Video: Locals Get Help Launching New Businesses

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By Chad Groening

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – With the tough job market, a group of entrepreneurs got together this weekend to start up their own businesses.

The Renasant Center for ideas was the site of the 54 hour startup weekend event hosted by Innovate Mississippi.

This team wants to create a trading card, not with famous baseball players, but famous entrepreneurs like Apple icon Steve Jobs.

Parker Stewart is a recent business graduate from Mississippi State.

“And so if they buy a pack of our Pivot is what we call it, Pivot entrepreneur trading cards, they get one with Steve Jobs, and the best friend loves Steve Jobs and their friend has a Mark Zuckerberg card they can trade,” Stewart said. “And so it is a way to collect and share and connect with their favorite entrepreneur.”

Stewart’s group, along with all the others, had their businesses evaluated by a panel of seasoned professionals for their chances of real-world success. They also could pitch their ideas to potential investors.