On December 10, Hyde School’s EntreX students traveled to Union + Co. for an immersive feedback and strategy session hosted by Sean Ireland and Mandy Reynolds. The afternoon brought students together with members of the Midcoast Maine business community for a series of rapid-fire conversations designed to challenge assumptions, sharpen their thinking, and push their ideas closer to the next phase of our course: business model development. Students came away invigorated by the conversations they had, and emboldened to hone their thinking about the problems they identified.

After brief introductions and short SWOT-style updates, students rotated through small-group feedback sessions with local entrepreneurs and professionals, including Mike Mallon, Gina Longbottom, J. Cavanagh, Misty Parker, Charles Buki, and the Union + Co. team. Each group received multiple perspectives on their ideas—often from very different angles—forcing students to think critically about tradeoffs rather than look for a single “right” answer. “The feedback we received,” one student reflected,“made us realize that there isn’t one clear path forward—you have to decide what makes the most sense and commit to it.”

One of the most significant takeaways for students was learning how to communicate their ideas clearly and concisely. This was a challenge for many groups, who see a wide landscape of problems and are still learning how to focus on one specific entry point. Several mentors emphasized the importance of a tight, compelling elevator pitch—one that explains the value proposition of a solution in 30 seconds or less. One student noted, “We were stopped almost immediately and asked if we even knew what our elevator pitch was. It was embarrassing, but really helpful—it showed us how much sharper we need to be.” Being interrupted or redirected mid-pitch helped students experience firsthand how quickly attention is won or lost in real entrepreneurial settings. It was a wakeup call for some, and as their teacher, I learned a fair amount about how to motivate the venture groups more effectively.

Students also gained a deeper understanding of trust and credibility. Feedback pushed them to consider how their solutions would be perceived by users, investors, and partners, especially in a crowded marketplace. As one reflection put it, “People want something specific, visual, and actually useful—not vague results...” If you can’t communicate a solution effectively and persuasively, doubt will set in about whether or not it has value. This reinforced the importance of thoughtful design, transparency, and clear explanations of why a solution works.

Another major learning theme was the importance of value and incentives. Mentors challenged students to think beyond good intentions and clearly articulate why someone would choose their solution, pay for it, or stick with it over time. One student shared that the session helped them see their venture concept differently: “This was the first time we really thought about what our product might be doing beyond solving the problem—like saving time in a real, measurable way.”

The session also exposed students to a reality of entrepreneurship that can’t be easily taught in the classroom: how to approach conflicting advice. Different mentors offered opposing recommendations on topics like financing the venture, sequencing, and execution. Rather than seeing this as discouraging, many students recognized it as an essential lesson about how they can communicate their projects more effectively, and what hurdles they would have to go through to turn their visions into a reality by the end of the year. As one student reflected, “In all honesty, I didn’t know what to do at first—but it showed us that entrepreneurship means making informed decisions without perfect certainty.”

Looking ahead, students identified clear next steps inspired by the session: building early prototypes, testing ideas with real users, conducting deeper customer discovery, and setting more structured goals within their teams. Several students emphasized the importance of iteration and reflection, with one noting, “We take feedback seriously and try to grow from it instead of ignoring it.”

The Union + Co. experience provided a powerful checkpoint for the EntreX cohort—less about having everything figured out, and more about learning how to think, communicate, and adapt like real entrepreneurs. We are grateful to Sean Ireland, Mandy Reynolds, and the Midcoast Maine business community for investing their time, honesty, and expertise in our students’ growth.