SARASOTA 鈥� Pete Petersen, a 51在线 alumnus and successful entrepreneur, engaged attendees at the Sarasota-Manatee campus on Nov. 12, delivering an inspiring fireside chat as part of the 鈥淐onversation With a Founder鈥� series hosted by USF鈥檚 Nault Center for Entrepreneurship.
The intimate gathering provided students and guests with a rare opportunity to hear directly from a local business leader celebrated for his resilience and innovative approach to entrepreneurship.
Known for co-founding Dealers United and BuyerBridge, Petersen shared stories from his career. He recalled a pivotal early experience in which he volunteered to fix a technical issue for his boss 鈥� an incident that marked the beginning of his path toward problem-solving and growth in business.
Petersen also encouraged attendees to prioritize teamwork and passion.
鈥淚t鈥檚 always the team; it鈥檚 always the people you鈥檙e around,鈥� he advised. 鈥淪o just have fun while you鈥檙e doing it and surround yourself with great people. Try to find something you can spend relentless hours on, because you鈥檙e going to spend more time than you want to admit.鈥�
The event began with a networking reception in a scenic balcony space, where attendees mingled over complimentary refreshments and hors d'oeuvres. USF and the Nault Center for Entrepreneurship, which is part of the Muma College of Business, extended a special thank you to sponsors and for their support in making the event possible.
Through the 鈥淐onversation With a Founder鈥� series, the Nault Center for Entrepreneurship aims to bring real-world business stories and insights to students, fostering a spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship across USF鈥檚 campuses.
Visit this link to learn more about past events in the series.