A 1:1 resource for the Duke community to help further your entrepreneurial pursuits
Looking to take your idea to the next level? Hit a roadblock and need guidance? Considering taking the plunge into entrepreneurship? Duke Experts in Entrepreneurship are dedicated volunteers who offer valuable advice, connections, and ad hoc support to alumni and students during weekly 1:1 office hours.
These seasoned entrepreneurs and innovators are committed to supporting others on their entrepreneurship journey, fostering innovation and entrepreneurship within the Duke community, and building and strengthening the Duke I&E Network.
Interested in scheduling time with one of our experts?
How to Engage with Duke Experts in Entrepreneurship
Duke Experts in Entrepreneurship is…
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Access to amazing Duke alumni who are volunteering to support the Duke I&E ecosystem.
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A place to take your entrepreneurial ideas forward.
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To be taken seriously out of respect for everyone’s time.
Duke Experts in Entrepreneurship is not…
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A regular mentorship or coaching relationship. Our Experts will help set you on a path for success and point you to other resources.
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A job search tool. Please access Duke alumni career services for support with a job search.
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To be abused. Users who miss two scheduled calls or who display inappropriate conduct will be banned from future use.
Our Duke Experts in Entrepreneurship are giving their valuable time to the Duke entrepreneurship community. If you schedule a time with our experts, preparation is expected. You will provide the following through Calendly in advance of your call:
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Your LinkedIn URL and/or a professional bio
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A link to your company/organization website (if available)
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Up to three questions or issues you would like to discuss with your Expert
Please note: If you book a call with an Expert, you are expected to attend as scheduled. If you miss two calls, you will lose access to the network.
Opinions and advice given by Duke Experts in Entrepreneurship are not those of Duke University. The information provided by the Experts does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials from the Experts shall be used for general informational purposes only.
Meet Our Duke Experts in Entrepreneurship
Al Araiza JD '12
Al is a legal, fundraising, product development, and IP expert with broad tech, health, retail, finance, and clean energy experience.
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Ask me about how Hurricane Katrina started my legal career...
Jennifer Arrington MBA '23
Red Bull marketing leader with expertise in digital campaigns, startup growth, UX, AI integration, and sustainability. Industries: tech, energy, media, agriculture.
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Ask me about my time as a competitive sailboat racer in Southern California...
Kelly Braddy '99
Leadership and family business expert with U.S. market entry experience for global companies. Industry: real estate/construction.
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Ask me about the differences between joining an existing family business and starting one from scratch...
Sarah Cork '05
Life sciences patent attorney (Ph.D. Neuroscience) specializing in IP protection, commercialization, and biotech/medtech innovation. Industries: life sciences, pharma, and health.
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Ask me about walking away from over a decade in 'big law' to start my own firm supporting entrepreneurs...
Bette Ann Fialkov '07
Marketing and influencer/experiential partnership expert in health, retail, and media.
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Ask me about working with my favorite artist, Jeff Koons...
Dennis Gilmore PhD'78, P'14
40+ years in technology commercialization, startup formation, and clean energy innovation. Industries: health, energy.
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Ask me about telling my CEO that a $20 million project had failed...
Mike Handelsman '88
Strategy, marketing, and ETA expert with experience in eCommerce, manufacturing, and tech.
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Ask me about business-for-sale marketplaces...
Damien Hoffman '00
Bootstrapped and sold a large online media company. Expert in content, advertising, e-commerce, bootstrapping, and positioning to sell.
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Ask me about living in the remote mountains of Colorado for a year as a break from startups and achievement life...
Quinci King '20
Nonprofit founder and corporate strategist specializing in social innovation, AI, product management, and corporate development/ partnerships. Focus areas: digital media/ advertising, edtech, mental health/ health care, and public–private ecosystem development.
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Ask me about growing up on the West Coast and my path from Durham to NYC.
John McKenna '06
Strategy, marketing, leadership, and fundraising expert in clean energy and sustainability.
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Ask me about taking an 18-month hiatus after a business failure to figure out my career...
Avery Reaves '04
Fundraising and legal/IP specialist with focus on entity formation and securities. Industries: tech, health, finance.
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Ask me about helping to tear down the goalpost at Wally Wade...
Sean Smith '00
Retail media and digital marketing strategist with strengths in sales, brand growth, and client education. Industries: retail, media.
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Ask me about how being stuck at an auto dealership with my 17-month-old led to creating a program that closed the biggest deal in my company's history...
Brynne Thompson '99
Strategy, leadership, and fundraising advisor to early-stage companies, especially in sustainability and innovation. Industries: finance, edtech, tech, consumer goods.
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Ask me about the 'blessing in disguise' of not getting funding for my hedge fund in 2008...
Quinn Wang '10, MD'15
Y Combinator alum and founder of two healthcare startups; expert in healthcare innovation, venture funding, and physician advocacy. Industries: tech, health.
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Ask me about the moment that pushed me from practicing surgeon to full-time founder...
Travis Wittick MBA '17
Founder of Academy Endeavors; expertise in leadership, mentorship, and mission-driven business growth. Industries: media, education.
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Ask me about leaving my corporate job during COVID to start my own coaching business with a stay-at-home wife and three kids...
Zach Wood MEgM '08
Co-founder of Vadar Alpha; expert in product strategy, go-to-market, and leadership in industrial tech. Industries: tech, finance.
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Ask me about joining a startup that ended up buying the New York Stock Exchange...