Burgan Prize: "The entrepreneurial spirit is thriving at YSU"

Maeson Green was only 15 years old when he started his own business, MBG Restoring, with the motto: “Making shoes look brand new since 2015.”

Five years later, Green is now a sophomore Management major at Youngstown State University, and his business has restored more than 1,200 pairs of shoes.

For his success, Green was awarded the John Burgan Entrepreneurship Prize of $2,400 to support expansion of his business, Relaced.

The prize was created late last year to help YSU students with ideas for new businesses. The award is funded by Patrick Burgan, broker and second-generation owner of Burgan Real Estate, in honor of his father, John, an entrepreneur, businessman and community leader.

“We were amazed with the quantity, and especially the quality, of the innovative student submissions for the inaugural event,” said Joe Angelo, director of the WCBA Entrepreneurship Center. “Clearly the entrepreneurial spirit is thriving at YSU. I am truly looking forward to next year’s competition.”

In all, 19 proposals were submitted from students in a variety of majors across campus and were evaluated by a panel of judges based on feasibility, market assessment, creativity and entrepreneurial spirit. Four students were invited to present to the judges via WebEx in late April.

While Relaced will still be based mainly around shoes, it will be a one-stop shop for all restoration needs ranging from shoe restorations, purse restorations, hat restorations and watch link removal. Relaced will provide high-end sneakers as well as affordable economy sneakers.

On the resell side, Relaced will resell shoes of all kinds as well as clothing.

The idea for the entrepreneurship prize dates to when Patrick Burgan was 10 years old and spoke to his father about a business idea he had to sell custom watches to commemorate an anniversary of an automotive vehicle he liked. John Burgan gave his son $2,400 to start the business. Patrick sold all of the 100 watches he created. His father helped Patrick invest his profits and, at the age of 17, the investment and earnings were used to purchase Patrick’s first house, which ignited his love of real estate, where he now is co-owner of the fastest growing real estate brand in the Mahoning Valley, a company his father started 42 years ago.