter Cumbo, the Owner and President of Cumbo, Inc.

Peter is an award-winning producer, director, and editor. He has produced and directed commercial videos on location throughout North America and around the world, creating work for broadcast, digital distribution, and live events. Peter has done work for the iconic brand New Era Cap and some of the work that he has done for them was recognized on March 7, 2015 when Cumbo, Inc. won four Silver Addy Awards.

In addition to his work in media, Peter offers his expertise as an organizational consultant offering strategic advice, training and practical leadership to business. As a consultant, Peter’s goal is to create and sustain transformative moments, those in which the participants experience encouragement, inspiration, and improvement resulting in lasting change. Take a look at one of the video productions Cumbo, inc. was awarded for and don’t miss the opportunity to hear about the true power of creative thinking!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiPBeK8GeSE

This blog was contributed by Business Administration Student Chelsey Breuilly.

A Stylish Arrival

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A few days ago, a large box arrived on the premises of GCC. This box was sent from the Buffalo David Bitton Showrooms in
NYC. Inside were a variety of clothing items from the Buffalo David Bitton Spring line. Due to the GCC fashion program’s
close relationship to Buffalo David Bitton, and more specifically, PR Director Diane Alexander, we have had the privilege to use new items from the Buffalo David Bitton in three of our fashion shows. From “Fashion Forward”, “Ethereal”, and now “Fata Morgana.”

FullSizeRender (15) 2This year the Buffalo David Bitton line will be featured in a music festival themed scene entitled “Festival Haze” which is being produced by Kylie Dunn and I. “Festival Haze” will embrace the best styles of Coachella and modernized free-spirit trends, and feature items from Buffalo David Bitton and Lord & Taylor. We would like to give continued thanks to Diane Alexander, and everyone at Buffalo David Bitton for continuing the tradition of featuring their product line on our runway, and everyone else involved in assisting in the production of our scene. We can’t wait to show all of you what “Festival Haze” and “Fata Morgana” have to offer!

-Ami Cornell

minuit désert

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The Genesee Community College 34th annual fashion show is something special to me. This is the third time that I’ve participated in the GCC fashion show as a fashion student. In January 2013, I came to GCC from Japan to study fashion business.

My first year I had the opportunity to be a model for Candace Cooper’s scene. In my second year, I worked as a dresser for Abby Wilcox and Quintessa Wallace’s scene. During those two years, I learned that a fashion show consists of more than the flawless runway that attracts so many people. You can never imagine what the backstage is like unless you are there. And now, this year, I have the opportunity to work as a coordinator for designer Tiffany Hill. Our scene is called “minuit désert” which means midnight desert in French. I am very excited about doing this as my final project for my fashion course because this is what I’ve always wanted to do ever since I was in Japan.

Happily, Tiffany trusted my judgements and decisions in finding models, a makeup artist, and a jewelry company. which was easier than I thought.

Na’kaylas Jewelry Box www.nakaylasjewelrybox.com

Na’kaylas Jewelry Box http://www.nakaylasjewelrybox.com

New to the GCC fashion show this year is Na’kaylas Jewelry Box. This jewelry company is run by an amazing woman, Mishay Linthecome, who recently started her own business. As an employee, Mishay has used ambition and dedication to help other businesses build success and popularity. She soon realized that she could implement those same skills to her own company to help build success and popularity of her own. Out with the old, in with the new came to the New Year and in January of 2015 Mishay launched her very own jewelry company. The name of the company was inspired by her daughter. I cannot wait to present this collaboration with Na’kaylas Jewelry Box and T. Lashaé!

This blog was contributed by Fashion Merchandising Student Chiho Nakayama.

GCC Creativity Conference

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Leonardo Da Vinci and creativity go hand-in-hand. Often when someone hears the name Da Vinci the first thing that comes to mind is his art, however he was much more than a brilliant painter. Leonardo Da Vinci was a scientist, an inventor, and a person who created things far beyond his time. It seems only suitable that the Creativity Conference at GCC falls on April 15th, Da Vinci’s Birthday.  There will be a Leonardo Da Vinci display set up in the library and cake will be served in honor of Da Vinci and the celebration of creativity!

