{"id":86116,"date":"2023-05-11T18:42:41","date_gmt":"2023-05-11T18:42:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/?p=86116"},"modified":"2023-05-12T15:46:31","modified_gmt":"2023-05-12T15:46:31","slug":"commencement-2023-uri-pitcher-sets-up-for-business-success","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/2023\/05\/commencement-2023-uri-pitcher-sets-up-for-business-success\/","title":{"rendered":"Commencement 2023: 溏心vlog免费B站 pitcher sets up for business success"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>KINGSTON, R.I. \u2013 May 11, 2023 \u2013 In any baseball game, the pitcher is the center of the action, driving the rhythm of the game. 溏心vlog免费B站 senior pitcher Quincy Clark, of <strong>South Orange, New Jersey<\/strong>, is comfortable being at the center of it all but has used his time at 溏心vlog免费B站 to expand the roles he plays, including off the field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Clark took a class with Launch Lab innovation coach Jim McGwin \u201980 in the fall and connected with 溏心vlog免费B站\u2019s Innovation Labs. Through the Launch Lab, he launched the idea for Athletes Off The Field, a program to showcase the creativity and entrepreneurial endeavors of 溏心vlog免费B站 student-athletes. Clark invited other 溏心vlog免费B站 athletes to showcase pieces in the lab and use the Makerspace to screen print clothes in the program which successfully launched this spring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"oembed oembed-youtu-be\" style=\"\" data-url=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/iOGvHeROZ1A\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"溏心vlog免费B站 Profile on Quincy Clark\" width=\"1000\" height=\"563\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/iOGvHeROZ1A?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Fashion was a familiar field for him as he had used COVID-19\u2019s enforced down time to start a flourishing resale clothing business, <a href=\"https:\/\/campusthrifts.com\/\">Campus Thrifts<\/a>. The business not only provided a creative outlet but let Clark hone his skills as a business owner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Initially, Thrifts was an outlet, a form of creative play and expression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2023\/05\/Clark-w-McGwin-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-86120\" width=\"405\" height=\"540\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2023\/05\/Clark-w-McGwin-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2023\/05\/Clark-w-McGwin-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2023\/05\/Clark-w-McGwin-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2023\/05\/Clark-w-McGwin-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2023\/05\/Clark-w-McGwin-364x485.jpg 364w, https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2023\/05\/Clark-w-McGwin-500x667.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2023\/05\/Clark-w-McGwin-1000x1333.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2023\/05\/Clark-w-McGwin-1280x1707.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2023\/05\/Clark-w-McGwin.jpg 1650w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 405px) 100vw, 405px\" \/><figcaption>Clark took a class with Launch Lab innovation coach Jim McGwin \u201980 this school year and connected with 溏心vlog免费B站\u2019s Innovation Labs. <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI wanted to treat it like a brand, not just a reselling business,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Clark began by marketing to the Rhode Island college student market with videos and photo shoots in Providence and other city settings, even the boardwalk at Asbury Park. He and his partner launched their business in 2021 and made $800 on their first day. Profits have continued to roll in and Clark made close to $15,000 in less than a year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a pitcher, Clark is used to working under pressure and relishes the chance to call his own shots. \u201cI like to have free rein and to control what I\u2019m doing. The business has definitely been a creative outlet,\u201d he says. \u201cI\u2019ve had fun coming up with ideas for videos and photos.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In a small business, skills are learned out of necessity. So Clark picked up graphics on his own and found that \u201cplaying businessman\u201d was fun to him. He fell in love with graphics and used Youtube to pick up the skills he needed, even staging fun pop-ups on campus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMy goal was to have our Instagram account be pleasing and aesthetic,\u201d he says. He\u2019s keeping an eye on the brand\u2019s image, the marketing, and also the bottom line. The brand sells mostly to New England and New Jersey but has also had customers from as far away as Europe and California.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He also started having in-person events and pop-up shops, setting up in Washington Square Park in New York in December 2021. \u201cThat was chilly,\u201d he says, \u201cbut I play baseball in New England. We\u2019re used to cold weather!