Award-winning Entrepreneur to Talk to MCC Students

As part of the Visiting Entrepreneur Speaker Series, Middlesex Community College will welcome MassChallenge winner Alex Hardy at 11 a.m. on Thursday, November 2. A seasoned entrepreneur, Hardy will offer a lot of insight to help students find their entrepreneurial path.

“I am most excited to hear the students’ questions and talk to them,” Hardy said. “When I studied entrepreneurship I had questions – am I cut out for this, will I be successful, where do I start? I would like to run through some of my experiences, what the key issues were that determined my success or failure, and fully disclose that I have failed more often than not. I would also make sure to communicate the entrepreneurial principles I learned were valuable in many aspects of business and not just new venture creation.”

Founder of Nix86, Hardy is C-Suite Officer at a variety of cannabis industry startups, and President and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Fire & Ice Restaurants for 11 years. Hardy is also co-author of “Casebook for Young Entrepreneurs,” and was owner of Bass River Baking Company, General Manager of GHH Select Coffee, Regional President of Ethos Cannabis, and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Temescal Wellness Cannabis.

"When successful entrepreneurs visit our students to share stories and challenges, our students take away an even better understanding of how the practices we learn about in class apply in the real world,” said Stacie Hargis, MCC’s Entrepreneurship Program Coordinator. “I am grateful for the time Mr. Hardy has provided us."

MCC’s IDEA Center assists students and faculty in learning about idea generation, innovation and entrepreneurship. The virtual center connects the community with resources and professional expertise to advance in entrepreneurial pursuits. Faculty leaders inspire and mentor students in for-profit, nonprofit and social ventures with collaborative, hands-on, and results-drive activities, including presentations, conferences, competitions and funding opportunities.

The event will take place from 11 a.m. to noon in the Bedford Campus Henderson Hall, Room 116 or on Zoom. Visit www.middlesex.mass.edu/entrepreneurship/ for more information and to register for the event in advance.