ESU Produces Semi-finalists in PASSHE Business Plan Competition

Bill Carangelo
Staff Writer
Wcarangel1@live.esu.edu

The desire to solve problems: this is what unites ESU students Jose Nunez and Nick
Frassinelli, semi-finalists in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education
(PASSHE) business plan competition.

Nunez was previously a pre-med major at ESU but discovered his new interest in
business. Changing his major to Business Management with a concentration in
Entrepreneurship, Nunez was intent on making a difference for the average person. “I
always thought that me being in a hospital setting, me being a doctor, I could help people.
But, it dawned on me that I could help people in other aspects,” he said.

Frassinelli is a physics major at ESU but understands the capitalistic society that we are
living in today. While one may have a love for their craft, it is always important to keep
options available. “Business is a vehicle for doing other things,” he said.

The creation of Nunez and Frassinelli’s business plans focused on their urge to want to
try and solve problems.

“When there’s a problem, I always try to think of a solution. I was just researching a
bunch of things and in [Innovations and New Creations] I learned that most inventions
come from prior experience,” Nunez said. From there, it became Nunez’s goal to uncover
a problem that not only he has gone through, but others as well.

The solution that Nunez came up with is his company NuTech. NuTech is a company
focused on incorporating current technology in a better way. An example of this focus is
the wearable technology industry – an industry Nunez is interested in due to its
convenience and ease of access for its consumers.

Frassinelli has a parallel way of thinking when it comes to finding solutions. “I know that
I like solving problems, it’s a character trait about me. I don’t know if I have too much of
a preference in where I’m solving problems – as long as it can keep me interested
intellectually,” Frassinelli said.

A physics major, and also a passionate writer, Frassinelli proposed the website,
WritersTerminal. To be concise, WritersTerminal is a hub where writers may be held
accountable for their work, as well as a resource center for writing tips and services for
those who are independent writers.

“There’s a big disconnect, I think, between short term and long term. Obviously, it’s in
[the writer’s] best interest for finishing their work to put in the time every single day, but
you can’t always see that,” Frassinelli said. He raises the point that many writers may
become estranged from their initial long-term goals. While some may want to take a day
off for different reasons, WritersTerminal ensures that the writer remains on track.

Both Nunez and Frassinelli have benefitted from the excellent instruction and guidance
from ESU’s staff.

As a former member of ESU’s Early Start Program, Nunez relates his success to his
initial professors. “It was Dr. Odeleye and Dr. Santiago. To this day they still help me;
they’re the backbones of my success because without them I wouldn’t be here right
now,” he said. Nunez enrolled in the Early Start Program twice to ensure his adjustment
to the college workload, and his professors were there to help him each step of the way.
“Ever since day one they saw my potential and just wanted me to be the best that I could
be.”

Without prior business experience, Frassinelli made connections with those who could
help him with his business plan ambitions: namely, Dr. Keith Modzelewski, director
business accelerator & entrepreneurship, and economic development & entrepreneurship.
“He helped me out through the entire process, he was great,” Frassinelli said. “It was a lot
of trial and error. I’d write something and Dr. Modzelewski would be like ‘that doesn’t
make sense.’” Frassinelli and Dr. Modzelewski initially met every week and then shifted
to once every two weeks while Frassinelli was developing his business plan.

Although neither won the grand prize of $10,000, the experience gained by taking part in
the competition is unmatched. Nunez and Frassinelli were assimilated into the business
world and the life of a modern-day entrepreneur. By placing as semi-finalists, and
producing business plans to be critiqued by experts in that field, Nunez and Frassinelli
achieved a high level of familiarity to the business world.

One thing is certain for Nunez and Frassinelli; they have unlimited prospects for success.
Both students are well versed in other subjects, but see business as an integral part of
society that should be used not only to benefit themselves but others as well. When asked
about the future, Nunez stated, “I want to be where the opportunity is.” This statement
depicts the adaptability of Nunez and Frassinelli, a former pre-med major and a
passionate physics major. By working hard and expanding out of one’s comfort zone,
more doors and career paths continue to open.

The PASSHE Business Plan Competition is an option for all students attending a state-
school to produce an original business plan. The experience offers students with firsthand
experience in entrepreneurship and offers he or she a $10,000 grand prize to go towards
their business plan.