From left to right: Brian Klaas, dean and professor of management for the Bloch School of Management; Sophia Ho, student; and Cameron Johnson, student, at the Bloch Entrepreneur of the Year Awards.
Sexton Family Foundation Supports Bloch Consulting Lab
Young Sexton, WingGate Travel founder, committed to advancing entrepreneurs
Inspired by her love for travel, Young Sexton founded WingGate Travel in 1991.
“My parents gave me an around-the-world trip after I completed my master’s degree, right before I started my Ph.D., and I got the travel bug from that trip,” she says.
It turns out Sexton was also a natural entrepreneur. WingGate received the Professional Services Firm of the Year Award by the U.S. Small Business Administration in 2000.
Sexton was committed to helping small, minority-owned businesses through the Sexton Family Foundation, and began searching for partners to help make the most impact with her investments. She contacted Bob Regnier, vice chairman of the board of the Bank of Blue Valley and supporter of the Regnier Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the UMKC Henry W. Bloch School of Management, for advice. Regnier introduced Sexton to Dean Brian Klaas.
“We met with Dean Klaas and began talking about advancing entrepreneurship and establishing real-world skillsets,” Sexton says. “As the Bloch Consulting Lab gained momentum, we were ready to commit.”
The Bloch Consulting Lab provides professional training for UMKC students in business coaching through the Missouri Small Business Development Center while they earn UMKC course credit. In addition to experience and training, students receive a $1,000 scholarship for completing the course.
Jeff Hornsby, Ph.D., director of the Regnier Institute and department chair, says Sexton’s and The Bloch School's objectives were a good fit.
“UMKC is an urban-facing university with a diverse base of students, and The Bloch School programming and co-curricular opportunities allow students a leg up when they are starting their careers,” Hornsby says.
In addition, experience in the consulting lab builds real-world skills, which are a priority at The Bloch School.
“Students have to apply for acceptance, receive training and act as consultants in conjunction with experienced faculty members,” Hornsby says.
Recently, the students in the lab have been working with Alt Cap, a local organization that provides alternative financing and consultation for communities and entrepreneurs that fall outside the financial mainstream.
“These ventures have critical needs that our students have the knowledge and strengths to provide,” Hornsby says.
Sophia Ho, a senior majoring in business and marketing, has always had an interest in social issues and activism. She’s involved with Enactus, the UMKC student consulting program that works with nonprofits. Ben Williams, Regnier Institute managing director, encouraged her to join the entrepreneurship collaborative program, which provides small business consulting. While the program is challenging, Ho found the clients’ relief and inspiration from the results fulfilling.
“I’ve always wanted to help the community,” Ho says. “Every week I’m exposed to different small business owners’ challenges, and I feel more compelled to be a consultant.”
Ho is interested in providing consulting or financial services to help entrepreneurs of color obtain access to capital in the future.
“I’m passionate about art and design, but I’m considering finding some way that I could be part of providing financial or consulting services or even access to capital,” Ho says.
Her philosophy is in line with Sexton’s.
“We believe in giving back to the community, and this is good for the community,” Sexton says. “I think every entrepreneur should share their success with others. We want this program to be a draw for students to strengthen their careers and the community.”