Whitney Otto Berkowsky ’11 Even while she was working in sales in New York City, 2011 fashion merchandising grad Whitney
She’s a self-taught graphic designer, but puts her retail background to use as she handles sales. Her dad, also an entrepreneur, helped her navigate the incorporation of the business. She says she designs cards for the bold and beautiful woman, juxtaposing beautiful forals with bold typography. She writes all the copy, too, often incorporating some humor. Everything is sourced and manufactured in the United States, and she’s worked hard to make her products eco-friendly – using partially recycled paper (produced at plants operating on wind energy) and compostable packaging. Whitney also focuses on giving back to her community and frequently shares a portion of her profts with organizations she believes in. As she grows her company, Whitney says she’d like to maintain her “shop small” focus. “I want to focus on small stores – those are the people that really make a diference in this country and I want to be a part of it. “Starting a business is not easy, but if it’s something you love doing, it will energize you in a way that will allow you to get past whatever the difculties are,” she said. “Accept the fear
Otto Berkowsky had a side gig she named Otto & Berk. Friends (and friends of friends) commissioned her to create unique wedding invitations. When she and husband Jonathan Berkowsky decided to start a family, she left her full-time job and focused on her design work instead. Their son, JJ, is now 2 ½, and Whitney’s company is growing just as fast as he is. Rather than doing custom invitations, she now designs greeting cards that are sold in 75 small businesses around the country. She spread the word about her business through the Faire website, a wholesale marketplace that connects small businesses with artisans. She’s expecting to grow her client list even more after taking part in her frst trade show. She launched an entirely new collection, including seasonal greeting cards, notebooks, notepads, and calendars, at the National Stationery Show in August in New York City. It’s a one-person operation, with Whitney handling all design, and the business operation as well, from her home in Lawrence, New Jersey. Anthony Maher Anthony Maher ’02 is a born entrepreneur who’s made it his mission to champion other entrepreneurs. A soccer All-American at Mercyhurst, Anthony played professional soccer for 10 years. After his sports career, he never considered working for someone else. “It was always a question of what can I create, what can I build,” he said. He wanted to control his own destiny, a lesson he’d absorbed from Coach John Melody ’90, along with a strong work ethic, a drive to succeed, and an obsession with winning. In 2013 he partnered with his brother and sister- in-law, Michael and Jennifer Maher, to create Benjamin’s Desk, a Philadelphia co-working space. From the start, Benjamin’s Desk ofered clients more than just space – it was all about building a community and providing services to help startups grow their businesses. The business fourished, attracting tenants like Uber and the social commerce platform Curalate and being chosen to manage the University of Pennsylvania’s business incubator, Pennovation Center. That led to a merger in 2017 with
that will come with any new job and use that to your advantage. If it scares you, you’re probably doing the right thing.” See Whitney’s work at ottoandberk.com .
’02
Washington-based 1776, making Anthony the CEO of the largest network of business incubators in the country. Anthony stepped down to an advisory role with 1776 last year when he realized that the travel required by the job wasn’t good for his growing family. Anthony and wife Anne are raising four young sons, Roman, Anthony, Michael – and Apollo, who arrived July 29. At the start of 2019, Anthony became partner and president of University Place Associates, a real estate development frm started by Scott Mazo, a former Benjamin’s Desk/1776 investor. They expect to break ground by the end of the year on 3.0 University Place, a $100 million building that will anchor a research and innovation district along Philadelphia’s Market Street. Anthony said he loves building startup ecosystems and is using his extensive network of contacts to “curate” a tenant list. UPA has already partnered with Wistar, a biomedical research organization, and the Ben Franklin Technology Partnership will create an entire “innovation
foor” and advise on the unique needs of tech startups. UPA is also committed to minimizing the building’s impact on the environment and enhancing the health and productivity of those who will work inside it. To others considering starting their own companies, Anthony says, “Go into it with your eyes wide open. It’s going to be hard. You’re going to face obstacles, but if you’re driven and if you have the perseverance inside, you’re going to succeed.” Visit upaphila.com .
4
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online