This blog was contributed by Chelsey Breuilly.

Transcendence

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My name is Sara Elliott and I am currently a sophomore in the Fashion Merchandising program at Genesee Community College. I am extremely excited and proud to be a part of such a successful program, and feel privileged that I will soon join the ranks of other fashion graduates from GCC. This year marks the 34th year that GCC has hosted the largest fashion show in western NY and my role in this years show titled Fata Morgana is Front of the house committee as well as have a scene with Fashion design student Angelique Porey titled Transcendence. So, in Great representation of Fata Morgana come experience the ultimate transcendence from human to creature in our own interpretation of a superior mirage.

Join us Saturday April 25th for Fata Morgana: Genesee Community College’s 34th annual fashion show. Tickets are $5 pre-sale and $7 at the door. Show times are at 3pm & 7pm.

This blog was contributed by Fashion Merchandising Student Sara Elliott.

Oasis

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Anyone who has a scene for this years fashion show can tell you that there are some good days and some not so good ones. Making progress by contracting your hair and makeup artists, securing models, buying fabric, or even finishing a dress are things that happen on a good day. Having a scene entails a ton of hard work that not everyone may realize.

11051511_10206351818418441_79517740_n (1)My scene is called Oasis. I was inspired by Arabic fashions and culture, you will see this through the use of flowing fabrics and my intricate use of detail. My scene will consist of fourteen evening gowns. As of now, I have purchased all of my fabrics and have a few dresses in progress. GCC student Kana Tatsumi will be creating jewelry for my scene as well. Her brand is “Jenny Minette”; be sure to check out her jewelry line on Facebook!

11050962_10206351818858452_929050979_n (1) I have contracted all of my models, and I am excited to share that 2014’s National American Miss New York winner, Olenka Masny, will be modeling for my scene! She is an experienced model who has walked in many fashion shows and I am very excited to work with her.

I am also excited to write that I have contracted very talented hair and makeup artists for the show. Amanda Marsala is an extremely talented makeup artist from the Western NY area. You can check out her Instagram @almarsala , you won’t be disappointed! My hair artist’s name is David Gerard. He did the hair for my scene “Glorious” last year and did a fabulous job; I am thrilled to work with him again this year!

So many great things are happening for me so far and I am quickly developing a strong team for this year’s fashion show. I know that there will be some bumps along the way, but in the end when the models walk down the runway it will be all worth it!

This blog was contributed by Entrepreneurship Student Abby Wilcox.

“Steeling” The Method

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The atmosphere in the technology building lecture hall at Genesee Community College was buzzing with anticipation on Wednesday February 25th. The marketing and social media expert, as well as best selling author, David Steel brought in an extremely attentive audience that far exceeded the number of seats in the house. It seemed that people were eager to hear what Mr. Steel would be preaching: how to best use social media and marketing to truly benefit the user.

David Steel is the chief viral officer of Sneeze.it, a digital marketing agency, a division of The Steel Method. He is also the author of “The Care and Feeding of Highly Aggressive Sales People” and “Sneeze It–Don’t Just Say It Spray It.” His presentations have captivated audiences from New York to Nairobi, and most recently Russia.

Best selling author and marketing expert David Steel with GCC students Ariana Sneed and Ami Cornell

Best selling author and marketing expert David Steel with GCC students Ariana Sneed and Ami Cornell

I, along with fellow Fashion Merchandising student Ariana Sneed, had the pleasure of hosting Mr. Steel during his visit to Genesee Community College. Upon giving David Steel a short tour around campus we discovered that our school offered amenities that we may often take for granted. For one, David was left in awe of how clean our facilities were and complimented our maintenance staff many times throughout his visit. He also took notice of how friendly all of the faculty members of GCC were.

