Erin Laughlin
In Motion Staff Writer
On Tuesday, April 12, the L. Gale Lemerand Entrepreneurial Speaker Series hosted by the Small Business Development Center at DSC will be featuring Chris Gilpin, a DSC alum who created a successful tech startup.
Gilpin’s company, Signal Vault, produces a card-like device that fits in a wallet and is designed to block hackers from remotely scanning the electronic chips in today’s credit cards.
What sets him apart from other entrepreneurs Gilpin says is, “I am part of a small alum from ‘Shark Tank.’”
Gilpin partnered with Lori Grenier and Robert Herjavec on ABC’s ‘Shark Tank’ season 7 premiere for a $200,000 investment. After launching in 2013, Signal Vault has sold more than 350,000 units all over the world and has appeared on QVC.
Those who plan on attending the event will be able to take away, “Anything is possible, if you work hard and put your mind to the task,” according to Gilpin.
Gilpin’s advice for Daytona State College students who aspire to be successful business owners is, “Keep pushing, if you see yourself successful, don’t let anyone tell you different.”
The free public event, will also include the awarding of scholarships to students who applied for the L. Gale Lemerand Entrepreneurial Speaker Series Scholarships in March.
Lemerand is one of the nation’s leading entrepreneurs and philanthropists. Through an endowment, DSC’s Center for Entrepreneurship has become a valuable resource available for Daytona State students seeking degrees in business and management, as well as for anyone who wants to learn what it takes to start a business from the ground up.
The scholarships will be presented to four students interested in entrepreneurship. Awards will go to a student in a Volusia or Flagler County high school who plans to attend DSC, two DSC college-credit students and a DSC Adult Education student.
For information about the event or the L. Gale Lemerand Entrepreneurial Speaker Series, call 506-4723 or email SBDC@DaytonaState.edu.