While Donald Trump was making Omarosa and Kwame household names last spring, one Denver radio station was making Marriott School alumna and entrepreneur Becky Tate Orser its apprentice.
When Denver radio station Alice 105.9 announced its own apprentice competition that would award the winner with the station’s promotions contract position, more than 1,500 proposals flooded the station. Orser was one of the two contest finalists, and she ended up sharing the apprentice title and the $30,000 prize with the other finalist, Shalisha Hammond.
Orser, who earned her BS in business management in 2000, has had other competition success—in 2000 she won the Utah Entrepreneur Challenge for her business CityNet. “That business was a great experience, but due to the capital-intensive structure, CityNet did not completely blossom because we were unable to get a needed second round of funding,” she explains.
After moving to Colorado, working in marketing positions, and attending the Art Institute of Colorado, Orser launched her second business, Red 8 Ball, in January 2004. Her company specializes in innovative marketing solutions for small- and medium-size companies through branding, advertising, event marketing, and web marketing.
Entrepreneurship was a passion Orser discovered while an undergrad. “I especially loved the entrepreneur class I took at BYU. The more I learned about business, the more I knew I wanted to run my own company,” she says. “It started with CityNet and now Red 8 Ball. I hope to own several successful businesses throughout my life.”
Orser also served as co-chair of the campus chapter of the Management Society while attending the Marriott School. “The experiences I gained as a student at BYU have given me the confidence to navigate the challenges of the business world,” she says. “I still reference things I learned in class, and I share what I learned with friends, clients, and associates.”
For information about Red 8 Ball, visit www.red8ball.com or email info@red8ball.com.