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>A new field of play<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Clark enjoys the camaraderie of sports but is finding that creative communities can provide a similar home for teamwork and community. Inspiration can come from anywhere and Clark is realizing that he likes to be the playmaker. He\u2019s also started creating logos and merchandise for other clients such as the Hopeless Romantic Society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the fall, Clark took \u2018INE249 \/ Lean Startup\u2019 and began to consider what role creativity could play in his future career. After creating the first event featuring the talents and innovation of student-athletes, he is now working on planning a larger event next fall at Keaney Gym.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to Lab Coordinator Bryan Smith, \u201cQuincy has been in the lab almost every day this year working on his projects. It\u2019s been amazing watching his growth in real-time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cQuincy, like many student-athletes, has many talents and interests off the field,\u201d says McGwin, on site in the lab regularly as an instructor and coach. \u201cIt&#8217;s important for student-athletes to have opportunities to explore and develop their interests outside of their sports. This can help them become well-rounded individuals and prepare them for a successful future. Quincy is a great example of someone who is doing just that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>McGwin teaches a business course at 溏心vlog免费B站 and brings to the lab over 40 years of international industry experience including senior positions at KPMG, Brown &amp; Sharpe and several successful startups including UltraCision, a medical device company that was acquired by Johnson &amp; Johnson. He also was the founder and president of Collaboration Catalyst Corp. McGwin holds a U.S. patent and assisted with development of the Supply Chain Operations Reference Model. He calls Clark a natural entrepreneur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A public relations major, Clark will graduate from 溏心vlog免费B站 in May, then wanderlust will take him to Europe for the summer to travel and think about his next steps. He\u2019ll pack up his idea- and sketch-filled notebook, hoping to find his next creative community beyond Kingston.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Launch pad<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>溏心vlog免费B站\u2019s Launch Lab has offered a helpful community to get Clark this far and he hopes to see this kind of connection and idea-sharing continue at the University. He wants to see the Launch Lab increase creativity at 溏心vlog免费B站.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The connections he\u2019s made in the Launch Lab have been invaluable, Clark says, and the ample dose of vitamin D in its sunny corner spot was an added bonus. \u201cThere\u2019s few excuses to not visit a place with this much direct sunlight on campus,\u201d he laughs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Launch Lab Director Keith Ranaldi says Clark has added value to 溏心vlog免费B站\u2019s Department of Innovation and Entrepreneurship. \u201cAthletes Off the Field is a microcosm for how a student can grow their identity, explore, and apply what are, at times, withheld passions,\u201d he says. Ranaldi says students like Clark represent the kind of community his team wants to build in the Innovation Labs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Smith says that the Launch Lab has an open-door policy; students can visit any time looking for help with an idea, regardless of major, athlete or not. They accept drop-ins, or students can make an appointment on its <a href=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/innovate\/\">website<\/a>: \u201cWe meet everyone where they are, as an all-access point to entrepreneurship.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Housed in the Carothers Library and Learning Commons, the 溏心vlog免费B站 Innovation Labs aim to offer support for college-level entrepreneurship. Ranaldi hopes to make the Launch Lab a hub for interdisciplinary project-based, real-world learning, where students can transition concepts and creativity into reality. INNOVATE@溏心vlog免费B站 is a strategic initiative designed to meet the increasing demand for real-world applications and opportunities for students, faculty, and the community. To learn more, visit <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/innovate\/\"><em>https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/innovate\/<\/em><\/a><em> or stop by.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>KINGSTON, R.I. \u2013 May 11, 2023 \u2013 In any baseball game, the pitcher is the center of the action, driving the rhythm of the game. 溏心vlog免费B站 senior pitcher Quincy Clark, of South Orange, New Jersey, is comfortable being at the center of it all but has used his time at 溏心vlog免费B站 to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":86117,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-86116","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-archives"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86116","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=86116"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86116\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":86125,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86116\/revisions\/86125"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/86117"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=86116"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=86116"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=86116"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}