Making Waves in Virtual Enterprise: Getting to Know Poseidon

Huntington’s Virtual Enterprise class has had no shortage of success, with students raving about the course every year upon completion. Now in its third cycle, the VE program reached new heights this year as two companies, both mentored by longtime teacher Mrs. Tyree-Furman, advanced to the national competition.

Unlike your typical academic class, Virtual Enterprise allows students to work as a team to establish their own business idea and promote their product. One such company is Poseidon, which sells a luxury shower head meant to “reduce water consumption,” “save money,” and “help the environment.”

I sat down with the executive team of Poseidon to learn more about their VE experience and their plans for nationals.

Please introduce yourself and your position at Poseidon.

Ainsley: Hi, my name is Ainsley Proctor and I am the COO (Chief Operating Officer) for Poseidon. 

Alex: I’m Alex Frawley and I’m the CEO (Chief Executive Officer) of Poseidon.

Victoria: I’m Victoria Mangan , VP of Design and IT at Poseidon.

Richard: I’m Richard Zboray and I’m the Chief Business Officer of Poseidon.

Robby: Hi, I’m Robby Harrington, Chief Financial Officer at Poseidon.

Evan: Hello, I’m Evan, the VP of Sales.

Why did you decide to take VE, and how is it the same or different from what you were expecting?

Ainsley: I took VE because I wanted to develop new business skills to take with me to the real world. This class is definitely not what I had expected, because it is entirely student run and a total learning experience with limited guidance. 

Alex: I took VE because I enjoy business, and know that this class covers many skills needed in the real world. It has been an amazing experience and even better than I expected. I also enjoy working with our team, because we work so well together.

Richard: I decided to take VE after attending a Trade Show in my freshman year and cannot be any happier that I did so as this class is everything I expected and so much more. From learning how to successfully operate a business to seeing firsthand how effective a cohesive team can be, I would recommend this class to absolutely everyone.

Robby: I signed up for VE because I’m interested in going into business as a career. This class really throws you into the fire (in a good way) since it is run entirely by the few executives. It has been better than I expected, as I have learned a multitude of real-world skills.

Evan: I signed up for VE because I wanted to work on developing the skills needed to successfully operate a business in the 21st century.

If you could describe your company in 5 words, what would they be?

Ainsley: Powerful, innovative, up-and-coming, advanced, luxurious. 

Alex: Determined, groundbreaking, creative, pioneering, persistent.

Richard:  Ambitious, dedicated, passionate, superior, unique.

Robby: Innovative, ambitious, modern, necessary, helpful.

Evan: Game-changing, ambitious, luxury, economic, impactful.

What’s your favorite part about working at Poseidon?

Ainsley: Definitely making the strong connections we do with all of the teams. We dedicate so much of our time to this company, it is impossible not to become close with such a dedicated group. 

Alex: The teamwork is the best part about Poseidon because we have accomplished so much and work very well together.

Victoria: My favorite part of Poseidon is the freedom we have to make our own decisions about the company because it is a student-run class. 

Richard: Overall, my absolute favorite part about working at Poseidon is being able to come up with crazy and unique business tactics that are often successful all while being able to have a lot of fun together. 

Robby: My favorite part of the class is the people I have met and gotten to know, both within Poseidon and outside.

Evan: Poseidon as a whole has helped me fit in with my classmates during the pandemic and definitely acted as a catalyst for interaction. Because of this, I can say having the opportunity to work at Poseidon is the best part.

Tell me about everything that you’ve done leading up to the national competition.

Ainsley: Meeting in school and outside of school, we have been discussing every possible way to showcase our company to the judges. We have been actively working with professional businessmen and women to hear input to further expand our presentation. 

Alex: We are very excited about the national competition. Our company has brainstormed ideas for our presentation and taken advice from local business people. We are permanently thinking of ways to improve our company and presentation and spend a lot of time discussing ideas and strategies.

Robby: We have run through the presentation countless times, which has been helpful, since we notice something different each time that can be improved upon. We have also met with several business people who each bring a different perspective to the table.

Evan: We have consistently brainstormed and thought of ways to improve everything we have done. Our sales tactics, community outreach, presentation, and slideshow have come a long way since their very first draft. At Poseidon we have put so much effort into representing our pride in the brand and we are always ready to deliver to our customers and judges.

How have you been preparing for nationals and where do you see Poseidon going in the future?

Ainsley:  The entire company has been working tirelessly to make Poseidon the best it could possibly be, whether it’s social media or our sales department. Our company is soaring, and I do not expect it to come down anytime soon!

Alex: Our whole team has been working together to constantly improve Poseidon and our own skills. We have an innovative and unique shower head that has appeal all around the world.

Richard: Without the help of every single person on our team, Poseidon simply would not be in the position we are in now. From spending several hours of their day at each and every trade show to spending countless hours on perfecting the business plan, every member of our team has proven themselves to be invaluable. I foresee a future full of success for Poseidon and am very excited to continue working with such a great team. 

Robby: Everyone on the team has been working extremely hard to enhance the presentation to appeal to the judges and properly present our incredible product. In the future, it is not unrealistic to shoot for the stars, as the shower head is extremely environmentally conscious, as well as being cost efficient.

Evan: Everyone at Poseidon has been putting immense effort into our mission of a great, effective product and our iconic brand recognition. Our board of executives have been devoting much of their own personal time into Poseidon to make it the company it is now today.

The executive team at Poseidon presented at the national competition on Tuesday, April 7th and advanced to the semifinal round, placing among the top 20 teams in the Business Plan Competition. You can learn more about their product from their website and follow their Instagram, @poseidon.ve, to see where they go next!