As far as keynote speakers go, David Steel comes highly recommended, and for good reason. He has a charismatic quality about him that is so genuine and intense that his audiences don’t just listen, they are hypnotized. He presents his audience members with the cold hard facts, and gives them the tools to achieve success by manipulating the seemingly rigid confines of social media and marketing.

One key aspect of David Steel’s presentation that seemed to resonate with the audience overall was idea that “Facebook is a marketer’s dream.” Businesses are able to use tools that Facebook has provided in order to find out their customer’s demographics through inputing their customer’s emails into the Facebook search bar. Mr. Steel even made reference to student and entrepreneur, Abby Wilcox’s budding cupcake business based out of Cooperstown, NY known as Coopcakes. He suggested that she could use this specific type of tool to market certain cupcake flavors to specific customers.

David Steel with President Sunser

David Steel with President Sunser

Perhaps the most influential statement I took away from David Steel’s presentation was, “the person who controls the conversation is the person who asks the questions.” I know for certain that everyone who has had the chance to hear Mr. Steel speak now knows how to ask the questions.

-Ami Cornell

Where It All Began

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The fashion-merchandising program at Genesee Community College has had a lasting effect on changing who I am for the better. It has helped me to develop an understanding of the business of fashion, and has showed me that there isn’t just one clear path to enter the field of fashion you want to join.

Before starting this program I was a shy, quiet student that didn’t want to share or say anything in front of others. I only had a small understanding of what it really meant to be a fashion merchandising major. Since then, things have changed. I have developed many skills with the help of all the teaching staff at Genesee community college. Professor Dudkowski and Professor Ehrhart especially assisted in my growth through teaching the “tricks of the trade” and the real-world applications of retail. One thing I’ll never forget about my time spent studying at GCC is all of Professor Dudkowski’s sayings; I may have laughed at what he was saying, but he says them because they work. Professor Dudkowksi and Professor Ehrhart are great professors that have helped me have a larger understanding of what it will be like to work in retail and helped put me on a successful career path. People may doubt this program’s success because of its rural location, but this small school makes sure you have all the information you may need if you plan to transfer on, and the teachers want you to succeed.

Through these two years I have gained a lot of confidence within myself, as well as in my studies. I believe that GCC has set me up with the skills I need to succeed, it is for this reason that I don’t plan to transfer to another college; I’m extremely excited and I feel ready to enter the retail business. I plan to succeed through putting use to what my professors taught me these past two years and to make a lasting positive impression in the professional field of retail.

This blog was contributed by Fashion Merchandising Student Kylie Dunn.

Fata Morgana

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With the fall semester coming to fruition, and the spring semester in our midst, planning for the annual fashion show has begun. This April, the annual fashion show at Genesee Community College will ring in its 34th year, and is expected to be the largest show yet! With that in mind, the Fashion students of GCC have curated a theme that will surely leave their audiences inspired. This year’s show will be entitled Fata Morgana. A Fata Morgana is defined as a rapidly changing and complex form of superior mirage/optical phenomenon that is seen in the narrow band right above the horizon.They determined Fata Morgana to be an excellent choice of theming for this year’s fashion show due to its timely mention in an issue of Women’s Wear Daily and the large presence of desert themes within the Spring 2015 clothing collections. The fashion students then related the idea of Fata Morgana to the cultural diversification of the widespread desert environments within the w10940620_10205918014689147_6156977377827682419_norld, and a fashion show like no other was born. Fata Morgana, the 34th annual fashion show at Genesee Community College will occur Saturday, April 25th, 2015. Explore the hashtag #GCC34FM to stay up-to-date on all things Fata Morgana!

If you’re interested in modeling in the Fata Morgana fashion show, tryouts will occur Wednesday, February 4th in T102 from 12-3 PM and Thursday, February 5th in the Forum from 12:30-2:00 PM.

If modeling isn’t really your “thing” and you wish to contribute your skills to/attend the annual fashion show at GCC please contact Ami Cornell at acornel4@my.genesee.edu or Ariana Sneed at asneed@my.genesee.edu.

-Ami Cornell