Jon Atkinson Email & Phone Number

New Orleans, La, Us

New Orleans, La, Us

Building a better future for New Orleans by identifying, attracting, and retaining entrepreneurial talent in New Orleans and the surrounding region and making New Orleans a hub for innovation in the Gulf South. Check out ideavillage.org and now.org for more on how we accelerate companies work to build startup community in New Orleans.

New Orleans, Louisiana, Us

Through a management company called Neutral Ground Ventures, LLC I serve as the Administrator for one of the Region's Only Active, Early-Stage Focused, Private, Committed Capital Angel Funds. Accomplishments include:• Organized and Closed a Half-Million Dollar Committed Capital "Fund" Dedicated to Investing in Local, High Growth Potential Start-ups.• Developed both a Structure and a "Member Managed' Culture that Actively Engages Member Investors in Investment Decision Making.• Source Investment Opportunities, Manage Pipeline, and Assist in the Negotiation and Structuring Equity Investments and Convertible Note Financings on Behalf of the Group.• Closed Seven Investments in Six Companies over the Group's first 24 Months of Operations.• Coordinated the Development of the Group's Unique Legal Framework.• Responsible for Marketing and Branding including Development of Group Website from Source Code.

New Orleans, La, Us

As a "Founder" of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Community Development at Loyola, I have had the opportunity to build an Entrepreneurship Program for New Orleans from the Ground Up:• Developed a Center of Excellence Focused on Lean Entrepreneurship Methods, Technology-Based Entrepreneurship and 'Innovation-Ready' Workforce Skills Necessary to Build Scalable Businesses.• Developed and Taught Lean Launchpad Technology Commercialization Program Based on Steve Blank's Customer Development Methodology.• Built a Partnership with NASA's Stennis Space Center to Source Raw Industrial Technology and Adapted Lean Launchpad Methods to Create a "Black Box" Methodology that Brings together Innovative Tech and Future Entrepreneurs.• Partnered with the Idea Village to Reboot the IDEAcorps MBA Consulting Challenge based on a New Regionally Focused, Career Oriented, Model. Expanded Network of Schools, Developed Sustainable Program Structure and Served 16 Unique Early Stage Entrepreneurial Companies and Counting.• Launched a 10 Week Certificate in Software Development Designed to Bridge the Gap Between a Liberal Arts or Business Degree and Entry Level Jobs in the Technology Workforce.• Created an Interdisciplinary Minor in Entrepreneurship and an Improved MBA Specialization in Entrepreneurship for Loyola Students.• Developed and Managed a Diverse Team Composed of Industry Expert Adjunct Faculty, Volunteer Entrepreneurs in Residence, Volunteer Coaches, Students and External Partners to Augment Full-Time Resources to Deliver Results on a Limited Budget.• Supported Fundraising and Championed a Major Giving Campaign for Entrepreneurship within Loyola's Faith in the Future Initiative.

New Orleans, La, Us

"Professor of Practice" in Management and Entrepreneurship. Courses Taught Include:• Loyola "Lean Launchpad" - "Flipped Classroom" Experiential Course for MBAs focused on the Discovery, Development and Validation of a Novel Business Model Built Around a Technical Innovation. Projects Included Industrial Technology, Energy, and Biotech.• Entrepreneurial Strategy - Case Study Based Survey of Decision Making in Growth Oriented Companies.• Entrepreneurial Finance - Venture Development from the Perspective of the Start-up Financial Manager from the Evaluation of Opportunity, to Fundraising, to Management by the Numbers.

New Orleans, La, Us

Served as an advisor and strategic consultant to early stage social ventures participating in Proppeller's Start-up Accelerator• Interim CFO for Jack and Jake's Inc., Local Food Hub and Grocery, Helped Close $300,000 Series A Investment Round and Set-up North Shore Based Local Food Wholesale Operation• Developed a Business Plan and Financial Model for Matter, L3C, a Sustainable Design Company.• Executive Coach for Youth Rebuilding Together Executive Director; Advised on growth strategy and board development.

New Orleans, La, Us

• Taught Principals of Finance with an Emphasis on using Cases to Allow Students to Implement Core Concepts and Practical Insights for the Entrepreneur and Small Business Owner.• Focus on Managing by the Numbers

New York, New York , Us

• Managed a Team of Lenders to Source, Conduct Due Diligence, and Close Loans for Louisiana Companies.• Built and Monitored a Portfolio of Loan Assets.• Expanded Platform into Financing for Entrepreneurial and Technology Oriented Ventures.• Developed and Expanded Local Client Relationships. • Represented the Louisiana Market in Strategic Planning Initiatives at the National Level.

• Joined Ashoka Led Student Advisory Council Working to Bring Interdisciplinary Social Entrepreneurship Programming to the Tulane Campus.• Founded a Student-focused Incubator Program, Based on the Principles of: "Facilitate, Link, and Leverage," to Cultivate Aspiring Social Entrepreneurs and their Ventures with Initially Limited Outside Resources. • Provided Aspiring Entrepreneurs and Changemakers with a Business Toolkit, Exposure to Community Leaders and a Peer to Peer Learning and Accountability Platform to Guide Entrepreneurial Teams through Venture Launch.• $20,000 in Seed Funding Awarded Annually Through the New Day Challenge. • Launched participants to success in external competitions such as the Dell Social Innovation Challenge, Echoing Green Fellowships, and Propeller Social Innovation Incubator. • Incorporated as a core pillar of Tulane's 2010/2011 Quality Improvement Process and now run by the Taylor Center for Social Innovation and Design Thinking.

New Orleans, Louisiana, Us

• Focus on Large Commercial, Industrial, and Real Estate Loans for Hancock Bank, a Publicly Traded Regional Financial Institution Headquartered in Gulfport, MS for $27 Billion in Assets. • Performed In-depth Credit Analysis Focused on Verifying a Company's Ability to Repay Debt Through Quantitative and Qualitative Risk Analysis, Analysis of Debt Service Capabilities, and Collateral.• Helped Structure Loans to Mitigate Risk and Served as the Client Advocate in the Bank's Loan Approval Process• Supported the Development of Client Relationships and New Business Opportunities to Help Build $120 Million Commercial Loan Portfolio in Louisiana, One of the Bank's Largest at the Time.• Championed Start-up Lending and Bank Support for Entrepreneurs.

• Served as Front of House, Bar Manager, and Assistant General Manager.• Helped scale single store operations from $500,000 in sales to $2,000,000 in sales over an 18 months period.• Responsible for Daily P&L Management, End of Service Cash Accounting, Bar Inventory, and Interface Between the Front and Back of House (Kitchen). • Managed 30+ Employees Including Scheduling, Hiring and Firing, Training and Quality Control• Responsible for Ensuring the Quality of the Guest Experience and Resolving all Customer Service Issues.

M.B.A., Entrepreneurship, Strategic Management And Leadership

B.A., Economics