09/17/2026
Last week, Coffee w/ an Entrepreneur took students beyond Hattiesburg for a full day exploring entrepreneurship and the growing Blue Economy along the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
The day began with Joel Lawhead and Amy Fletcher, who shared the story behind Tek Annoa and the unexpected paths that led them into entrepreneurship. Their conversation gave students a closer look at how new ventures can emerge at the intersection of technical expertise, industry knowledge, and real problems worth solving.
From there, students visited the USM Gulf Coast Research Lab's Marine Education Center in Ocean Springs and headed out aboard the Miss Peetsy B for a firsthand look at the coastal environment connected to so much of the region’s Blue Economy activity.
The day ended at Gulf Blue, where students met founders, researchers, and professionals working across the Coast and continued conversations that had started earlier in the day.
That progression was intentional: hear the story, see the environment, then meet the people doing the work.
Experiences like this help students connect what they are learning on campus to industries, challenges, and opportunities beyond it. They also give students a clearer picture of the many places entrepreneurship can lead.
Thank you to Joel, Amy, Gulf Blue, the Marine Education Center, and everyone who helped make the day possible.
