Though Black History Month has passed, the history being made by the University of Houston’s Cyvia and Melvyn Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship continues.
Boma Cheetham-West, Jonathan Brown and Michael Talley are three living examples.
“I didn’t visualize my future until I enrolled in the University of Houston. Then I discovered that entrepreneurship was actually something you could learn, and that the country’s No. 1 undergraduate program is right here at UH.”
jonathan brown
Boma’s sonic boom
Cheetham-West, a Wolff Center 2017 alum and current Wolff mentor, transformed her hobby – creating playlists for friends – into a marketing agency on the come-up, BomaCurates. The agency specializes in sonic branding, but does mainstream digital marketing, as well.
Sonic branding is the opportunity given to business owners when they play the music customers hear in stores, restaurants and hotel lobbies, and on calls when you’re on hold. Cheetham-West viewed those everyday moments as untapped potential.
“A lot of research finds that diners linger longer in restaurants when the music fits the brand and customers even spend more money in restaurants and stores that play music fitting the establishment’s brand,” she explained. “I wouldn’t have taken the big chance [starting a business] if I hadn’t learned so much at the Wolff Center. Those lessons enabled me to get to where I am now.”
Talley’s tally
“Growing up, my ultimate vision was to be a professional athlete,” said Talley, the Blytheville, Arkansas native. “As I️ grew older my passion for being in the NBA was matched by a new pursuit – business. Or maybe the best of both worlds.”
During his sophomore year of high school, Talley connected with Garland ISD’s (Dallas) Gilbreath-Reed Career and Technical Center, and got hooked on the entrepreneur life.
“We went on field trips, listening to what business professionals could tell us. And we ran a retail store like it was our own. We purchased inventory and did all the sale and management duties.”
Talley was on a mission to find the college with the best business school to further his education.
“When I learned the Wolff Center was the No. 1 undergrad entrepreneurship program in the country, my mind was made up,” said Talley, who’s currently focusing his attention on Wolffest, the annual final competition among Wolff teams.
But when graduation comes this May, he plans on hitting the ground running via a career in sports marketing or technical sales.
Brown’s spiritual walk
“I love the values that were instilled in me,” said Brown, a 2014 alum of the Wolff Center, an established business owner and mentor for the current Wolff cohort, about being the son and grandson of pastors.
Brown saw both the family- and business side of church life. And as if divinely placed, he found his way to UH.
“I didn’t visualize my future until I enrolled in the University of Houston. Then I discovered that entrepreneurship was actually something you could learn, and that the country’s No. 1 undergraduate program is right here at UH,” shared Brown.
Brown and his business partner Ash Jones have for four years now, run ReImagine Biz, a business strategy company.
“We focus on teaching companies how they can compete and how they can identify certain bottlenecks in their businesses,” he said, of the business that allows him to exhibit the spirit of service he learned in church.
Celebrating success
“These three (Cheetham-West, Brown and Talley) bring to life the spirit of creativity and the willingness to work hard that all innovators need if they are to see their ideas bloom,” said Dave Cook, executive director of the Wolff Center. “They also show the courage and faith passed through these generations to power the visions through the years.”
